Dash Cam

[taminga16]

Personally, I think that the whole Dash Cam thing is just sad. A little while ago in a widely publicised incident a female Melbourne cyclist ran into the opened door of a taxi (My interpretation would have been failing to keep a proper look out) and the first thing that she said was that she had two cameras mounted on her bike and that were both recording, WTF? and don't get me started on about our draconian 'Who has right of way' laws, they were probably OK when we didn't have the volume of traffic that we had then, but now do nothing but create arrogance on our roads.
The first rule with regard to Collisions at Sea is don't crash, why should it be any different on the roads.
To the OP, forget the camera and keep your head out of the car.
Greg.

[Trackphotos]

Personally, I think that the whole Dash Cam thing is just sad. A little while ago in a widely publicised incident a female Melbourne cyclist ran into the opened door of a taxi (My interpretation would have been failing to keep a proper look out) and the first thing that she said was that she had two cameras mounted on her bike and that were both recording, WTF? and don't get me started on about our draconian 'Who has right of way' laws, they were probably OK when we didn't have the volume of traffic that we had then, but now do nothing but create arrogance on our roads.
The first rule with regard to Collisions at Sea is don't crash, why should it be any different on the roads.
To the OP, forget the camera and keep your head out of the car.
Greg.

I take it you don't have insurance beyond CTP then? Since your point of view seems to be "if you try hard enough nothing will go wrong". A dash camera is not instead of paying attention while driving, it is as well as paying attention, just in case you may need it at some point. Just like insurance.

[green_comet]

I honestly couldn't care less if people think it's "sad", I'd much rather have video evidence of an incident, than have nothing. When it comes to your word vs someone else's, video evidence always comes in handy.

I have a dash cam in the Focus and soon to have one in the SP.

[taminga16]

Trackphotos,
I am offended that you think that I do not have insurance, I have three vehicles and they are all comprehensively insured. my point was, that i believe that dash cameras will only contribute to the demise of any sort of etiquette and decorum that we might still have on our roads, and as for Green Comets response, what did we do before dash cams?
Greg.

[green_comet]

Get reversed into carparks constantly, then get stuck with the bill of fixing the damage because douche bags wouldn't leave notes. But if you're going to take that approach, what did the world do before having surveillance cameras? Pretty simple, people just got away with a lot more sh*t.

[taminga16]

A couple of years ago whilst doing a landscape in outer Melbourne my truck was parked at the job and under a surveillance camera, someone lifted the tarp and stole a demo saw ($3000.00) the police showed no interest in the video and to add insult to injury, the first question that I was asked for the report was weather or not I had ever been in trouble with the police, all for insurance purposes apparently.
On the matter of the Dash Cams, I suppose that we can just put it down to attitude shift, and if you don't understand what I mean watch some of the Dash Cam footage from Russia.
Greg.

[davekmoore]

How about a list of priorities for discussion:

1. Drive like motorcyclist/cyclist including assuming everyone else will be happy to kill us.
2. Headlights always on + maybe flourescent* paint on A pillars.
3. Loud horn (Stebel/Nautilus) used early. Always a pleasure to see the shock on school trip mum's/dad's face when they think they're about to get mowed down by something even bigger.
4. Camera.
5. Ask your MP for legislation for all drivers of 4x4s/SUVs to take a extra test involving looking around before changing lanes and to prove they don't think they're "special".
6. Remote volume controls that actually work when you point them at children.

* Damn the spell checker for working in a non-English language.

Good to see the consensus is that a camera is not a solution, merely a possible way of getting a third party to pay for the accident.

Not sure you can automatically win an argument with a driver who changes lanes into your lane then slams anchors on and you rear end him.

I was (probably) kidding about the flouro paint.

[ciz_]

A couple of years ago whilst doing a landscape in outer Melbourne my truck was parked at the job and under a surveillance camera, someone lifted the tarp and stole a demo saw ($3000.00) the police showed no interest in the video and to add insult to injury, the first question that I was asked for the report was weather or not I had ever been in trouble with the police, all for insurance purposes apparently.
On the matter of the Dash Cams, I suppose that we can just put it down to attitude shift, and if you don't understand what I mean watch some of the Dash Cam footage from Russia.
Greg.

Haha, those Russian videos have to be some of my favourite YT videos.

What I was trying to say is, I have almost been in so many accidents (yes even with the lights on) where SUVs and trucks have changed lane either into or ON TOP of me.
Of course I've slammed brakes, swerved out of the way and whatnot, but most of the time the damage / collision would have been on or near the rear-end corners for the other vehicle (and we all know how fussy rear-end accidents and claims can be) - hence my decision to go for a dash cam.

I don't always use it but I try to have it on and working though (not gonna turn it on if I'm just hitting the gym 2 mins away...)

[Mr Morlock]

I see it the same way as Taminga and some of the others as well. I would not even think about a dash cam for daily driving and none of my mates have them in cars- it is a bit of worry to be so concerned about driving. Some here obviously think that a grainy grab of an incident is going to be gold- well hardly. Who is going to assess or want to see ones video of say a minor crash- the insurance co? Insurance have been working these things out forever and lets make the point again - that's what insurance is for - i.e. insurance.

If anyone goes to court an often very expensive and uncertain process a video may not even be accepted as "evidence". Having a dash cam does not make anyone better drivers i.e. it has no influence on the likelihood or otherwise of an incident but having insurance does bring something useful to the table. We all make errors in driving quite often simply because we do not see others- blind spots / cars with challenged designs / distractions / people passing too fast/ lane changing etc etc. The vast majority are just sorted out through insurance. Also the guys with the dash cams e.g. cis or green comet- will they be happy to pass on the video to show how they were at fault not the other idiot.

[markwid]

Personally, I don't see the harm of having a dash cam provided we still drive with care. Definitely am driving much more defensively with the MX-5. Because we get "bullied" by bigger cars/SUVs/trucks often.

[Magpie]

So the plan is to use it to prove somebody other than you was in the wrong, but if you were in the wrong your camera was not switched on?

[green_comet]

https://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/wa/a/24489231/police-back-dashboard-cameras/

[Mr Morlock]

the lawyers are going to love it.

[Hot Rodders]

There was a news report the other night where a motor cyclist was hit by a car. The car driver claimed the motor cyclist was lane splitting but the helmet cam the cyclist had showed that the cyclist was in a lane, not lane splitting and that the car failed to give way. Several years ago it could have been your word against mine. Now the cops know who to lay charges against.