Would mandatory dashcams on all new vehicles sold in the US be a good idea?

[Doppel]

No and far too hard to enforce.

I use a dash cam in one car and will get a second shortly. I think they are awesome and everyone should have one.

Eventually we will see more insurance rates tied to voluntary GPS in the car, and that will make having/driving a fast car even more ridiculous than it already is.

According to jalopnik the best cheap dash cam now is the dvr -027, not the 207. It is $70. Personally, I use the isymdvr app on my iPhone right now and have for months.

 

[Doppel]

What I would like to see are mandatory chestcams on cops.



We can afford a $60k vehicle, $10k in armaments and gear, but a mandatory $300 chestcam is just too expensive.

I recently found that some are doing this with a pilot program and I am unbelievably behind it. It is an awesome idea.

 

[Jimzz]

The incentive is that you don't have to worry about hit and runs as much, you'll be able to present the video in defence, if someone claims you were speeding/causing an accident and that will also help with the insurance company to not use some get-out-of-jail-free clause.

Plenty of incentive.

THIS

I got mine after someone hit my truck and lied about it.
I'm going to get another one for my car after winter.

 

[lxskllr]

I recently found that some are doing this with a pilot program and I am unbelievably behind it. It is an awesome idea.

It'll be interesting to see how many "equipment malfunctions" occur in controversial cases.

 

[Doppel]

It'll be interesting to see how many "equipment malfunctions" occur in controversial cases.

Agreed.

I just read up on the G1W dash cam. It seems it may be worth gettin get the 027.

 

[momeNt]

Dash cams are a good idea. Something being a good idea does not give cause for an authoritative body to decree that it is mandatory.

 

[monkeydelmagico]

More dash cams will shorten the timeline for the inevitable driverless vehicle mandate. Putting the legal question of accountability aside, widespread usage and analysis of the results are going to reveal just how terrible most pople are at driving.

 

[dank69]

Yes. Two per vehicle. One pointed forward and one pointed at the driver, both syncronized so we can prosecute people who cause accidents while texting while driving. Death penalty by crash test car.

 

[alm99]

Personally, I use the isymdvr app on my iPhone right now and have for months.

How well does this work? What mount do you use? Just a suction cup to the window?

 

[Doppel]

How well does this work? What mount do you use? Just a suction cup to the window?

Yep a suction mount I got on amazon--make sure the camera is not obscured

The app itself is awesome, very slick and works reliably. It does mean you can't use your phone for anything else while driving but that may not be a bad thig. There is a free version of it, too.

 

[EagleKeeper]

So you're still a critic of seatbelts, are you?

For someone over 18 being forced by the government to wear them or face a fine? Absolutely.

I expect that you have never been in a serious accident or seen the results of a person when they had an accident and no seatbelt was worn?

 

[lxskllr]

I expect that you have never been in a serious accident or seen the results of a person when they had an accident and no seatbelt was worn?

I've been in serious accidents without a seatbelt. The end result is of no concern to anyone but the person involved. It's not the government's job to enforce personal safety.

 

[dank69]

I've been in serious accidents without a seatbelt. The end result is of no concern to anyone but the person involved. It's not the government's job to enforce personal safety.

It is possible to take a moral principle too far. You know that, right?

That being said, it is also possible that the choice of not wearing a seatbelt can affect other people.

 

[lxskllr]

That being said, it is also possible that the choice of not wearing a seatbelt can affect other people.

Anything is possible at any time. In a chaotic universe things can come together in a special way that where you could say "If only X was done, this wouldn't have happened!" Or even worse "There should be a law!"

The role of government regulation isn't to give us all new parents. We were born with the only parents needed, and it isn't the place for anyone, or group to supplant them. It's the government's job to prevent fraud, and fraudulent safety operations. I'm fine with them creating standards for sealtbelts so they work appropriately, and don't cause injury when used as directed, but I'm not fine with them mandating their use.

 

[SpatiallyAware]

Agreed.

I just read up on the G1W dash cam. It seems it may be worth gettin get the 027.

Hmm. I read the dashcam site and went with the G1W. What made you sway towards the 027?

I really don't care for the IR leds. There's no way they actually do anything at the distance you need for vehicle use.

 

[W.C. Nimoy]

I really want one, a camera always recording while I'm driving.

Just have to figure out how to manage keeping the video, what to record on, how often to delete etc.

 

[lxskllr]

I really want one, a camera always recording while I'm driving.

Just have to figure out how to manage keeping the video, what to record on, how often to delete etc.

You could probably do something clever with a RaspberryPI. Store it to a SDcard. You might also want a panic button that wipes the drive in case it was you that made the mistake causing the crash, or to prevent unauthorized search. Don't know how much room is needed for low res video, but saving a typical day of driving would probably be convenient. That way you can review it, and put lulzy stuff it sees on Youtube or something.

 

[dank69]

Anything is possible at any time. In a chaotic universe things can come together in a special way that where you could say "If only X was done, this wouldn't have happened!" Or even worse "There should be a law!"

The role of government regulation isn't to give us all new parents. We were born with the only parents needed, and it isn't the place for anyone, or group to supplant them. It's the government's job to prevent fraud, and fraudulent safety operations. I'm fine with them creating standards for sealtbelts so they work appropriately, and don't cause injury when used as directed, but I'm not fine with them mandating their use.

I fully agree with the bolded. However, all I asked you was if it was possible. You agree it is possible, but seem to think that the possibility is so low that a law is not warranted in the case of seatbelts. I will ask you to consider everything that happens differently as a result of someone dying in a car accident when that death could have been prevented by the use of a seatbelt. I'm not talking about extremely unlikely differences like someone crashing through their windshield and into someone else, killing or maiming other people in the process. I'm talking about the resulting investigations, highway closures, clean up, trauma to survivors involved in the incident, and the lawsuits that will inevitably follow, all so someone can exercise their right to be stupid because they think their actions don't affect other people.

 

[lxskllr]

I'm talking about the resulting investigations, highway closures, clean up, trauma to survivors involved in the incident, and the lawsuits that will inevitably follow, all so someone can exercise their right to be stupid because they think their actions don't affect other people.

People die in accidents regardless of seatbelt use. Accidents are traumatic events, whether or not a death was involved, and messy accidents take awhile to clean up. The meat is the quick part. The part that takes the time is all the parts scattered across the road. I also don't see a difference in lawsuit rates. Whoever was at fault will get sued, and it'll get handled by insurance, whether or not the person is alive(assuming it was the dead guy that caused the accident).

 

[Kaido]

I have zoom/rotate cams with a 360 view all around my vehicle (factory). They are fun to show off, but really just seem distracting.

I am against anything being mandatory.

Edit: The cameras on the side are actually on the bottom of the mirrors for viewing curbs and parking stall lines I guess?

Land Rover? Nissan Around-View? What are you driving?

 

[dank69]

People die in accidents regardless of seatbelt use. Accidents are traumatic events, whether or not a death was involved, and messy accidents take awhile to clean up. The meat is the quick part. The part that takes the time is all the parts scattered across the road. I also don't see a difference in lawsuit rates. Whoever was at fault will get sued, and it'll get handled by insurance, whether or not the person is alive(assuming it was the dead guy that caused the accident).

So your claim is that nothing is significantly different between fatal car crashes and non-fatal car crashes? Also that seatbelts don't make a significant difference saving lives? The bolded certainly seems like that is what you are saying.

 

[Kaido]

I just had this idea. Think about it: what's the cost of a video recorder these days, especially one with lower resolution? Video cameras are so small and relatively cheap, it would be rather easy to attach them to a car. We have all sorts of futuristic technology being added to cars, yet it seems such a tiny thing could make a big difference. It would be a safety mechanism and a way to provide evidence of any sort of accident, road rage, or other incident. It might add about $100 to the cost of a new car but the benefits could be exponentially higher than that.

What do you guys think?

They did a trial of this with wearable cameras on cops:

http://carloz.newsvine.com/_news/20...nts-those-so-equipped-use-force-60-less-often

Two results:

1. Citizen complaints dropped 88%
2. Officer use of Force dropped 60%

I think this is a lot different than the UK's big brother system with cameras on every corner, where it's very impersonal, because if you see a dude with a camera and your behavior is not good (or you're a cop and your behavior is not good), you're less likely to do something stupid because you know you're being watched. If all new cars came with dashcams, then people will start getting the idea that they can't be jerks all the time and then claim innocence when a crash happens, because there's a chance it may have been caught on tape. Regarding dash cams, check out this guy's Russian dashcam crash compilation: (Warning: cannot unsee some crashes)

http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMvnuZbHRbcBgNFHjwvJuQg/videos

BlackVue has some amazing dashcams: ($300 - $400, but can record in HD and has lots of crazy features like parking mode)

http://www.blackvueusa.com/

There are also $30 dashcams that do a nice basic job, as well as dashcams with front & rear cameras so you can record most angles (in case you get hit from behind).

 

[lxskllr]

Also that seatbelts don't make a significant difference saving lives? The bolded certainly seems like that is what you are saying.

No that's not what I'm saying, and you know that. You're trying to be argumentative because you like to argue I guess... I'll reiterate my position one last time, though you already know what it is.

It's not the government's job to protect me from myself. They can encourage safe behavior by educating in school, or running PSAs(questionable use of money), but not regulate my behavior. I'm fine with the government outlawing HomeDepot jute twine as a safety device(sold as such by a third party), but not with telling me not to use jute twine as safety device assuming it wasn't sold for that purpose..

 

[dank69]

No that's not what I'm saying, and you know that. You're trying to be argumentative because you like to argue I guess... I'll reiterate my position one last time, though you already know what it is.

It's not the government's job to protect me from myself. They can encourage safe behavior by educating in school, or running PSAs(questionable use of money), but not regulate my behavior. I'm fine with the government outlawing HomeDepot jute twine as a safety device(sold as such by a third party), but not with telling me not to use jute twine as safety device assuming it wasn't sold for that purpose..

I already granted you all of that. I am asking you to consider the differences between fatal and non-fatal car accidents. Something you think you can dismiss with the wave of a hand while saying "not that different." You say stupid shit and I will be right there to argue with you. "Cleaning up the meat is the easy part." Insane or blinded by your own ego. Take your pick.

 

[lxskllr]

I already granted you all of that. I am asking you to consider the differences between fatal and non-fatal car accidents. Something you think you can dismiss with the wave of a hand while saying "not that different." You say stupid shit and I will be right there to argue with you. "Cleaning up the meat is the easy part." Insane or blinded by your own ego. Take your pick.

So the end justifies the means, eh? Then put everyone in jail where they'll be safe. If you don't want to be that "radical", we can let everyone drive lawn tractors around... Without a mowing deck of course. Someone could engage the blades, and stick their hand in them... :^S