Sun In My Eyes

Often, when approaching or following another vehicle the front or rear window of the other car will be in such a relative angle to the sun that old sol will hit me right smack dab in the eyes. Due to the height of the beam, my visor, often, does not help. I am going to get sun glasses but do any automakers instal some sort of non-reflective glass front and rear or is it being contemplated or is it possible without causing obstruction of vision?

Drive me nuts, too…good sunglasses are the only defense I’ve found. And backing off. Sometimes someone will pull in between you that has a better angle. Let them suffer.

As for your actual question: I have no idea. I doubt it, though.

Chase

Make sure the sunglasses you get are polarized. It helps a lot.

Check with your state police before you do anything. It might be (and probably is) illegal to alter the front windscreen.

Get your eyes checked for one thing. As we age they become more sensitive to the bright lights and adjust slower. Also you may be following too close so back off a little.

@jtsanders: the poster is asking if there is any plan afoot to put a non-reflective coating on new cars going forward, not suggesting that he/she do anything to his/hers.

Assuming that the word “non-reflective” was used correctly.

The main problem is nothing you can do to any of your windows will stop reflection. All of your “modifications” (screens, window film, etc) take place on the inside, and the sun reflects on the smooth outer surface. So I stick to my original post: I doubt it.

Any smooth surface, if sufficiently polished will reflect. Color doesn’t matter, either, as sun can reflect on the blackest of paint. I can’t think of anything that would stop glass from reflecting without distorting your vision enough to make it translucent, rather than transparent. Maybe you have some good ideas? If so submit them for a patent, and then to the car companies (and even the NHTSA). Surely that would be worth some money…heck, if it works, you could probably retire…providing the NHTSA made it mandatory.

Little off the topic…

But what irks me are those tractor trailers with the back doors like mirrors. Ever drive behind one when the sun is in your back…you can’t see a thing. I even had to pull off the road because I couldn’t see a thing…the light coming off the doors was blinding…It should be outlawed.

Along with the good advice, look away as much as practical as the macular, the center of your vision is the most sensitive. Like on coming cars at night in head lights, using your peripheral vision takes a little practice, but it does help. You will be naturally drawn to the bright light but resisting and looking away toward the dimmer areas in your field of vision, if only for a second or two at a time, helps.

NO! Don’t go to the light!

lol

Polarized sunglasses are an excellent suggestion, and there’s also lots of translucent plastic sunvisor extensions/attachments available at parts stores or WalMart. All you have to do is look.

Along with the good advice, look away as much as practical as the macular, the center of your vision is the most sensitive. Like on coming cars at night in head lights, using your peripheral vision takes a little practice, but it does help. You will be naturally drawn to the bright light but resisting and looking away toward the dimmer areas in your field of vision, if only for a second or two at a time, helps.

Someone who needs to be told to look away shouldn’t be driving.

Actually Ford was looking into an anti-reflective coating for the windshields of some of its vehicles. I think it was the Focus, it was a car being designed for the “more mature” (geezer vehicle) buyer with things like easier access doors and higher seats.

They were looking at the technology used in camera lenses and eyeglasses. Having both, I know these coatings leave a lot to be desired in the way of durability, but they are getting better.

MikeInNH, those reflective doors are a godsend at night, when visibility and lighting are limited.

I’ve never had a visor that couldn’t cover down to the bumper of the car ahead of me if necessary. Perhaps you have a really small visor or perhaps you’re sitting lower than the car designers anticipated. Maybe there’s some kind of visor extension that you could add to yours to make up for this.

I’ve never had a visor that couldn’t cover down to the bumper of the car ahead of me if necessary.

That sounds both untrue and unsafe. You couldn’t see the brake lights in front of you on most cars.

"MikeInNH, those reflective doors are a godsend at night, when visibility and lighting are limited. "

I don’t even notice them at night…I had a commute that use to take me heading west in the mornings…And there were a lot of trucks on the road…Every once in a while one would have a almost glass back door…When the Sun hit it…it was blinding…Not just me…I’ve seen other drivers almost stop because they couldn’t see…I think they should be outlawed. They are a danger to other people on the road.