Yellow (prescription) glasses: impression

In the 60's and 70's, it was fashionable to wear special gear to drive your car: who doesn't remember the vented driving-gloves, or the obligatory medallions with St. Christopher...

There were also sunglasses with yellow coating, that were advertized as a necessity for the gentlleman-driver, and they were claimed to increase vision in foggy conditions.

In a kind of semi-nostalgic (semi-lunatic ?) mood, I decided to order a pair of yellow-tinted prescription glasses with an on-line optician. It was a cheap frolic (€40.00), and there was even a refund guarantee, in case I wasn't gonna like them.

I've been riding and driving with these yellow glasses for about a month now, wearing them in fog, rain and sunshine, by day and by night.

To my amazement, I have to admit that these yellow spectacles do offer some advantages. First impression is 'that the sun is always shining' - even when it's not. In foggy conditions there is a hint of 'more contrast', but don't expect X-ray vision capacities.

The biggest advantage I find is when riding into a low sitting (Winter-) sun: the risk of being blinded is severely reduced, whilst at the same time these glasses aren't as dark as regular sunglasses, that might restrict your eyesight too much during this time of the year.

Riding/driving into my underground parking lot with regular sunglasses is like driving blindfolded. With these yellow specs no such thing. Into tunnels: ditto.

I don't know if these yellow glasses will have any effect in Summer, when the sunlight is more intens, but I 'm really hooked on these specs for this time of the year. Mind you: due to the discoloration, I do not recommend them to watch TV or work on the computer, but for riding and driving I just luv them!

Yellow lenses were part of my ski life. I also used them exclusively when I still wore goggles as part of my motorcycle life. I thought that they offered exactly what Rodenbach described.

:flower:

I have to own up and admit I did have a pair and did find they added another dimension to visibility at night. Cut down on glare from on coming vehicles and sharpened the image received by the eye at night!

Would I have another pair - I suppose I would but having just ordered a pair of titanium bendy things it would be way down the affordability scale right now!!!!

When I was stationed in France (early 60's) yellow headlights were required by law. Are they still? They worked very well in the fog, were easy to see into. I always thought that was the only thing that the French had right, other than food.
:flower:

I had some prescription sunglasses with a bronze tint that were also very useful in highlighting flat light conditions. So when I bought my Scorpion EXO 900 flip-front helmet I ordered an amber visor to replace the less than effective tinted sun visor which I don't need as I have a Super Visor peak fitted, thinking an amber visor would be more useful

Unfortunately I've found it impossible to remove the tinted sun visor from one side of the helmet despite the Scorpion Manual describing it as a simple job.

On cloudy days and at night , I were a pair of light yellow safety glasses that are sold in safety supply store for $5. . the same in a motorcycle store goes for $32.. The $5 dollar one are just as good and when they get scratch I replace them . So far with a case they last the season . I don't need prescription glass for long distance site.

Yellow filters were common in the days of black & white photography to increase the contrast in sky/cloud shots. Yellow specs also common in the target shooting world, again to increase the contrast on a black/white target so presumably the same effect when driving.

I had a pair of yellow aviator's glasses in the 60s when I used to fly my Super Cub out of Kotzebue, AK. They helped quite a bit in when landing in semi-whiteout conditions. Without them the sea ice could look pretty flat but with them on you could see pressure ridges that would be bad news to hit on landing or take off.

I find yellow tinted glasses great in misty or dull conditions. Also when it is raining. My eyes are less strained and therefore it is less tiring to do long periods in these conditions - in UK we seem to get more than our fair share of crap weather.
Also when riding and you raise your visor they protect your eyes from wind, flies etc. - I tend to raise my visor when tootling through built up areas or in stop start traffic.
As a previous poster says safety glasses are a lot cheaper than ones saying 'motorcycle' or 'driving' glasses. Bolle make ones that are optically correct (for those who do not need prescription glasses for riding).
Cheers,

tinman wrote:

On cloudy days and at night , I were a pair of light yellow safety glasses that are sold in safety supply store for $5. . the same in a motorcycle store goes for $32.. The $5 dollar one are just as good and when they get scratch I replace them . So far with a case they last the season . I don't need prescription glass for long distance site.

tinman, I am guessing that you 'wear' the safety glasses, not that you 'were' or possibly still are(?) the safety glasses.

Yellow does indeed provide excellent low light and whiteout contrast.

I like the yellow safety glasses better then motorcycle .With my arthritic hands I tend to drop things . I find them to bright on sunny days . There are many shades of light to dark colour to choose from and the price vary from $5. To $20. I saw a $5. dollar pair in motorcycle dealer store selling them for $29.95, buyer be ware.

Memories... I had yellow lenses in my possession in the late 60's and 70's while riding in Melbourne where the weather is renown for being overcast and having all 4 seasons in one day. They worked well.
Here in Perth it is generally sunny and as I don't ride in the rain anymore, I use prescription sunnies.

Yellow lenses seem to give much better visibility in most cloudy to cloudy-bright conditions as well as evening shade wear. I really like how they "brighten" my view.

In the 50's in Germany they were marketed as TV Glasses. I used them on bike in fog/flat lite conditions great for skiing in flat lite conditions/TV as girlfriend's house. But like all glasses with tint, they actually cut out some lite----not good for old people now?