Team-BHP (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/)

-   Technical Stuff (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/technical-stuff/)

-   -   Good Vision In A Downpour - Wear Polarized Sunglasses! (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/technical-stuff/63285-good-vision-downpour-wear-polarized-sunglasses.html)

Recieved following information through mail, was wondering if it really works, and the day before yesterday got a chance to test it, and the results are very interesting, it really works. Some of you can try and post your experience here.

GOOD VISION IN A DOWNPOUR

How to achieve good vision while driving during a heavy downpour. We are not sure why it is so effective; just try this method when it rains heavily.

This method was told by a Police friend who had experienced and confirmed it. It is useful even driving at night. Most of the motorists would turn on HIGH or FASTEST SPEED of the wipers during heavy downpour, yet the visibility in front of the windscreen is still bad.

In the event you face such a situation, just try your SUN GLASSES (any model will do), and miracle! All of a sudden, your visibility in front of your windscreen is perfectly clear, as if there is no rain.

Note : Mods i was not sure if this topic should go to "Technical Stuff" or "T-Bhp advice" section hence posting it here.

Now this is what i call innovation at its best :D Will surely try this out throttleking.
Thanks .

If true, that's pretty cool. Gotta try sometime.

Hmmm. Interesting.
Maybe the dark glass filters out the light being reflected from the raindrops? In that case, having a sunflim on the windscreen also ought to help, right?

I'd try this out but its been a while since it poured here in Bangalore. And i am not too keen on standing under a shower wearing sunglasses!!

Guys, don't forget to switch on your car's headlamps. Don't blame the starter of this thread if you end up breaking your sunglasses after hitting the tree:D

Great piece of information. Will definitely try out when there are torrential rains in Delhi (It has rained once or twice in the monsoon) or probably one has to make a trip to Mumbai ASAP:D

This looks like a magic bullet. Ought to check this out. But in any case, demister & correct AC settings should reduce the problem to an extent.

throttleking,

This is one of the most interesting posts on this forum that I've come across till date. :thumbs up

I have a pair of Polaroid sunglasses (not too dark) which I use during my day drives.

Am keen to have tested this theory out. If all goes well, with the current ~24 deg C temperatures in BLR, we should be in for a heavy downpour in the evening. :D

Will definitely post my experiences once I've had a chance to test this.

Cheers,
gpa

Throttleking, if I was you I'd add a disclaimer to your post. Something like "try this yourself at your own risk".

I'll give this a shot once the rains return to Bombay.

This article confirms the OP's claim.

Polarization - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I think this is how it works. Feel free to correct if I am wrong. Your headlights/regular sunlight reflect and/or refract off the water droplets in the air. The ambient light and the reflected/refracted light together make for unpolarized light which we perceive as glare along with regular light. Sunglasses reduce the glare substantially and thus give you enhanced vision.

Wonderful piece of info. Got to try it out surely :)

Cant wait till the next time it rains in Bangalore :)

Interesting piece of information throttleking. I wear polaroid sun glasses and I can see even through lot of dark filmed car windows, which naked eye cannot see. I never tried to see the difference when it rains. Will take note of the same and share the results.

That is incorrect!!

NOT all sunglasses are polarized. Especially not the cheap ones.


How to tell if your sunglasses are polarized?
Find another pair of polarised sun glasses and look though both sunglasses together. Notice the brightness.
Now, rotate either one of the glasses towards 90* -- if what you see begins to get much darker or brighter it means both pairs of glasses are polarized.

Another way is to do the same thing with 1 pair - looking at an LCD monitor (im not 100% sure about this method though).


What a polarized lens does?
Basically think of it as looking though a very fine grill, kinda like this ---> ||||||||||.
Only light that is aligned with the grill will be allowed to pass through. Other light (glare etc - depending on orientation) will not be allowed through.


Heres a polarized visor like thing for cars :
like polarized sunglasses as auto sun visors, windshield visors, PolaVisor reduces eye strain


Heres an article about polarized glass uses in motorsports (with some sample pics) :
New Page 0


And heres 3 pictures taken with a polarizer filter (common in photography), but each shot is taken with the filter (think of it as the |||| grill) being rotated slightly. See the difference as it is mis-aligned with the glare/reflected image :

Source : http://gnarblog.com/photo/


Polarized glasses are also commonly used when fishing, as you can see through the glare on the surface of the water better.

cya
R

At first I thought the idea was nonsense. Then I remembered that, when I used to watch fish in the river (not catch, just watch) I would use polaroid sunglasses, knowing that they cut much of the reflection from the surface of the water that prevents you seeing below the surface, as Rehaan comments.

The only problem that I have experienced driving with polaroids is that they sometimes pick out a structural pattern (no idea what the correct term would be) in the car windscreen, which reduces the view. For that reason, I haven't bought any in a while.

Anyway, must have a dig and see if I still own any --- and give this idea a try :)