Every car should have polarized windshields.
Posted by AgreeableChemical988@reddit | CrazyIdeas | View on Reddit | 84 comments
Specifically, every car should be mandated to have +40° clockwize angle from horizontal polarized filter. They must also have the same filter on the headlights. Any light from the car will be in phase with the windshield, and visible.
Now whenever a car is coming towards you with the same setup, the light will be 80° out of phase. Still visible but super dim, and people can rock their super bright highbeams all night without blinding other drivers. Any signs that drivers need to see can be phased properly to enter the polarized window, but you will not have as much light pollution because they can be tuned.
_Banned_User@reddit
My grandfather worked for Polariod in Boston and was on the team that demonstrated this to GM. Apparently everything was 90 degrees out of phase the and the oncoming demo car just flew by and no one even saw it and it scared the crap out of everyone. Apparently this killed the whole thing.
I always thought a couple of little 5W non-polarized running lights would have solved that issue and the world would be a safer place.
netechkyle@reddit
My sister was an accountant for polaroid Boston in the 70s, I was a tech in New Bedford in the late 80s. Digital media absolutely did them in quickly. Upper management refused to evolve.
shotsallover@reddit
Or, a cheaper solution, have everyone aim their headlights properly.
Ideally from the factory. Worse at the dealer. And all mechanics should have the machine that measures how out of line your headlights are and do it then.
It takes ten minutes and doesn't require any changes to the supply chain.
Scrangdorber@reddit
My car automatically cuts out bits of the headlight area and doesn't aim it at cars and people. It's pretty cool. Matrix headlights.
sonofamusket@reddit
Iirc, it's only recently that technology has become legal in the US. Like the chicken tax, there are tons of old regulations that have hampered what we can get.
Remarkable-Host405@reddit
I'm pretty sure matrix headlights are not legal in the US, at least the ones on my Ford are not.
Calarco3@reddit
Not anymore
Ancient_Skirt_8828@reddit
You don’t need a machine. Just park a certain distance from a wall and see where your lights hit.
shotsallover@reddit
Oh, I know. But most people are afraid to pop the hood on their car.
GoBeWithYourFamily@reddit
Didn’t you know that popping the hood directly messes with oil levels and then your engine will blow up and kill you and also cost you $20,000 to repair?
shotsallover@reddit
You need to find a better mechanic.
DEADB33F@reddit
You need to park close up, put tape on the wall where they hit then reverse up a bit and make sure the top of the beam is no higher.
...obviously this needs a perfectly flat bit of ground to work properly.
MostCredibleDude@reddit
Expecting any changes at the consumer level is a failure out the gate. Too many people just don't give a shit. There's a reason they had to legislate away freon: consumers sure weren't going to make that choice.
someredditgoat@reddit
And all that is all true, but none of it will make the sun less blinding
midcap17@reddit
And pedestrians and cyclists can just go fuck themselves, right?
Remarkable-Host405@reddit
I don't understand how they'd be in a worse situation than before? And they can also just buy polarized glasses.
Own_Reaction9442@reddit
Because a polarized windshield would mean losing about half the ambient light. It'd be like driving at night with sunglasses on.
midcap17@reddit
Because the blame will now be shifted to them from asshole motorists who can't be bothered to adjust their lights properly.
Express_Pace4831@reddit
Yes 100% if they are in traffic fuck em.
AdeleHare@reddit
this is the perspective of someone who has never had to drive in a busy city. many roads are dominated by pedestrians and bikes, and it’s not practical for all of them to move out of the way every time a car comes. as a driver you just have to slow down and be patient.
Express_Pace4831@reddit
Get tags get insurance get a license and pay taxes to use the road then just like the cars do.
AdeleHare@reddit
yeah sure the schoolchildren will "get a license" and i guess just wear license plates on their backs to walk half a mile to school. fuck off
Express_Pace4831@reddit
Or they can just not walk in the fucking road like idiots.
AdeleHare@reddit
you have literally never been in an actual city then. roads are narrow and crowded. people have to walk in the road and drivers have to suck it up
Express_Pace4831@reddit
In the United States, it is generally illegal to walk in the middle of the road, regardless of whether it is a highway or a regular road. Pedestrians are required to walk on the shoulder or as close to the edge of the lane as possible, and they must walk in the opposite direction of traffic when there is no sidewalk available to maximize visibility. Walking in the middle of the road is never legal.
AdeleHare@reddit
bro has never heard of crossing the road. bro has never heard of overcrowded sidewalks. bro has never even heard of parking lots. genuinely what world do you live in where you can reasonably walk around and avoid ever being in front of a car
Krulsnor@reddit
Off course in his world every one can afford a car to drive around.
Express_Pace4831@reddit
Drivers do not have to suck it up, the drivers just prefer to not have to wash dumb asses guts off their cars and the police are too lazy to cite the people illegally in traffic.
JonJackjon@reddit
However if you wear polarized glasses there's a good chance you will have an opaque windshield.
Superslim-Anoniem@reddit
At least it'll be obvious and nobody would be dumb enough to keep driving like that right?
oMadRyan@reddit
When I first started driving my headlight went out & I called my family in a panic that it’s getting dark out and I can’t see shit. Mid-call I realized that I was wearing dark sunglasses and that it was in fact not that dark at 5pm
Some days your brain doesn’t work lol
Occidentally20@reddit
Whenever it used to snow I would see people driving with a completely blocked windscreen, holding their head out of the window in an attempt to see.
I imagine they would employ similar techniques in this situation.
Adghar@reddit
"Gee, it's awfully dark out tonight!"
DoubleDareFan@reddit
"Driving glasses" would be tuned accordingly.
JonJackjon@reddit
Who's going to convince China to follow such a specification?
Rashaen@reddit
China is probably already doing it and hasn't released that info.
DookieShoez@reddit
…….we’re not talking about nuclear submarine tech here lol
dr_wtf@reddit
Oh no, I got in my car wearing sunglasses and my windscreen is completely black so I can't see out! Oh well, guess there's no solution to that problem other than to just drive and hope for the best.
DoubleDareFan@reddit
If they don't meet the spec, we won't buy them.
shotsallover@reddit
Wow. I look on Amazon and all of the absolute Chinese junk that's there with lots of reviews and wonder when the "we won't buy them" stage is going to hit. Any day now, I'm sure.
muchosalame@reddit
The reviews are global, and translated automatically.
ShadowClan1965@reddit
Yeah but if we polarized windows then people would pay to not be able to see. which people will absolutely do, but i don't think most would.
kermithiho@reddit
I'm not paying $300 for a second pair of glasses
sonofamusket@reddit
Kind of a side note, but check out zenni. My last pair of glasses (prescription polarized aviator sunglasses) were like 80 bucks.
kermithiho@reddit
I've gotten them from zenni before. They were cheaper but unfortunately I really wasn't happy with the quality.
The_DragonDuck@reddit
Tilt your head a little while driving and now you’re in the dark
Jacktheforkie@reddit
If they’re polarised windscreens then the glasses would likely not be so necessary
gonzo_redditor@reddit
Could be dangerous with wet spots and ice. Light reflected off the road surface could make a slick spot look just like a shadow. Cycling glasses are specifically NOT polarized for this reason.
Movisiozo@reddit
Every cars should come with goggles with polarised lens and augmented reality HUD
johndom3d@reddit
Also make headlights like they used to be - a larger source which doesn't blind you from the ridiculously small and bright LED.
johndom3d@reddit
Also make headlights like they used to be - a larger source which doesn't blind you from the ridiculously small and bright LED.
murphsmodels@reddit
Another crazy idea. The laws already on the books regarding headlight color, brightness and orientation should be enforced.
non-LED headlights were yellow tinted by law because it was determined that wouldn't blind oncoming drivers headlights also had a specific lumen they couldn't exceed for the same reason. *headlights were also required to be aimed so that they converged at ground level about 100 or so feet in front of the car.
None of that is used in modern cars, so car manufacturers need to be forced to comply.
random8765309@reddit
The headlights were not tinted yellow, the color is due to using a heated filament for light. It is inherent to the design.
Rialas_HalfToast@reddit
Heated filaments can reproduce the entire visible light spectrum. How do you think we had grow lamps before LEDs?
That yellow tone was specifically 2000-3000 Kelvin.
random8765309@reddit
With enough voltage, it is possible to produce light more towards the blue end of the spectrum. However, such voltage is not practical, nor will the filiment last long. For practical use, heated filiment lighting is limited to the red side of the spectrum.
FYI: heated filiment grow lights sucked, had limited use, and were scrapped quickly when other options were available.
Adventurous-Depth984@reddit
According to the Tesla website, their windshields are polarized.
ingannilo@reddit
I'm pretty sure that all windshields I've checked are polarized. Just wear some polarized shades and look at em from outside. Turn your head sideways and they go opaque. Did this when taking physics in college.
CaviarCBR1K@reddit
I'm not sure why, but looking through polarized lenses, glass etc. gives me a terrible headache and makes me super disoriented. Everybody thinks I'm crazy for hating polarized sunglasses but after about 3 minutes, they make me want to puke.
fonk_pulk@reddit
Polarized windshields would also help with the sun hitting your eyes and make night driving a tad easier for those with astigmatism
Similar-Lie-5439@reddit
Polarized anything would make driving dangerous for anyone at night
fonk_pulk@reddit
Polarizarion doesnt mean darkening. You can have polarized glasses that are clear and dark glasses that aren't polarized
myfufu@reddit
Incorrect. If you are filtering out light then by definition there is less coming through.
Similar-Lie-5439@reddit
Putting a polarizer on the windshield means rainbow blotches from glass stress, dimmer night vision, and confused driver-assist cameras. It’s not smart… it’s a permanent visibility handicap. Try wearing polarized sunglasses at night.
Spojinowski@reddit
Try wearing sunglasses at night...
m4rc0n3@reddit
You can certainly have dark glasses that aren't polarized, but you can't have polarized glasses that also let 100% of light through. How would that even work? Polarized glasses attenuate light that doesn't match the polarization of the glasses. Therefore at least some components of unpolarized light (which is really a mix of polarizations) will be attenuated.
supa_pycs@reddit
Polarization cuts a significant amount of light. Every windshield would have a tint, and all beams would be weaker.
couldathrowaway@reddit
This... is honestly not that crazy of an idea.
This one is a business idea. You sell polarized glass and lights, then lobby like a mf to make it law.
Profit
The_Troyminator@reddit
The problem is that it would make it much harder to see at night. Accidents will increase because you won’t be able to see other cars when making turns.
couldathrowaway@reddit
Even if you can now run powerful Xenon lights?
The_Troyminator@reddit
This seems like a great idea because it will help with overly bright headlights.
The problem is that dark cars would be nearly invisible at night. Accident rates would increase dramatically. Traffic fatalities would go up.
But at least you won’t have to deal with bright lights.
DoubleDareFan@reddit
Crazy idea? No, this is a Smart idea!
fericyde@reddit
It's actually an extremely old idea. My father told me about this idea back in the '70s. This is not a new idea.
fericyde@reddit
Edwin Land: he had the idea back in 1948. My father told me about it in the '70s. That's what I meant to say
RexTheWonderCapybara@reddit
Possibly both!
Similar-Lie-5439@reddit
No it’s not
Sir_Bebe_Michelin@reddit
Polarised windshield means - 50% light intensity
We don't have very much light at night already but hell some people do rock tinted windshield so why not
Nepit60@reddit
Nothing crazy here , this is amazing.
Dangerous-Bit-8308@reddit
This dream was first proposed after a traffic accident in 1929. Unfortunately, although the technology was developed, it was never used on windshields https://www.acs.org/education/whatischemistry/landmarks/land-instant-photography.html
https://www.lindahall.org/about/news/scientist-of-the-day/edwin-land/
And by 1939, polarized 3d glasses had been invented. It just took us about 80 years to use them instead of those stupid red/blue ones.
random8765309@reddit
You won't be able to see the other car at a significant distance. In the rain/fog you may not be able to see the other car at all. If the road banks differently from your location the car may not be visible at all or the light may be much brighter. Polarizing the headlight will make them much dimmer for the both cars. Polarized light reflecting off surfaces generally changes polarization angle.
MattCW1701@reddit
Part of the reason for headlights is to be seen, not to see. It would instantly make other cars far less visible to you as a driver. I'm one of those who puts their headlights on (not DRLs, I put my low beams in the "on" position) even on the brightest, sunniest day.
FredOfMBOX@reddit
I would like this tested.
You'd lose a lot of ambient light at night, too, though. Those other cars' lights help with night driving.
I'm not willing to do the math, but what would the light be from a car coming perpendicular to my street as I approach an intersection, say at a 45\° angle?
Aniso3d@reddit
Edwind H Land , also invented the Polaroid camera
Iamstevinbradenton@reddit
I have thought this for years. I agree!
bender-b_rodriguez@reddit
I like it