Driving at night

[Pale Rider]

What are your thoughts on driving at night?

I've just done a journey from Teesside to my caravan in north Yorkshire.

Mixed driving conditions, everything from urban roads to near motorways and country lanes.

Adding the rush hour and light rain made for a more stressful journey than I would like.

Perhaps I'm getting old, but increasingly I'm less keen on driving at night.

What's your view on driving in the dark?

 

[biggs682]

@Pale Rider i feel much the same use to love it and now i dont enjoy it as much

 

[Mo1959]

What are your thoughts on driving at night?

I've just done a journey from Teesside to my caravan in north Yorkshire.

Mixed driving conditions, everything from urban roads to near motorways and country lanes.

Adding the rush hour and light rain made for a more stressful journey than I would like.

Perhaps I'm getting old, but increasingly I'm less keen on driving at night.

What's your view on driving in the dark?

Presumably due to my age, I am really struggling with it now too. I actually clipped a raised kerb thing at the side of the road the other night when I was getting dazzled coming back from taking dad to visit step mum in the care home.

I have now changed to morning visiting to avoid any more night driving over the winter period. Really must go for an eye test too.

 

[Hill Wimp]

I am so glad you are all saying this. I went to the optician last weekend and said I'm now beginning not to enjoy night driving as people's brake lights now appear to have a halo around them and I'm finding it have to concentrate far more. Thankfully she told me I was quite normal and that it was age related eyesight degeneration. So I do agree night driving is now something I would rather not do unless I have to.

 

[gbb]

I commute by car 42 miles every day, 21 each way and of course it's entirely in the dark during the winter. A class roads, but in the fens which tend to be very lumpy and unlit. I don't particularly mind, but I do almost HAVE to wear glasses in the dark, it prevents the 'jangling' of oncoming lights a bit, but poorly aimed headlights, cyclops drivers (one headlight out) cause confusion and seem remarkably common nowadays, and most importantly, the proliferation of xenon type headlights ruin the experience for everyone bar the owner of said lights ( mostly because the lumpy roads cause cars to wallow and gives the impression they're main beaming you)
As said, I don't hate it, but it's not without its problems.

 

[keithmac]

I don't mind it for the most part, don't fancy driving at night with the caravan in tow though so will have to plan next years summer holiday with a stop either way..

 

[gbb]

I am so glad you are all saying this. I went to the optician last weekend and said I'm now beginning not to enjoy night driving as people's brake lights now appear to have a halo around them and I'm finding it have to concentrate far more. Thankfully she told me I was quite normal and that it was age related eyesight degeneration. So I do agree night driving is now something I would rather not do unless I have to.

Motorway driving became a mare for me....the rear lights seemed to jump around and made distance judging quite hard. A stream of cars in front of me was even worse, horrible trying to keep things in focus. I almost always wear glasses for driving now although I don't at any other time. They've improved things enormously. I'm 58 by the way if that's relevant.
Daytime driving...sometimes if my eyes are tired I will wear glasses but can usually manage without them.

 

[The Jogger]

From about age 55 to now 58 I haven't enjoyed driving at night, previous to that, I loved it...........glad to hear it's normal.

 

[gbb]

I don't mind it for the most part, don't fancy driving at night with the caravan in tow though so will have to plan next years summer holiday with a stop either way..

I never minded towing a caravan at night (or any other time tbf)... 50mph and relax. It's the speed that makes you tired, driving at a relatively sensible speed is very 'relaxing'

 

[Pale Rider]

@gbb and @Hill Wimp have it nailed, at least from my point of view.

There were one or two drivers hammering on regardless tonight, but there were probably more content to sit behind me at about 60mph on the dual carriageway.

Which leads me to conclude there are lots of drivers who think as we do.

 

[Littgull]

What are your thoughts on driving at night?

I've just done a journey from Teesside to my caravan in north Yorkshire.

Mixed driving conditions, everything from urban roads to near motorways and country lanes.

Adding the rush hour and light rain made for a more stressful journey than I would like.

Perhaps I'm getting old, but increasingly I'm less keen on driving at night.

What's your view on driving in the dark?

I find long distance night driving a real strain now I'm in my early 60s. The oncoming headlights actually hurt my eyes and it becomes very uncomfortable. It's strange because at home I have 'progressively' required much brighter lighting when reading than a few years ago. My optician told me that this is just a natural feature of the raging process. The other thing with driving is that I get way more aches and pains from driving over 50 miles (back, neck etc) than I ever get from a 100+ mile cycle ride!

Our youngest son, daughter in law and grandson live nearly 200 miles away so long journeys down and back up the A1 are quite frequent. My wife finds it difficult to drive over 40 miles due to fatigue and concentration issues so sharing the driving isn't really an option.

Crikey, I'm sounding like a decrepit old git!

 

[DaveReading]

Now that my youthful short-sightedness has receded to the point where I don't need distance glasses, only for reading, I quite enjoy night driving. Only problem is I have to squint to read the instruments.

 

[Drago]

40,000 lumen light bar for SAR work turns country roads into broad daylight.

 

[Hill Wimp]

I'm 48 and after the visit to the optician I apparently just on the legal limit for driving. She suspects that in 6mths I may be in need of glasses for driving and recommends one that help with the halo effect.

 

[Pale Rider]

I'm 48 and after the visit to the optician I apparently just on the legal limit for driving. She suspects that in 6mths I may be in need of glasses for driving and recommends one that help with the halo effect.

That's no age, so I'm sorry to hear that.

But well done for taking responsibility and getting the job checked out.

There's plenty of people - such as me - who would be tempted to bash on regardless until we hit something.