Do i really need a dash cam??

[Conditor22]

Do I really need a dash cam??
If so, how much of a dashcam do I need?
Which one should I get? -- (best features for the money)
Which cam do you use and what do you think about it?

https://i.imgur.com/IQplqe8.png

[Conditor22]

Space Saved for later

[Idaho45guy]

They are bad luck!

My dad gave me a cheap $20 one for Christmas. Installed it and 2 days later, a deer ran in front of me, lol. The video was entertaining to watch, however.

It broke within a month. Looked into getting another higher quality one just because it was comforting to know if something happened, I had evidence.

[6bg6ga]

I have one.

[Beagle333]

I have a cheapo one from Amazon... I forget the brand, but it was only 50 bucks. But it's nice to have more evidence available if something happens than "he said - she said" evidence. There's no arguing about what happened.

[Petrol & Powder]

Dash cams are ubiquitous in some parts of the world, especially in places were the police consider traffic accidents to be a purely civil matter.

For evidence in an accident, you only need to preserve the last few minutes or less of the event prior to the accident and maybe some activity right after the accident. So huge amounts of memory with stunning resolution probably isn't needed. Assuming you are physically present and able to stop the recording after an accident, the memory doesn't need to be extremely large. However, if you are removed from the car and transported by an ambulance or injured so badly you can't turn the device off, the amount of memory should be large enough to avoid being deleted by an automatic overwrite.

The real problem is the device sits in the windshield of the car, getting absolutely COOKED by the sun for most of its life. The better systems separate the camera from the recorder to at least get a little more life out of the unit in those conditions.

Now for the other issues, that video evidence cuts BOTH ways ! If you do not have a camera but the other vehicle does and that driver is at fault - you're going to want to preserve that evidence for your benefit. If you're at fault and you have the camera, the other driver will want that evidence. Ask yourself, "do I want a camera that is plainly visible or do I want a hidden camera"?
If the police are involved and it's a criminal investigation, they will want that video evidence, if it exists. If the police have reason to believe there's evidence held in the memory of a recorder and that evidence could easily be lost or destroyed - they can seize the device to preserve the evidence and apply for a warrant to search the device later.
Law enforcement routinely seizes the on board computers of cars involved in serious accidents (particularly single vehicle fatalities where there are no witnesses). That on board computer acts as a "black box" and stores information such as speed, seatbelt use, which seats were occupied (usually only front seats with air bag sensors), cruise control settings, braking, time to last engine start, etc. Cameras are just another place the police can look for evidence related to an accident.

[bob208]

wife bought 2 a year ago. after the last few days I am going to put them in. around here I don't think many know what the lines on the road mean (like stay on your side) also this week almost had the front end of the truck hit by a very short left turn. twice sitting at a stop sign.

[flyingmonkey35]

I have personally had mine save my bacon.

I even posted about it on this forum.

a guy ran in foot into my may car on purpose to try a Insurance scam.

the camera system caught it and the cop was chuckling the whole time.

shortly after my coworker bought one and some one sideswiped him. with out the dash cam footage he wo it ld have had a hard time proving it.

I personally have a mirror mounted one like this.

Jeemak Backup Camera 4.3" Touch Screen Mirror Dash Cam 1080P Rearview Front and Rear Dual Lens Dashboard Recorder with Waterproof Reversing Camera https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07DXQTD94/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_MbZqDb5NBZRMW


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[cwlongshot]

My trouble isnt having one... My problem is making my lovely wife FORGET ITS THERE!!!! EVERYTIME she gets out of the car she removes it from the dash board... then a month later I see it missing and set it back up and ask the preverbal question. I hear, “ I dont like to leave any electronics out to be seen I dont want the car broken into.” DOAH!!!

I tell her LEAVE IT ALONE.

I see the jeep again a month or three later and again its gone... I replace it and ask again. She says. “Ooh it stopped working”

The good lord made them Pretty so we dont exterminate them!!! GRRRRR

As far as Im concerned Much like the iron on my right hip... they are something that I hope no one ever needs. But you will be very thankful its there if you do ever need it.


Cw

[dangitgriff]

That on board computer acts as a "black box" and stores information such as speed, seatbelt use, which seats were occupied (usually only front seats with air bag sensors), cruise control settings, braking, time to last engine start, etc. Cameras are just another place the police can look for evidence related to an accident.

If the rental car company gets hold of the data in this car I’ve been racing around in for the last month...there might be lawyers and subpoenas involved! [emoji41]

[gwpercle]

Why don't we just all start wearing body cams . That way every movement and interaction can be recorded and used as proof as to what happened and what was said ...no more he said she said , camera's don't lie .
Criminals and politicians would be exempt from wearing them of course . You and I will have to wear them 24/7. Anything recorded could be held against us in a court of law .
Yeah...that's the ticket... it will make us safer .

[Winger Ed.]

If the rental car company gets hold of the data in this car I’ve been racing around in for the last month...there might be lawyers and subpoenas involved! [emoji41]

Yep. There was a story awhile back about folks that rented a car in LA.
Part of their cheaper than normal price was the promise they wouldn't take it out of state.

When they turned it in, they got a extra $300. on their bill for taking it out of state.

When they claimed they didn't take it out of state, they were told, "The car says you did and took it to Las Vegas".

[Bookworm]

You certainly don't need a dash cam.

Because the other person would not lie.

Right ?

[Petrol & Powder]

If the rental car company gets hold of the data in this car I’ve been racing around in for the last month...there might be lawyers and subpoenas involved! [emoji41]

Unless you wrap it around a tree, I don't think they care :-o

[Petrol & Powder]

Yep. There was a story awhile back about folks that rented a car in LA.
Part of their cheaper than normal price was the promise they wouldn't take it out of state.

When they turned it in, they got a extra $300. on their bill for taking it out of state.

When they claimed they didn't take it out of state, they were told, "The car says you did and took it to Las Vegas".

A lot of rental cars have GPS units in them to help recover the car if it's stolen or abandoned.

[flyingmonkey35]

Why don't we just all start wearing body cams . That way every movement and interaction can be recorded and used as proof as to what happened and what was said ...no more he said she said , camera's don't lie .
Criminals and politicians would be exempt from wearing them of course . You and I will have to wear them 24/7. Anything recorded could be held against us in a court of law .
Yeah...that's the ticket... it will make us safer .while understand your clinical response I am hoping it is aimed toward humor.

I will follow Tao of Murphy.

If anything can go wrong it will at the most inopportune moment possible.

might as well have it recorded for all of you to laugh at.

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[Winger Ed.]

A lot of rental cars have GPS units in them to help recover the car if it's stolen or abandoned.

I'd figure they pretty much all have something like Lo-Jack.
But the higher end ones have something like Onstar that records and stores much more info. than location.

[Petrol & Powder]

I'd figure they pretty much all have something like Lo-Jack.
But the higher end ones have something like Onstar that records and stores much more info. than location.

Don't overthink this. It's a cheap GPS unit.

[MarkS]

I got a cheap one from amazon and it saved my wife from a ticket when a teenage girl hit her. Trooper told the girl that the wife’s camera was on and had recorded the accident and she admitted it was her fault.
I found out that the G-sensor that was supposed to keep the accident footage from being over-written actually corrupted the data so that it wasn’t recoverable
I now turn that feature off on my cheap amazon cameras


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[waksupi]

I have them in both my vehicles. Around $40 from Amazon. Even those have more bells and whistles than I really need. With the summer tourist traffic and animals on the road, they just seemed like a good idea.

[dangitgriff]

When my two boys get their driver’s licenses, I’ll be installing a dash cam in our car’s back window deck...facing the seat!
[emoji848][emoji15][emoji851]

[nun2kute]

Aaah NO ! --- I don't want any recorded evidence of any of my driving antics. They'd take my license permanently instead of temporarily.:bigsmyl2:

[Hannibal]

This question kinda reminds me of folks who ask if bore scopes are worth the money.

It depends.

Are you convinced your cleaning methods are 100% effective and all your bores are pristine? Then a bore scope is not for you.

Do you drive like a 15 year old in a stolen car? Then a dash cam is not for you.

[Conditor22]

I have personally had mine save my bacon.

I even posted about it on this forum.

a guy ran in front into my may car on purpose to try an Insurance scam.

the camera system caught it and the cop was chuckling the whole time.

shortly after my coworker bought one and someone sideswiped him. without the dashcam footage, he would have had a hard time proving it.

I personally have a mirror mounted one like this.

Jeemak Backup Camera 4.3" Touch Screen Mirror Dash Cam 1080P Rearview Front and Rear Dual Lens Dashboard Recorder with Waterproof Reversing Camera https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07DXQTD94/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_MbZqDb5NBZRMW


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Now, this is slick, dual-purpose and super easy to install ----- except I already have a backup camera display in my rear mirror and this would block it.:(

I read about some that come on when there is impact/bumping the vehicle -- isn't this too late?

My neighbors came factory installed in his truck, runs 24-7 and overwrites the data every few days. I think something like this would be better.

[blackthorn]

Can they be hooked up with an off/on switch??

[dangitgriff]

Most likely wired into the ignition harness.
So, yeah. [emoji106]

[MarkS]

Can they be hooked up with an off/on switch??

Mine plug into what use to be the cigarette lighter, the Camry is only powered with the ignition on while the Silverado plug has power 24/7 but the dash cameras have switches to power on and off


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[robg]

Just make sure it can't see your speedo ��

[abunaitoo]

I've been looking for one for a little while.
There are so many out there, it's hard to know what is good and what is junk.
I want one with a rear camera also.
Would be nice if the rear camera could double as a back-up camera.
Instead of mounting on the dash, I'm planing to mount it high on the inside of the roof.

[Conditor22]

Can they be hooked up with an off/on switch??

I believe most have a small backup battery in them and you'd have to turn the unit itself off.

I've read that the power draw is minimal. Why would you want to turn it off? many are triggered by motion and record anything that happens in their site range.

Does anyone have a dashcam costing <$100 they really like?

[waksupi]

I believe most have a small backup battery in them and you'd have to turn the unit itself off.

I've read that the power draw is minimal. Why would you want to turn it off? many are triggered by motion and record anything that happens in their site range.

Does anyone have a dashcam costing <$100 they really like?

Both of mine were under $40, and work fine. I'm not making a John Ford movie.

[Mr_Sheesh]

Battery's needed because, otherwise, if/when someone hits you the power would be interrupted and the accident won't be recorded onto Flash.

Power's needed because (a) recorder shuts off when power is shut off, and (b) the battery needs to be kept charged!

Usual way to install them is to power them off the "Run" cig. lighter, not the "always on" one. That way you aren't recording hours of the car sitting somewhere parked (& draining the car's battery)