Well, after the outcome of the US election left plenty of people in shock (and plenty of others with the result that they voted for), I’ve been thinking about how we seek to understand those who hold wildly differing opinions and beliefs from our own. It prompted some push back on Facebook which is great because it helps me hold firm in my opinion that we need to understand what’s going on with other people – not just tell them that they’re “wrong”.
Having recorded two episodes of the podcast on resisting that urge to shout people down or label them as “stupid”, and reflecting on seeing similar behaviour during the Brexit vote (check out episodes ‘Surprise surprise!‘ and ‘An alternative point of view‘); today, after a short snippet on Sanjeev Bhaskar’s thoughtful approach to considering the views of others, I turn my attention to something that we can ALL agree upon:
LED Lights are Too Bright
When a news article on the BBC has 400+ comments within moments of posting, you know there’s something either good or awful going on. Turns out that the report on how Transport Research Laboratory is conducting a study into whether ultra bright lights on modern vehicles are ‘too bright’ brought much relief to many readers – myself included.
With optometrists reporting that increasing numbers of people are coming in worried about their night-driving vision and the RAC having called for an investigation for sometime, it is high time that something was done about cars with lights so high, and so bright, that they are blinding other motorists.
Having been to the opticians twice worried about my night vision, and with a young daughter driving a lower, older car, I would welcome any move to restrict the brightness of what’s become equivalent to being faced with a set of full beams every five seconds.
It’s not sour grapes
And in case you were thinking I’m envious of people with a f*ck-off big car with fifty thousand lumens attached to the front, I’m not! It was reassuring to hear people say that they wish they could adjust their adaptive lights and are equally sick of being flashed by oncoming motorists who think they’re on full beam. I reserve my ire instead for the absolute weapon with LEDs who put their full beams on as myself and a friend walked our sons up the lane to a sixth form open evening last night….they flashed their lights and I full on flicked the v’s.
It was all yellow
And whilst it will take some time for the report to come out that states the bleeding obvious. And even longer for anyone to make any changes. I think I may have to follow the likes of Bono, Steve Wright and Ali G – according to the optician, the only option I have left is to buy yellow glasses. A-ight!
Listen to today’s episode of the 49er
To hear me swear liberally on this subject (and highlight how Sanjeev Bhaskar’s insights are very useful in thinking about the Trump victory) hit the embedded episode below!
Featured photo by Casey Horner on Unsplash
