Time to get a dash cam - best dash cam suggestions?

[NCW_Robert]

I have decided to get a dash cam, anyone on here have one or can recommend one?

Here is my situation and what I want to do, I have a 2006 Toyota Tacoma long bed double cab with a camper shell.

Due to the camper shell & over all length it is hard to see behind me, camper shell is in the way.

So I figure I will get one of the dash cams that replaces your mirror and can accept 2 cams and switch between them. This way I can get a better view out back, like a backup cam but always on, plus have the front and rear cam recording.

I have not got into any situations yet where the dash cam was needed but have witnessed some stuff I wished I had been recording. Short time ago I saw a local link bus blow through a red light while going pretty fast like the driver was thinking, if I just speed up I can make that light... This is stupid behavior and triple stupid when you are driving a public transit bus.

That retard would no longer be a bus driver if I had a dash cam as he entered that intersection hauling arse just after it turned red and made a left turn. No excuses on that one, if another car had entered the intersection and not saw that bus coming it could have been bad. I was coming the other way and if I had a dash cam it would have had a perfect view of the entire thing as the bus entered opposite from me and swept across in front of me as he made the left turn on the red light.

I decided not to try and report him as it would have just been my word against his etc. If I had that dash cam I would have simply uploaded the video to youtube and then sent a link to the link bus people and to the local paper.

Not much worry of this in Wenatchee where I live but I have heard of situations where road rage type incidents have happened and then the road rage driver ends up reporting the victim driver as the aggressor or if a gun was involved as in, the road rage drive was harassing you and you finally had enough and felt you where justified in brandishing your fire arm at him, he reports you and lies about the incident saying you where the aggressor and pointed a weapon at him for no reason.

What would happen then? Well, a dash cam would have got you out of that one easily, specially if it has the rear facing cam also.

Such an incident could be done purposely by anti gun people who may find out you are a concealed carry permit holder. These people are upping the anti gun tactics into terrorist levels and we need to protect ourselves from this type thing if it were to happen.

Here is a link to a dash cam that would meet my needs.

Android WiFi Dual Lens 5" HD 1080P Car DVR GPS Navi Rearview Mirror Dash Camera | eBay

I'll look around for a while and if I don't find one I like better I'll probably try this one I linked to.

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[IronMonster]

I bought one of the best rated ones off Amazon, it lasted like three weeks and died and I've never replaced it.

I'll follow along in the hopes you get some good recommendations and maybe it's time to revisit it

 

[MilitantBEEMER]

I went with a Thinkware F50 a couple of months ago when on sale at Best Buy. Standard 1080P dash cam as my car already has backup cam. I like the fact that I could add the GPS module that also gives Red Light and Speed Camera warnings. Worked out real well with my recent tour de California. I also like the parking mode that is motion activated.
The unit you listed looks pretty good for its intended purpose. LEt us know what you think if you end up with it.

By the wa I hard wired mine and it is on 24/7. It knows when you shut off the vehicle and automatically goes into parking mode. In addition to the F50, I purchased the harwired kit, GPS kit and a 64GB SD card. All in around $150. It works perfectly and has given me no issues. The only frustrating thing is the software to view. Works easily on my MAC but slow and sluggish on my PC.

 

[308]

I have this one
VIOFO A119 | DashCamTalk

 

[Camelfilter]

...errr brandishing a firearm in a road rage incident? Lost me there. Just don't rage. Go the exact speed of flow, pull over a lane or slow down to let them pass.

There is no brandishing, weapon gets pulled its to end a threat. No threat, no weapon gets pulled.

Can't really imagine any threat (unless it's a zombie apocalypse) to draw in a moving vehicle.

 

[uscsoldier]

I highly suggest one of these, I put one in my vehicle my wife's car and my daughter's vehicle. Front and rear cameras are a must. The parking mode on this one is awesome, we've used it for an insurance claim on both my wife's and daughters vehicle when somebody hit their cars in the parking lot I didn't bother to stick around. In both cases we were able to capture the license plate info and after viewing the footage their insurances paid up. After playing with this one for a couple months my brother my sister several of my friends have all got one of these as well. Lots of other features that I let you read up on. The 128 GB memory card reading capability is also quite nice. I haven't played with the Wi-Fi app.
Amazon.com: BlackSys CH-100B 2 Channel 1080P FULL HD Front and Rear Pro Wide Angle Dashboard Recorder | Dash Cam With G-Sensor + Up to 128gb Memory | Car Parking Mode | Wifi App: Car Electronics

 

[clearconscience]

Why not just get a go pro and use it for all your adventures

 

[CoastRange57]

I have some obscure ones I bought off Amazon two years ago. Both are doing fine. I think they were $ 32 each. If they croak , I will just buy a new one.

On more extended trips I mount up the GoPro and leave it in idle, kick it on when people do stupid passing or something. At 1080, you only get about 2 hours recording on the battery. But the video is good.

 

[Osarion]

, the road rage drive was harassing you and you finally had enough and felt you where justified in brandishing your fire arm at him

...Think we need to talk about this.

 

[Ramjet12]

I have the Costco Cobra dash cam. Not my video but a sample of the video it takes.

 

[Lazyfaire]

I have the Costco Cobra dash cam. Not my video but a sample of the video it takes.

I like the quality of this one, and Costco will take it back if you have issues.
Many dash cams are made in China and the installation and use/downloading instructions are difficult to follow. Probably best to purchase it after you can hold it in your hand and look at the instructions.
GPS is a double edged sword. Yes it will mark you location and speed , but if you use the file in court the opposition could use any of you previous information to show that you had sped before and possibly driven dangerously.
You can buy cams that have remote units for the back window, just have to look a little harder.
Make sure the front cam can swivel so that you can film road ragers and even police stops.
And remember that they record audio and the your choice of music.

 

[Member 34319]

If you have a Garmin GPS you can buy their back up camera. Links right into your GPS.

I've been looking at getting their dash cam next. They have ones full of chill features.

 

[2gr8dgs]

I bought a cheap one off eBay for about $17. It had a bad memory card so I'm into it for $30. It does exactly what I need it to do.

 

[CoastRange57]

That retard would no longer be a bus driver if I had a dash cam as he entered that intersection hauling arse just after it turned red and made a left turn. No excuses on that one, if another car had entered the intersection and not saw that bus coming it could have been bad. I was coming the other way and if I had a dash cam it would have had a perfect view of the entire thing as the bus entered opposite from me and swept across in front of me as he made the left turn on the red light.

I decided not to try and report him as it would have just been my word against his etc. If I had that dash cam I would have simply uploaded the video to youtube and then sent a link to the link bus people and to the local paper.

His union will protect him from any action, and in reality the agency could care less about your video. I tried that a couple of times and was given the wave off and don't bother us with that. After he wipes out a mini van full of kids will they care.

I have heard of situations where road rage type incidents have happened and then the road rage driver ends up reporting the victim driver as the aggressor or if a gun was involved as in, the road rage drive was harassing you and you finally had enough and felt you where justified in brandishing your fire arm at him, he reports you and lies about the incident saying you where the aggressor and pointed a weapon at him for no reason.

Kiss your CCW permit goodbye in this case, and you might even pickup a felony menacing beef too. Go ahead and review the Michael Strickland case and see how that situation turned out for him. When you have the chance to flee the scene that is exactly what you do. After the guy breaks your window to get at you you are probably good at that point but at no time up until are you walking way from that one.

 

[NCW_Robert]

...errr brandishing a firearm in a road rage incident? Lost me there. Just don't rage. Go the exact speed of flow, pull over a lane or slow down to let them pass.

There is no brandishing, weapon gets pulled its to end a threat. No threat, no weapon gets pulled.

Can't really imagine any threat (unless it's a zombie apocalypse) to draw in a moving vehicle.

Well that is just it, some times you maybe cant imagine it but it could happen, under many circumstances.

Here is one that happened to me personally when I was 17 yrs old.

Went for a trip to visit family, driving from CA to Tennessee. about half way there we were driving about 11 pm at night and for some reason 2 big rigs decided to start messing with us. No problem right, full throttle hammer down in my moms old Buick, but all she would do was about 95 mph and one of those trucks was able to catch us on a long downhill stretch driving wild like it was going to dump us off the road. You were not there, but we were all scared shi-tless. Truck pulls up beside us at 90+ and I roll down the window and took out an old high standard 9 shot .22 revolver and pointed it right at his front tire. Only took a second for him to see it, realize it was a gun, he slammed on his brakes and took the next turn off.

Was that justified? This incident lasted over a period of 30 plus miles and 30 minutes, my mom was driving not me and she was scared out of her mind and could barely control the car... at that point I did what I did, I did not point the gun at him up in the cab and I did not fire, I used restraint but did brandish a gun. Could of been in big trouble for that had the trucker used his CB to call a highway patrol etc but he would not have exactly been mr. innocent in that situation, non the less we were really scared over the next few hundred miles that he or his friends would show up and go after us again.

Right or wrong?, that lil .22 ended that confrontation right there instantly. Would I do it again? Not if I could help it but if some A-hole decided to go after me and my family and he decided he was going to start making car to car contact, yes I would probably pull and draw down on him, but only as a last resort. I'm not a cowboy looking for trouble and I would not draw a weapon as my first option, only in a last resort situation, but yes I would if I had to. If some a-hole decided to use his car as a weapon, then yes It might be justified.

I am not some pu-sy behind the wheel, I race cars and no how to drive and I know how to spin out another car if It comes to that, but some times, just as you can be badly out gunned, the other guy can have a rig big enough your little Subaru is not going to be able to spin him or out run him due to traffic constraints.

gun = last resort, but yes it will remain an option of last resort.

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[NCW_Robert]

...Think we need to talk about this.

I'm talking about a last resort situation, not after a few moments and you just pull gun because you can, or you feel like a bad-arse etc.

I don't drive crazy and I don't do things that will piss other drivers off, mostly because I have pissed other drivers off in the past and I learn from my stupidity and miss guided youth.

I was driving in LA freeway traffic once and passed a guy and took an exit, I did not do it in a way that would piss off any normal person but this guy takes the same exit pulls up behind me and jumps out and grabs my door handle and tries to open the door, I see him at the last possible second and lock the door just as he grabs and yanks on it while screaming at me through the glass with mad crazy look on his face like a tweeker going crazy for no reason.

He pulls back and draws his foot up like he is going to kick in my door, at that second traffic opens up and I was able to jet away. This tweeker crazy idiot follows me but he is in a ford pinto and I was in a pickup and was able to lose him.

You meet the nicest people in LA....

Just don't tell me a gun would never ever be justified in being pulled, It could happen and very well could be justified, only in a last resort situation but could be justified.

If I was in a situation where I could not have drove away from that tweeker and he could not get my car open and he was able to find a brick or piece of cement beside the road and here he comes with intent to bash my window and get at me, if it were you and you had a gun what would you do at that moment? Would you only pull your gun "after" he bashed out your window? or as he was about to bash out your window?

Thankfully I was able to drive away from this situation as was not trapped but what if?

What if.... this dude calls cops and reports you brandishing gun at him? Cops stop you and all hell breaks lose, tweeker, now acting like mr. nice guy calm cool and collected, claims he was just trying to tell you your tail light was out and you pull gun "for no reason" now it is your word against his....

Just as in any self defense situation, you pull your weapon only if you have to and in that situation a dash cam can back up your version of things about why you felt justified.

Gun = last possible resort, but remains an option, only as last resort.

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[Alexx1401]

As with safes it's all in how much do you want to spend. We have been using them for over a decade. Started with the same one I use as a body cam for walking the dogs by Muvi. they are a lower end GoPro kind of thing. Still run around a C note. As this became a more common item we bought cheaper ones for the cars. The vehicles all have ones from Amazon now that are in the $30-40 range. They seem to last years, When one dies I have another ready to go. I recently got one of the rear view mirror ones. Family member bought off infomercial. Problem is his car has all kinds of fancy stuff on the mirror so this defeats that. Wife bought them a basic one like we use and set it up for them. They love it. As long as the lighter socket is only live with ignition it goes on and off all on its own. I just put the mirror one in my car since it works fine there. The main thing about these is they are like a gun or a safe. Have something. It can save you a LOT of money one day. If someone does something stupid it's often very hard to prove who is telling the truth. If it's on camera, well it can make it very clear. Your insurance rates may thank you one day for having it.

 

[Alexx1401]

I bought one of the best rated ones off Amazon, it lasted like three weeks and died and I've never replaced it.

I'll follow along in the hopes you get some good recommendations and maybe it's time to revisit it

Best part of Amazon is they would replace that free and fast. Any time I buy stuff like that I set the package aside for a while. For just that reason. If it's soon dead you tell them. They let you print out a label to return. You can drop it at a mailing joint or in one of those lockers of theirs. They either have a new one on the way that day or put the money back from the card you paid with.

 

[NCW_Robert]

Best part of Amazon is they would replace that free and fast. Any time I buy stuff like that I set the package aside for a while. For just that reason. If it's soon dead you tell them. They let you print out a label to return. You can drop it at a mailing joint or in one of those lockers of theirs. They either have a new one on the way that day or put the money back from the card you paid with.

Yes amazon is great for this, seems a bit more $$ some times for same or similar stuff available else where though. If it is not much more then I'll buy from amazon specially if it is available with a prime deal.

Signed up for prime last yr due to free shipping and video, so far, meh on the video, not sure we are going to keep the prime membership but really do like the prime free super fast shipping.

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[Alexx1401]

Yes amazon is great for this, seems a bit more $$ some times for same or similar stuff available else where though. If it is not much more then I'll buy from amazon specially if it is available with a prime deal.

Signed up for prime last yr due to free shipping and video, so far, meh on the video, not sure we are going to keep the prime membership but really do like the prime free super fast shipping.

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We or I should say I, think the prime was the best thing since sliced bread. Wife uses it a lot too but still often wants to go to the store. Just so she can come home mad and tell me what idiots they were. That's because I have always HATED shopping. When I know what I want, I want to walk in and walk out. Now and then Wife will want to kick around at some store or outlet. That I like, if I'm not looking for something. I just hate knowing what I want, then either can't find it, or worse can't pay once I have it in hand. For years Amazon Prime is my first go to. A lot of stuff is free one day now. Often have realized I needed something and find it's available that same day if it's morning. If it's not over the $35 mark I find something else I know we will need and toss that in. Shows up in people with POV's. Guess they have some deal going with folks who want to make some extra cash doing this.