So I'm getting a dash cam.......

[OLS]

You know who you are.....

Like me, you see things daily on the road that curl your hair. But you are a defensive driver,
you know how to stay out of trouble. But what if you are like me, living in a city full of people who
might have studied the driver's manual for a test, but now its every body for themselves?
The light turned red?? Tough, I have to get to the store to pick up a lotto. You gonna wait fo ME
to cross through the intersection, THEN you can go. Yeah, I know you have a green light, tough 5hi+."
Waiting at the light on my lunch break, 3 cars streamed through, in no particular hurry, after my light
turned GREEN. Three is more than usual, sure, but I see this multiple times a day, and I have seen
as many as 5-6 cars go through. And usually, they are on their F&%$#ng phones.

We had a technician get sideswiped Monday in his company truck, I mean clear down the side from
front to back. He said he saw the lady cross two lanes of traffic to sideswipe him in the far third lane.
When the cop shows up, he says he doesn't find the tech's story plausible, that someone could
cross over that far to hit him. Which is cop speak for "I obviously ignore the horrors I see every
single day on the road here in Memphis, and am here to give you 5hi+ even though you are
probably gonna get fired by your tryant lizard boss, Opie."

If the people in this city don't get out holding their necks, then they start up with the BS as soon
as the cop shows up. And since no one really thinks to stop and serve as a witness, [and who could
blame them], its always he said, she said in this world of gotta get my wreck check that TV has
created. If racial bias creeps into it, you are even more screwed.

SO I picked up a dash cam Monday, and it'll be in next week. It is a shame that the sense of shared
responsibility for common decency for all is gone, and that I have to spend $150 on a dash cam so that
when the cop strolls over to me with her side of the story, I can say, "I have it all on tape, you know,
just in case she wants to change her story to the truth".

I suggest you get one, too.

[OLS]

I got mine at B&H, which now shows it discontinued, but you can get it here for the same price....

I think the GoPro is a bit high for what I want it to do. This WingmanHD cost me half as much and
does what I need done. Kinda messed up though....Mine comes with about 5 mounts, a waterproof
housing and all kinds of power options, and this item at Amazingon seems to go out of it's way not
to show or list any accessories. Try Adorhama, I guess, too.

Oops, the Amazinon product ships from Ado-rhama, so it's the same deal....but buy at Ado for free shipping.

[bobarian]

Sorry Brad but your cam footage cannot be admitted as evidence in most cases. If you are in the accident it may or may not be useful. Dash cams are ok for posting up the idiots on a website but not as evidence in court.
You can check with your local District Attorney and ask if this applies to your jurisdiction.

[OLS]

Interesting. However, in this case, 'evidence' for me is when the cop walks over to me
and says "Irma says you hit HER, YOU say she came into your lane and hit YOU."
I pop the camera out, show him the footage, and he knows how to write the ticket.
COURT should never enter into my own 'plan' here. If it gets to court, then the I will
worry about that then. What I am trying to do is avoid out and out lying at the scene
of an accident. Most of the people who are lying to cops are doing so because they
have assumed that it is my their word against the other motorist. Footage with a time
stamp on it, in my opinion, a cop is gonna want to see that. This camera has a LCD
screen right on the back. That is only my opinion, obviously, but I think they would be
curious. Only time will tell.

[mhailey]

Originally Posted by bobarian

Sorry Brad but your cam footage cannot be admitted as evidence in most cases. If you are in the accident it may or may not be useful. Dash cams are ok for posting up the idiots on a website but not as evidence in court.
You can check with your local District Attorney and ask if this applies to your jurisdiction.

Interesting? Under what argument is it not admissible?

Also: reason to get dashcam

[bobarian]

In some states like Florida you cant videotape another person without their consent. As I said, its best to consult the local authorities on the do's and dont's.

[mhailey]

Interesting. I wonder what private investigators do in Florida.

For dashcam footage I think you could probably get around that issue by arguing that you are not videotaping "that specific person" but the general area around your car. You would not need consent of a person to video tape the direction of travel of your car, because you are not singling out that person. However, I'm not a Florida lawyer so I can't say with specificity.

In Colorado, so long as the person is in public view, you can video until your heart's content. NO AUDIO, but video is fine.

Sorry for the hijack. We now return to your regularly scheduled thread.

Originally Posted by bobarian

In some states like Florida you cant videotape another person without their consent. As I said, its best to consult the local authorities on the do's and dont's.

What about public places? Who expects any reasonable amount of privacy in public?

This video is great, skip to 7 min. Florida cop dash video cam. Tropper pulls over a city cop.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jFY0GqN0AeQ

[hammondc]

Originally Posted by ChicagoWhiteSox

This video is great, skip to 7 min. Florida cop dash video cam. Tropper pulls over a city cop.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jFY0GqN0AeQ

HOLY CRAP!! THAT was awesome.

[Blueface]

Video taping in FL is indeed an issue, unless there is law enforcement involvement such as when in my business, we are doing surveilance for criminal activity.
However, taping someone on your property for home video protection is fine.

I thought of getting one of these cams a while ago but not until it is allowed and can be relied on as evidence. I think it is a must nowadays if your state allows it.
You can also take it abroad, such as in Europe, where I believe the only country that doesn't allow it is Austria.

[shark]

Originally Posted by ChicagoWhiteSox

What about public places? Who expects any reasonable amount of privacy in public?

This video is great, skip to 7 min. Florida cop dash video cam. Tropper pulls over a city cop.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jFY0GqN0AeQ

IMO he should catch a felony fleeing charge just like anyone else.