Dash Cams

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OldBallCoach
Posts: 604
Joined: Mon Dec 10, 2018 4:22 pm

Dash Cams

Post by OldBallCoach »

Anyone have a particular brand or model that you would care to suggest? After last accident I can see their value. In this case the car that hit us ran a read light and the intersection had great cameras for the police to review and it was all handled very well. Thinking the same info would be good to have anyplace...so..after talking with our insurance agent she suggested it might be a good idea to get them for our cars. Thoughts?
miamivice
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Re: Dash Cams

Post by miamivice »

OldBallCoach wrote: Mon Jun 21, 2021 11:18 am Anyone have a particular brand or model that you would care to suggest? After last accident I can see their value. In this case the car that hit us ran a read light and the intersection had great cameras for the police to review and it was all handled very well. Thinking the same info would be good to have anyplace...so..after talking with our insurance agent she suggested it might be a good idea to get them for our cars. Thoughts?
Two thoughts come to mind:

1. People who have dash cams always seem to think that they will always prove the dash cam owner is not at fault. In fact, some of the time the dash cam owner will be at fault and the evidence can be used against them.

2. In my opinion, people who are aggressive drivers are more likely to own dash cameras.

I see no need to own one myself.
zlandar
Posts: 594
Joined: Wed Apr 10, 2019 8:51 am

Re: Dash Cams

Post by zlandar »

I have a Blackvue 750 and Viofo a129 for my cars. The Blackvue is more expensive but is easier to use IMO. Also bought a device that connects the camera to the car fuse so it turns on/off and has the ability to stay turned on after the ignition is off (parking mode). I bought the versions with rear cameras and paid an audio shop $170 to install.

If you only want a front-camera you could DIY yourself. I would stay away from cams that use a lithium battery as it's a fire hazard IMO.
Topic Author
OldBallCoach
Posts: 604
Joined: Mon Dec 10, 2018 4:22 pm

Re: Dash Cams

Post by OldBallCoach »

miamivice wrote: Mon Jun 21, 2021 11:20 am
OldBallCoach wrote: Mon Jun 21, 2021 11:18 am Anyone have a particular brand or model that you would care to suggest? After last accident I can see their value. In this case the car that hit us ran a read light and the intersection had great cameras for the police to review and it was all handled very well. Thinking the same info would be good to have anyplace...so..after talking with our insurance agent she suggested it might be a good idea to get them for our cars. Thoughts?
Two thoughts come to mind:

1. People who have dash cams always seem to think that they will always prove the dash cam owner is not at fault. In fact, some of the time the dash cam owner will be at fault and the evidence can be used against them.

2. In my opinion, people who are aggressive drivers are more likely to own dash cameras.

I see no need to own one myself.
I kind of agree with you about #1...I have made mistakes for sure when driving...#2 I am not sure whats fact but I guess...I only know after my DD last accident where there was loss of life it took about 2 months for the police to give us the all clear and that was WITH great video...not sure if we hadnt had it...?
acegolfer
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Joined: Tue Aug 25, 2009 9:40 am

Re: Dash Cams

Post by acegolfer »

B1W is recommended by many ppl. $57. Not too expensive. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0773FXVKL
Yooper
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Location: Michigan's Upper Peninsula

Re: Dash Cams

Post by Yooper »

I've had a Rexing V1 (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00X5 ... UTF8&psc=1) for 4 years and am happy with it. Picked up an Aukey for another vehicle. Honestly, I think they're all about the same if you go for a basic model, i.e. no GPS. speed, etc. My only criteria was that it be very innocuous when mounted and not interfere with my field of vision when driving. Both models I purchased are mounted in front of the rear view mirror (or behind it, I guess it depends on how you're "looking at it"....) Regardless they're invisible to the driver. I have it "just in case" there's a disagreement over who's at fault should there be an accident.

It's interesting how a person's recollection can be 100% wrong when they're adamant they're 100% right. I was driving home a few years ago another driver pulled right out in front of me at a 4 way stop (in town). Naturally I laid on the horn as they drove past and silently cursed them all the way home. My goodness, they could have hit me! Me! A very cautious and courteous driver. Thank god I had a dashcam, if I'd hit them I could prove they were at fault. I was so shaken by the incident I reviewed the footage when I got home. I hadn't even stopped at the stop sign....... I never felt so embarrassed in my life. The scary thing is if I hadn't had the dashcam and there was an accident I'd have argued all day long that it was the other driver's fault - I was that convinced they had pulled out in front of me.
mkc
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Re: Dash Cams

Post by mkc »

We did our research on this forum https://dashcamtalk.com/

https://dashcamtalk.com/forum/

We use a StreetGuardian Pro.
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Tubes
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Re: Dash Cams

Post by Tubes »

miamivice wrote: Mon Jun 21, 2021 11:20 am
OldBallCoach wrote: Mon Jun 21, 2021 11:18 am Anyone have a particular brand or model that you would care to suggest? After last accident I can see their value. In this case the car that hit us ran a read light and the intersection had great cameras for the police to review and it was all handled very well. Thinking the same info would be good to have anyplace...so..after talking with our insurance agent she suggested it might be a good idea to get them for our cars. Thoughts?
Two thoughts come to mind:

1. People who have dash cams always seem to think that they will always prove the dash cam owner is not at fault. In fact, some of the time the dash cam owner will be at fault and the evidence can be used against them.

2. In my opinion, people who are aggressive drivers are more likely to own dash cameras.

I see no need to own one myself.
Someone backed into me while we were both stopped at a red light. Unbelievably, the damage was over $3k. Thank goodness they were honest and admitted it to the police. Otherwise, I would have been wishing I had a dash cam.

Your point #2 is somewhat validated by the Reddit r/idiotsincars . Many aggressive drivers post their accidents thinking they'll get sympathy, and instead get excoriated for their aggressiveness and lack of defensive driving. Still, this is not a general rule. Cams help a lot of innocents.
gac1979
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Re: Dash Cams

Post by gac1979 »

Video of an accident tends to be more dramatic that still photographs taken afterwards. It documents the speed, impact and emotions. IF I caused an accident, I fail to see how this would help me. In fact, it could make things worse.

I can see how a dash cam would help for minor accidents. But those aren’t the ones I’m concerned about.

In my opinion, I would rather concentrate my efforts on things that may help prevent a collision in the first place.

On a separate note, wouldn’t a dash cam be a target for a thief?
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Kagord
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Re: Dash Cams

Post by Kagord »

Why buy a dash cam when you can just look at other people's footage, in a condensed easy format.

https://www.reddit.com/r/IdiotsInCars/
squirm
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Re: Dash Cams

Post by squirm »

I doubt most people have enough integrity to present video of their own footage that proves otherwise.
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cockersx3
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Re: Dash Cams

Post by cockersx3 »

I installed a Thinkware FA200 in the car used mostly by my oldest (teenager), and found it to work quite well. They were quite inexpensive (only $130 for a kit with the front & rear cameras) and was fairly easy to install.

Regarding who needs them - we have heard of issues in our area with extremely aggressive drivers, to the point where some have actually come out of their cars and became verbally (and in some cases physically) aggressive to other drivers. I wanted that camera to enable the police to arrest someone like that if it ever happens to my daughter. As a parent, I also like the idea of being able to "roll the tape" on my daughter at any time as I think it would encourage more responsible driving. While I think she is a good driver and is a pretty responsible teenager overall, she's still a teenager. We have also used it to answer questions she's sometimes had about what the "right" thing to do would have been in specific driving situations. In those cases, I could pull down the video off the camera and immediately give feedback if needed.
Tribonian
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Re: Dash Cams

Post by Tribonian »

mkc wrote: Mon Jun 21, 2021 12:45 pm We did our research on this forum https://dashcamtalk.com/

https://dashcamtalk.com/forum/

We use a StreetGuardian Pro.
We also used this forum to identify the dash cam we ultimately purchased, a VIOFO.

We got it when our teenage son started driving himself places. He is an excellent, cautious driver but we figured he’d likely take the blame in any collision due to his age unless he had video evidence to show an officer on the spot.

We haven’t needed it but it makes us all happier to have it. And if a video shows him to be at fault, so be it.

We haven’t put one in my wife’s car yet but will if he starts driving it more regularly.
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Tubes
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Re: Dash Cams

Post by Tubes »

r/idiotsincars has taught me that I have to widen my situational awareness. It is amazing how many accidents on typical USA freeways are due to accidental PIT maneuvers when cars either cut each other off, or aggressively won't give way. This results in cars PITing and affecting innocents a few lanes over. The point being, even if you are cruising along fine in the right lane, that aggressive guy 3 lanes over could cause you trouble. Shields up.
DonM17
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Re: Dash Cams

Post by DonM17 »

Here is an example of why dash cams are worth having....traffic on a major highway had come to a stop when a driver decided to put his car into reverse and rammed the car behind him. This driver then called the police and claimed that he had been rear ended. The other driver patiently waited for this driver to tell his false story to the investigating officer and then showed his dash cam footage to the officer. The other driver was then arrested for filing a false police report.

Here is another example...two cars collide and both drivers claim that the other driver ran a red light. If there are no witnesses, then both insurance companies will likely hold both drivers 50% responsible (at fault)....this does wonders for your insurance rates. I know this because I used to work for an insurance company as a fraud investigator.
JC Denton
Posts: 101
Joined: Wed Mar 31, 2021 3:16 pm

Re: Dash Cams

Post by JC Denton »

miamivice wrote: Mon Jun 21, 2021 11:20 am
OldBallCoach wrote: Mon Jun 21, 2021 11:18 am Anyone have a particular brand or model that you would care to suggest? After last accident I can see their value. In this case the car that hit us ran a read light and the intersection had great cameras for the police to review and it was all handled very well. Thinking the same info would be good to have anyplace...so..after talking with our insurance agent she suggested it might be a good idea to get them for our cars. Thoughts?
Two thoughts come to mind:

1. People who have dash cams always seem to think that they will always prove the dash cam owner is not at fault. In fact, some of the time the dash cam owner will be at fault and the evidence can be used against them.

2. In my opinion, people who are aggressive drivers are more likely to own dash cameras.

I see no need to own one myself.



Both statements are “in your opinion” and assume you know what “dash can owners” “think” when in reality you don’t know what dash cam owners “think”.

Secondly, if you are at fault and you do have a dash cam, you should admit you were wrong anyways, it’s the right thing to do.

Regardless, they are a cheap way to guard against frivolous lawsuits when you are not at fault. Another good idea if you have assetts is to ensure you have high limits on your policy.
boglerdude
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Re: Dash Cams

Post by boglerdude »

Accidents happen. Juries know that. Cams can prove you were not forseeably negligent and thus avoid a 7-figure judgement

Check blackboxmycar for deals
gtd98765
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Re: Dash Cams

Post by gtd98765 »

The Wirecutter has reviews: https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/revi ... -dash-cam/
Wham! A car crash can happen in an instant. And as frightening as that may be, it can be just as distressing to be blamed for a crash that’s not your fault. That’s why a dash cam can be a critical aid if the unexpected happens. After researching more than 270 models and testing 40, we’ve found that the best overall dash cam is the Vantrue X4. It delivers the sharpest video we’ve seen, it’s the easiest dash cam to use, and it has handy features that you don’t get from most other dash cams in its price range.
squirm
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Re: Dash Cams

Post by squirm »

JC Denton wrote: Wed Jun 23, 2021 9:34 pm
miamivice wrote: Mon Jun 21, 2021 11:20 am
OldBallCoach wrote: Mon Jun 21, 2021 11:18 am Anyone have a particular brand or model that you would care to suggest? After last accident I can see their value. In this case the car that hit us ran a read light and the intersection had great cameras for the police to review and it was all handled very well. Thinking the same info would be good to have anyplace...so..after talking with our insurance agent she suggested it might be a good idea to get them for our cars. Thoughts?
Two thoughts come to mind:

1. People who have dash cams always seem to think that they will always prove the dash cam owner is not at fault. In fact, some of the time the dash cam owner will be at fault and the evidence can be used against them.

2. In my opinion, people who are aggressive drivers are more likely to own dash cameras.

I see no need to own one myself.


Regardless, they are a cheap way to guard against frivolous lawsuits when you are not at fault. Another good idea if you have assetts is to ensure you have high limits on your policy.
Definitely, we have our limits maxed.
SlowInvestor
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Joined: Wed Apr 08, 2015 10:20 pm

Re: Dash Cams

Post by SlowInvestor »

You didn't specify a price range and whether it includes installation.

A basic $50 can will give you ok image quality with little features other than recording what is in front of you.

High end $500 systems will give you 4k resolution with the ability to record while the car is off.
rebellovw
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Re: Dash Cams

Post by rebellovw »

Man reading this make me want to run out and immediately buy one. Then I have to ask myself - how have I survived driving since 1980 without one?

I'm on the fence.
spitty
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Re: Dash Cams

Post by spitty »

mkc wrote: Mon Jun 21, 2021 12:45 pm We did our research on this forum https://dashcamtalk.com/

https://dashcamtalk.com/forum/

We use a StreetGuardian Pro.
Also installed the Street Guardian Pro (F & R) in our '18 Accord about 2 years and our driving has not become more aggressive. Install was easy except getting upside down under the steering wheel to access the fuse box; running wires was quick and easy...plenty of YouTube videos. Picture quality is excellent and something I wouldn't skimp on. The plate you want to snap could be moving by pretty fast and maybe not easy to read if you go el cheapo. Luckily we haven't needed video to defend an incident yet. Let us know which system you end up with!
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cockersx3
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Re: Dash Cams

Post by cockersx3 »

SlowInvestor wrote: Thu Jun 24, 2021 9:21 am You didn't specify a price range and whether it includes installation.

A basic $50 can will give you ok image quality with little features other than recording what is in front of you.

High end $500 systems will give you 4k resolution with the ability to record while the car is off.
Just FYI - you don't need to spend a lot of money to get good features. The $129 one I posted about above (link here) has front & rear video with excellent quality, and also has the ability to activate when the car is off. Note that I did install it myself (was a pretty simple DIY project), but if you had to pay someone else to install the cost may go up slightly.
SlowInvestor
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Re: Dash Cams

Post by SlowInvestor »

cockersx3 wrote: Thu Jun 24, 2021 11:50 am
SlowInvestor wrote: Thu Jun 24, 2021 9:21 am You didn't specify a price range and whether it includes installation.

A basic $50 can will give you ok image quality with little features other than recording what is in front of you.

High end $500 systems will give you 4k resolution with the ability to record while the car is off.
Just FYI - you don't need to spend a lot of money to get good features. The $129 one I posted about above (link here) has front & rear video with excellent quality, and also has the ability to activate when the car is off. Note that I did install it myself (was a pretty simple DIY project), but if you had to pay someone else to install the cost may go up slightly.
The point is it all depends on what features the OP wants. Some may want GPS to record their speed. Others think 2K or 4K is required. The camera you posted is a very good option, but its only 1080p.
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