Dash Cams

[Chantry]

How may of you have one and do you think it is a good idea to have one?

[Calamity Kris]

I recently purchased one and had it professionally installed.  I live here in Florida where we have some of the worst drivers out there.  Yes I believe it's a good idea.  I have had several near misses where, if they had actually become accidents, a dash cam would have made a difference.  

[Pat Riot]

I have a helmet camera on my motorcycle helmet. I bought my first one in Jan 2019. In July of 2019 a young woman hit me by quickly changing lanes on the freeway in Los Angeles as I was legally splitting lanes and going about 10mph faster than the cars in traffic. 
The accident was her fault as deemed by the CHP (California Highway Patrol) because:

1. She was crossing double yellow lines from a carpool lane.

2. She did not signal.

3. Her head never turned to look in her passenger side mirror. Yes, my camera caught that. 

4. The CHP and my insurance verified I was not speeding by using witness testimony and my video. 
 

My front tire hit her rear right quarter panel and down I went. 

 

 

[Stump Water]

I had no idea lane splitting was legal anywhere.

 

Back on topic... Been thinking about getting one also.  We're pretty rural and rarely make it to "the big city".  The problem around here is people crossing the center line in a curve.  It's only a matter of time before I'm going to have to hit the ditch to avoid a head-on collision.

.

Edited October 14 by Stump Water

[Texas Maverick]

1 hour ago, Chantry said:

How may of you have one and do you think it is a good idea to have one?

I have one that records the front and the rear and it is well worth it to me. You never know when someone is going to hit you or cause an accident and blame you for it. The camera can show what really happened. I haven't had to use it yet but I feel it is like an insurance policy. Good to have if you ever need it.

 

TM

[Cold Lake Kid, SASS # 51474]

 Y E S !

The most recent save was my son's collision.

Returning home from is lady friend's around 11:30, another car T-Boned his van on the passenger side.

The driver claimed Big Red ran the red light and gave that info to the responding officer.

Big Red then asked the officer to look on the floor of his car where the his dash cam got knocked in the collision.

OOOPSY!

The officer could see the green light my son had before he continued proceeding through the intersection.

There some stammering on the part of the other driver when she saw the officer looking at the screen on Big Red's dash cam.

I run them in my Forester and the motor home and Ian runs them in his Caravan and his HERBIE.

Edited October 14 by Cold Lake Kid, SASS # 51474

[Subdeacon Joe]

Not yet, but seriously considering it.

[Three Foot Johnson]

This was four or five years ago, just north of Great Falls. Camera was a $25 cheapo from Walmart. The trailer behind the semi at the five second mark lost a tire & wheel, which crossed the median into oncoming traffic. Another time, just north of Helena, there was an impaired driver towing a small utility trailer weaving across the Interstate bouncing off the guardrail then into the ditch on the opposite side. I called 911, and the guy was pulled over within three or four minutes by an unmarked car. Turns out the county sheriff lived only a couple miles away, and was Johnny-on-the-spot.  I gave him the SD card to copy for evidence.

I've since replaced the Walmart Special with a Viofo A119V3

 

 

Edited October 14 by Three Foot Johnson

[Old Man Graybeard]

Yes...I now have them in all of our vehicles. My wife got hit in an intersection...she knew she had the green light...but the other person also claimed they had the green. Officer checked video cameras from a nearby business...wife had the green. Now with the cameras...instant check

[Tell Sackett SASS 18436]

After a “brake check” incident on the interstate I got them for all our vehicles!!

You’re crazy if you DON’T have one!!!!

Drivers out there are INSANE!!!

[Pat Riot]

9 hours ago, Stump Water said:

 

I had no idea lane splitting was legal anywhere.

 

Only in California as of January 1, 2017, though it’s been done since the 1960’s. 
 

———————————————————

I have been considering buying a 360° dash cam system for my wife’s car. 
This one is in my short list. 
https://a.co/d/j2AeXk6

[Marshal Mo Hare, SASS #45984]

Don’t drive with a crack in your windshield, people will think you’re Russian.

[Chantry]

14 hours ago, Tell Sackett SASS 18436 said:

Drivers out there are INSANE!!!

 

So you've driven in Connecticut...

 

Every time I drive back into CT, it's like re-entering the asylum.

[Eyesa Horg]

1 hour ago, Chantry said:

 

So you've driven in Connecticut...

 

Every time I drive back into CT, it's like re-entering the asylum.

You're right!! Had two vehicles try to share my lane  on the way to the Boil and one while leaving!

[Colorado Coffinmaker]

 

Actually, in the UK, lane splitting is not only legal it is expected and actually taught in instructional classes for a Motorcycle License.  If you fail to "progress" in your pursuit test for license, you will be failed.

[Dusty Driver]

Dash cams are a cheap investment and Install very easily. Many cost less then $50 but are worth their weight in gold (or primers) once your involved in an accident. 

[Michigan Slim]

My son put one in all our vehicles. Saved my wife from taking the blame for a wreck. I was able to show a wreck in front of me to the sheriff that he was darn glad to have. It was a fatality. 

 

 

[Forty Rod SASS 3935]

On 10/14/2025 at 7:45 AM, Calamity Kris said:

I recently purchased one and had it professionally installed.  I live here in Florida where we have some of the worst drivers out there.  Yes I believe it's a good idea.  I have had several near misses where, if they had actually become accidents, a dash cam would have made a difference.  

After my last "encounter" I suppose I should get one...or maybe two so I'd have one for both ends of the car.  Lots of folks around here get rear-ended.

[Eyesa Horg]

Surprised with all the cameras in new vehicles; that there isn't an app for that! My truck has Wi-Fi and Google, seems it would be possible to up load camera data to a cloud acct. The damn thing yells at me for taking too long of a sip of coffee! It could connect to your phone to save the video as well.

[Joe LaFives #5481]

Installed one after my USAA agent recommended it.  Not a hard install - front and back.  

[Gateway Kid SASS# 70038 Life]

Okay, you’ve convinced me. So spot checking about 40 or so models, more confused than when I started, is there someplace I can reference to see the differences? More correctly what features are required and what can I do without? I think what I need is front/rear only, have three cars (would rather not have to remember to move them), and can live with car plug for power unless permanent hard wire isn’t going to mess with my car’s electrical. 
TIA

Regards

    
Gateway Kid

[Calamity Kris]

A kind Cowpoke posted this video of unbiased reviews in my thread asking about dash CAMs.  I also looked at Car-And-Driver as well as CNET.  All of them had the same answer.  I chose one similar to the one he picked as his top choice and love it.

 

 

[Palouse]

On 10/14/2025 at 7:41 AM, Chantry said:

How may of you have one and do you think it is a good idea to have one?

 

Only if YOU are a good driver. Some swords cut both ways.

[I. M. Crossdraw, SASS# 8321]

I've never had a dash cam before, but now that I am older, retired and moved to Florida, I bought a dash cam and installed it.  I've got to watch out for those old drivers; they drive like crazy.   😎

 

Note:  Here in Florida, drivers don't seem to know how to use their turn signals.  It's crazy.🤪

[Texas Maverick]

On 10/15/2025 at 7:31 AM, Chantry said:

 

So you've driven in Connecticut...

 

Every time I drive back into CT, it's like re-entering the asylum.

You need include NY and NJ. The drivers are all nut. My daughter was around 8 when we went through them and she renamed the NJ drivers as New Jerky drivers. They are bad.

 

TM

[Texas Maverick]

On 10/15/2025 at 4:59 PM, Forty Rod SASS 3935 said:

After my last "encounter" I suppose I should get one...or maybe two so I'd have one for both ends of the car.  Lots of folks around here get rear-ended.

They make units like mine that have a front camera and back camera with the one unit. They also have some that have side cameras as well.

 

TM

[Texas Maverick]

On 10/16/2025 at 10:19 AM, Gateway Kid SASS# 70038 Life said:

Okay, you’ve convinced me. So spot checking about 40 or so models, more confused than when I started, is there someplace I can reference to see the differences? More correctly what features are required and what can I do without? I think what I need is front/rear only, have three cars (would rather not have to remember to move them), and can live with car plug for power unless permanent hard wire isn’t going to mess with my car’s electrical. 
TIA

Regards

    
Gateway Kid

I ran the power wire down to my fuse box. Piece of cake, then it comes on when I start the truck and stays on until I turn it off.

Then you run the camera wires, one to the front windshield and another to the rear camera that attaches to the back window. Nothing hard to do.

 

TM

 

[Texas Maverick]

1 hour ago, I. M. Crossdraw, SASS# 8321 said:

I've never had a dash cam before, but now that I am older, retired and moved to Florida, I bought a dash cam and installed it.  I've got to watch out for those old drivers; they drive like crazy.   😎

 

Note:  Here in Florida, drivers don't seem to know how to use their turn signals.  It's crazy.🤪

Yeah, most of them are out of blinker fluid and they don't know how to refill it.

 

TM

[Chantry]

2 hours ago, Texas Maverick said:

You need include NY and NJ. The drivers are all nut. My daughter was around 8 when we went through them and she renamed the NJ drivers as New Jerky drivers. They are bad.

 

TM

 

I've driven in NJ & NY quite often and they are better drivers than in CT

[Chantry]

4 hours ago, Palouse said:

 

Only if YOU are a good driver. Some swords cut both ways.

 

Granted.  I don't drive like a maniac, besides with a warrant police can pull information directly from the vehicle's computer.  My car even tells me that every time I start it.

[watab kid]

no i dont but i have friends that are convincing me - they need them for work - mostly internal tho 

[Dantankerous]

On 10/14/2025 at 10:47 AM, Stump Water said:

I had no idea lane splitting was legal anywhere...

 

Back when I took the Motorcycle Safety Foundation class to get my motorcycle endorsement the instructor told us lane splitting is generally not legal as much as it is not illegal in most states. For what that's worth.

 

Perhaps it is actually legal now in some places.