A nightmare of a journey.

[Jocko]

This morning, I had a nightmare of a journey from Kirkcaldy to Danderhall, on Edinburgh's southside. I picked my wife up from her work just before 10:00 and when I joined the A92 just to the north of Kirkcaldy the snow was lying at the sides of the road and along the central reservation. The road was wet, and there was a clear blue sky and a very low sun. The fields were so bright with the lying snow. However, once we reached the M90 and turned south, we drove straight into the low sun and snowfields and visibility was atrocious. It continued like that all the way to the Lothianburn junction on the Edinburgh City Bypass. Despite maximum use of the sun visors, both to the front and the side as required and wearing Reactolite driving sunglasses, it was a very tiring journey. Luckily, the road was quieter than normal, but the spray was still terrible, and I used a load of screenwash fluid. A very tiring journey indeed. Luckily the return was okay as by that time snow clouds had percolated down from the north and the sun was very watery if visible at all.

[123Drive!]

Do take care! At least the tyres are safe!

[Jocko]

Do take care! At least the tyres are safe!

Thanks. Both my wife and I have commented that isn't it a good thing we have a set of new all-weather tyres fitted.

[sparky Paul]

That low winter sun is rotten with wet roads, especially at your latitudes. All you can do is go as careful as you can, but you're right, it's very tiring.

[Jocko]

There was a cyclist killed on Christmas morning in the Scottish Borders. 10:50 am. Similar weather conditions. Easy to understand why the driver didn't see him.

[John Ratsey]

Driving into the low sun isn't easy on aging eyes at the best of times and wet roads add to the misery. Polarised lenses are better for those conditions as they filter much of the glare reflected off the road. I have some clip-on flip-up ones which live in the car and, if I suspect I'll be driving into the sun at some stage on the journey they get put on before I start and left in the up position ready for action.

[123Drive!]

Driving into the low sun isn't easy on aging eyes at the best of times and wet roads add to the misery. Polarised lenses are better for those conditions as they filter much of the glare reflected off the road. I have some clip-on flip-up ones which live in the car and, if I suspect I'll be driving into the sun at some stage on the journey they get put on before I start and left in the up position ready for action.

I got a pair of Polarised lens...omg, it's absolute nightmare. If you look into any info screen, it is really distorted. I know the Jazz GE3 got bugger all info but I can't even see the Nextbase dashcam screens and I can see all the glass structure on my rear window every time I check my rear mirror. Unfortunately I got them on my RayBan and I can't afford to change them just yet. On my Ibiza, the stereo display looks really distorted. When I saw this for the first time, I thought the screen was f..ked! Was thinking at the time, "Bloody *********** European car!" Lol!

Talk to your Optometrist for the best sunglasses for driving before investing on a pair.

[Jocko]

Talk to your Optometrist for the best sunglasses for driving before investing on a pair.

That's what I did, hence the glasses I have.

[John Ratsey]

I got a pair of Polarised lens...omg, it's absolute nightmare. If you look into any info screen, it is really distorted. I know the Jazz GE3 got bugger all info but I can't even see the Nextbase dashcam screens and I can see all the glass structure on my rear window every time I check my rear mirror.

I've had minimal problems with adverse side effects from the clip-ons I use when driving but have bought other clip-ons where the polarisation axis is wrong or there's no obvious polarisation at all. The theory is explained by this graphic at https://www.cyberphysics.co.uk/topics/light/polarised_spex.htm
It's easy to check the polarisation performance by looking through each lens in turn at a source of glare (eg sun reflecting off wet surface) and rotating the lens. There should be minimum glare coming through the lens when it's in the correct orientation. I've not had problems with looking at the info screen through the polarised lenses but have seen the occasional pattern when looking through glass but not to the extent it's a nuisance.

[Westy36]

Journey sounds horrible. One of those when you are just relieved to put the handbrake on at the end and get out!

Re low sun and wet roads. I managed to take out a car park barrier 25 yrs ago in the same situation. Absolutely lethal combination, I simply couldn't see the barrier across the road. Fortunately no one was hurt in the incident, the only damage was the wing mounted ariel got removed.

[123Drive!]

I got a pair of Polarised lens...omg, it's absolute nightmare. If you look into any info screen, it is really distorted. I know the Jazz GE3 got bugger all info but I can't even see the Nextbase dashcam screens and I can see all the glass structure on my rear window every time I check my rear mirror.

I've had minimal problems with adverse side effects from the clip-ons I use when driving but have bought other clip-ons where the polarisation axis is wrong or there's no obvious polarisation at all. The theory is explained by this graphic at https://www.cyberphysics.co.uk/topics/light/polarised_spex.htm
It's easy to check the polarisation performance by looking through each lens in turn at a source of glare (eg sun reflecting off wet surface) and rotating the lens. There should be minimum glare coming through the lens when it's in the correct orientation. I've not had problems with looking at the info screen through the polarised lenses but have seen the occasional pattern when looking through glass but not to the extent it's a nuisance.

May be because your's are clip on, John. My prescription is on my lens so may be it's a problem. Looking at the sun is fine but anything like the self order screen in McDonald's is a nightmare.

[John Ratsey]

May be because your's are clip on, John. My prescription is on my lens so may be it's a problem. Looking at the sun is fine but anything like the self order screen in McDonald's is a nightmare.

You can still do the rotation test on your prescription polaroids using something like an LCD computer or TV screen to look at. I wouldn't be at all surprised if the technician who carved up the circular blanks to fit the frames is clueless about how polarising lenses work and put them in with random orientations. In my experience the lens orientation which takes out the glare from wet roads lets me read computer screens. If I rotate the lens through 90 degrees then the screen goes black. If I try the same test on a tablet then it's black with the lens at about 45 degrees - perhaps to allow for the screen being used in either portrait or landscape mode.

[richardfrost]

Another nightmare journey...

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hampshire-55506891

Look at those tyres. Landrover Discovery drivers think they are impregnable but those tyres look totally useless for speeding along cold, wet, icy roads.

[Westy36]

Another nightmare journey...

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hampshire-55506891

Look at those tyres. Landrover Discovery drivers think they are impregnable but those tyres look totally useless for speeding along cold, wet, icy roads.

That pillock must have been going at some speed. Some 4x4 drivers think that having four driven wheels means they are not subject to the laws of physics. 

[sparky Paul]

Some 4x4 drivers think that having four driven wheels means they are not subject to the laws of physics. 

No problems going, it's the steering and stopping that's the problem

Same as the one I had a couple of years ago

there was black ice all over the place around here, I witnessed one 4x4 driver in front of me decide he was overtaking all the cars doing 30mph, only to deposit his shiny new Range Rover in the hedge bottom 200 yds further down the road at the next bend. Six hours later, I was making the same journey, and there was a Vauxhall Mokka in exactly the same spot, only he had hit the electricity pole and snapped it in two. I bet that rattled his fillings!