Community Forums

Mojorzn · 04-13-2017, 06:50 AM

so I noticed as I'm getting older I'm my night vision is getting worse. I've especially noticed it trying to drive my Class A with the flat side windows at night. I get awful glare and can't see the rear view mirrors well. Has anyone else had the same experience and is there anything that can be done? one question I had is can you drive with the docking lights on? or put lights that shine down so at least you can see the markings on the road better?

FRR2EYW · 04-13-2017, 06:57 AM

I have that problem also. Not being a smart a__, but my solution is to only drive the rig during daylight hours if at all possible.

Raining Star · 04-13-2017, 06:58 AM

My wife sufferers from night blindness as she got older and I don't like her driving after dark.
Personally I prefer driving at night and as of yet have experienced no loss of vision at night.

BuckyBounder · 04-13-2017, 07:05 AM

I'm considered young, but 45 used to be old, and I have trouble with the side window glare. I'd be interested if anyone found a way to correct it. The only thing I've found is to stop driving at night. Maybe there is a polarized film that will help.

I also had trouble with the "blue beam" headlights that the PO had installed. They did a great job lighting up the road for two car lengths in front of the motorhome, but then they cut off and didn't put any light on the signs or road reflectors, so I switched back to regular headlights that are less of a focused beam.

Mojorzn · 04-13-2017, 07:06 AM

nice thing about driving at night is cooler temps and less traffic. but I'm finding myself becoming a 'daytime' driver...

parkerbill · 04-13-2017, 07:31 AM

I used to love driving at night; especially really late at night with far less traffic, cooler temps, etc., right up until around five years ago when I struck a very large mule deer buck at 4:30 AM on I-70 just west of Salinas, KS with the Grand Cherokee we had then. Over $8K in damage, plus one very dead deer! Since then I've become somewhat paranoid about driving at night. I turned 70 a couple of months ago and so far have only noticed a very slight decline in visual ability at night and it is mostly the glare from incoming vehicle headlights.

MnTom · 04-13-2017, 07:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mojorzn

so I noticed as I'm getting older I'm my night vision is getting worse. I've especially noticed it trying to drive my Class A with the flat side windows at night. I get awful glare and can't see the rear view mirrors well. Has anyone else had the same experience and is there anything that can be done? one question I had is can you drive with the docking lights on? or put lights that shine down so at least you can see the markings on the road better?

The answer to the first question is no. You cannot have white lights visible from the rear. The second question is it depends. It depends on the type of lights. Fog or driving lights are ok, but you can only have a maximum of four lights projecting a beam to the front of your vehicle.

Sandy Swede · 04-13-2017, 07:52 AM

At 68, my night vision is not the best, although I do drive at night on rare occasions without putting other people or myself in danger. I have a more difficult time reading signs until I get closer than I would during the daytime. Bottom line, I would have to have a pretty darn good reason for driving at night. I do understand, however, that when daytime temps are 90+, driving at night is much less taxing to mechanical systems as well as to the "broiled" daytime driver.

If you don't have to, why do it? As someone once said, "Nothing good happens after midnight."

Safe travels everyone.

bokobird · 04-13-2017, 07:55 AM

I love night driving. Do a lot of it when possible. Things that I've done which others likely do as well:

- Keep interior lights off
- Dim dashboard lights as much as possible
- All other light from devices (tablet/phone/gps/etc.) also dimmed as much as possible
- Having driving lamps (not fog lamps) that light up the immediate front/sides of the roadway
- Reflections on side windows can be distracting but don't focus on them, try to put towels or something that reflect the dash. I've just learned to not focus on the reflection as I'm only scanning side mirrors.
- Drive the speed you can see, meaning, keep your speed within your safe visual range with lights from your vehicle/highway lighting, vehicles (if any) in front of you, etc.
- Remember to move your head around even if you can't see out the side windows, otherwise you'll wind up with a stiff neck looking straight forwards constantly.

The benefits I love about night driving include less traffic, fewer accidents causing backups, generally speaking less windy conditions and less traffic (oh yea, I mentioned that already

).

Cooperhawk · 04-13-2017, 08:06 AM

I am now 76. Night driving started to become a problem because of the headlight glare and the halo effect of lights in general. Went to the eye doc, I had cataracts! He says that is what they do, so, I had the surgery and had the eye lens replaced in both eyes. Medicare paid for it all. Very little discomfort, but not fun either.

Not a total success. The surgeon said he was inserting lenses that would give me good vision for distance and would probably need reading glasses.

I still need glasses for distance, but now with glasses with anti glare coating I can drive at night without a problem. I do not however need glasses for reading. Figure that out.

In the long run it probably worked out okay. I would want sunglasses and I purchased Sun-sensors so I am good day or night. Actually "Transitions".

The only thing that I do not care for is that the anti glare will pick up any body oil and smear it all over the lens. I clean the darn things several times a day.

momdoc · 04-13-2017, 08:07 AM

I do not like night driving but I do have a pair of glare proof glasses. They have a yellow tint and are very similar to ski goggles I used to have. They take out all the glare and "flat spots". They may help with your side vision as well.

During the day the are even better with everything as "bright as day" and no glare at all. You can actually look at the sun (not recommended) with out squinting.

momdoc

MSHappyCampers · 04-13-2017, 08:56 AM

Sounds like you have cataracts! That's what I experienced and after getting the cataracts removed the difference was amazing!

twinboat · 04-13-2017, 09:23 AM

Same here, at 64 years young, I had both cataracts done.

I can drive at night and see colors again. I had distance lens implanted.
They offeed one reading and one distance lens. Tried it with contacts and decided against it.

slickest1 · 04-13-2017, 10:05 AM

When I was working most of my driving was at night. As I got older my night vision seemed to fade. I just had my Cataracts done and it is better but not like it used to be.
Meeting vehicles with those bright white lights I find very blinding.
These coaches with the flat windows are bad at night and even worse when it is raining.
We came through Seattle very late one night and it was raining. There was also a lot of road maintenance happening and multi vehicles with flashing lights. I could hardly see a thing. The same thing with police flashing lights they are very blinding as well. I knew a fellow that used to wear the yellow tinted glasses and he swore they worked great for that. Thanks for the reminder I will get a pair.