Driving without a dashcam - Aaargh!

[TonyM]

This morning I was all out of working dashcams, so I found myself driving to work without a camera. I'm not sure why, but it's an unsettling feeling after having at least one camera in the car for the past 4 years. It's as though I felt more at risk without it. In reality I was not at any greater risk of becoming involved in an accident, but there was a greater risk of not being able to defend my case should something have happened.

This got me thinking, that perhaps having a camera in the car is not always a good thing. I certainly felt like I was paying more attention to what everyone else was doing when I knew there wasn't a camera recording the action in front of me. Then again, driving on 'high alert' for a long time can become very tiring, so it can be reassuring to have one or more cameras keeping a watchful eye on what's going on.

 

[Module 79L]

I feel the same when I ride my motorcycle or when I have to drive someone else's car. However, I never felt that having a camera made me pay less attention to traffic. When I'm driving my mind is focused on driving, not on the camera.

 

[old4570]

The cams make me more aware of what I am doing .. Also I have backed off a little more - Give others room / space to do stupid things without involving me .
If anything , they are a silent reminder of how quickly things can go to pot !
Gee ? How would I feel driving without a cam ? , even my brothers car is cam'ed .
Haven't thought about that - Hmmmm , seems a little disturbing ! ( the thought of driving without a cam )

 

[Moon]

I'm a better Driver with a Dash Cam. Reason being, if I'm in an accident and have to hand over the footage ... I want to appear like the responsible innocent victim.
I'm even more conscious of not going over the speed limit with a GPS tracking my speed ... oops.

I reckon I would feel more vulnerable without a Dash Cam these days. Although all angles aren't covered ... I am much happier being out there with the extra sets of eyes that can vastly improve my ability to prove my innocence if need be.

 

[SawMaster]

It's been ages since I drove un-cammed, but it was worrisome to be sure. I've solved that problem with having a spare cam ready to go- my G1W clone still works well enough for this purpose. Suction cup mount fits every car and all it needs is a cigarette lighter outlet which every car has. Coupled with careful driving it's enough to prove my innocence in a crash Not much other utility in this crappy cam, it's better than nothing at it's best.

As for driving on 'high alert' that is an always thing for me. If everyone drove this way there would be almost no crashes for it is the inattention to some detail which is the precursor to every crash I sometimes say that instead of an airbag, we should equip cars with a small bomb which would kill only the driver if they were involved in a crash with another vehicle, for if you knew the consequences of a crash were that dire and final you'd make every possible effort to not ever crash, and that is how we're supposed to be driving. A rather harsh approach to be sure, but one cannot argue that it would be less effective in bringing road safety than what we do now

Knowing that every part of my driving will show on my cams as much as what the other people do has made me a more careful driver too It's a two-edge sword so wielding it wisely is a must or it will injure you too. Nothing wrong with that

Phil

 

[Moon]

I also have an Aprilia 125cc Scooter that I've been riding around prior to getting my Car about 2.5 years ago. As strange as it may sound, unless it is wet ... I have felt safer on my Scooter than in the Car. I think it is due to the size of the Car and more likely to being hit. Other Drivers seem to cut you a bit more slack and much less likely to tailgate ... which really bothers me.

Since getting the Dash Cams ... I feel a lot safer in the Car ... although I am yet to feel the urge to have a Cam on my Helmet ... which doesn't make a lot of sense when I think about it.
They do cost a lot more ... and it is just coming out of Winter Downunder ... so I haven't been riding around much since getting my first Cam in early Winter. I am way more aware of what is going on when riding the Scooter. I usually only ride it locally and not on Freeways ... as I don't really like going along at 100klm/60mph if I can avoid it.

When riding the Scooter ... I don't even think about a Dash Cam ... maybe cause there aint no Dash.. ... Helmet Cam.
Something to consider in the warmer weather when out on the road in Traffic more often.

 

[DT MI]

This morning I was all out of working dashcams,....

The problem is self-defining - you don't have enough cameras.

 

[TonyM]

The problem is self-defining - you don't have enough cameras.

I thought 5 would be enough....

 

[Module 79L]

(...) although I am yet to feel the urge to have a Cam on my Helmet ... which doesn't make a lot of sense when I think about it.

I've been thinking about that for a while now, too, but too many things have been putting me off buying one:
- I don't ride very often, if I bought one it would have to double as a dashcam, so it had to be a camera that would also work well as a dashcam.
- However, I'm not sure I would want to be moving the camera back and forth from the car to the helmet all the time;
- And if anything happened to the camera while riding I would be out of camera for both uses.
- When I ride, it's usually between 1,5 and 2,5 hours, so I'd have to be constantly monitoring the riding time to avoid running out of battery power;
- That would imply not forgetting to carry a spare battery with me all the time;
- And when you ride a 177 hp motorcycle mainly in the twisties or the backroads the last thing you need to be worried about is if the camera is recording or if the battery is running out.

 

[kamkar]

Its at times like that you are just sure you will be having a event in 3 - 2 - 1 -

I took a drive yesterday with just a single camera filming out of the right side of my car, it was unsettling indeed.

 

[DashcamDPR]

My commute from work is 6 miles, I encountered 2 incidents (one requiring avoiding action from myself) within 5 minutes of me leaving work yesterday, I think if my cams failed.... I'd call in sick and just not leave the house

 

[TonyM]

The problem is self-defining - you don't have enough cameras.

I've been looking on Amazon today for another camera to tide me over until @niko has finished servicing my GC - perhaps an A118C2. My Mobius M2 was supposed to be my backup camera, temporarily repositioned from the rear to the front screen, but it's been freezing and failing to record these last two days. The NX01 has simply stopped recording, so it's now in the bag of camera bits & cables. The Mobius 1 is in my wife's car, and I gave my iPixi away to my brother.

 

[SawMaster]

The problem is self-defining - you don't have enough cameras.

I have more cameras than I need or use, yet I still do not have enough cameras @TonyM just follow my lead and this won't happen to you again

I must give some credit to @old4570 , who has reviewed some cheap cams just for fun so I kind of followed him and got deeper into the G1W series cams myself There are cheap usable cams out there, not what one should choose as their primary cam, but better than nothing and there's no pain if the cheap thing breaks or gets a little beat up. They're a lot more fun than getting screwed over on a more expensive cam I assure you

Phil

 

[DT MI]

...There are cheap usable cams out there, not what one should choose as their primary cam, but better than nothing and there's no pain if the cheap thing breaks or gets a little beat up....

+1. Still have an old G1W-H as my 'emergency' backup should everything else fail.

 

[old4570]

Some of the action cams can double as a dash camera ... The video quality is not horrible and the price is such that they are relatively affordable .
Also very easy to move about or just keep as a spare .. I just ordered another action cam $40 Oz bananas , allegedly 4k 30fps .. I saw some video sample - ( Whether its genuine or not ? )
But @ $40 bananas would be just about the cheapest 4k action cam out there , and if the sample Vid is not BS , quite possibly insane value for money ( will see ) .

 

[Moon]

I've been thinking about that for a while now, too, but too many things have been putting me off buying one:

I don't ride very often, if I bought one it would have to double as a dashcam, so it had to be a camera that would also work well as a dashcam.

Same here

However, I'm not sure I would want to be moving the camera back and forth from the car to the helmet all the time;

Yep

When I ride, it's usually between 1,5 and 2,5 hours, so I'd have to be constantly monitoring the riding time to avoid running out of battery power;

Not knowing how charged my Car battery is ... I was putting it on the charger often, just to make sure. I bought a multi cigar input that has a battery charge indicator on it.
Fantastic ... saves all the time and worry.

- And when you ride a 177 hp motorcycle mainly in the twisties or the backroads the last thing you need to be worried about is if the camera is recording or if the battery is running out.

All good points you raise

I mainly ride mine around locally for shopping. If it was my main vehicle and out and about a fair bit I may go for it?
There's also the problem with the Cam on the helmet ... it won't then fit under the seat, and would have to take it off each time to put in the rear storage box where the shopping goes.
It is not as convenient as in a Car.

I could give up the Scoot ... only there's something really nice about going for a ride on 2 wheels in the open on a beautiful sunny warm day, even on a 125cc Scooter.

And then there's this ...

Its at times like that you are just sure you will be having a event in 3 - 2 - 1 -

^ lol ..... it does leave quite a large gap for catching the perps that do you harm.

 

[russ331]

I've been looking on Amazon today for another camera to tide me over until @niko has finished servicing my GC - perhaps an A118C2.

A118C for £23.93 at Gearbest. It's not the genuine Viofo product, & you can forget warranty claims with Gearbest, but it's cheap.

 

[Module 79L]

There's also the problem with the Cam on the helmet ... it won't then fit under the seat, and would have to take it off each time to put in the rear storage box where the shopping goes.

You could buy a streamline camera like the Sony or the Drift that could probably fit with the helmet in the storage box but they're not cheap and are not suitable for dashcam use. I was aiming at buying the SJCAM M10+ because of the tiny form factor, both for the helmet and the car, but I took too long to decide and now they don't make them anymore.

 

[Moon]

Perhaps a Helmet manufacturer should incorporate a camera within the shell of the helmet.
They could have a front and rear Cam option ... and make it detachable.

The footage really needs to be secured when on a Motorcycle ... as there is always the chance that temptation to remove evidence may occur in cases of serious injury to the rider.

 

[Module 79L]

Perhaps a Helmet manufacturer should incorporate a camera within the shell of the helmet.
They could have a front and rear Cam option ... and make it detachable.

The footage really needs to be secured when on a Motorcycle ... as there is always the chance that temptation to remove evidence may occur in cases of serious injury to the rider.

I think helmet manufacturers haven't yet found a way to do that because of the crash tests helmets are subjected to for homologation purposes. Putting one or two cameras inside the helmet's shell could raise some safety questions.
If only this would get out of the paper...