When I was a child, in my grandfather's bookcase there was a copy of
“Science Advances” by JBS Haldane.
If you aren’t familiar with Haldane he’s well worth a Google.

The most memorable concept in that book for me, other than his “Come
the revolution” Marxist style, was a few paragraphs on polarized
headlamps.

The idea had been proposed by the inventor of Polaroid sheet
polarizers , Edwin Land.

Basically the idea is we all drive about using un-dipped headlights
with the lights, and windscreens polarized with a 90deg differential.

I know it is said that it takes a genius to think of an idea that
later seems obvious, but in this case I really feel that if Land
hadn’t thought of it, I would have, and I expect many here would say
the same.

Here's an good article on the subject

http://www.polarization.com/land/land.html

and here is the Haldane’s book see page 183
http://www.archive.org/stream/scienc...ge/n7/mode/2up

So this issue must have been considered time and time again, yet
always rejected for mainstream use. Why?

Hell, they can then even turn all the street-lighting off!
(As they seem to be doing so anyway).


--

Graham.

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