Dash Cams

[Luckyforward]

How many of you have dash cams and do you find them useful?  What brands and how have they worked for you?

Thanks!

[Chucktshoes]

Currently I’m without one, but I’ve used a bunch. Avoid the Rand McNally branded garbage like the plague. 
 

Several of my friends use and like the Cobra branded ones. 

[10-Ring]

I use an Apeman dashcam, they are available on Amazon for less than $40.  I've never had an incident, but a good friend of mine is a local truck driver owner/operator.  His dashcam has saved him multiple times when people have clipped him while cutting in front of him and another guy who hydroplaned into him.  The guy is a s*** magnet because even though he drives a lot of miles, he finds himself in precarious situations on the regular.  The camera doesn't lie, though and has made the other person's story invalid multiple times now.  Also, he recently had an altercation with a transient at a truck stop while he was walking back to his truck.  Had the situation been escalated he would have had a recording of the entire thing as it went down right in front of his truck as the camera was rolling.  The guy is seriously a feces attractor, lol. 

[Erik88]

2 hours ago, Luckyforward said:

How many of you have dash cams and do you find them useful?  What brands and how have they worked for you?

Thanks!

I have one in each vehicle to protect us from scammers and liars. 

I'm impressed with the quality of this one. Make sure you don't cheap out on the SD card. It's as important as the camera.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07SRQH4R7/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_fabc_ET6D0WN37BCK7V5FH7PD?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

 

 

[GlockSpock]

I don't and haven't ever used one, but someone I know has a Roav.

Roav Dash Cams

They are made by essentially Anker, whom perhaps many of you have  used their chargers, cables, etc. The guy I know that has one shows footage sometimes and it's rather impressive what a sub $100.00 device can do. Based on my experiences with Anker (many, all of them positive), paired with the positive review from my friend, I'd highly recommend any of them.

[Grunt67]

I have one I bought at Walmart years ago.

Never had a problem with it, or had cause to need it in a dispute.

As another poster said, don't go cheap on the SD card.

[TripleGGG]

I have Rexing V1-4k dash cams in every vehicle and motorhome.  I've tried several brands over the years and these have been flawless.  They also have a great phone app that you can use to download video,  watch live etc. The quality of the video is excellent.  The best thing is it is always recording so we have some beautiful scenery from traveling but also its there if needed in a wreck or vandalism.  For $99 they are hard to beat.

https://www.amazon.com/Rexing-Dashboard-Recorder-G-Sensor-Recording/dp/B00X528FNE

Edited March 2, 2021 by TripleGGG

[Luckyforward]

When you say don't go cheap on the SD card, what does that mean?  Buying one with lots more memory?

[Erik88]

3 minutes ago, Luckyforward said:

When you say don't go cheap on the SD card, what does that mean?  Buying one with lots more memory?

Size and quality. I went with the Samsung Pro Endurance because one of the dash cam review guru's recommended it. It looks like the price has come down a lot since I bought it.

 

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07B984HJ5/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_fabc_R1ADPDN6G9Q88FN72M33?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

 

[buck1032]

4 hours ago, Luckyforward said:

When you say don't go cheap on the SD card, what does that mean?  Buying one with lots more memory?

I would assume that they are speaking of SC card speeds. The higher speed the more they cost. I have been wanting to get a dash cam. So I am following this thread to learn as much as I can before I plop down the cash.

 

[toby1304]

I have the Roav and like it. I have it mounted in my work van. Saved me once with a disgruntled school bus driver when I guess I was using his favorite pump and the other 20 empty ones weren’t good enough. It also catches a lot of funny stuff. Well worth it.

[Quavodus]

One thing that I've heard and seen on videos is, a lot of cops will treat you with extra respect when they see you have one.

[Daniel]

I have also had good experience with roav dash cams.  They record constantly and on a loop so that is why you want to use quality sd cards.  cheaply made ones cant take the constant writing.

[robin48]

I may have to look into getting one of these.

[Erik88]

I caught this single car crash on my dash cam today. This person was almost certainly on their phone and it nearly killed them.

Does anyone know the purpose of those cable style guardrails they seem to be switching to? This sedan went right through it like it didn't exist.

A note about the quality, the video quality was downgraded when I moved it to my phone. It's much better on my laptop.

 

 

[Quavodus]

He was probably a little shook up. Probably peed a little.

[billmeek]

The new cable type of guard rails are a lot less expensive and easier to install,  If you look at the video, the cable system did initially stop them from getting into the median when they sideswiped the rail.  Only when they over-reacted and drove head-on into the guard rail did it give.  It appears that the car hit one of the poles directly which snapped from the force.

i just bought a new 2020 Hyundai Tuscon (SUV) this month that has Lane Keep Assist. It works surprisingly well and likely would have kept this accident from happening.

[Swamp ash]

Nice video

That truck they almost sideswiped just keep on going.

We're the folks inside OK?

[Erik88]

1 hour ago, billmeek said:

  If you look at the video, the cable system did initially stop them from getting into the median when they sideswiped the rail. 

I thought that initially but now I'm not so sure they actually hit it the first time. I think they heard the rumble strip and freaked out. It's hard to tell if they actually hit the cables the first time. If the goal is to keep people from going across the median into oncoming traffic, the cable system failed. Had that median not been so steep they would have been in the opposite lanes. It's really a miracle this wasn't a lot worse. 

 

10 minutes ago, Swamp ash said:

We're the folks inside OK?

I'm not sure but I think so. We saw them moving around inside the cab but it was too dangerous to cross the interstate on foot right there. We hung around a bit and then continued on once it was clear the damage to their car likely wasn't enough to cause any injuries. I'm sure they all shat their pants. 

[billmeek]

47 minutes ago, Erik88 said:

I thought that initially but now I'm not so sure they actually hit it the first time.

You could be right, but it looked to me as if one of poles was bent inward at the point of impact.  Either way, lousy driving on their part. Some people shouldn't be allowed to drive on public streets. 

[lock n' load]

On 3/5/2021 at 11:19 PM, Quavodus said:

One thing that I've heard and seen on videos is, a lot of cops will treat you with extra respect when they see you have one.

This brings a question to mind. If pulled over and I have a dash cam running, do I let the officer know upfront or wait and see if they ask me about it? I'm currently looking at this one to buy..

https://www.amazon.com/N2-Pro-Infrared-1920x1080P-2560x1440P/dp/B0742J69SQ/?_encoding=UTF8&pf_rd_p=3916d856-3bce-4f10-8f05-902be920fe19&pd_rd_wg=h4HzF&pf_rd_r=BEKBDRQ3W271MNC9TSYF&pd_rd_w=gXZi3&pd_rd_r=a442af46-1fde-4e02-b777-bda50f9b7405&ref_=ci_mcx_mr_hp_atf_m

 

 

Edited July 11, 2021 by lock n' load

[10-Ring]

20 minutes ago, lock n' load said:

This brings a question to mind. If pulled over and I have a dash cam running, do I let the officer know upfront or wait and see if they ask me about it? I'm currently looking at this one to buy..

https://www.amazon.com/N2-Pro-Infrared-1920x1080P-2560x1440P/dp/B0742J69SQ/?_encoding=UTF8&pf_rd_p=3916d856-3bce-4f10-8f05-902be920fe19&pd_rd_wg=h4HzF&pf_rd_r=BEKBDRQ3W271MNC9TSYF&pd_rd_w=gXZi3&pd_rd_r=a442af46-1fde-4e02-b777-bda50f9b7405&ref_=ci_mcx_mr_hp_atf_m

 

 

Absolutely not.  If he is on the up and up he won't care.  If he asks you to turn it off, he's up to no good.  Tennessee is a one party state, only one party (you) has to be aware that a conversation is being recorded.  LEO in a traffic stop situation is not excluded from that law.  

[Chucktshoes]

7 minutes ago, 10-Ring said:

Absolutely not.  If he is on the up and up he won't care.  If he asks you to turn it off, he's up to no good.  Tennessee is a one party state, only one party (you) has to be aware that a conversation is being recorded.  LEO in a traffic stop situation is not excluded from that law.  

Hell, even in states that are two party, officers are mostly excluded from that as government employees they have no expectation of privacy when in public in the performance of their jobs. 

[10-Ring]

38 minutes ago, Chucktshoes said:

Hell, even in states that are two party, officers are mostly excluded from that as government employees they have no expectation of privacy when in public in the performance of their jobs. 

Good point. 

[Will]

On 3/2/2021 at 6:28 PM, Luckyforward said:

When you say don't go cheap on the SD card, what does that mean?  Buying one with lots more memory?

SD Card-At least with Apeman Brand if you use more than 32 G card you have to reformat on a laptop,a few steps.