I cannot believe that you are serious-no need for these proposed measures at all-use the same procedure as for oncoming bright/badly adjusted/main beam headlights. Just don't look directly at the source of the light, look away to the side. Has worked for me for getting on for 50 years.

Following someone in traffic who insists on holding the car stationary on the footbrake so the brake lights dazzle peircingly, is really annoying. One tip I can pass on is putting main beam on thereby flooding the back of their car with light, which helps much reduce the contrast and discomfort, especially on dark wet nights. This is a bit aggressive though, so I wondered if you had any ideas? I suppose the real answer would be for an EU directive to fit a timed module to new cars so that when it is stationary, and the brake lights applied for , say, more than 10 seconds, a light of equal intensity would illuminate on the instrument binnacle, either that or the airbag should go off.

Hi, I agree as 90% of drivers don't use parking brake when stationary.

Had the misfortune to get stuck behind new Merc estate in rush hour 6ml before I lost him, the car had high intensity LED brake lights the high level one the full length of rear window + large side ones.

The up-market new cars seem to be equiped with them and wil be a big problem as is the over bright head lights.

It could be another EU idea under the guise of safety!!

peg

Actually this is the way automatic transmission drivers are taught to drive in many countries...

Unfortunately the whole thing is the result of the simple notion that if lights-on make a vehicle more visible, more and brighter lights will make it more visible. No-one has refined the concept to take account of darkness and other circumstances - e.g fog, braking and other everyday situations.

Not least the effect on other drivers (and all road users) who have to face those lights.

This is an old chestnut and the forum divides over whether it is a problem. It is to me.

Painful or not, it does ruin night vision, it can't be otherwise. Not staring at them obviously helps but dazzle is dazzle - if the pupil contracts to a pinhole it controls the light entering the eye but it also means than vision into the shadows is destroyed until the pupil can dilate again and the retina 'resets'.

Older eyes also accommodate less both to light levels and focus distance - the range of contraction/dilation of pupils is reduced.

I have always thought it bad manners to sit with foot on brake once a vehicle has stopped behind, but very few do this. Since last November it has been in the Highway Code too - here is the amended Rule 114:

"Rule 114

You MUST NOT

- use any lights in a way which would dazzle or cause discomfort to other road users, including pedestrians, cyclists and horse riders

- use front or rear fog lights unless visibility is seriously reduced. You MUST switch them off when visibility improves to avoid dazzling other road users (see Rule 226).

In stationary queues of traffic, drivers should apply the parking brake and, once the following traffic has stopped, take their foot off the footbrake to deactivate the vehicle brake lights. This will minimise glare to road users behind until the traffic moves again."

This doesn't have the force of law but I think it does give support to the those who are troubled by it. I think it is a losing battle with many existing drivers of automatics but perhaps over tome habits will change. Dazzle is a fact, not a myth.

I also hate being behind cars at junctions that keep the brake lights showing although these days some cars stop/start systems don't work unless you keep the brake pedal held.

However aggressive behaviour such as sitting behind someone with full main beams on will leave you liable to prosecution

[EDIT] just spotted the original age of this thread

Edited by Big John on 18/01/2019 at 20:32

We have a new Mazda CX-5 auto, this comes with the usual high level brake lights as well as the two 'normal' lower brake lights, as you may guess being a high riding vehicle it does put all the lights at eye level for anyone following in a normal type car. I used the auto hold on a few occasions just to see how it performed and was surprised to see that the poor driver behind was bathed in strong red light.

On arriving home I parked up with the auto hold enacted and was still surprised that the brake lights were still illuminated which I guess is part and parcel of this particular auto hold process. A manufacturers blunder which should have been ironed out by now

I agree there is nothing worse than having someone in front with their brake lights on every time they are stationary however to alleviate this to a degree I now use yellow tinted cycle pecs which reduce the glare to an acceptable level in the same vein as those ignorant fools who drive everywhere on main beam.