Blind from behind - what do you do?

movingsucks

Hi folks,
Could use some advice, I don't drive very often but the last few times I've driven at night I've had at least one horrible person drive up my arse with the full beams on, obscuring my back window (and probably blinding my baby while they're at it!!)
I'm doing the speed limit and no more, I assume they see the L plate (I'm not a learner) and are trying to bully me off the road, or theyre just an idiot who can't drive.
I can't pull in and let them past me coz I can't see what's behind me, I refuse to speed up because no doubt they'll do the same. How can I alert them to the fact they are blinding me?

cojomo2

movingsucks wrote: »

Hi folks,
Could use some advice, I don't drive very often but the last few times I've driven at night I've had at least one horrible person drive up my arse with the full beams on, obscuring my back window (and probably blinding my baby while they're at it!!)
I'm doing the speed limit and no more, I assume they see the L plate (I'm not a learner) and are trying to bully me off the road, or theyre just an idiot who can't drive.
I can't pull in and let them past me coz I can't see what's behind me, I refuse to speed up because no doubt they'll do the same. How can I alert them to the fact they are blinding me?

Are you in the far left lane?

cul-2008

Probably not the 'high horse brigade' way of doing it, but I gently tap on my brakes so that the rear lights illuminate which generally gives them the message.

Otherwise, I just pull in and let them off.

L5

Tilt your rear view mirror so that you can't see the glare anymore, try to angle it back towards them

reilig

movingsucks wrote: »

Hi folks,
Could use some advice, I don't drive very often but the last few times I've driven at night I've had at least one horrible person drive up my arse with the full beams on, obscuring my back window (and probably blinding my baby while they're at it!!)
I'm doing the speed limit and no more, I assume they see the L plate (I'm not a learner) and are trying to bully me off the road, or theyre just an idiot who can't drive.
I can't pull in and let them past me coz I can't see what's behind me, I refuse to speed up because no doubt they'll do the same. How can I alert them to the fact they are blinding me?

Flick up your rear view mirror so that the light stops blinding you - there's a little button on the back of it to do this.

I don't break the speed limit either, but at the same time, I drive at it, not 10km below it which can annoy other drivers. If a driver really pi$$es me off by driving up my ass and makes things dangerous then I slow down to a speed that's safe, touch the break pedal a few times (don't break, just touch it) erratically and he will usually back off.

Zubeneschamali

L5 wrote: »

Tilt your rear view mirror so that you can't see the glare anymore, try to angle it back towards them

If they are back there for a while, I try and get them with both wing mirrors, too.

avalon68

I used to keep a cd on the front seat years ago and reflect the light back if they had full lights on. Now I just flip up my mirror and ignore. Theres some amount of people out there that dont know how or when to use fulls though.....its ridiculous. I drove with a friend one night and he dipped his lights every time a car came towards us, but kept them on full otherwise even though we were right behind another car! Wouldnt believe me when I tried to explain why this was an asshole thing to do. Then you have the brigade driving around with one light so they leave the fulls on constantly to compensate......and finally, the bunch who shouldnt go out after dark as they cant see a thing while driving - slam on the brakes every time anything is coming towards them. If they started handing out a few penalty points for poor light etiquette I wonder would it help.

Gumbo

Maybe they are letting you know that your rear fog lights are on?

movingsucks

cojomo2 wrote: »

Are you in the far left lane?

There's only one lane on this part of the road. Now the chances of someone out walking in the dark or cycling with no light on and creeping up along side me are slim but I'd rather not risk it

movingsucks

Is flipping the light back at them dangerous though?

I am at the speed limit and not below that's why its so frustrating.

ottostreet

If this is happening a lot, you may just be driving too slowly.

You say you're doing the speed limit though, so I can't think of any other possibilities beyond them all just being assholes.

joujoujou

When I'm not in hurry (or driving in heavy traffic) and someone behind me drives with full beams - I turn on my rear fogs first (and they're really bright). If no reaction - I pull over, let the idiot overtake me and pay my retribution exactly the same way.

Otherwise just step onto a throttle and go away.

piston

My biggest question about people who do this is why don't they overtake when the road is clear?

More often, they will follow far too close for miles when they could easily overtake, either that or follow you the length of a straight with no oncoming traffic and then overtake on the blind bend at the end of the straight.

movingsucks

ottostreet wrote: »

If this is happening a lot, you may just be driving too slowly.

You say you're doing the speed limit though, so I can't think of any other possibilities beyond them all just being assholes.

See I don't drive very often, maybe once or twice a month to visit family so maybe it's the time of day or I'm just unlucky.
But I'm conscious of my speed so I know I'm not going under.

movingsucks

joujoujou wrote: »

If no reaction - I pull over, let the idiot overtake me and pay my retribution exactly the same way.

See I'd be terrified I'd cause an accident if I did that

joujoujou

What accident?

Peanut2011

OP, I was known to slow down to a full stop and as they are right behind me they have to stop to. On occasion I am known to get out of the car to point to their lights too. I only did this a few times after trying to switch on and off the fog lights, main lights and even put on and off the hazard lights (four indicators).

I don't encourage this behaviour and while flipping the rear-view mirror up can help in most cases is the side mirrors that are the issue.

Anan1

movingsucks wrote: »

See I'd be terrified I'd cause an accident if I did that

And with good reason - it's ridiculous advice. Dip your mirror, move over where safe to do so, let them past, and forget about it. Don't allow yourself to become preoccupied with the car behind you to the detriment of what's going on ahead of and around you.

Honey-ec

Flash your rear fogs at them a few times, they usually cop it then.

I'm curious to know why your baby is looking out the rear windscreen though

movingsucks

Honey-ec wrote: »

Flash your rear fogs at them a few times, they usually cop it then.

I'm curious to know why your baby is looking out the rear windscreen though

Because she's in a rear facing car seat. I'm hoping she's too low down to be affected by it though.

djimi

Anan1 wrote: »

And with good reason - it's ridiculous advice. Dip your mirror, move over where safe to do so, let them past, and forget about it. Don't allow yourself to become preoccupied with the car behind you to the detriment of what's going on ahead of and around you.

Exactly. Only an idiot looks to exact revenge or whatever when driving...

chinwag

Why do you display L plate if you're not learning? Maybe I'm missing something.

movingsucks

chinwag wrote: »

Why do you display L plate if you're not learning? Maybe I'm missing something.

Because my husband is and he uses the car sometimes for that.

djimi

movingsucks wrote: »

Because my husband is and he uses the car sometimes for that.

Youre technically supposed to take it down when he is not driving. Its not always practical I know, but to be honest there is no way on earth I would want to drive with an L plate up as a fully licensed driver.

MAJJ

I too don't encourage the behaviour.

On one occassion last year on an uphill very bad country road with two young kids onboard. Guys lights were HIDs, badly alligned and completely blinded me only thing I could do was slow to a full stop, hazards on. He pulled up beside me then and I was about to "help him" adjust his lights but he drove off. Doubt he even got the message.

Peanut2011 wrote: »

OP, I was known to slow down to a full stop and as they are right behind me they have to stop to. On occasion I am known to get out of the car to point to their lights too. I only did this a few times after trying to switch on and off the fog lights, main lights and even put on and off the hazard lights (four indicators).

I don't encourage this behaviour and while flipping the rear-view mirror up can help in most cases is the side mirrors that are the issue.

movingsucks

djimi wrote: »

Youre technically supposed to take it down when he is not driving. Its not always practical I know, but to be honest there is no way on earth I would want to drive with an L plate up as a fully licensed driver.

Really I didn't know it was required to take them down, might look at getting those magnetic ones instead or something but I haven't heard good things about them.
Anyway generally people acting the asshole around me because of the plate (I assume) doesn't bother me, just the blinding is a problem,.

Thanks everyone for your suggestions I will take them into account

A Country Voice

Honey-ec wrote: »

Flash your rear fogs at them a few times, they usually cop it then.

Thats what I do, usually works,..... although some of the idiots who drive around with their full lights on all the time don't seem to pick up on little hints like that too quick unfortunately.

ACV

L5

It's times like that I appreciate the auto dimming feature in my rear view mirror.

MAJJ

That usually helps me too and works fine normally but for the issue in my post a few posts back it didn't help.

L5 wrote: »

It's times like that I appreciate the auto dimming feature in my rear view mirror.

T-Maxx

Tilt the mirror (that's what the function is for).

MAJJ

T-Maxx wrote: »

Tilt the mirror (that's what the function is for).

That mystery is solved at last, thanks.

There wasn't time to take my eyes of the road, in my situation is was safer to slow and stop.

goz83

movingsucks wrote: »

Hi folks,
Could use some advice, I don't drive very often but the last few times I've driven at night I've had at least one horrible person drive up my arse with the full beams on, obscuring my back window (and probably blinding my baby while they're at it!!)
I'm doing the speed limit and no more, I assume they see the L plate (I'm not a learner) and are trying to bully me off the road, or theyre just an idiot who can't drive.
I can't pull in and let them past me coz I can't see what's behind me, I refuse to speed up because no doubt they'll do the same. How can I alert them to the fact they are blinding me?

If I can't give way to the tailgater, I just slow down by about 30% (without braking). I will have tilted my mirror to avoid the glare, but I am still getting some glare from the side mirror, so I slow down a bit, as the driving conditions have changed. I don't brake, because the idiot behind is tailgating and might collide with my car. Hopefully they just overtake when it's safe, but I certainly will not speed up for someone doing this. It's so dangerous.

krissovo

Check your speedo calibration if its happening a lot, most are around 10% off to start with (indicate a lower speed) but some can be higher with wrong tyre pressure or sizing, new wheels or faulty sensors. You can check them with a GPS unit, mine is 12% off so when my speedo reads 100 I am actually doing around the high 80's.

If your on a nice straight road for example just below the speed limit thats indicated to you say 90/95 there is every chance your actually doing just over 80 and annoying drivers who use GPS for speed limits (like me ).

Pkiernan

Brake about 3 seconds after washing my windscreen thoroughly for at least 10 seconds.

ghogie91

djimi wrote: »

Youre technically supposed to take it down when he is not driving. Its not always practical I know, but to be honest there is no way on earth I would want to drive with an L plate up as a fully licensed driver.

I dont think your legally obliged to take them down... so my driving instructor told me after I passed my test, I was mad to take them down and asked can I take them down yet

and he said it was up to myself to leave up or take down wit ha full licence

Honey-ec

MAJJ wrote: »

That mystery is solved at last, thanks.

There wasn't time to take my eyes of the road, in my situation is was safer to slow and stop.

You would have had to check your rearview and wing mirror to make sure it was safe to pull over. You're telling me you couldn't have just reached up and flicked the mirror (which shouldn't even require you to take your eyes off the road) in the same time it took you to scan your mirrors?

Ok.

I8A4RE

Taking this down a slightly different route. I had to tilt the mirror after passing a cyclist( not bashing cyclists and glad I could see them) but the light he had on the front was pure white. Will there come a time when cyclists will have to dip theirs.