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Glow-in-the-dark road
- Thread starter Crispin
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![Smart%20Highway-glowing%20lines-Studio%20Roosegaarde[1].jpg](https://www.landcruiserclub.net/community/data/attachments/26/26396-7fc9a1c49d25014fef859ddf4b7897b6.jpg?hash=f8mhxJ0lAU "Smart%20Highway-glowing%20lines-Studio%20Roosegaarde[1].jpg")
Nice idea!
Here, they don't even use reflectorized white lines, like the ballotini beads that are applied to the white lines in the UK.
Night driving is hellish here, particularly where the white line 'paint' has worn away, as on 90% of the roads
Here, they don't even use reflectorized white lines, like the ballotini beads that are applied to the white lines in the UK.
Night driving is hellish here, particularly where the white line 'paint' has worn away, as on 90% of the roads
Nice idea!
Here, they don't even use reflectorized white lines, like the ballotini beads that are applied to the white lines in the UK.
Night driving is hellish here, particularly where the white line 'paint' has worn away, as on 90% of the roads
Do you wear glasses Clive?
I can see virtually perfectly in the daylight, no problem reading signs, number plates etc. But without my glasses I can see nowt in the dark when driving. The odd thing is, I can see really well if I have to walk across the yards or fields in the middle of the night, I often seem to be able to see better than other people, but driving is a totally different story. I end up having to do 30mph because I can't even really see the bends coming up on our rather twisty Irish roads.
When I put my glasses on, its literally like turning on an extra set of spotlights!!
I never would have bothered getting them, but I remember as a child my grandfather had the same problem driving in the dark. He would happily drive at 80mph+ in the daylight and just flat refused to drive after dark. The one trip I remember with him driving one night resulted in us bouncing off the ditch/kerb about 10 times in 5 miles or so. I remember being quite scared although I was only about 10!
And I know he hadn't even had a couple of g+t's that night!!
My grandmother berated him the whole way home for not wearing his glasses when driving!
moggy1968
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outside the UK few countries seem to use cats eyes and it makes night time driving very difficult.
Yogi, the reason for what you have observed is at night you use a different set of receptors in the eye, which are towards the edge of the eye so the physics of that mean that theoretically some people with a slight correction can see better at night time, also, if you don't have a good anti-reflection coating on your spectacle lenses you lose about 10% of the light transmission in reflections, so you have less light reaching the eye with your specs on.
when driving at night, you are actually using the daylight receptors because you are using lights to try and replicate daytime lighting (as far as your eyes are concerned'
As you get older, opacities in the lens of the eye reduce light transmission and scattering of the light, making night driving more difficult as you get older.
Yogi, the reason for what you have observed is at night you use a different set of receptors in the eye, which are towards the edge of the eye so the physics of that mean that theoretically some people with a slight correction can see better at night time, also, if you don't have a good anti-reflection coating on your spectacle lenses you lose about 10% of the light transmission in reflections, so you have less light reaching the eye with your specs on.
when driving at night, you are actually using the daylight receptors because you are using lights to try and replicate daytime lighting (as far as your eyes are concerned'
As you get older, opacities in the lens of the eye reduce light transmission and scattering of the light, making night driving more difficult as you get older.
Well, yogi and Moggy, all interesting stuff.
Since I turned 45 almost to the day (and 16 years ago at that
) my eyesight started to deteriorate. AFAIK only close up reading distance is affected and all tests I've had confirm that I don't need glasses for distance but I certainly do need them for reading distance. I always joke that there's nothing wrong with my eyes, it's just that my arms aren't long enough!
But, and it's a big but, lately I think that the tests have concentrated on focus as opposed to the other factors. There's more to seeing well than meets the eye, so to speak.
For example, at night, if I look at my locked truck from a distance, I can't see the alarm indicator light at all, but if I look 2m to one side of it (or the other) I clearly see the blinking blue light illuminating the interior. It's a bit scary to think you can't see what you're looking at but you do see something when you're not looking at it
Is is this condition recognized in the optic world and can anyone do anything to help me do you think?
Night driving in the UK is a dream with retro-reflective road markings and cats-eyes. Here there is neither and it's bl00dy awful! Especially in the wet.
I'm better off now with HIDs on the truck, but still it's not much fun.
Thanks for the comments guys, you've got me thinking.
Since I turned 45 almost to the day (and 16 years ago at that
) my eyesight started to deteriorate. AFAIK only close up reading distance is affected and all tests I've had confirm that I don't need glasses for distance but I certainly do need them for reading distance. I always joke that there's nothing wrong with my eyes, it's just that my arms aren't long enough!But, and it's a big but, lately I think that the tests have concentrated on focus as opposed to the other factors. There's more to seeing well than meets the eye, so to speak.
For example, at night, if I look at my locked truck from a distance, I can't see the alarm indicator light at all, but if I look 2m to one side of it (or the other) I clearly see the blinking blue light illuminating the interior. It's a bit scary to think you can't see what you're looking at but you do see something when you're not looking at it
Is is this condition recognized in the optic world and can anyone do anything to help me do you think?
Night driving in the UK is a dream with retro-reflective road markings and cats-eyes. Here there is neither and it's bl00dy awful! Especially in the wet.
I'm better off now with HIDs on the truck, but still it's not much fun.
Thanks for the comments guys, you've got me thinking.
moggy1968
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my degree is in optics, and my final year dissertation was on vision and driving, although it was all a long time ago!!
The evidence I'm afraid is mixed! research has been done to see if a prescription specifically for night driving is beneficial or not. Some respondents found it helped, some found it made it worse and some found it made no difference!
basically, if you have to wear glasses, enhance what you have. make sure the lenses are clean and not scratched to improve light transmission and reduce scatter. Have good quality lenses with a good anti reflection coating. Don't use a tint. while a tint reduces glare, it also substantially reduces contrast sensitivity and it is way more detrimental than beneficial. Also get your eyes tested regularly to ensure you give yourself a decent head start by having the correct prescription.We are incredibly fortunate in the UK. Our standards of eyecare and accessibility to it are pretty much unknown anywhere else in the world. In most countries, an optician just tests your vision ( a refraction) to see what spectacles you require. In the UK the eyetest includes a whole range of other tests and examinations to look at the health of the eye, and also the rest of the body as many conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, some cancers and many others are first picked up during a routine eye test.
My advice on finding an optician would generally be, avoid the multiples. you might get a good one, but you have no way of knowing. Instead, find a good independant who has been around a few years. there's a reason they are still there! If the test takes 10 minutes, it's not a proper test!! It should take 20-30 minutes depending on your particular needs, age etc.
Clive, with regards to your reading, just old age I'm afraid!! A lens is designed to work at just one focal length. The way the eye gets around that, to allow you to see at different distances is the lens is soft and squidgy. It is suspended on structures rather wonderfully called, the Zonules of Zin. These hold the lens under slight tension. When you go to look close up, these relax their hold on the lens the exactly correct amount, which is rather clever, and the lens slumps down, making it fatter and more curved, therefore stronger (in optical terms) allowing you to read. This is called accommodation. From the age of about 19 the lens starts to harden and become less flexible. This doesn't generally become a problem until you get into your 40s as you start running out of arm length, as you have noticed! This is when those of us that are short sighted get our own back because we can just take our glasses off to read
I sometimes hear people say 'These glasses have made my eyes worse, I used to only need them occasionally, now I need them all the time' or 'these glasses have made my eyes lazy'. All nonsense, I'm afraid it's just the inevitability of age!
with regards to what you are noticing at night time there are a couple of possibilities. One is you are discovering a phenomena they teach soldiers. If you want to look at an object in the dark look slightly to the side of it. this means you are then looking at it with the photoreceptors more sensitive to low light levels, called rods, rather than the cones of your central vision which are less sensitive to low light levels and used principally in the daytime. Incidentally, in low light levels where only the Rods are used of which there is just one type, we see only in black and white. there are 3 different types of cones which are receptive to different wavelengths of light, which is why we see in colour in the daytime.
The other possibility is you have discovered your anatomical blind spot. this is an area of vision that matches up with an area of the retina which has no receptors. This is where all the nerves blood vessels etc exit the eye. You can find your blind spot by closing one eye, then moving a small object until it disappears. This is up and out, in about the 2:00 o'clock position..
The final thing is to get your visual fields checked just to make sure you haven't developed a visual field defect which you are now picking up.
There are some tricks that can help. one is to avoid looking at the headlights of approaching cars, difficult because your eye is naturally drawn to them, but try and look at the nearside kerb a few meters in front of you. Notwithstanding some peoples irritation (and possibly the law!) using front fogs (or driving lamps as mine are called officer!!) helps illuminate the nearside a lot better, especially in the wet. Correctly fitted and adjusted they aren't dazzling to other motorists because they shine down, especially on wet roads they can be very helpful. Similarly, fitting a pair of low powered lights pointing down and used with dipped headlights can massively improve things. these used to be very popular, supplemented by spots on main beam, but seem to have fallen out of favour now. Just don't make them too powerful or you'll dazzle other road users. maybe there is a legal reason you don't see them anymore, dunno!!
Hope that helps!
The evidence I'm afraid is mixed! research has been done to see if a prescription specifically for night driving is beneficial or not. Some respondents found it helped, some found it made it worse and some found it made no difference!
basically, if you have to wear glasses, enhance what you have. make sure the lenses are clean and not scratched to improve light transmission and reduce scatter. Have good quality lenses with a good anti reflection coating. Don't use a tint. while a tint reduces glare, it also substantially reduces contrast sensitivity and it is way more detrimental than beneficial. Also get your eyes tested regularly to ensure you give yourself a decent head start by having the correct prescription.We are incredibly fortunate in the UK. Our standards of eyecare and accessibility to it are pretty much unknown anywhere else in the world. In most countries, an optician just tests your vision ( a refraction) to see what spectacles you require. In the UK the eyetest includes a whole range of other tests and examinations to look at the health of the eye, and also the rest of the body as many conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, some cancers and many others are first picked up during a routine eye test.
My advice on finding an optician would generally be, avoid the multiples. you might get a good one, but you have no way of knowing. Instead, find a good independant who has been around a few years. there's a reason they are still there! If the test takes 10 minutes, it's not a proper test!! It should take 20-30 minutes depending on your particular needs, age etc.
Clive, with regards to your reading, just old age I'm afraid!! A lens is designed to work at just one focal length. The way the eye gets around that, to allow you to see at different distances is the lens is soft and squidgy. It is suspended on structures rather wonderfully called, the Zonules of Zin. These hold the lens under slight tension. When you go to look close up, these relax their hold on the lens the exactly correct amount, which is rather clever, and the lens slumps down, making it fatter and more curved, therefore stronger (in optical terms) allowing you to read. This is called accommodation. From the age of about 19 the lens starts to harden and become less flexible. This doesn't generally become a problem until you get into your 40s as you start running out of arm length, as you have noticed! This is when those of us that are short sighted get our own back because we can just take our glasses off to read
I sometimes hear people say 'These glasses have made my eyes worse, I used to only need them occasionally, now I need them all the time' or 'these glasses have made my eyes lazy'. All nonsense, I'm afraid it's just the inevitability of age!
with regards to what you are noticing at night time there are a couple of possibilities. One is you are discovering a phenomena they teach soldiers. If you want to look at an object in the dark look slightly to the side of it. this means you are then looking at it with the photoreceptors more sensitive to low light levels, called rods, rather than the cones of your central vision which are less sensitive to low light levels and used principally in the daytime. Incidentally, in low light levels where only the Rods are used of which there is just one type, we see only in black and white. there are 3 different types of cones which are receptive to different wavelengths of light, which is why we see in colour in the daytime.
The other possibility is you have discovered your anatomical blind spot. this is an area of vision that matches up with an area of the retina which has no receptors. This is where all the nerves blood vessels etc exit the eye. You can find your blind spot by closing one eye, then moving a small object until it disappears. This is up and out, in about the 2:00 o'clock position..
The final thing is to get your visual fields checked just to make sure you haven't developed a visual field defect which you are now picking up.
There are some tricks that can help. one is to avoid looking at the headlights of approaching cars, difficult because your eye is naturally drawn to them, but try and look at the nearside kerb a few meters in front of you. Notwithstanding some peoples irritation (and possibly the law!) using front fogs (or driving lamps as mine are called officer!!) helps illuminate the nearside a lot better, especially in the wet. Correctly fitted and adjusted they aren't dazzling to other motorists because they shine down, especially on wet roads they can be very helpful. Similarly, fitting a pair of low powered lights pointing down and used with dipped headlights can massively improve things. these used to be very popular, supplemented by spots on main beam, but seem to have fallen out of favour now. Just don't make them too powerful or you'll dazzle other road users. maybe there is a legal reason you don't see them anymore, dunno!!
Hope that helps!
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Wow Moggy, you've just earned your degree all over again, thank you very much! And surprisingly, I haven't completely jacked the thread, there's still some relevance in this!
Apologies Cris, if you don't agree!
Ok, I've got the message, find myself a good optician. I've never had an eye test that lasted more than 5 minutes let alone 10, so I have some researching to do there.
Thanks again Moggy, time to review the auxiliary lights as well I think, I've never been particularly happy with the IPFs so time for a change maybe.
Apologies Cris, if you don't agree!
Ok, I've got the message, find myself a good optician. I've never had an eye test that lasted more than 5 minutes let alone 10, so I have some researching to do there.
Thanks again Moggy, time to review the auxiliary lights as well I think, I've never been particularly happy with the IPFs so time for a change maybe.
Clive, I'm just the same as you, if i look up at the stars without my specs i cannot look directly at one, i have to look to one side or the other of it but it's still not really clear, i wear varifocals and have no other probs.
It's my excuse for not looking at the missus ;-)
Paddler Ed
Well-Known Member
I'd second Moggy's suggestion of a decent optician; whilst my eyes are OK at the moment (I barely need a prescription) I'll carry on using the chains; as soon as they go, I'll ask a friend who used to do wholesale to the opticians who he'd recommend; he always says to use the indies, they have better staff... although I did get my eyes tested in Newbury once, and the girl was very pretty... that's one way to get repeat business.
Back on the subject of glow in the dark roads, here in Aus/NSW we have some roads with reflective lumps down the middle, but what is really useful is the way that they use a blue lump to denote where the hydrant is for the firies. Unfortunately reflective lumps don't work on dirt roads... of which we also have a fair few of!
Back on the subject of glow in the dark roads, here in Aus/NSW we have some roads with reflective lumps down the middle, but what is really useful is the way that they use a blue lump to denote where the hydrant is for the firies. Unfortunately reflective lumps don't work on dirt roads... of which we also have a fair few of!
