New to Polaroids...

[longwayfromhome]

For the past 10 years I've ridden with prescription sunnies. Having lost two pairs in the last 2 years, I can't afford any at the moment. These fancy schmancy pairs have been non-polaroid. I did this because the few times I tried polaroid clip-ons, I hated the halo effects.

I have Arai helmets with regular clear shields, no flip-down HJC-style sun-visor capabilities. I would prefer not to have to regularly change faceshields to use tinted/clear shields as the conditions change.

So, I have some Polaroid clip-ons, all comfy etc and I am happy with them mostly. The bit I am not happy about is what they do to the road surface. In sunny conditions, on many road surfaces, the tarmac gets blended into a continuous deep blue sheen which makes it very hard to distinguish the subtle variations, knowledge of which I find is v.important to my decisions, especially on fast corners. Most disconcerting of all is that the blue sheen is very oil-like in its appearance and so I am still at that stage of powering up to a corner then having my heart in my mouth as I lean over into what appears to be an oil-slicked, wet corner.

I assume I'll get used to it, plus I assume that real oil-slicked patches will stand out in some other way...probably (I assume) resembling the patterns we see in oil on water....but all the same, the similarity between non-polaroid oily road and polaroid non-oily road is often very disconcerting.

I am assuming I'll get thru this stage with more experience....any advice/recommendations? Next is non-polaroid clip-ons of course, but I am in saver mode at the moment.

TIA.

[James Deuce]

Ditch them. They're lethal. In alternating light/low-light situations you'll go from being able to see the road to seeing nothing.

Your life is worth changing a visor.

You can carry your spare visor in one of these either in a bag or around your waist.

<img src=http://www.bitzforbikes.co.uk/photo/OF588.jpg>

Seriously, get rid of the polaroid clip ons.

[MsKABC]

Have you tried just regular sunglass clip-ons? This means of course that you won't get any variation in the degree of light reduction, but at least what you're looking at won't be distorted or altered in any other way. Hubby wears glasses for riding and has clip-on shades.

[Hitcher]

I wear polarising clip-ons and have never experienced lost or intermittent vision, blotching, patching or anything untoward. Apart from not being able to read the dashboard multi information indicator screen thingie in my new work vehicle, I have never had an issue with polarising lenses.

[James Deuce]

I wear polarising clip-ons and have never experienced lost or intermittent vision, blotching, patching or anything untoward. Apart from not being able to read the dashboard multi information indicator screen thingie in my new work vehicle, I have never had an issue with polarising lenses.
Which is odd because you have an astigmatism.

I lose depth perception, balance is affected, and I have thrown up on one occasion thanks to the blue green 3d effect my astigmatism can create in some circumstances. Got rid of my plarising glasses and the problem never came back.

[Spyked]

For what it's worth, I never ride or drive with Polarised sunnies, I hate the bloody things. It's something that doesn't bother some riders at all but causes problems for a significant percentage.
Decent quality sunnies are worth every cent if you look after them, and give you the best chance of spotting distant hazards where as most of the cheapies cause some degree of detail loss.

[Hitcher]

Which is odd because you have an astigmatism.

It's just the way I walk.

[slofox]

Have a pair of prescription, polarising sunglasses. Worn them for aeons. Never had a problem with 'em.......

[Naki Rat]

I don't bother with the hassle of sunglasses inside my helmet when riding. Just persevere with a tinted visor.

When driving the Commodore I have used both polarised and non polarised sunglasses (both Revo) and the reflection of the dashboard inside the windscreen is chronic without polarised glasses.

No problems with polarised glasses though I suspect the quality of Revo vs. say a pair of cheap 'fishing' polarised may be a factor there. An added bonus to driving with polarised is that most oncoming vehicles appear to have no windscreen, as they are crystal clear without the usual reflections, so much better for seeing what the driver is doing and where his attentions' lie.

[MsKABC]

Have you tried just regular sunglass clip-ons? This means of course that you won't get any variation in the degree of light reduction, but at least what you're looking at won't be distorted or altered in any other way. Hubby wears glasses for riding and has clip-on shades.

I tell a lie :o :slap: :spanking: His clip-ons are polarised and they give the distortions mentioned by others in this thread. He uses a tinted visor instead.

[Big Dave]

Polarising filter effectiveness depends on type of filter, quality, and the angle of incidence.
How they sit on your face can have an effect.

I hates 'em under a visor. Already reflected light - like those shiny spots and tar snakes - bouncing around through the visor's convex surface, onto the filter, creates blind spots.

Cool for the open face.

[slofox]

How they sit on your face can have an effect.


You talking girlies here BD........?

[MaxCannon]

Not helping you not to spend money but I got a Givi H401 helmet mid-year with the internal sunvisor.
Tried the Nolan and HJC equivalent models and felt the visor on the Givi was superior.
Heaps of clearance for glasses (I wear contacts all day but had tried fitment with my glasses and it was fine).
It's brilliant because it only takes 1 second to slide the visor down or up depending on the sun / glare / darkness factor.

http://www.motoretail.co.nz/product.cfm?ID=7521

[scumdog]

Which is odd because you have an astigmatism.

Hmm, a little cream might fix that.

But I do not use a visor and found polarised sunnies :niceone: for sunny weather, at times during dull weather they do seem to change the appearance of the road surface making wet areas hard to distinguish.

[homer]

you will a big difference in the quality of the polarization filter.
ive had lots of polarised sunnys , i find them the best ever to ride or drive with .

but to get some that dont distort or change colour or that dont show the lamination in car windows you have to get quality.
mine arnt prescription, but cost $250
there the besy investment i ever made .
i can assume the clip ons are poly carb lenses, they wont do the job , you need a quality glass lense.
just some thought for you

[Big Dave]

You talking girlies here BD........?


What part of 'cool for the open face' did you not understand??? :-)

[longwayfromhome]

Thanks everyone. Some good feedback here.

I tried the sunnies in the car and at the 20/20 game yesterday and they are great.....no road flattening, no strange halos, no hi/lo light transition effects. The difference is amazing and I did really like the polaroids and their colr balance and clarity. I realize it is the polaroids + the helmet shield that together create the extreme effects I have seen to-date. Since I have two Arai's its too expensive to change helmets and get different makes of shields, so I will go either with tinted shields or a pair of non-polaroid clipons.

Thanks everyone.

[Hitcher]

If you go to your local independent optometrist, ask them about the new "drive" photochromatic lenses. These have a good base tint and go even darker under UV light. This gets around most of the problems people have using traditional photochromatics while driving.