We have just spent a lovely, hectic, lively, tiring, weekend
with the kids and grandkids. It would be a little less tiring if I didn’t have
to drive back in the dark but with the nights drawing in there’s no alternative, so as I drove I wondered…
1. Why does it always
start to rain when I’m driving at night turning the windscreen into a myriad of
tiny headlight reflections?
2. What is the point
of stopping for a coffee, which is my usual middle of a journey driving
routine, when it’s too late to have a coffee?
3. Who is the owner
of that car that always comes straight at me with its full beam full on?
4. Where has the road
ahead gone and is it only me who can’t make out which way the road twists and
turns in the dark?
5. Why do I forget to
blink my eyes when I’m driving at night?
Does anybody else experience such night-driving problems?
No?
It’s just me then!
absolutely me too. I've never been good at night driving and as I age it's worse. At least in TX suburbs, things are well lit. Back in PA at my Dad's it's crazy dark and everything takes on weird shapes. My solution - I let Ray drive or schedule more and more stuff during the day. Maybe your grandkids can drive you soon!!
ReplyDeleteIt's good to know it's not just me, Joanne. Thanks. The grandkids would love that but they're 5 and 13 so I've got a bit of a wait yet.
DeleteI'm generally fine in town, but some of our Wiltshire roads can be treacherous in daylight and become a complete mystery at night! From a quick look round friends, it seems that giving up driving at night is one of the first things we give up as we get older. Something to do with confidence and changes to our eyesight - comes to us all! (Though we don't have to like it!)
ReplyDeleteNo, Jo! Don't tell me this is a 'getting old' thing! We're not getting old, none of us. We're merely maturing gently, like a fine cheddar cheese!
DeleteAge only really matters if you're a cheese.
DeleteHaha! Or a pure malt whisky!
DeleteRos, I can no longer drive at night. Having had cataract ops on both eyes, I suffer from more than usual flaring and glare at night, so it's no longer safe, but I used to feel exactly as you do...except about the coffee. I always need coffee!
ReplyDeleteSorry to hear that, Val.
DeleteThe last time I stopped for coffee during an evening drive I was awake until about 3am!
I can identify with numbers 1 and 3! I have a 15 mile drive home from work and I do hate these dark nights. Mind you iIt was worse before I had the anti glare coating on my driving glasses .
ReplyDeleteYes, your route home must be tortuous on a dark rainy night, Bridget. I have anti glare on my glasses. It just makes them harder to clean!
DeleteHi Ros - yes I find it more difficult to drive at night .. but for now continue on - I'm lucky as I don't need glasses and only really use them for reading and computer work - but only the lowest strength. I was glad my recent trip around the west country didn't involve too much late night driving. I tend to think I'm still able to drive lots - but having been 'stuck' down here (looking after my Ma and uncle) without doing the usual amount of driving - I think I must take stock! Still I'm fine thankfully ...
ReplyDeleteI'm sure the time away was lots of fun ... just difficult at this time of year with the low sun, dirty (usually) windscreen, and having to time one's journey so it's comfortable, if one can. Cheers Hilary
Don't get me started on 'low sun', Hilary. That's a nightmare too!
DeleteI stopped driving because I hated it. I was not very good at parking and I couldn't drive in the dark. The other night in the car with hubby driving in the dark I couldn't make out what way the road ahead was going. It was a duel carriage way and I actually thought that the other side of the road was coming to meet us so just as well I don't drive but I feel your pain.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately I don't have an option about driving, Anne. I'm fine in the town though. It's the distance driving that always gets to me.
DeleteRecently I hired a car for a long weekend - not having driven for a while. It is not just cars that shine lights at full beam at me at night but cyclists as well. Also at night where have all those new roads come from to surprise me? How come with one spot of rain on the windscreen, do the wipers come on all on their own? Petra.
ReplyDeleteHa ha! I love those automatic extras on cars these days, Petra. Mine has automatic lights and I'm sure I'd drive round with no lights on at night now if I had an older car.
DeleteSo some of us have night bliindness from birth on. That makes all activies in the dark a challenge.
ReplyDelete