Foretravel Owners' Forum

Foretravel Motorhome Forums => Foretravel Discussions => Topic started by: Barry & Cindy on June 25, 2023, 12:13:17 pm

Title: Dash Cameras as eyewitnesses
Post by: Barry & Cindy on June 25, 2023, 12:13:17 pm
Dash Camera are more common in other countries and are getting more popular in the US.  They can support evidence from accidents, LEO speeding claims, or to just enjoy capturing the drive scenery.

We have made brackets to have drive cams facing front in our motorhome.  Separate cam for Jeep toad, and another facing rear for the Jeep.  Would rather buy a separate camera facing out the Jeep rear window than buy a dual cam setup that records both front & rear on the front cam's SD card.

Turning on Jeep rear facing cam while towing with motorhome gives rear coverage.

After trying another brand years ago, we prefer Viofo cameras.  Their latest is below.

Think of it as who is at fault insurance benefit and an accurate witness who could prove who crashed the traffic light.


Title: Re: Dash Cameras as eyewitnesses
Post by: craneman on June 25, 2023, 02:14:33 pm
Dash Camera are more common in other countries and are getting more popular in the US.  They can support evidence from accidents, LEO speeding claims, or to just enjoy capturing the drive scenery.

We have made brackets to have drive cams facing front in our motorhome.  Separate cam for Jeep toad, and another facing rear for the Jeep.  Would rather buy a separate camera facing out the Jeep rear window than buy a dual cam setup that records both front & rear on the front cam's SD card.

Turning on Jeep rear facing cam while towing with motorhome gives rear coverage.

After trying another brand years ago, we prefer Viofo cameras.  Their latest is below.

Think of it as who is at fault insurance benefit and an accurate witness who could prove who crashed the traffic light.
I have that camera but forgot to bring the memory card on our last trip. Now it is on the check list.
Title: Re: Dash Cameras as eyewitnesses
Post by: Journey, Roam, Explore on June 25, 2023, 02:53:45 pm
Someone bought me a dash cam for Christmas a couple years ago but I couldn't make it work very well in the coach. So I put it in the Jeep. It's the kind it also has a rear camera but I didn't install that I need to. It's a Chinese brand and can't really remember what it's called now. In the coach last year I put in one of the Garmin dash cams and it has both the front facing and rear facing camera. Since I drive alone and sometimes things go kaboom back there I thought the rear camera would help me kind of figure that out but so far it's been more of a hassle when driving to deal with that. I use it like you said for cheap insurance. To prove that if something does happen, I have a video record of it. Cheap insurance. I always think I'm going to go back to get a screenshot from welcome to Idaho or welcome to Washington signs but so far don't seem to do that.
Title: Re: Dash Cameras as eyewitnesses
Post by: folivier on June 25, 2023, 06:15:47 pm
While parked in a campground outside Denali my truck was parked in front of my FT. A caravan was pulling in and the leader was directing a 5th wheel into the spot across from me. The 5 wheel swung too wide and hit my truck in the rear corner. The guy pulling the 5th wheel looked at my 2010 truck and said he barely bumped me and only broke the taillight. Uh no, you literally pushed my truck over a foot! He started arguing with me and I said no problem and pointed to my dash cam. Sent the video to my insurance and the guy's insurance paid $1800 with no questions asked. They do work well.
Title: Re: Dash Cameras as eyewitnesses
Post by: Barry & Cindy on June 25, 2023, 08:36:51 pm
Leaving the motorhome front dash cam running when parked in a campsite can be informative.  Reviewing video will reveal what goes on 24/7 on the roadway in front.  Also documents kids running into us with their bikes.

We had evidence when we were touched by 5th wheel truck parking across from us in the dark.  This was on a narrow campground row in Campland on the Bay.

Feels like drive cams should be a necessity and maybe they will, similar to how backup cameras have become almost a requirement.

Separate from these drive cameras catching driving accidents, putting one on the inside of the window on the door will help guarantee someone trying to break in with a crowbar will go to a neighboring coach and leave us alone.  We always had some sort of camera on our door window, at first an old internet camera, then a spare drive cam.  Sometimes these worked and sometimes they just looked like they were recording, like when parked in storage with coach batteries disconnected.

Cheap security.

Title: Re: Dash Cameras as eyewitnesses
Post by: dsd on June 25, 2023, 08:39:53 pm
Quad Camera install (https://www.foreforums.com/index.php?topic=42234.0)
Quad camera. Turns on with the salesman switch so it recording front rear and side 24-7 with switch on and recording all positions. I like the idea for many reasons both security and collision. IR makes night vision good
Title: Re: Dash Cameras as eyewitnesses
Post by: Jason on June 27, 2023, 12:47:11 pm
I am a big fan of dash cams. Last fall, my oldest kid rear ended someone, totaled the ladies car. She had a dash cam that recorded the front and inside/rear, it caught it all. It was her fault. It showed that she was not on her phone/texting. A couple months ago she was notified that she was being sued for negligence/medical yadi yadi..... I submitted the videos of the accident and post where the lady was walking around just fine. I am unsure if it helped in this situation but it was settled out of court for a pittance of what they were hoping to get. It was a total money grab by her.

It could have been worse and that camera would have proven what happened. I have them in 3 of my vehicles, need to get one for the FT.