Oncoming Headlight Reflextions

[DavidGraves]

Hi All

New owner operator here so I get to ask obvious questions.

I have noticed a big problem (for me) with enhanced double reflection of oncoming car headlights since adding the Hawk to our Toyota T100.

I have not exactly figured it out but it has to do with the front fixed window of camper and rear window of cab.

I think I get this via the rear view mirror even when flipped up for night use.

I am sure some owner has found a solution.....curtain closed on front glass ...no... reflective surface it outside....hmmm.

I expect to off load the Hawk soon for some other chores and I hope to solve this issue.

Many thanks

DavidGraves

North Oregon Coast

 

[ntsqd]

As we can't see thru our camper I have the center mirror pointed at the roof of the cab.

Might help?

 

[97grandby]

I don't see though mine either. But I also have tinted windows. (Live in Vegas) so it's never been an issue for me. Maybe some tint your back window as well could work


Sent from my iPad using Wander The West

 

[Wallowa]

David,

Side dinette and slide opening front window on '16 Hawk...'05 Tundra...no reflections/double images to date and we can see through the camper and out the back door [no curtains blocking the view]..not much view of traffic behind us but some..I never use the "night" vision portion of the in cab rear view mirror...

As suggested, turn the side mirrors and rear view in cab mirror down and see if reflection is still present..

I assume the double image you mention is on your windshield..

Lets us know what you find..

Phil

 

[Bseek]

I know what you are talking about, and I don't know of a fix. I will tell you that you get used to it and it is no big deal after a while.

 

[Wandering Sagebrush]

David, not to be snarky, but the best solution I've found is to not drive at night. The closer I get to 70, the less inclined I become to go out after dark. I find bright lights behind me almost disorienting.

 

[DavidGraves]

Thanks All

And yes, the double image glare of headlights is from oncoming cars in FRONT of me that somehow

reflect between the front camper glass and the rear truck glass.......hmmmm....and eventually hit my rear view or perhaps the inside of the windshield ?...

I find it distracting and a major pain in the glass.....eyes....

Maybe it is operator error.

DavidGraves

 

[Wallowa]

David, not to be snarky, but the best solution I've found is to not drive at night. The closer I get to 70, the less inclined I become to go out after dark. I find bright lights behind me almost disorienting.

Double down on this post...@ 73 and after cataract surgery nighttime glare from oncoming vehicles is a royal pain in the ass...

Now David may be a 'young' 45 or whatever, but as we age cataracts [we all will develop them] do refract the incoming light to create glare as do the replacement lens after the surgery produce 'halos'...

Hey, growing older has a few downsides, but it beats the hell out of not growing older!

Besides out here the chances of hitting deer, elk, bear or cows triples after dark...and the hazards of "had-been-drinking" drivers increases even more...

Just my observations and I could be wrong...

Phil

 

[Stalking Light]

Cataract surgery is the best thing that ever happened to my eyes; nighttime halos gone with mine and only reading glasses after wearing coke bottle lenses for almost 60 years.

 

[Wallowa]

Cataract surgery is the best thing that ever happened to my eyes; nighttime halos gone with mine and only reading glasses after wearing coke bottle lenses for almost 60 years.

I know this may be off topic...but I could not agree more with SL...my eyes are as they were when I was 20 [20-15]...yes, I do need reading glasses for the really close up stuff...but it is very cool to again see leaves on trees in the distance without any glasses!

I am a non-surgery guy, however, cataract surgery while a little scary going in [only one set of eyes] was a no-brainer.

OK...back to glare while driving..

Phil

 

[ckent323]

Humm, the surface reflection from window glass (considering both front and back surfaces) is only about 7% of the light incident (impinging on the glass).

The reflection of the rear view mirror is about 85% of the light incident on the mirror.

For a headlight reflecting off of the glass in the back of the cab to the rear view mirror then to your eyes the product is 7% x 85% = 5.9% to your eyes.

That may be bright enough to be annoying but should appear very much dimmer than the oncoming headlights.

Multiple reflection paths would produce much less light,

Simple test: if you can open or block the window in the back of the cab (from the inside of the cab) that would eliminate the possibility of a reflection.

If you still see it I wonder if the camper is compressing the suspension such that light is reflecting off of the hood of your truck and into the cab. Since that would be a grazing incidence reflection off of the hood it would be very bright even reflecting off of black paint. Even if it is not going directly into your eyes it may be causing a double image in the windshield glass which could be annoying.

If that is the source of the problem I have seen tinted bug reflectors for many vehicles that attach to the front of the hood that are designed to eliminate those nasty reflections (as well as reduce the bug slats on the hood and windshield)

 

[cwdtmmrs]

David, I have a FWC ranger II (Eagle) on a 1986 Toyota pick up with 31" tires and a 2" body/suspension lift and I do not experience the reflection you mention. Maybe it is the height of my rig. I use my rear view mirror all the time to see through the back of my camper and keep the top of the side couch down a little to see out the side window as well. The rear glass of my truck is slightly tinted from the factory.

cwd

 

[ckent323]

Oops I overlooked the addition of the light reflecting off of the window to the camper. It will be a bit less than from the window in the truck cab due to losses from passing through the truck cab window in two directions but let's assume it is another 6% making it to the rear view mirror (I am assuming that both windows are close to parallel and the reflections are adding - if not then there will be multiple dim reflections).

A 12% reflection is noticeable and would probably be annoying. Maybe tint the truck cab window or put curtains over it?

Flipping the rear view mirror to the "night" angle should minimize this problem but multiple images would still be present in the rear view mirror.

 

[DavidGraves]

Maybe tint the truck cab window or put curtains over it?

I think this might be the best solution although I DO use the view thru camper for driving.

Flipping the rear view mirror to the "night" angle should minimize this problem but multiple images would still be present in the rear view mirror.

It is just the "multiple images" that I find most distracting......

Of course, all driving has its challenges....I try to minimize night driving especially in south BAJA....

 

[Lighthawk]

I see a noticeable reflection of oncoming headlights too. The headlights bounce off the front window of the camper and are then visible in my rear view mirror. It's a bit disconcerting to see rapidly approaching headlights in my rear view mirror!
I've just gotten used to it, and I agree that night driving is not that much fun and should be avoided if possible.

 

[DavidGraves]

I see a noticeable reflection of oncoming headlights too. The headlights bounce off the front window of the camper and are then visible in my rear view mirror. It's a bit disconcerting to see rapidly approaching headlights in my rear view mirror!
I've just gotten used to it, and I agree that night driving is not that much fun and should be avoided if possible.

You know...that is exactly IT !

I realized yesterday that what is distracting me even occurs during the day.

In my rear view mirror I see the reflected view out the front windshield !

I assume it is being double reflected off the camper window because it is so flat and sets behind the rear window of truck.

The effect is doubled....all in all a second set of traffic and visual stimulus to deal with .

I guess I will flip up the inside rear view mirror until I find another cure.

 

[Alley-Kat]

I suggest that you drive more and camp more.

You'll desensitize yourself to it, just like I did after about the first 3-4 months of ownership.

OK, honey, we need to go camping... again !

 

[Bill D]

Perhaps a rear view mirror sock/cover will do the trick.
Easy enough to slip on if you are stuck night driving.

If you want something more elegant I suggest you visit a window tinting shop.

 

[RnK]

I experience the same phenomenon in my rig that DavidGraves and Lighthawk report ('04 Tundra and Hawk shell with a non-opening window in the camper). I'm also convinced it is a reflection off the camper's window. I'm not ready to give up my view out the back but maybe there is an anti-reflective coating one could apply to the camper window. I might look into it as, even though I've become somewhat accustomed to it, I still find it disconcerting!

 

[wuck]

I haven't driven my rig at night too much, but I did notice this and found it quite annoying! I assumed it had to do with camper window reflections, but quickly forgot about it after parking for the night. With my camper (still) off the truck, I should go drive it around a bit at night then try again when the camper gets mounted. I do like having the view out the rear, so not sure if there is much I can do about it other than go camping more to get de-sensitized