Dashcam S&F and do they get stolen?

[jkennedy01]

Hi All,

 

I've been looking into a dashcam for my Octy that should be here in a few weeks. The main reason being I park on a public road and don't want someone knocking my new car and driving off.

 

First off, can anyone reomend a camera that does front and rear, also I would quite like it fitted neatly so it can be removed when I return the car. I'm in Hampshire if anyone can recomend somewhere local.

 

Also, like satnavs, are they not at risk of being nicked? Anyone could smash the window and grab it, some of them are worth a few bob.

 

Thanks in advance.

 

[vee8essie]

yes they do get stolen they also record you speed my boss has one it also picks up signals from other items on the same frequency he can look into his neighbours garage and back yard as it picks up his neighbours cctv signal

[jkennedy01]

Cheers, seems they're a bit too much hassle for an unlikley event. I'm sure they'll be standard when I get my next motor anyway.

[skd12]

I've got a Mobius action cam wired up to record whenever I'm driving my Koleos. The base is attached to the screen with 3M tape so should be relatively easy to remove but if you have concerns then you can buy suction mounts for some cameras too.

I don't have any concerns about it being nicked as it's fitted to the sun shade area in front of the rear view mirror. You really have to look hard to notice it from outside.

I'm about to order an Octavia VRS so will be buying a better camera for the front and fitting the Mobius to the back.

 

They're worthwhile in my opinion with the growing number of crash-for-cash style scams and generally proving you're in the right. It's also a reminder to myself to drive safely - If you're the cause of an accident and the 3rd party/police spot the camera they may confiscate it as evidence of your wrongdoing.

 

Techmoan has loads of reviews of the cheaper end of the camera range.

Dashcamtalk has plenty of advice

http://www.techmoan.com/blog/2014/10/26/the-a118-b40-wedge-dashcam-review.html

Cameras like the link above can almost look like part of the car's standard equipment.

Edited 29 July, 2015 by xdq

[Jock]

I just installed a Blackvue DR650GW and a Power Magic controller.  

 

I installed them myself, didn't break anything during the installation and all I needed was a medium flat blade screwdriver, a torx screwdriver, a wire coat hanger, several stick on cable clips, some cable ties and a ferrite core.

 

It was quite easy (which means if I can do it easily, then literally anyone else can do it!)

 

The video quality is excellent from both cameras and I've set Power Magic to shut off after 12 hours or 11.8V - the former so I stays on overnight and at work when the car is parked up.

 

No complaints so far and the technical support I've had from Blackvue UK, despite my stupid questions, has been excellent!

[Huskoda]

Cheers, seems they're a bit too much hassle for an unlikley event. I'm sure they'll be standard when I get my next motor anyway.

 

They're a piece of cake to fit and if you're worried about it getting stolen, then buy an obviously cheap one. You can also get a lens extender for the mobius that lets you hide the camera completely with just tiny lens peeking out. See here: https://forum.dashcamtalk.com/threads/mobius-lens-extension.3224/

 

These forums are littered with threads with incidents that a dashcam could have saved massive amounts of grief and expense on. Their value is very easy to prove.

[themanwithnoaim]

They're worthwhile in my opinion with the growing number of crash-for-cash style scams and generally proving you're in the right. It's also a reminder to myself to drive safely - If you're the cause of an accident and the 3rd party/police spot the camera they may confiscate it as evidence of your wrongdoing.

What makes you think the Police have the legal right to confiscate your property as evidence against you, without a Judge's Authority ?

[M12MKD]

What makes you think the Police have the legal right to confiscate your property as evidence against you, without a Judge's Authority ?

 

It's that a grey area, because they can search your vehicle and use items as evidence against you (i.e. Drugs), so you could argue that evidence relating to dangerous driving could also be used in the same manner. (more a question than a statement of fact).

 

I guess if you are clever you could password protect the SD car so if anyone tries to access it, without the password, then it wipes the data. Though probably the IT at the old bill can probably still get data.

 

Anyway to the OP's question. I also have a blackvue camera, had it in two cars and so far *touchwood* I've ever had to use it for evidence nor has it been stolen. When my mk3 arrives I will also get the Power Magic box so it can run whilst parked up.

[Aurial]

Section 19 of the Police And Criminal Evidence Act 1984 gives the police power to seize anything which is evidence of an offence. They don't need a judges permission. http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1984/60/section/19 In reality they only need the SD card so they wouldn't take the whole camera. If they're investigating you for the offence then they may just seize it, but if you're a witness then they will look to gain that footage with your cooperation, i.e. you provide them a copy of it, rather than just take your stuff.

 

I did a walk through of installing a Blackvue DR650 in this post: 

http://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/311956-show-your-octavia-iii-dashcam-setups/?p=4267765

 

Hope that helps.

[flyingpigvrs]

What makes you think the Police have the legal right to confiscate your property as evidence against you, without a Judge's Authority ?

Of course the police have a legal right to seize property.

If i turned up at the scene of an accident and people were accusing a driver of driving dangerously etc if the driver had a dashcam then I have the power to seize the camera to secure the evidence.

I don't need a judges authority or permission from anyone.

Same as I don't need a warrant to enter someone's house under certain circumstances.

People really don't understand just how any different powers the police have. We don't need warrants from a judge for everything like people seem to think.

[jkennedy01]

Thanks for the help guys.

[themanwithnoaim]

Section 19 of the Police And Criminal Evidence Act 1984 gives the police power to seize anything which is evidence of an offence. They don't need a judges permission. http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1984/60/section/19 In reality they only need the SD card so they wouldn't take the whole camera. If they're investigating you for the offence then they may just seize it, but if you're a witness then they will look to gain that footage with your cooperation, i.e. you provide them a copy of it, rather than just take your stuff.

 

I did a walk through of installing a Blackvue DR650 in this post: 

http://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/311956-show-your-octavia-iii-dashcam-setups/?p=4267765

 

Hope that helps.

Oh yeah it does help indeed, I was skeptical about not have one fitted ! 

 

Now I'm bloody certain I won't have one fitted

[skd12]

Micro sd cards are small enough to eat or otherwise hide. You'd have to do it without being seen though otherwise you'd be on the hook for destruction of evidence too.

[seve88]

can you get password protected sd cards ?

be good if you could,    I've forgotten my password officer  

[Guest]

They would still seize it, and send it off to forensic IT specialists. The same procedure for mobile phones, laptops, desktops, et al.

Whenever I seized something like this, I would try and help then as much as possible;if I had seized their mobile,I would provide a letter for their airtime provider. If the person was being 'awkward', then the letter or help would take longer to provide.

[Aurial]

The reality is that this is never going to happen for a minor traffic offence such as speeding, etc. It would only happen if, for example, you caused death by dangerous driving or something as serious as that. And on the flip-side, your dashcam could be the proof that you didn't.

[Neily03]

Reading this thread makes me glad I have got a dashcam, If I was involved in an accident that was my fault I would hold my hands up so I don't need to worry about what my dashcam has recorded.  On the other hand I'm glad to have it for evidience when involded in an accident whith someone on this thread who would try to cover up what they did rather than just be honest and decent....

[vegit8]

I did a walk through of installing a Blackvue DR650

 

Does the power magic provide feeds to both the front and rear cameras?

[M12MKD]

They would still seize it, and send it off to forensic IT specialists. The same procedure for mobile phones, laptops, desktops, et al.

Whenever I seized something like this, I would try and help then as much as possible;if I had seized their mobile,I would provide a letter for their airtime provider. If the person was being 'awkward', then the letter or help would take longer to provide.

I'd hate to have my mobile seized, not that it would need to as I'm not the sort that would carry out illegal activities.

I mean where would I get my candycrush kick?

Just out of interest if I had filmed an accident or attack on my phone would it then be seized for evidence? Because as an innocent party I would have big issues about my privacy.

Going back to dash cams the only issue from seizure (as a witness point of view) would be the listening into the private conversation that was going on whilst driving.

Anyway sorry for going off topic, I'm all for dash cams my questions are just purely nosey interest.

*disclaimer: I have not nor do I play the above game.

[Jock]

Does the power magic provide feeds to both the front and rear cameras?

The Power Magic provides power to the front camera (in my case) and the power for the rear camera is fed up the video lead, so Yes, it does. 

[ords]

I'd hate to have my mobile seized, not that it would need to as I'm not the sort that would carry out illegal activities.

I mean where would I get my candycrush kick?

Just out of interest if I had filmed an accident or attack on my phone would it then be seized for evidence? Because as an innocent party I would have big issues about my privacy.

Going back to dash cams the only issue from seizure (as a witness point of view) would be the listening into the private conversation that was going on whilst driving.

Anyway sorry for going off topic, I'm all for dash cams my questions are just purely nosey interest.

*disclaimer: I have not nor do I play the above game.

Turn off the microphone

[Huskoda]

Turn off the microphone

Very useful to have an audio recording of any conversation you may have with someone you're involved in an accident with. In case they suddenly change their story. Or their name.

 

They are also useful even if you *are* at fault. For example, it should make the claim process quicker so you can get on with your life and if you're lucky and they later claim for extra passengers clearly not on the video, the liability may be reassessed or at worst your claim wont be as high as it could be.

 

I'm of the opinion that if anyone is caught trying to defraud the system, that the accident should automatically be flagged as 100% their fault, regardless (ie even if they're sat at the lights and you run into them) and they get a payout of 0. I reckon that would cut a lot of 'well, lets try it, nothing to lose' claims.

[flyingpigvrs]

Does the power magic provide feeds to both the front and rear cameras?

You only provide power to the front camera. The rear camera plugs into the front camera via a coax cable. This provides both the video signal and the power.

[seve88]

Reading this thread makes me glad I have got a dashcam, If I was involved in an accident that was my fault I would hold my hands up so I don't need to worry about what my dashcam has recorded.  On the other hand I'm glad to have it for evidience when involded in an accident whith someone on this thread who would try to cover up what they did rather than just be honest and decent....

sometimes the cause of an accident is not all cut and dryed.

i'd hate to have my dashcam seized,  then be wrongly accused of contributing to the accident

could end up being very costly, not to mention the hasil involved

 

why take the chance

[themanwithnoaim]

sometimes the cause of an accident is not all cut and dryed.

i'd hate to have my dashcam seized,  then be wrongly accused of contributing to the accident

could end up being very costly, not to mention the hasil involved

 

why take the chance

 

Hmmm.. Information and intrepretation of such information can be subjective, I can see dashcams becoming a tool for others (police, insurance ect.) to measure drivers by, I'm sure we'll be told its for our own good. I'm also told a Water Meter will be good for me, with a green lawn and borders full of flowers call me a skeptic but, if I had half the bull**** I hear, my flowers would be twice the size.

 

More information is only a good thing if it is only used for good things however, with the continued budget capping of our Police Forces and squeezing of Public spending I can see central Government revenue raising sources being exploited far beyond what we can currently envisage.

 

As they say in Dragons Den "for that reason, I'm out"

 

 

Reading this thread makes me glad I have got a dashcam, If I was involved in an accident that was my fault I would hold my hands up so I don't need to worry about what my dashcam has recorded.  On the other hand I'm glad to have it for evidience when involded in an accident whith someone on this thread who would try to cover up what they did rather than just be honest and decent....

My 14 years NCD are protected hence, I have no qualms holding my hands when the fault lies at my door. 

 

What I have a problem with is a Nanny state wishing to control its population by technology which they have zero investment in.