Dash Cams: Good idea or Not

Discussion in 'Experienced Truckers' Advice' started by DLKeur, Feb 19, 2014.

  1. notmycbhandle

    notmycbhandle Light Load Member

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    @ x#1

    I bought one for a friend for xmas, at the time he thought it was one of those thoughtless last minute gifts. He called me last month to thank me again for the dash cam. He was running up in northern Alberta and went past a closed scale, next thing you know DOT is pulling him over claiming he blew the scale. He pulled down his dash cam and showed the officer his footage showing the lights off so no ticket, no inspection. I think that one incident kinda paid for the camera 10x over
     
    bstadele Thanks this.
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  3. jungledrums

    jungledrums Heavy Load Member

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    we have a dash cam! Once we began driving and seen how many crazies are on the road that nearly ran into us, we decided we must have one!

    So when one of these crazies cuts in front of us, or runs in to us, we can easily show the state trooper who caused the crash!!!!
     
  4. rank

    rank Road Train Member

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  5. Wooly Rhino

    Wooly Rhino Road Train Member

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    I bought a dash cam for the bedroom with motion sensors on it to film my wife and myself. So far it hasn't come on and I have had it for 18 months.
     
  6. double yellow

    double yellow Road Train Member

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    Yeah that passing truck was an idiot, but the 1st question a lawyer would ask:

    Why was the oversize following less than 1 second behind another truck for so long (over a minute elapsed)?
     
    gpsman Thanks this.
  7. NewGuyOnTheBlock

    NewGuyOnTheBlock Light Load Member

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    I've been looking into this myself. I've found quite a bit of information on the internet about dash cams. Do your homework; there's a lot of junk out there.

    The only bad part about dash cams is that they can serve as a witness against the driver, instead of for the driver.
     
    Last edited: Jun 25, 2014
  8. NewGuyOnTheBlock

    NewGuyOnTheBlock Light Load Member

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    LoL, I'm not sure if you're joking or not ...

    "Motion sensors" on dash cams turn the camera on when the camera itself detects motion (that is, the camera is moving). It was designed with the idea in mind of capturing wrongdoers in cases of vandalism or hit and run. Most often than not, though, these "motion sensor" dash cams start recording too late and this feature doesn't have positive feedback.
     
  9. rank

    rank Road Train Member

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    50 miles north of Rochester, NY
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    Yeah I was following too close. It didn't seem like it at the time. In reality if I increased following distance the gap would continually get filled. I was only doing 60 mph there IIRC. If I slowed down to increase my following distance all day....well sooner or later you start to become a hazard too.

    Cop was an idiot too IMO. No reason to be so close to the road. A rookie lady cop was hit and killed a few years back in ON for doing exactly that. Now the ON cops don't park like that any more.
     
    double yellow Thanks this.
  10. gpsman

    gpsman Road Train Member

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    That's not your problem. Your duty is to operate in a manner intended to avoid crashing into anything, same as everyone else has a duty to not crash into you.

    The minimum speed limit on limited access highways is typically 15 under.

    You mean...as far as you know.

    Cops park close to the fog line to encourage traffic to slow and/or give a wide berth to increase margin of error, for the protection of themselves and motorists they may be having a word with on the shoulder.

    Unfortunately, the vast majority of motorists consider their steering absolutely flawless. You managed to document a litany of poor driving.
     
  11. GIXXER88

    GIXXER88 Light Load Member

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    Feb 16, 2014
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    I want to buy a dash cam, whats the best bang for the buck?
     
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