Automotive

Should you tell people you have a dash cam in case of accident?

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  • Aug 24th, 2015 6:30 pm
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Newbie
Jul 14, 2015
79 posts
6 upvotes
Toronto

Should you tell people you have a dash cam in case of accident?

What's the best thing to do?

Especially with those trying to pull an insurance scam or those behaving like it was your fault. Should you tell them you have a camera or wait till they file a police report and blame you then you show the police the video? Would they get charged for lying to law enforcement?

Today (in Toronto of course :lol :) , a guy tried to pull one of these today. He switched lanes by suddenly swerving to the right in heavy but flowing traffic while braking and then he looked at me and laughed when I passed by him. I didn't honk or anything. No need to give these losers what they're looking for.

I could smell he was trying to pull a rear end scam. I wanted to point at my dash cam and smile back. That would have been funny. But I just left him to fend on his own misery.
21 replies
Deal Guru
Jun 11, 2005
13892 posts
3539 upvotes
Toronto
I wait until the officer takes my statement. If no officer is present, I would show it to the officer at the collision center and then to the adjuster for my insurance company. I wouldn't reveal it to the other party. I want to keep the element of surprise.
Newbie
Jul 14, 2015
79 posts
6 upvotes
Toronto
trixstar wrote: I wait until the officer takes my statement. If no officer is present, I would show it to the officer at the collision center and then to the adjuster for my insurance company. I wouldn't reveal it to the other party. I want to keep the element of surprise.
lol, totally awesome.
Act distraught and upset as well :lol:
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User avatar
Nov 9, 2008
4465 posts
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Toronto
xcpp95 wrote: What's the best thing to do?

Especially with those trying to pull an insurance scam or those behaving like it was your fault. Should you tell them you have a camera or wait till they file a police report and blame you then you show the police the video? Would they get charged for lying to law enforcement?

Today (in Toronto of course :lol :) , a guy tried to pull one of these today. He switched lanes by suddenly swerving to the right in heavy but flowing traffic while braking and then he looked at me and laughed when I passed by him. I didn't honk or anything. No need to give these losers what they're looking for.

I could smell he was trying to pull a rear end scam. I wanted to point at my dash cam and smile back. That would have been funny. But I just left him to fend on his own misery.
Let me take a guess... he resembled Ragu?
Buy Bell, and you go to HELL! :-0
Newbie
Jul 14, 2015
79 posts
6 upvotes
Toronto
Nook wrote: Let me take a guess... he resembled Ragu?
I would have been called racist if I said that..... :lol:
Deal Addict
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Nov 28, 2007
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Whitehorse, YT
xcpp95 wrote:
Should you tell them you have a camera or wait till they file a police report and blame you then you show the police the video? Would they get charged for lying to law enforcement?
I would hold back mentioning the video evidence to give the other party the opportunity to lie ... and later turn over a copy. That way, when she is caught lying she loses some credibility with the police, insurance adjusters and the court if it comes to that.
Deal Expert
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Jan 27, 2006
19790 posts
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Woodbridge
I wouldn't either.

Can't the other driver also get more in trouble if they are caught making false statements?
"I'll put up color bars before I'll put you in front of our cameras."

- MacKenzie
THE NEWSROOM (HBO)
Member
Jun 3, 2013
381 posts
93 upvotes
100%. If they lied about details of the accident and you prove it. The case is pretty much over for them.

I'm not sure - but are there any legal issues with driving around with a dash cam?

Marzipan wrote: I would hold back mentioning the video evidence to give the other party the opportunity to lie ... and later turn over a copy. That way, when she is caught lying she loses some credibility with the police, insurance adjusters and the court if it comes to that.
Newbie
Jul 14, 2015
79 posts
6 upvotes
Toronto
OK here's the catch:

What if you thought your camera was recording but for some reason it either wasn't recording that day from malfunction or it was somehow unplugged but you did not know this?
Then what?

I would probably bluff and tell them I have a dash cam and it recorded everything then but it would suck if you had no idea and went to upload the video to show to the police/insurance and there's nothing there. So maybe in the end it may be better to always let them know you have a camera so everything works out in your favour? Sure they won't be caught in a lie but at least you're safe.

Also for the neighbourhood kids who play around your car, would you somehow let them see or know you have a camera?
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Nov 4, 2008
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Scarbs
I do footage checks on the first of every month, swap out SD cards every year and plan on changing dashcams every five years. Averages out to about $20 per car, per year.

It's no guarantee that it won't fail in between, but it should minimize that risk.
When given enough time, all threads on RFD can and will go off on a tangent.
Deal Expert
Mar 25, 2005
22705 posts
3696 upvotes
xcpp95 wrote: What's the best thing to do?

Especially with those trying to pull an insurance scam or those behaving like it was your fault. Should you tell them you have a camera or wait till they file a police report and blame you then you show the police the video? Would they get charged for lying to law enforcement?

Today (in Toronto of course :lol :) , a guy tried to pull one of these today. He switched lanes by suddenly swerving to the right in heavy but flowing traffic while braking and then he looked at me and laughed when I passed by him. I didn't honk or anything. No need to give these losers what they're looking for.

I could smell he was trying to pull a rear end scam. I wanted to point at my dash cam and smile back. That would have been funny. But I just left him to fend on his own misery.
First priority is to avoid self incrimination. If the footage shows you at fault, do not disclose it. If the case is 50/50 and your footage can resolve an easily answered question on scene, it may be worth showing it to the officer. If the other party is lying and you can rebut their statement with the footage, let the other party make their statement and lock the record, then either disclose on the scene or in court (if you are charged) as necessary.
Newbie
Jul 14, 2015
79 posts
6 upvotes
Toronto
aeba7 wrote: I do footage checks on the first of every month, swap out SD cards every year and plan on changing dashcams every five years. Averages out to about $20 per car, per year.

It's no guarantee that it won't fail in between, but it should minimize that risk.
I bought a G1W temporarily until I can find a cam that suits me. It has been failing lately. Not recording daily footage. Not sure what's going on.
Which cam do you use?
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Nov 4, 2008
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xcpp95 wrote: I bought a G1W temporarily until I can find a cam that suits me. It has been failing lately. Not recording daily footage. Not sure what's going on.
Which cam do you use?
Oddly enough, that's the one I've been using for the last two years.
When given enough time, all threads on RFD can and will go off on a tangent.
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Jul 17, 2008
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trixstar wrote: I wait until the officer takes my statement. If no officer is present, I would show it to the officer at the collision center and then to the adjuster for my insurance company. I wouldn't reveal it to the other party. I want to keep the element of surprise.
This. I would also review the footage to make sure and recollect exactly what happened. Maybe I did ***** up, or I missed an element. Then I can use the video to do a proper declaration and decide if I wish to use the video or not as evidence.
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Jul 17, 2008
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xcpp95 wrote: I bought a G1W temporarily until I can find a cam that suits me. It has been failing lately. Not recording daily footage. Not sure what's going on.
Which cam do you use?
Been using the G1W-C version and works fine. Only problem is the pivot is very loose and it wobbles around. They didn't design it with enough friction. Not a big deal as it still points forward but most of the time it's crooked after a few session of travel and I have to manually center it. Luckily it has a screen.
Newbie
Jul 14, 2015
79 posts
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Toronto
Messerschmitt wrote: Been using the G1W-C version and works fine. Only problem is the pivot is very loose and it wobbles around. They didn't design it with enough friction. Not a big deal as it still points forward but most of the time it's crooked after a few session of travel and I have to manually center it. Luckily it has a screen.
Yeah I liked it until it stopped recording regular footage. I wonder if the settings were played around with. Do you have to clear the SD card every week? The last time I wanted to check my dash footage, it had all the previous days but not the current day. It did that 2 times.
Deal Addict
Dec 24, 2012
1116 posts
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never mention you have a dashcam to other party..
there are some nutcases who will try to steal camera or bully you etc.
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Jul 17, 2008
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xcpp95 wrote: Yeah I liked it until it stopped recording regular footage. I wonder if the settings were played around with. Do you have to clear the SD card every week? The last time I wanted to check my dash footage, it had all the previous days but not the current day. It did that 2 times.
Nope, didn't had to. I know a few times I had to format it but that's because I screwed around with it on PC. Just format your SD card, but make sure you format it within the G1 camera. Don't format it on your PC.
Member
Oct 14, 2007
373 posts
47 upvotes
xcpp95 wrote: I bought a G1W temporarily until I can find a cam that suits me. It has been failing lately. Not recording daily footage. Not sure what's going on.
Which cam do you use?
There are many G1W's. I have one version. Wasn't recording properly (noticed the red record light wasn't coming on). I formatted the memory card and it's been working flawlessly every since.
Deal Addict
Oct 30, 2006
2467 posts
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GTA
I've been thinking about getting one for each of our vehicles, but have not done a lot to research. Does anyone know of a model that records and then could connect to your home wi-fi to download the footage when you park on the driveway? I would like an automated setup if possible and not crazy expensive.

Thanks.

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