Dashcams - False sense of security?

[Gaygle]

I believe that the people you think are bad drivers due to having a dashcam, are in fact just bad drivers who were exactly the same before they got their cam.

Agreed

I recently got a cam fitted and i find myself actually thinking... better leave more space or better slow down, as i know there is a record of my driving now being saved.

I do this too! I worry that if something happened and there was footage of me doing xx(x)mph before hand, it may look bad, so I don't do it. I don't aggressively swear either.

 

[Cuchulain]

This literally makes no sense whatsoever - there is no logic to this and I don't think anyone thinks this at all. How can the act of having a camera make an incident someone elses fault? The very footage they filmed would prove the opposite if they did something wrong!

It makes perfect sense, you tend not to give any leeway in any situation whereas without a dash cam and the risk of a claim going against you or 50/50 you tend to excuse other drivers minor indisgressions.

 

[Gaygle]

Or you could just go about your life without feeling the need to shame people on the internet for making mistakes?

So have you got a problem with the people who upload dashcam footage or people who have dashcams? I think the people that upload stuff aren't trying to shame people at all, as 99% of people aren't identifiable. And some of the near misses are quite good entertainment too.

I have a small folder on my desktop with some near misses/interesting things I've seen on the road - so what?

 

[Hyburnate]

Agreed



I do this too! I worry that if something happened and there was footage of me doing xx(x)mph before hand, it may look bad, so I don't do it. I don't aggressively swear either.

Same as above, to be fair I forget mine is there most of the time, but I was somewhat influenced to buy it due to the stupidity on the road. I saw a taxi come the wrong way down an exit at a roundabout etc. I've seen people fly past red lights on my dashcam etc. Glad to have it.

 

[Gaygle]

It makes perfect sense, you tend not to give any leeway in any situation whereas without a dash cam and the risk of a claim going against you or 50/50 you tend to excuse other drivers minor indisgressions.

This isn't what the OP said - he asked the (rather stupid) question (imo) if having a dashcam makes people drive how they like because "if something bad happens, it must be the other person's fault as they have a camera". I was saying that this was ridiculous as it has nothing to do with who possesses the camera - the footage is what counts.

I give plenty of leeway with or without a dashcam - because I don't want to be in a collision whether or not it's caught in full HD or not. I'm guessing this is the same for most drivers? Yes, some drivers make a drama about things, as they have since year dot, but that is not down to having a dashcam.

 

[Kuros]

It makes perfect sense, you tend not to give any leeway in any situation whereas without a dash cam and the risk of a claim going against you or 50/50 you tend to excuse other drivers minor indisgressions.

I'd argue that's a larger issue at hand though.. If you've got people causing accidents because they know it'll go in their favour due to dash-cam footage, it's more a behaviour issue with the driver in the first place.

I've not once gone "Well, I could avoid a crash, but I've got a camera showing it's 100% the other guys fault so I'll let it happen to teach him a lesson".

 

[Hyburnate]

This isn't what the OP said - he asked the (rather stupid) question (imo) if having a dashcam makes people drive how they like because "if something bad happens, it must be the other person's fault as they have a camera". I was saying that this was ridiculous as it has nothing to do with who possesses the camera - the footage is what counts.

I give plenty of leeway with or without a dashcam - because I don't want to be in a collision whether or not it's caught in full HD or not. I'm guessing this is the same for most drivers? Yes, some drivers make a drama about things, as they have since year dot, but that is not down to having a dashcam.

To be fair, I agree. I think the kind of people that OP is going on about simply bought a dashcam because they want internet fame or something to show the family or some ****

Whereas yourself and myself etc bought one because we'd rather not have an accident go 50/50 due to lack of witness.

 

[ZXSpectrum]

I have a dashcam for reason. A huge amount of people that are currently are driving on the roads are stupid. They cut people up, they go down the wrong lane and cut in at last minute, they go through red lights, they get in the wrong lane at roundabouts and then just force into lanes where other vehicles are driving. This on top of the Crash for Cash scum (A ring has just been done in Derby) its now a necessity in my opinion. I would only refer to my camera if 1) I had been in an accident, 2) I had caused an accident because of some idiot, 3) I witnessed an accident or 4) Someone purposefully caused an accident to claim on insurance.

People are not honest. Even your insurance company tells you not to admit liability! I have known at least 10 incidents in the last few years where people caused an accident through either recklessness or poor driving, then they flat out lie about it and the innocent party gets the shaft. This could all be cleared up with a video if the incident.

 

[Gaygle]

Same as above, to be fair I forget mine is there most of the time, but I was somewhat influenced to buy it due to the stupidity on the road. I saw a taxi come the wrong way down an exit at a roundabout etc. I've seen people fly past red lights on my dashcam etc. Glad to have it.

I think what influenced me to get one is seeing and hearing from many friends/colleagues/family about the flagrant lies another party will tell to get out of being "at fault". I've seen it on here a million times on here too, where someone will have an accident, the other party will be all apologetic when swapping details, but when they get home and talk to their husband - they'll suddenly start retracting their previous admissions of liability.

As someone previously said - people aren't honest. If they see a chance to wiggle out of something, they will take it even if it means screwing over other people. And increasingly when it is one persons word against another (which most of them are), an insurance company has no choice but to go 50/50.

 

[Glanza]

I have a dash cam. Last time it came out the car was something like 10 months ago to check some recording. For me it goes in the car and is never touched again to the extent I forget it's even there as it's hardwired and hidden away.

Dash cams should be referred to in accidents. Not in close calls or any other of this utter nonsense.

This is how I am with mine. It's quite old now so I have to take it out twice a year when the clock changes other than that it's just left in the car.

I bought my mum one at her request and the footage was useful for when a Range Rover rammed into the back of her in bad weather and the RR driver tried to claim my mum was at fault.

 

[HangTime]

Ihttps://youtu.be/hkJdegilxqw

the poor guy surely did a mistake? no point shaming him, we all do mistakes.

cmon fox.

Not suggesting it was a legitimate manoeuvre, but I've seen worse blind overtakes. At least in this scenario there was a wide junction followed by traffic island where they pulled out which I assume gave more opportunity to see oncoming traffic and abort if necessary. I'm assuming the speed limit is relatively low on that road as well so not like country lanes where you have closing speeds well in excess of 100mph and less room to take evasive action.

 

[Russinating]

Bad drivers will be bad drivers. I have a dash cam and I find it improves my driving because I regularly remember I've got one and that if I was ever involved in an accident and had to hand over footage then I wouldn't want to implicate myself in any way.

I've never taken footage off because I've not been involved in accident, though I do encounter tons of bad drivers including the other day, some guy pulled onto the right hand side of the road to pick someone up, then continued to undertake three cars (basically driving on the wrong side of the road inbetween cars and the pavement) before going round a roundabout the wrong way to get back onto the correct side .

Sometimes I wish I could be bothered to get the footage off and report people like that... but I can't.

 

[Demon]

People that post dashcam 'incidents' are in the same class as helmet cam cycle warriors, i.e. poor drivers who make a big deal out of everything.

But not everyone that owns a dashcam posts their videos.. I use mine purely for evidence in an insurance claim, I bought it out of 'interest' and decided to leave it in the car as I know how 'tricky' some insurance claims can get.. I don't drive any differently and have forgotten the camera is there most of the time.. I only check every now and again that it is recording..

 

[Gaygle]

People that post dashcam 'incidents' are in the same class as helmet cam cycle warriors, i.e. poor drivers who make a big deal out of everything.

I know right? I still can't believe they made a big deal about this.

 

[[TW]Fox]

But what value is the footage of that? It was blatantly obvious what she did from the damage and road positioning and all the video did was allow is all to watch and lol.

 

[Howard]

I know right? I still can't believe they made a big deal about this.

[yutube]a0UBsAA2GFQ[/youtube]

Looks like perfectly normal, safe driving to me.

 

[Gaygle]

But what value is the footage of that? It was blatantly obvious what she did from the damage and road positioning and all the video did was allow is all to watch and lol.

It was to show that just because you upload footage, doesn't make you a dash cam warrior.

But now you mention it, there are a million and one things that could have happened in which the dash cam footage could have had evidential value. For instance, in that situation if there was no dash cam, what would have happened if the Porsche sharply cut in front of the cam car at the last second and braked hard causing the cam car to go into the back of the Porsche? What would have happened when there were no witnesses and the Porsche driver claimed that she had just been driving along minding her own business and the driver in the cam car just went into the back of her? I'll tell you what would have happened - it starts in "F" and ends in "ault claim".

 

[Gaijin]

But what value is the footage of that? It was blatantly obvious what she did from the damage and road positioning and all the video did was allow is all to watch and lol.

watch and lol.

You answered it yourself - it's entertaining for others which is why these videos are as popular as they are.

Sure the entertainment is usually a byproduct for the intended use, but who cares?

 

[gt_junkie]

I believe that the people you think are bad drivers due to having a dashcam, are in fact just bad drivers who were exactly the same before they got their cam.
I recently got a cam fitted and i find myself actually thinking... better leave more space or better slow down, as i know there is a record of my driving now being saved.

Exactly this - I've had one for a few months now and I think my approach to driving's adjusted in a similar way.

 

[Janesy B]

Useful 1% of the time, used by dashcam warriors who accelerate towards situations while shouting 'I GOT U ON CAMERA' followed by the reg number 99% of the time.