IN CAB CAMERAS

I retired before they came in but the cameras were pointed both at the driver and the front. With gasoline the company is making sure the driver is doing what he or she should be doing. I would think with all the freeway driving we do I would want a camera looking at me to protect me. Other wise there is really no defense for the driver. I can see you point for OTR drivers but in our operations we are targeted and the camera has saved drivers in civil suits before. The cameras are not on all the time and only come on when heavy braking is applied.

 

It's not so much what they SAY the cameras will do, but what they will evolve to. It's like any law, with our politicians telling us "it's not as bad as you think;" and pretty soon, it's worse than you thought. My thought is, you want us to drive? Leave us the hell alone then.

 

Well I happen to agree with you there. I believe you can put too much pressure on a driver.

 

I agree entirely, Bulldog. And will go a little further in saying that reading and following directions is part and parcel to our job. It is an integral part of what we do. And to go to jail because some camera seen us doing our job at the wrong time just doesn't sit right with me!

 

Wayull shucks yeah I guess I musta missed it, is that what that thar little hole is on the computer lid? Lol

but sales people , well,, yeah I'd expect they'd easily comply with anything a master demanded . That's not even fair, it's like putting teletubbies out on the front line

 

Many of you continue to raise the point that people in other industries deal with cameras pointed at the to justify it being done to us. If you cannot see the major differences, I feel bad for you. 1, those people in other industries have to conciously decide to do something wrong or deceitful for the camera to cause them issues. 2, even after getting seen doing, they aren't likely to go to jail for it, just lose a low paying job that they maybe wouldn't have decided to steal from if they made a fair wage they could live on. 3, we can actually be imprisoned for years for the camera seeing us do something we have to do at least sometimes as part of our job. 4, very few of us opposed to driver facing cameras oppose outward facing cameras, and indeed, consider them a good idea. 5, those people who work an 8 hour day don't deal with a camera 24/7. 6, you can argue it's the companies truck, but they gave it to me, knowing they'd expect me to live in pretty much full time. There aren't any cots in the employee only sections at Target or Lowes. I could go on, but if you arent convinced by now, you can't be convinced. Our opposition to them is in no way a knee-jerk tinfoil hat reaction. We are in a very unique industry that doesn't compare to other industries. An airline pilot gets a meal brought to him in the ####pit by a flight attendent. I want a truck attendent to bring me a meal while the cruise control is set. Not gonna happen I know. You know why, cause they aren't the same thing. An outward facing camera will do absolutely everything to exonerate a company when it's warranted. An inward facing camera will not. The company chose to hire me. They can trust me and take the fall with me if a fall is indeed warranted.

 

Mine has a blue button on the side, I can hit that and record other drivers screwing up, I record screw ups about every trip. I think it starts filming the moment I hit the blue button.

 

It's up to you OP if you want to stay or go. There are questions you should ask;
- does this record constantly, or only when an event is triggered?
- are you using an outside company to review events?
- who in the company has access and control of the event footage?
-do I as the driver have access to the footage?
-(in a bunk truck) do I have the right to cover the cab facing camera when I'm off duty?
- what is the company's privacy policy?

 

A train conductor knows (or should know) where the markers are so can plan accordingly. Plus, he doesn't have to watch out for other traffic like on the roads. Just hits go, makes sure the train is going the proper speed, then sits back and watches the scenery go by.

Same goes for airline pilots. Most planes have auto-pilot so the only time the pilots have to pay attention is when taking off and landing. Air traffic controllers are the ones planning the routes and preventing the rare mid-air collision.

Both are a far far cry from driving down the highway with unpredictable vehicles all around you.


If you trust the court system in this country then you are foolish. If the court system in this country worked with any type of honesty and morality, then somebody couldn't sue and win for becoming obese from fast food after choosing to eat it. How about the guy that cut his arm breaking into a house, got caught, sued, and won because the home owner couldn't prove the stranger was trying to break in when he was at the house in the middle of the night reaching in a broken window?

All that matters is that you have the better lawyer. So if that dash cam shows you sneezing right before somebody cuts you off and get's hit, you better find a good lawyer. Because you know the person that got hit will have their family making up plenty of sob stories to feed to the hypocritical truck hating jury and the footage of you sneezing will be their prime evidence of how you weren't healthy enough to be driving at the time.