Time to get a dash cam....

[#1]

..... or does that turn us all into unpaid police officers or lickspittle state snoopers?

 http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-york-north-yorkshire-39706454

[#2]

I have one installed in my car and sometimes the driving of others beggars belief and at least with the camera there is evidence should it be needed. Also, when you drive a car with a dash cam you are so much more conscious of your own driving that it can only be a good thing.

[#3]

+1

[#4]

---

@Minivanman wrote:

unpaid police officers

---

The proliferation of roadside cameras has already seemed to be part responsible for the vast reduction in a real police presence.

Cameras are ok but unlike the police they do nothing but record accidents and offences. They prevent nothing.

Dashcams are just another shift in the burden of policing to the tax paying public.

Real actual street policing is falling every year unlike the police part of my council tax which rose over 3%.

[#5]

And there is no Guarantee if you give the Police footage there will be a prosecution , Firstly you need to prove the owner was the driver

Loads of footage sent to west yorks police  Bradford , every day   on their FB page TBH some driving beggars belief 

http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/news/dangerdrivers/ dare you to watch some

[#6]

Well that's a moot point @Anonymous. One might suggest that more surveillance cameras are a good thing but not only is the UK ahead of the curve on that one, I'm not sure if we have room for any more 

I can see the point and I can see the advantage - and both car and high street can see us, but we don't have to be happy about it and those that are......

The Harpie of tooth, claw and camera is just as likely to turn on the innocent as it is the guilty, but will I get one? Probably. Sigh.

[#7]

I moved to Derbyshire after living in London for 30 odd years.  The standard of driving here is  so poor I soon acquired a dashcam to deal with the situation where despite my best efforts some idiot manages to drive into me. Driving in London is a dream compared with the locals.

[#8]

I use one and recon it would be useful if involved in an accident that was not your fault, a record of the incident could be sent to your insurance company to show you were blameless as some companies accept 50/50 blame on both parties in the case of a dispute which is likely to see a hike in your premium even though you were not at fault.

If you hit a cyclist or pedestrian a camera would be essential assuming it was not your fault.

Only question is how many cameras go you need, a front facing one is of little use if someone runs into the back of you, a front and back camera is of no use if someone hits you side on

[#9]

Don't forget one pointing upwards in case of impact by aircraft... 

[#10]

And one pointing downwards in case of pesky dogs trying to hump your leg. Evidence in case you want to make a claim for ruined trouser leg.

[#11]

---

@billnotben wrote:

---

@Minivanman wrote:

unpaid police officers

---

Dashcams are just another shift in the burden of policing to the tax paying public.

Real actual street policing is falling every year unlike the police part of my council tax which rose over 3%.

---

What a load of rubbish, my insurance gives me a discount for having a dash cam, if it helps me to prove to them any accident was not my fault then I'm all for it, the police don't need to be involved.   Street policing is of little use hen it comes to RTAs as however many their were about you can bet there would not be one around when needed.

[#12]

@Preston

Have you not considered that works both ways in that you may also be at fault and that any failure on your part to produce a copy of your web cam footage may result in your claim being rejected and err.... your insurance is increased. 

Just saying.

[#13]

The dash cam is mine therefore the footage is mine, if I don't want to share it because the fault may have been mine then I don't share it.  As someone else has said, it may also help you to be more careful knowing there is a record of your actions.

---

Moderator's note by Mike (Mav): Full quote of preceding post removed as per Forum rules.

[#14]

Well I have a sneaky feeling that at the very least the police can 'request' any footage you may have. 

[#15]

I believe there was a recent case where the police seized dashcam footage in relation to prosecuting the owner.

Of course you could delete it but.......... destroying evidence - obstructing police investigation ......... would probably cover it.