Driving spectacles

 1930s driving spectacles

If you were going for a drive in the 1930s you might have taken these spectacles with you as well as your gloves, spare can of petrol and motor rug. The maker of this pair is unknown but a contemporary pair manufactured by Batemans in 1935 had the accompanying instructions: 

For Night Driving the revolving discs should be turned to the right...this cuts out the dazzle of oncoming headlights whilst leaving the road clear ahead and a clear view of the near side edge of the road. For driving in sunny weather adjust revolving discs to cut out the glare from whichever direction it appears, viz. - top of either side.

 

Tinted spectacles for driving remained popular in the mid-late 20th century. There was a time when the RAC would give you a free pair on joining their membership scheme. Today optometrists advise against their use. Modern headlights and road conditions mean that the eye should be able to adjust its focus normally without recourse to visual aids, even if there are no street lights. Section 82 of the Highway Code specifically warns drivers not to use tinted glasses, lenses or visors, 'or anything that restricts vision'. 
 

This is quite separate from the requirement to wear your ordinary spectacles or contact lenses when driving if you normally need them. The Road Traffic Act of 1934 introduced a requirement to be able to read a motor car number plate containing six letters or numbers at a distance of 25 yards. Not all number plates at the time were this long; some had only four characters. The letters would have been white on a black background. Reflective number plates were made compulsory from 1973 in which year the letters had to be black on white at the front and black on yellow at the back. The current vision requirement, enshrined in the Road Traffic Act of 1988, specifies a distance of 20.5 metres (old-style plates) and 20 metres (new style plates, from 2001). A policeman can conduct this basic eyesight test on a driver at any time during daylight hours.