Why did you buy a dash cam?

[russ331]

I have not yet bought one...

I hope you're at least using a smartphone with dashcam app until you buy a proper DashCam. Knowing what you know about the benefits of DashCams, you'll feel like a dick if you have an accident, & you have no video evidence to prove your innocence.

...so much cheap unreliable crap is out there. It is not wise to buy a cheap knockoff and have it fail when you need it to work the most.

Get a Mobius until you decide on the final setup. Cheap yet reliable, durable, owner-repairable (all parts available), tiny, discreet, choice of 3 interchangeable lenses, fantastic support by it's developer, many mounting options, versatile*, no risk of a knockoff thanks to a Mobius-approved sales network.

* bicycle cam, motorcycle cam, scuba cam, pet cam, web cam, rc model cam, hat cam, helmet cam, home security cam, etc...

 

[Camille13]

You don't need it until you need it, then you really need it.

------------
housse LG G3
etui google nexus 6

 

[Gibson99]

You don't need it until you need it, then you really need it.

where have I heard that recently? oh, right, just a few posts back:

I look at the dash cam the same as I look at insurance (of any kind). You don't need it until you need it, then you really need it.

then again, it's probably worth restating, since it's such a simple truth.

 

[kamkar]

I got mine due to the stupid driving of ppl around me, and i think they deserve to be exposed for the dumbasses they are.
Allso for insurance sinse Danes moral have declined so many will try that to get out of blame in a accident.

 

[Mark S-H]

I got a dashcam shortly after I had a woman reversed into me in a supermarket car park which left a small dent on the front of my car. At the time, she admitted that she was at fault but later told her insurance company that I had rolled forward into her!

At first, I had a terrible time trying to convince my insurance company that she was at fault. I read her insurance statement but she worded it in a way that any intelligent person could work out that she was lying and trying to get a claim against me.

After I told my insurance company to reread her statement and research my driving record, they discovered that I had not claimed in my past due to any accident being my responsibility, I managed to convince them and they believed me. I told them that I wanted to take the woman to court so that I would not loose the claim and any no-claims bonuses and they would also not loose any money. We did not go to court but they agreed to pay for my repairs and I did not loose any benefits. I am not sure if they got any money from her insurance company but I left that for them to sort out.

 

[ddnut]

A year later I was waiting at an intersection and the cross traffic had the green. A van turned across in front of a truck and had a head-on crash. A pedestrian there told the police that the truck ran a yellow light. That is what they thought had happened. My dash cam video showed the light was still green when the truck passed into the intersection. The light didn't turn yellow until about the time they crashed.
Without the video the truth is not recorded.

You point out a great reason to have a dashcam. So-called eyewitness testimony is often flawed. A casual witness would not realize that an accident is about to happen until he hears the screech of brakes. Only at that point would he even notice the traffic signals. A dashcam is objective and unbiased in what it observes, which includes capturing everything that occurred prior to the accident.

 

[jdbob]

To make time-lapse videos of some of my journeys for friends and family.

 

[Alex P.]

Why I bought it? For personal entertainment, and for the entertainment of other people, in case if I or someone else will do something stupid on the road ;-)

 

[yogibear0810]

Thank you so much for all your replies, I didn't expect so many responses. Its interesting how many of you seem to have purchased a dashcam before a crash rather than regretted not having one after a crash and then bought one

 

[Gibson99]

Thank you so much for all your replies, I didn't expect so many responses. Its interesting how many of you seem to have purchased a dashcam before a crash rather than regretted not having one after a crash and then bought one

well, the 2-channel with parking mode was bought after SEVERAL parking lot crashes on my wife's car. the first one cost us about $1400, the second $900. if we'd had some sort of proof of what happened, even a make/model/color, we probably could have figured out who did it and go after them for the costs. i'd be willing to stake out the church parking lot all day to find that vehicle if i didn't have their license number. you cost me a grand? damn right i'm going after you! especially since you didn't leave a note at CHURCH of all places!

 

[benje302]

I bought 2 x A118 cameras after my parents were T boned in an accident. They went through the lights on green and a van broke the red lights. Their car was only 6 months old and was a "write off". Lucky for them there was a witness as the other driver said my parents went through the red lights !
They recovered all their costs etc but the Police did not want to press charges on the van driver.(lack of evidence)
We now both have cameras installed.

 

[kamkar]

I bought 2 x A118 cameras after my parents were T boned in an accident. They went through the lights on green and a van broke the red lights. Their car was only 6 months old and was a "write off". Lucky for them there was a witness as the other driver said my parents went through the red lights !
They recovered all their costs etc but the Police did not want to press charges on the van driver.(lack of evidence)
We now both have cameras installed.

Good story, underlining that a dashcam dont need to capture every licenceplate around, it just need to prove the car with the camera did nothing wrong.

 

[dashtalk]

Police have too much power, sorounded by bad drivers and some scammers.

I got 2 mobius lens B

 

[Gibson99]

Good story, underlining that a dashcam dont need to capture every licenceplate around, it just need to prove the car with the camera did nothing wrong.

for many accidents, that's true. but for things like a hit & run, you want as much info on the perp as you can get.

 

[nerys]

I actually bought my first dash cam for my rocket not my car and then it dawned on me. I fly this rocket once a year at most. why not use the dash cam in the car the rest of the time? then I got hooked.

Here is the video from that dash cam

and here is why you should have one. they tried to lie and say "I" caused this accident.

 

[kamkar]

That look like more than Estes provide in ther line of motors