Back-up Cameras?

Discussion in 'Questions From New Drivers' started by Six9GS, Jul 16, 2019.

  1. Six9GS

    Six9GS Road Train Member

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    I tend to shy away from the newer technology gadgets in vehicles. Most of these gadgets tend to allow drivers to not really drive their vehicle anymore and folks simply aren't paying the attention to driving and the environment around them as they should. My car is manual, crank windows and doesn't even have power door locks. Only amenities of that nature in my car is cruise control, ABS brakes and air conditioning. But, I find some of the stuff to actually be useful. An example of this is the back-up cameras found commonly on cars these days. Mine does not have them, but I have rented various cars with them and, even though I kinda hate to admit it, but, I do think they help and I don't really see a downside to them, like I do with many of the other gadgets features.
    My question is: Is anybody using these on Semi-trucks and trailers these days? They do make wireless back-up cameras and it'd seem not too much of a hassle to use a magnetic mount to slap one on your trailer and/or your blind side to help with backing. You'd have to get into the discipline of taking it off when you drop a trailer and when you are parked somewhere someone could come by and snatch it from you. But, I can see right before backing into a dock, especially a difficult dock, of going and slapping it on the trailer to help. Is anyone doing that yet?
     
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  3. some guys do a lot of people like to go down to camping World and buy the ones for the RVs..
     
  4. Sho Nuff

    Sho Nuff Road Train Member

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    We have them in our straight trucks. Why? I have no clue. I think some desk jockey in safety who never driven a truck before thought it was a good idea. Just wasted money IMO.

    As far as having them in semi's, I really don't see the point of having them. Usually when I'm backing up, I'm either looking out the window or the mirrors and watching the angle of my trailer when I'm backing up. If I had to constantly look out the window, mirrors and backup camera at the same time it'll take forever to back up. It just makes things too complicated. It'll probably be more of a distraction than anything else because it'll take your eyes away from the trailer when you're too busy looking at the camera screen.

    I've seen some really bad drivers who don't know how to back up. I don't think adding a rear camera will make them any better. Some of them I've seen take 5-10 minutes or more...now imagine how long it would take if they had a rear view camera that they were constantly looking at too. I'd lose my patience :mad:
     
    Last edited: Jul 16, 2019
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  5. Six9GS

    Six9GS Road Train Member

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    IDK. I'm apprehensive moving a vehicle that I can't see clearly where I'm going. Even though I've looked and I'm watching in my mirrors, and I 'know' I'm not about to back-up into something or someone, there is still much you can't exactly see. I had a cargo van for many years that only had side mirrors and I am use to backing with just side mirrors. But, recently, I had a rental car for 3 weeks while my car was in the shop getting fixed (I was rear-ended) and it had a back-up camera. After my initial skepticism wore away, I found it useful because it allowed me to see areas where I'm backing that are usually blind. After the 3 weeks, I have to admit, despite my normal negativity to such 'new' gadgets, it was helpful and I liked it. When I think about backing a semi-truck, with such greater blind areas, the idea of having a back-up camera seems appealing to me. It is a device that I don't think allows you to be a worse driver as is my normal objection to the new gadgetry. It simply helps to see areas you are normally blind to. I don't see how that effects one's ability to be a competent driver. You still got to know how to back up and it doesn't directly change any maneuvering dynamics. It simply gives you a much better observation of areas you normally can't see. My 2 cents anyway. That's why I'm asking about their use in semi-trucks these days. Wondered if they are catching on and if they create other unforeseen problems I wasn't aware of in these much bigger rigs with much greater blind spots while backing exist.
     
    Last edited: Jul 16, 2019
  6. well there's two things I could see provided people have used them before try them out in the car and know how they work.. especially your wide-angle backing up how you can avoid objects. they may:

    A. stop giving somebody' a kiss in the middle of the night when you're backing into a truck stop and you don't get out and look and you bump their trailer back jolt them awake.

    B. again you don't get out and look as your backing up into tight holes and if you know how to use one in a car and know how to use it right;
    you can almost use those guidelines and a truck so you don't knock into somebody's mirror or Hood as you see happen way too often, cuz they don't teach you to get out and look anymore if you're unsure..
     
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  7. Six9GS

    Six9GS Road Train Member

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    Well, my thinking was that you couldn't really just leave a camera on the trailer bumper. You change trailers and also you wouldn't want it just sitting there in a parking lot where someone could come by and steal it. So, 'my' thinking on the use of one would be to stick-it on the bumper WHEN you get out to look and are getting ready to back. So, my 'idea' isn't to use it to replace GOAL, but simply to augment. Just my thoughts though. I do not know jack and I know it, that's why I keep asking questions.
     
  8. MartinFromBC

    MartinFromBC Road Train Member

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    I have a backup camera in my car, rarely ever glance at it. Come winter the lens is obscured by snow most of the time anyway, so then it is useless.
    I guess for people who are terrible at backing up and don't want to learn how to correctly, it could be a good band-aid fix for them. Once you learn how to use the mirrors and backup correctly though, you shouldn't ever need it. The exception would be a camera on a pickup pointed at the trailer hitch. It hard to exactly stop in the precise spot when hooking up a trailer with a pickup, so that I would use.
     
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  9. FlaSwampRat

    FlaSwampRat Road Train Member

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    my suburban has one and I don't use it because I find it hard to trust and judge distance. It is however wonderful for backing up to flat trailer I pull with it just like you said.
    To the op. We had them on the ups package cars and you end up not using it very much at all. I think you had a great thought process to get you to that question but even if you were to get one I doubt you would really end up using it. The only real good I ever had mine do was I started up the truck and was ready to pull away when I checked the camera and seen a lady lay down behind my truck. I got out and asked her what the hell she was doing and she said "you hit me", keep in mind I hadn't even moved yet lol. I pointed up to the camera and told her I was watching her so she just got up and walked away lol. Beautiful Norristown PA.......
     
  10. Powder Joints

    Powder Joints Subjective Prognosticator

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    The tractor trailers I drive for Pepsi have wireless cameras on the rear of the trailers. Some are setup wrong and are on all the time, find them distracting so I turn them off.
     
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  11. Philly...lol I used to deliver in Norristown all the time Lennox air conditioners in and out of there to the big home-based Factory from Marshalltown Iowa
     
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