Does anyone use a dash cam?

Personally I don’t, but would think about it if I lived in a more metropolitan area or one with high crime. Video is always good for accidents. It’s just like insurance - how comfortable are you with your level of coverage?

 

I have one and have had one last 3-4 years in whatever car I'm driving. Only needed it once thus far, someone rear-ended the person 2 cars in front of me, two sketchy looking guys trying to say she backed into them on the off-ramp. I got her contact info and sent the video, she sent me a thank you a week later, made her life easier....

 

I have one in each of my two prius.

Front and Rear.
Takes some time to install. I did just install it in my new prime and did it under an hour, maybe 30-45 min.

I just got 2 of the el cheapo from amazon, about $50 or so. They both are still working after 2.5 years
I put the front in the top left of windshield, both barely come down past the visor bottom.

From time to time I watch a lot of idiot driver videos on YT and a lot of them are hit and run....psssht

 

My son-in-law drive Ubber part-time and has had one for years. I just asked him what brand he has and he said it's called Z-Edge and takes videos of the front and back and he really likes it. He's given videos to the police, a couple of times, of accidents he's witnessed as well as red-light runners. I don't know what model but he said it videos out the front, rear, and even inside to his passengers which was useful when he had a couple of drunks throw up inside his vehicle so he sent them the clean up bill (a couple hundred dollars)....which they paid when he said he has them on video.

 

We put one in ours. It is mounted on the windshield in front of the rearview mirror, so it is 99% invisible to the driver. I hardwired it to the power lines in the TSS safety pod already in that area, so we don't have a bunch of loose wire in the cabin and the accessory socket remains available for other stuff.

You should be aware that a dashcam to cover driving mishaps is fairly distinct from one which is also able to record while parked for burglary coverage. You need more parts and a more sophisticated installation for the latter, because the camera needs battery power to operate while parked, and you (generally) do not want that to be the same battery that starts the car, to avoid being stranded with a dead battery.

 

Real interesting custom fit dash cam discussed in this link. I may bite on this one.

 

I wholeheartedly agree that every car should have cameras. The cost of a camera is much less than the cost to fight a claim.

I have one in both of my cars. The one in my Prius is mounted just like Leadfoot's. I can't even see it unless I lean over.

In fact, I've also mounted a radar detector right next to it, and I also can barely see the edge of it because of the rearview mirror.

 

just to add: details on my dashcam installation in this thread.

 

Dash cams can be integrated to different levels.
The most basic connection is a dangling cord plugged into a cigarette lighter.
Some have a very long cable which lets you push it into the gap between the car and liner. You then follow the liner, down the door, around the footwell and then to the plug.

As mentioned by others above, a hardwired dash cam uses other power connections, typically underneath the liner, or possibly even in the engine compartment (that can be much more involved).

It may take some time, but I do believe as cars become more autonomous, the dash cam capability will be built into more and more cars.

 

Have used a camera in my cars for years. GoPro 4 with suction cup windshield mount really easy to takeout and put in another car.
Cheap camera great picture.

Nothing in your life exposes you to more danger and financial loss then driving a car.

 

PIcs of this cam which seems to tick all the boxes: easy install, full featured, phone APP accessible, OEM appearance, etc. etc.

 

About eight or ten years ago I was involved in a traffic accident where the other person ran a red light. I was lucky enough to get it properly documented and their insurance fixed my old 2004 Prius. But I realized how close I had come to a “they said, I said” situation where the responsibility would have been split. First thing I did when I got my Prius back from the body shop was to install a dash cam so I would always have an impartial witness with me when I was driving.

That dash cam died a couple years later and I got my current Viofo a119s v2 installed in the car. Unfortunately, the 2004 Prius died when a truck backed into it (I have the video if you like). So I got my current 2017 Prius Prime and moved the old dash cam into it where it still is today. Short version the story: Without a dash cam I feel like I am driving very exposed.

The 2004 dash was trivial to open up and put in hardwired power to the dash cam. When I got the 2017 Prime it was new enough that I could not find information about how to open up the dash. So I ended up snaking the power wire around the passenger door seal, behind the glove box, along side the center console, and finally plugging it into the rear seat 12v accessory plug. You have to look very hard to see the wire so while not as neat as on the old 2004 hard wired setup it is neat enough.

Check your local state laws regarding recording voice. Your dash cam records video of a public space (things outside the car) which is legal in all US states. But usually will record the sound inside the car. Some states require that everyone agree to being recorded, others that only one party of the conversation has to know and agree. If you live or drive in a state that requires all parties to agree to being recorded decide what you want to do. Your options usually include: Disabling sound, posting a notice on your dash, remembering to ask/tell any passengers you have, etc. Or just ignore the law until time that you may want to submit a video to your insurance company, etc. then decide what to do (easy to strip sound from a video).