Spitfires are low to the ground, so headlights in the rear view mirror can be a
real problem.
Came across this very simple technique for dealing with it, using some clear
red plastic
to prevent the dazzle and blindness. Cheap, simple and effective!
___________
I don't do too much night driving and when I do, the most irritating thing are
those headlights behind me that seem to be
specially designed to be at the same level as the rear view mirror of an LBC.
To make this less annoying and even bearable, I offer this solution.
1) Cut a piece of thin plexi-glass in the same shape of the mirror. I used
plexi-glass because there was some hanging
out in the work shop and it is optically clear.
2) I had tried a neutral density filter, (like smoke gray) but found that a red
filter works better for me. Red is easier on the
rods or cones in the eye and does not darken the available light. The red
allows even faint light to pass but does not
affect the sensitivity to light. The red filter I'm using is that red cello
wrapping paper.
3) I then wrapped this filter around the plexi-glass and secured it with
optically clear package tape.
4) This contraption is held on the rear view mirror with two cloth covered
elastics normally used to keep hair in a pony
tail.
There are as many variations as folks who'll try it. But it's a very cheap way
to eliminate a problem and making that
evening drive a bit more enjoyable.
The tape is 3M Premium Heavy Duty Package Tape in Clear, or Crystal Clear
Premium Grade box sealing tape. This stuff
is optically pure. The filter I used, because I'm both cheap and ingenious, is
the cellophane wrapping paper, (I got it on
sale after the Christmas season for .50 cents. that too is optically pure.
If I wanted to impress anyone, I would get translucent red Plexiglas and cut,
or have it cut to the mirror size. I believe
any glass dealer or good hardware store would be able to get red translucent
Plexiglas. The problem is all that's needed
is about 2X5 inches. The cellophane should be available at a gift store, a
florist, or an arts and craft dealer. The thing
about red filter is it has the least effect on the rods and cones in the eye:
you can look at a very bright red light source
and it will not affect adjustment to the dim light of night.
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