Why Doesn't Everyone Wear Sunglasses to Drive?
By Nelda Hoxie
@NeldaHoxie (1381)
United States
November 13, 2015 12:37pm CST
Our major east-west road was closed this morning because of a five-car accident. The police blame solar glare for it. If you knew that you were going to be driving into the sun wouldn't you wear sunglasses?
I know that prescription sunglasses are very expensive, but I have what are called "fit-overs." They actually fit over your regular glasses. These aren't the ugly ones that you get at the doctor's office, they actually look nice and no one really knows that they are fitovers. They were also really cheap, but filter a lot of the sun. I keep a pair in the car, so I can always see where I am going!
See there I am in my fitover sunglasses. I don't think they look bad at all. (I'll be cleaning that mirror as soon as I finish posting this discussion!)
10 people like this
12 responses
@moffittjc (120980)
• Gainesville, Florida
13 Nov 15
I'm one of those weird people who don't drive with sunglasses on! I'll wear them when I'm outside, but never when I'm driving. It just feels weird to me. Rest assured, I'm not a menace on the roads, as my commute to and from work is on a north-south route!
3 people like this
@NeldaHoxie (1381)
• United States
13 Nov 15
So the sun never blinds you? My eyes are very light sensitive, so it's painful for me to be outside in the sun. Perhaps that's why I am so careful.
2 people like this
@boiboing (13153)
• Northampton, England
13 Nov 15
@NeldaHoxie If the sun were in your eyes the whole journey, then people might consider wearing sunnies. But generally this time of year it suddenly peeps out from behind a cloud and you'd be driving in the dark the rest of the time.
2 people like this
@moffittjc (120980)
• Gainesville, Florida
13 Nov 15
@NeldaHoxie I won't say that it never blinds me, I just will try to use my visor to block the glare first. I am tall, so it is easy for me to take full advantage of the visor. I have had to pull out my sunglasses on occasion, but as a general rule of thumb I don't like to wear them when I drive.
@AbbyGreenhill (45494)
• United States
13 Nov 15
There is no law and people lack common sense. However, I wear transition lenses and the glare drives me crazy - but I don't drive so I'm not a problem on the road.
2 people like this
@AbbyGreenhill (45494)
• United States
13 Nov 15
@NeldaHoxie When I wore contacts the lights bothered me much more.
1 person likes this
@NeldaHoxie (1381)
• United States
13 Nov 15
I just commented above on that. I finally gave up on the transition lenses and got fitovers. I never go outside without them. Bright light hurts my eyes and sometimes gives me a horrible headache.
@NeldaHoxie (1381)
• United States
13 Nov 15
@AbbyGreenhill That was one of the reasons I stopped wearing contract lenses. Even being near a bright window was painful.
1 person likes this
@NeldaHoxie (1381)
• United States
13 Nov 15
I know a little seeps through even the strongest sunglassses. I have friends who are airplane pilots and they are always complaining about this.
@NeldaHoxie (1381)
• United States
15 Nov 15
I just don't know how people see driving into the sun without them. Perhaps they aren't as light sensitive as I am.
1 person likes this
@NeldaHoxie (1381)
• United States
15 Nov 15
When I priced prescription sunglasses, I was astonished at how expensive they are. That's when I decided that I would use fitovers.
@Tampa_girl7 (49934)
• United States
13 Nov 15
My husband keeps sunglasses in the car at all times.
1 person likes this
@NeldaHoxie (1381)
• United States
15 Nov 15
I think that's a sensible strategy to make sure you can always see and drive.
@marguicha (220215)
• Chile
15 Nov 15
I confess that I should use solar glasses a lot more times that what I do. The eye doctors have told me to do it, but when I was young, sun was not as mean as now.
My new sun glasses are awesome too, but are not where they should be often enough
@infatuatedbby (94914)
• United States
14 Nov 15
I live in Southern California, it's sunny so I always wear sunglasses plus protects your eyes! I recommend polarized sunglasses too!
@infatuatedbby (94914)
• United States
16 Nov 15
@NeldaHoxie Yes, sunglasses year around for me here!
@NeldaHoxie (1381)
• United States
15 Nov 15
Even in winter, the glare from snow and ice can be terrible.
1 person likes this
@NeldaHoxie (1381)
• United States
13 Nov 15
I have had glasses that change tint according to the light, but they don't change fast enough for me. There's always a lag when I can't see.
@NeldaHoxie (1381)
• United States
13 Nov 15
I think I got mine at the Dollar Store or Odd Lot. They were under $10
@NeldaHoxie (1381)
• United States
13 Nov 15
I know. Cape Cod is an east-west kind of place. I don't go out at sundown for that reason. Even in the rear-view mirror it drives me crazy.
