What's new
Fantasy Football - Footballguys Forums

This is a sample guest message. Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

Dash Cam advice anyone? (1 Viewer)

Stompin' Tom Connors

Stompin' Tom Connors

Footballguy
With a Stompin' teenager at home who is a soon-to-be driver, wanted to tap FFA expertise/knowledge on any experience and/or recommendations for dash cams.

I've done some research on retail and electronics sites and unlike other consumer electronics, dash cams confound me -- so many different options and brands, nearly all of whom I don't recognize. Many seem to have wiring or mount requirements that don't come with the initial cam or additional kits needed for use. Many have options like enabled built-in GPS that seem to be more built-in on newer models, or add-able on older models, both at a seeming premium. The range of price is between $40 and $400 without clear differentiation (to me) as to what makes sense for the price.

I see the Garmin 55 brought up a lot, but not sure if you need to buy two if you want a front and rear camera, and if you do how they interoperate, and what additions/kits you need to make it work. And not sure I need to drop over $400 to do so.

I *think* what I want is:

  • Front and rear system
  • Don't need the absolute highest quality film but good enough to actually be worth it when footage is needed
  • low- or night-enabled
  • GPS
  • self-looping ability so I don't have to mess with mega-hours of footage, but with enough storage to also not necessitate constant upkeep
  • low-ish profile to help avoid reducing visibility and clutter
Things I am not sure I need but can't seem to get enough info to decide if the cost is worth it:

  • Wifi enabled -- what specifically is the benefit of a wifi-enabled system? This may just be to connect to other devices (other than a phone, what other devices would you link this to?) so might be must-have but all the info and guides I read don't make why WiFi is a pure necessity.
  • G-sensor that automatically starts recording if the car is jostled or hit/in an accident, either when moving or stationary, on or off. This actually seems like a must-have if the feature also ensures shock-enabled footage isn't recorded over
  • footage zoom features to capture license plates if necessary
  • wire or battery enabled -- can't tell how hard it is to actually install these things are
Things I am pretty sure I don't need:

  • voice enabled
  • touch screen display
  • Alexa enabled
Anyone with some insight to help a baffled dad out?

 
E-Z Glider said:
Why is this something you want for a new driver?
Click to expand...
I was also curious about how exactly this would be used, but I assume that it is to be able to monitor the way that the kid is driving, though I would unsure if it would pointed at the road or inside the car (or both?)

 
Long Ball Larry said:
I was also curious about how exactly this would be used, but I assume that it is to be able to monitor the way that the kid is driving, though I would unsure if it would pointed at the road or inside the car (or both?)
Click to expand...
My wife is an extreme worrier and a helicopter mom. She uses Life360. I would've absolutely hated it as a kid, but our kids dont mind it that much. I think it tells you stats like how fast they are going, etc, but it's great for her to be able to look at a map and see where everyone is. It saves us from having her calll all the time to ask "where are you" and its very helpful for when my daughter calls and says "Im lost" (which happens a lot). Its also great for her to see where her Dad is and to avoid calling him when he's in the car (he's a terrible driver). Much more valueable than a dash-cam, IMO, which only gives you info after-the-fact. Unless, of course, you're whole reason of wanting it is to prove fault in an accident (which seems weird to me).

 
E-Z Glider said:
Why is this something you want for a new driver?
Click to expand...
More people driving the car, more probability it's involved in something.

I also see a lot of stupid $#!& going on on roads today -- people way less patient and prone to forgetting or choosing to eschew rules of the road, let alone common sense, altogether.

Inexplicably, I have seen this a lot in my area with cars with "Student Driver" stickers/magnets on them -- instead of making drivers around them more patient, it seems to do the opposite -- the "Great, I have to deal with this newb?" attitude. I've seen it happen while I'm in the passenger seat with my kid driving.

If my kid or anyone else in my family gets into an accident, I feel like it just becomes a he said/she said situation, and a new driver (at least in my perception) is apt to be blamed more because of their inexperience.

But if the root cause really is an idiot driver behind the wheel of another car, I want to ensure I can prove it.

 
Last edited by a moderator:
E-Z Glider said:
My wife is an extreme worrier and a helicopter mom. She uses Life360. I would've absolutely hated it as a kid, but our kids dont mind it that much. I think it tells you stats like how fast they are going, etc, but it's great for her to be able to look at a map and see where everyone is. It saves us from having her calll all the time to ask "where are you" and its very helpful for when my daughter calls and says "Im lost" (which happens a lot). Its also great for her to see where her Dad is and to avoid calling him when he's in the car (he's a terrible driver). Much more valueable than a dash-cam, IMO, which only gives you info after-the-fact. Unless, of course, you're whole reason of wanting it is to prove fault in an accident (which seems weird to me).
Click to expand...
#redflags

 
As the parent of 2 young drivers (17 and 20), it kind of sucks sending them out there on their own but couldn't quite imagine trying to manage something like this and/or that you would get a lot of useful info from it. 

 
In most cases you can tell from the damage of the accident who is at fault and what happened to a high degree.  If the sole reason you want the dash cam is to have evidence of an accident you need a full 360 degree view of everything going on including speed of vehicle etc. 

If the point is to monitor your kid at some point you have to trust them to do what they have been taught and to be a good human.  If you can't do that then they shouldn't be driving  your car.  Too much oversight usually leads to bad things.  You gotta let kids learn some things on their own.  It's part of growing up.  Help them as much as possible but then let them experience things. 

 
Again, point is not to monitor my kid, who is actually a pretty steady driver and dependable kid. 

Point is to get a dash cam for the car.

So...anyone have a good suggestion?

 
i think its a good idea for a young driver i could see an accident where it is not there fault and someone tries to play the old they are just a new driver angle and then when they do that and demand a hundred bucks you can show them the tape and then the shoe goes right on the other foot so i salute you old stompy and wish you the best take that to the bank bromigo

 
Stompin' Tom Connors said:
Again, point is not to monitor my kid, who is actually a pretty steady driver and dependable kid. 

Point is to get a dash cam for the car.

So...anyone have a good suggestion?
Click to expand...
But if the reason is to get footage of any accident you will need something with 360 degree coverage that also tracks speed etc for it to really get what you want.  Is that trouble worth it when in most traffic accidents you can tell from the damage and situation who is at fault? 

My wife was in an accident on vacation a few weeks ago.  The other driver had a heart attack while driving and collided head on into her.  Based on the vehicle positions, type of damage etc the police were able to determine it was not her fault and what had happened.  No video evidence was needed.

A couple weeks ago a  co-worker was in a parking lot of a shopping center.  The other driver pulled into the spot next to him as his door was open.  The other driver tried to say it was my co-worker's fault and went after him.  Based on the damage to the two cars the investigators were able to determine that the car door was already open and that the driver pulling in the spot was at fault and going to fast. 

More often than not the damage will dictate who is at fault.  I am just not sure a dash cam will help in very many instances and is more trouble than it is worth.

 
Might be a better investment to just get some liability coverage if you haven't done so already and rest assured knowing that you're financially you're protected.   

 
There are surely times where a dash cam isn't needed given that a police or insurance investigator report may suffice.

Just as there are surely times where these situations don't apply or are as cleanly provable. And times where I would absolutely want tangible evidence to ensure I am not simply trusting an insurance investigator to get it all right after the fact.

@Gally, sure a 360 camera would be ideal, but likely not necessary. I am super glad your wife is OK, and glad in both use cases you provided, glad both the police and insurance came to the right conclusion. But that's no guarantee -- I don't buy that simply trusting the damage or the reports suffice as there are so many use cases where it likely wouldn't. And seems that a dash cam, while no guarantee in and of itself, can certainly cut down that risk by taking some uncertainty out of the equation.

Are dash cams worth it? I don't know -- kinda the point of the thread, investigating what's out there. There are certainly pros in terms of back-up in evidence in case of an incident that's not my family's fault, potentially cutting down insurance premiums, etc. If there is a cheaper, reliable system that is user friendly that makes sense and people have had good experiences with, it may very well be worthwhile.

 
My buddy has one he loves. It wasn’t cheap but is cool. Not sure what kind.. I’ll try to remember 

 
I only have a simple front mounted cam. I'd like to upgrade to front and rear at some point but I'm hesitant to run a bunch of wiring all over the place and have to tear up the car interior. I got something for about 40 bucks that had good ratings and simple features. It's HD, has the impact sensor, loops over old footage, and locks clips when it detects a collision occurred.

YMMV. It seems like you have additional desired features. The GPS aspect wasn't important to me, nor the Wi-Fi. I don't know what I'd get out of those. I just wanted something to capture what happens in front of me in case someone cuts me off, runs a red, etc.

One piece of advice I can give without hesitation is DO NOT mount on windows. Those suction cup systems are junk and the camera will fall off repeatedly. I'm not sure how well mounting it directly on the dash works, but I imagine it's some kind of double sided 3M tape. I went with a kit that mounts the camera directly on the rear view mirror and while it does require the occasional minor adjustment it works well for me. If you do get a system that mounts on the window then make sure it's compatible with an alternate mounting kit.

 
-arcK- said:
I only have a simple front mounted cam. I'd like to upgrade to front and rear at some point but I'm hesitant to run a bunch of wiring all over the place and have to tear up the car interior. I got something for about 40 bucks that had good ratings and simple features. It's HD, has the impact sensor, loops over old footage, and locks clips when it detects a collision occurred.

YMMV. It seems like you have additional desired features. The GPS aspect wasn't important to me, nor the Wi-Fi. I don't know what I'd get out of those. I just wanted something to capture what happens in front of me in case someone cuts me off, runs a red, etc.

One piece of advice I can give without hesitation is DO NOT mount on windows. Those suction cup systems are junk and the camera will fall off repeatedly. I'm not sure how well mounting it directly on the dash works, but I imagine it's some kind of double sided 3M tape. I went with a kit that mounts the camera directly on the rear view mirror and while it does require the occasional minor adjustment it works well for me. If you do get a system that mounts on the window then make sure it's compatible with an alternate mounting kit.
Click to expand...
What brand do you have?

 
Stompin' Tom Connors said:
What brand do you have?
Click to expand...
I currently have a NexGadget. It was cheap and had decent reviews at the time, although the average score has dropped since then.

This front/rear system is the one I've been considering lately. It's HD and 170 degrees on both ends, fits on the mirror, has a low-light Sony sensor for added clarity, and comes with a starter SD memory card. It doesn't have GPS, though. There are some similar models that do, although some people who already have reverse cameras don't like the mirror-mount versions.

 
Reddit has a huge user group of these things and keeps it up to date with latest tech.  Start at r/dashcams sidebar. 

 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Senor Schmutzig
What kind of lawyer do I need?
Replies
15
Views
482
fatness
fatness
glvsav37
e bikes
2
Replies
68
Views
814
Major
Major
Ramsay Hunt Experience
RHE's Top 30 Cocktails Thread (40% less thorough than Eephus, but 80% more pretentious)!
Replies
39
Views
986
Frostillicus
Frostillicus

Users who are viewing this thread

Total: 1 (members: 0, guests: 1)
Back
Top