i came up with a list of stuff for those of you (and me) who want to see as well as possible at night while staying safe on the road. sometimes having hids is not enough.
-make sure if your eyesight is not perfect, you are wearing the proper CLEAR eyeglasses. the best types of lenses for driving at night are polycarb coated with an anti-reflective clear coating to cut down glare. no tinted or special night vision coatings allowed.
-clean your windshield (BOTH sides)! you will be amazed at how a dirty windshield can affect your visibility and even distort colors of objects. and at the same time, clean your headlamps! dirt buildup can reduce light output and cause more glare to other drivers.
-try to drive with a stock 4300K hid bulb or halogen. if you must go higher like 5000-6000K, be sure you only use them in a well lit city and be aware that they will cause excess glare both to you and other drivers (our eyes are more sensitive to blue wavelengths and it messes up night vision).
-be careful approaching lonely intersections at night. alot of cars get the idea that there is no traffic and run a red light (ive seen this many times). its best to stop and be sure the road is clear if you do not have cars behind you.
-slow down! not even the brightest headlamp will help you if you are driving too fast to react to conditions beyond your headlight beam. most states recommend (and some require) you to slow down 10mph below the posted speed limit at night on unlit roads. so if it is 35mph during the day, it is 25mph at night. if you are on unfamiliar roads you have never driven on, be even more cautious. wild animals love hid light much more than halogen. if you have hids, you will probably see almost every type of roadkill there is.
-pull over at the first sign of being tired, even in the city. its not worth dying for.
-if you are old (30+), sucks for you. as we age, our night vision gets much worse. luckily there are steps to take that ensure you are seeing as well as possible.
-eat a medium carrot every day if possible. even occasional carrots will improve vision (vitamin A has been shown to improve night vision, and our bodies also store excess for later use).
-practice driving using more peripheral vision (do not stare directly at the place you want to see but rather slightly off center). night vision is best at the periphery.
-always scan the area instead of focusing on a single object. the longer you stare at the road in the same place, the more your eyes will adjust and your vision will get worse! keep them eyes moving around. and try to see what is beyond and around your beam pattern. the last place you should be looking is the foreground. it is the brightest area of the road and the place where it is too late to react anyways.
-when there are other cars around and their lights blind you, try to cover the light as much as possible while staring down at the road lines. do not stare directly at that stupid ricer and his hid kit. and do not flash back, all you are doing is causing two people to be blinded instead of one. if you are not able to safely drive, just pull over until the car passes.
-make sure you are taking in enough zinc (do not overdose, bad things will happen). just the daily requirement and can usually be had by buying different cereals. its good for proper eye function.
-take a few spoons of bilberry juice, it will help regenerate night vision pigments. or eat grapes and blueberries.
-night blindness is a serious issue and affects many people without them knowing it. if you feel like you are "blind" and have trouble driving at night, try to get some of the eye nutrients talked about above.
-you may want to stay in the dark (not complete darkness, just go outside) for 20 mins to allow your night vision to start working better. if you go from a bright room directly to the car to drive, you may have problems until your eyes adjust.
-eat some salmon (or other omega-3 fat source), its good for distance vision at night.
-dont get stressed, it will mess you up. sit back and enjoy the sexy hids you put together and relax when driving at night. don't be in any hurry.
-don't smoke! that will mess you up at night too.
-try to eat normal (non-processed) foods when possible and get out there for some exercise! 30 mins a day of doing something, even walking, will improve night vision.
thats all i can come up with for now. i may add more later and feel free to do the same if you have ideas.
gearbox
Senior Member LORD XENON
Hid Planet
How to: drive safely at night and improve vision
Very good stuff! I learned a few new tips and confirmed some of my existing ones. 