Dash Cameras

[gogetter20002]

I tried looking on the forums before posting about Dash Cams to see what everyone is using. I have been researching online and most are good for cars and such. I want one that would work well at night and with a good wide angle. What are your  recommendations?

[hermanmullins]

gogetter20002

Welcome to the Forum. Your ok with starting a topic on Dash Cameras. I don't have one and am interested in what you find out. 

Again, Welcome.

Herman

 

[obedb]

I do know that independent truckers have installed them. Truckers have to  be on guard for erratic drivers that think nothing about cutting off an 18 wheeler that might weigh in at 80,000 lbs just to get to an exit that they decided they needed. Dash cams can often save a bump in insurance rates and even a citation. 

I am with Herman. I know that there are members that use them and maybe we should start. I would put one on our Phaeton's dash if I knew the best way to go.

[dp26]

I use one. Found it on sale on Amazon, along with a hanger for the "mirror".  IIRC, the total was under $60. Does not count memory card, which I already had. The field of view is good for a low end camera as is the quality.

If I get another, it will record both front and back. I suggest hard wire setup so it cannot be fogotten.

I would not volunteer footage, until I had it reviewed for my interests first.

Note, I have had surveillance at and in my home for years, so I am a huge believer that good fences (good video, and where allowed, audio) makes life less worrisome.

[gogetter20002]

What I am looking into is one that can be mounted inside at a minimum Class A since there are no rearview mirrors to attach too. Another factor is one that can be wifi and two other cameras to catch the sides. I have been doing a write up on the ones that seem to be the best option with the best options and hopefully I will decide soon and include what I find out.

[gogetter20002]

So far this sums up what I have been reading and compiling LOL. I am really leaning towards #1 on this list.

https://www.testfacts.com/12-best-dash-cams-for-truckers/

[richard5933]

We have two - one in the car and one in the coach.

This is the one in our car: Z-Edge Z3

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B018YRBQSK/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

It was in our first coach, and it worked really well. As a matter of fact, when we had our head-on collision in our coach last fall the video from our dash cam was incredibly important. Without it, the trooper said the investigation would have gone on for months and we would have been sued by the family of the other driver. With the dash cam video, it was clear he crossed the center line. Video was super clear and the camera worked really well. After the trip, that camera went back into my car.

Right now we have this one in our new coach: WheelWitness HD PRO Dash Cam with GPS

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00OTZWJE2/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

We chose this one because of the quality of the video and because it has a GPS module. This records the speed and location as well as the video. It was relatively easy to set up. I ordered the hard wire kit for the Wheel Witness so that I could wire it directly into the 12v power in our coach and not have the power cord hanging across the dash. Found a 12v power line in the cabinet above the driver and it was an easy install.

Which ever camera you get, just be sure to have it on all the time. You never know when you'll need it. We all pray we never do, but you never know.

[obedb]

Just a thought. If your foot gets a little heavy once in awhile, would you want a GPS system? 

[dp26]

Thus my prior statement about only releasing what I approve.

Many vehicles already provide a way to extrapolate speed data. Speed alone does not always trump stupid (not that I am advocating speeding). I go back to an accident I was in. I was going 10 over the limit and t boned someone pulling out of a private road. At least at that time, the private entrance was always last priority, so they were 100% at fault, since my speed did not alter their ability to give way.

We have a local three way stop, with a fourth "stop" being an exit from a school parking lot. While all treat all 4 stops equal, the law is the school actually has last priority, and should wait for all at the other three stops to pass through.

In summary, record all, but only volunteer what your attorney allows.

[richard5933]

2 hours ago, obedb said:

Just a thought. If your foot gets a little heavy once in awhile, would you want a GPS system? 

Two thoughts on this...

First, to me the potential benefits far outweigh the potential risks.

Second, if one is worried about getting caught speeding, the remedy is to not speed. Not trying to sound like anyone's father, just saying.

I had a good friend ask about this when I first got the camera. He was actually a clergyman, so I was surprised at his question. He asked why do I want not only a camera but one that could implicate me if I was at fault. My answer was simple - if I'm at fault then I will need to put on my big boy pants and take responsibility. As a rule, I don't speed and do my best to follow the posted rules of the road.

But here's the primary reason I chose a camera with the GPS chip when I bought the second one. During the roadside investigation after the head-on collision last fall, the trooper asked about our speed just prior to the accident. He was trying to determine if there were any factors from my side that contributed to the collision. Was I taking meds? Did I have enough sleep the night before? Was I distracted? How much experience driving a bus did I have? etc, etc. But he was really focused on our speed. Fortunately for us, I had just recently replaced our speedometer with one which was GPS based. At the moment of impact the speedometer froze in position, 53 mph. Don't know exactly why - perhaps it was the impact, perhaps it lost power, perhaps there was help from above. Regardless, the trooper took the 53 mph reading from the speedometer as corroboration of my statement and asked no further questions. Would have been much easier to have this recorded on the dash cam, so it was on my must-have list for the next one.

[obedb]

Knew that I would stir something up with my last post. Kinda thinking that I will go with a plain Jane dash cam. Time and date. If you are involved with an accident, chances are that the investigation will happen then. Someone pictured crossing the line or pulling into an intersection after not stopping when required to by a sign or a traffic signal at an intersection should be enough. I am a very careful driver. You would be bored riding with me. Slowly approach stop signs. Try to anticipate stale green traffic lights. My brake pads and rotors last longer than the car satisfies me.

Why give up privacy for the sake of GPS. Big brother. My two cents.

[dp26]

Privacy outside of your home is a fallacy. There are enough cameras (public and private) and plate readers (public and private), being in public means just that.

[richard5933]

Not sure what the privacy concern is here. It's your own camera and you're the one with the ability to turn it on or off. If someone else were recording I could understand, but the camera in my vehicle is for my own protection. I'm not worried about the GPS telling someone where I am, as the video itself will do that itself. It's not like someone sitting in a "GPS Central Office" is monitoring every GPS unit in the world - they are not two way devices that can be tracked. Now, if you're using a cell phone to provide GPS, then that's a different story, but I'm not at all worried about a dash cam invading my own privacy.

[kaypsmith]

The satelites do not have a clue where any GPS device is located. They only transmit time accurately, they do not receive anything back from the GPS'. The GPS uses a program embedded into the GPS that takes the time signals and then calculates the time coordinates from the different satellite's to pinpoint your location on the map which is embedded into each GPS, the process is known as triangulation, and has been around since the Korean war. Now the cell phone is exactly opposite, it pings the towers nearby, then again time is used to determine your whereabouts, that is why you can be located as long as you are in range of any cell phone tower. So, GPS is nondetectable, while the cell phone is. Your dash cam should not be any concern either, unless it is like the systems on big trucks that records and transmits the trucks every movement, and most of us private citizens can't afford one of those anyway.

[manholt]

dp26, has a very good point, same with Richard and Kay.  You don't need a GPS or cell phone to be tracked in public.  They use plane's in the desert south west & central, in TX, NM, AZ, NV and CA!  A lot of call boxes on I-10 & I-40 have cameras!  Same for US and State Hwy's.  Since I'm no where close to a speed limit in my coach, I'm not paranoid about Big Brother.  However, I do like Richards thought's and have wanted to do the same for several years now!  

gogetter20002.  Thank you for bringing this subject up!

[thirdrock44]

While researching an issue of my own I came across a system by a company called Rydeen. Asked the dealer about it & he said if I was to replace my system this would work well. Seemed priced reasonable.

[gogetter20002]

Privacy I am not worried about nor speed in a big RV. What I am worried about is those that takes us for granted and cut us off or rear end us.  I have been driving big trucks for 30+ years in the Army and now in a 36' RV. After heavy congestion last weekend and almost taking out Audi that came up in my blind spot to only get right on the bumper of the car in front of me to only hit them, and then tried to blame it on me with the cop did I realize that its time for a camera. My ultimate goal is to find one system that can handle four cameras at once since I have a tow behind as well. That Rydeen system looks very promising thirdrock44!

[Afordeck]

Have used an inexpensive dash camera for several years.  Found on the internet, has a suction cup for mounting.  Worried mostly about being cut off by semi causing damage.  They will probably go their merry way leaving me with the mess.  At least I will have a record of the event, hopefully the license will be legible.

[marktaylorjets]

HP makes a nice setup priced under $90.00.  Don't go cheap... You get it to protect yourself.  As you all know, a MH is a moron Magnet.  Every time we drive somewhere,  at least once, someone does something stupid in front of us.  3 times last trip.  Ours records audio from the cab as well, not sure I like that feature... "you dumb sob, wtf, holly poop balls, oh no lookout!"

 

[richard5933]

2 hours ago, gogetter20002 said:

My ultimate goal is to find one system that can handle four cameras at once since I have a tow behind as well. That Rydeen system looks very promising thirdrock44!

I'd avoid any complicated system. Just get a good dash cam for your RV plus one for the toad that has both front and rear cameras. Or, just get a separate front/rear camera for your toad plus one in the front of the RV. They each will record what they see, and with the wide angle lenses on these things nowadays the two cameras on the toad will record quite a bit of the road. Ours has a 170-degree field of vision. Front and rear like that in the toad will be almost 360.

[obedb]

Trucking career spanned 46 years. Most of the problems expressed in the last day have never happened to me. is it that I am blessed. Nope not me. Can guarantee! Just good at what I did. Two fender benders  in the first two years of my career. One driver entered the intersection through a red light after setting there a bit.  Told the police officer it was his fault and he received a citation.. The other was a back street ice  under snow slide that bent the corner of my cab. My fault clearly. After that, tons of accident free miles. Always managed to position various and many mirrors on my rigs to eliminate any blind spot. Yes it can be done, but probably not on a motorhome, un less you  want to do some serious modifications. I want the camera because of the head on that Richard talked about. I will watch the sides and the back on my on. I do not want to have to monitor video offered by a camera on steroids. If the camera records speed from a GPS system, could the system be impounded by law enforcement. Someone hits you head on because he is texting and you are 8 or 10 miles over the limit approaching a steep climb. Camera impounded as possible evidence. You are now hiring a lawyer? 

GPS has gotten a lot of truckers and some RVers in trouble because they can not spell a destination properly. Will not bore you with accounts but they were both hilarious and tragic. If you can not read a map as a backup for your GPS entry, stay away from me please.

[gogetter20002]

Two things I have learned about the types of GPS on some dash cam systems for logging purposes is some only stamp Longitude/Latitude and the higher end ones that includes mapping like what is common now a days. The more simple ones have just Long/Lat imprinted on the video while the higher end ones I've seen show Lat/Long as well as street names.  Here is another great website that I found and has tons of useful information.

https://www.rearviewsafety.com/safety-solutions/dash-cameras.html

[gogetter20002]

Hopefully the link works to show what I finally decided on. The camera is $20 cheaper on Amazon

https://www.rearviewsafety.com/backup-camera/rv-backup-camera-systems/class-a-motorhome-backup-camera/papago-gosafe-s30-dash-camera-gs-s37.html

[manholt]

No GPS & I wonder what a 128GB card cost?  I also don't need to be told, that I'm to close, tired, stop, etc. My Co-Pilot, Linda, has 36 years driving a class A rig and her own 40' DP.  

[wayne77590]

Some systems will not allow a 128gb card. Many are 64gb max.

Amazon has one for $40. (Micro SD) and $36 for SD card.