Why Everyone should have a dashcam.

[GentleGiant]

So, I was passenger heading North on the M6 yesterday morning; thick, heavy patches of fog, so we were keeping our speed down, and maintaining a safe gap to the car in front in the inside lane.

 

Around Stoke, a large HGV came up behind us, pulled out and started to overtake.

 

When the lorry was ~ half way past us, he started sounding his horn... cue looks of WTF in the car; THEN he started drifting his lorry into and out of our lane; when we still didnt get the hint, he just came straight across, forcing us to brake hard.

 

No junction, no hill and (at that time) very little other traffic.

 

If we hadnt braked, we would have either been forced off of the motorway, or crushed under the lorry, it was quite scary.

 

I managed to get my phone out, and start recording, but it was all over by then; I did get a good recording of the sign writing and number plate, so the company will be getting a call Monday; but a waste of time contacting the Police I suspect; depends if the video has a clear recording of his ranting and middle finger waving at us as we pulled out and went around him to film the side (and try and find a phone number)

[Isocrem]

I'm glad everyone is safe. 

 

No doubt anyone that's been driving for a reasonable amount of time will have been involved in similar incidents. People take their personalities and personal failings along with them for the ride and it's scary sometimes. 

 

I don't have a Dash Cam. I'm considering it and I can see the benefits. However, my personal opinion is I'm not sure these things should be compulsory, (appreciate you're not making a point of making them compulsory). As soon as that happens, someone, somewhere will make a lot of Money and it will be another step on the ladder of us all spying on each other, in the name of our 'safety' (out of full context that might sound a bit paranoid, but I know what I mean  :D )

 

I wonder how many of these Dash Cam incidents, that don't result in actual RTA's,  result in prosecutions? I know that Hampshire Constabulary has been sucked dry of personnel, so just on the basis of available personnel to deal with everyone and their dog sending in footage of dangerous driving or 'near' incidents, it would be impossible to administer (although no doubt a Private Company would  be more than happy to pick up a lucrative contract and balls it all up  :D )

Edited 8 January, 2017 by Isocrem

[Gizmo]

See this daily... usually when a clueless car driver cannot maintain a set speed, so the truck goes to overtake (on his set speed limiter of 56MPH), gets halfway past the car then the car speeds up again to either stop the truck from pulling back into lane 1, or worse still... come back up the inside of the truck, basically ‘undertaking’ him.

[Paul007]

Like post #2, I can't justify the expense or need just yet. If your observation is up to scratch, you shouldn't need to film everyone doing something daft, and there's hardly any plod left to take an interest anyway.

[tubbytommy]

I bought one as I work near places that like to employ our eastern European friends.

Some of their driving is shocking.

Overtaking on blind bends is a speciality.

[@Lee]

I bought one as I work near places that like to employ our eastern European friends.

Some of their driving is shocking.

Overtaking on blind bends is a speciality.

Plenty of homegrown born 'n' bred idiots you know. No need to make sweeping generalisations.

[niceyellow vrs]

See this daily... usually when a clueless car driver cannot maintain a set speed, so the truck goes to overtake (on his set speed limiter of 56MPH), gets halfway past the car then the car speeds up again to either stop the truck from pulling back into lane 1, or worse still... come back up the inside of the truck, basically ‘undertaking’ him.

 

I have to drive a speed limited van and have to deal with this on a daily basis. So frustrating.

[tubbytommy]

Plenty of homegrown born 'n' bred idiots you know. No need to make sweeping generalisations.

It's not a sweeping generalisation.

They have pl on the numberplate and LHD.

I know full well we have home grown morons too.

Edited 8 January, 2017 by tubbytommy

[@Lee]

It's not a sweeping generalisation.

They have pl on the numberplate and LHD.

I know full well we have home grown morons too.

Post up the dash-cam footage next time you see them overtaking on blind bends :)

[Isocrem]

We're all much better at identifying other peoples faults, while removing our own 'errors' from our memory Banks. That's not to justify or condone truly dangerous and illegal driving, but Dash Cams help us to strengthen this stance.

 

There is a 'Post Your Dash Cam vids' post on this site and loads available on Facebook/Youtube etc. Whilst no doubt there are true instances of dangerous and idiotic driving, a lot of it just seems to be about 'look at this knob'.. I'm not sure how that benefits anyone, apart from entertaining and allowing people to vent (perhaps justifiable, perhaps righteous) anger (even if they weren't involved in the incident) and strengthen further the perception that everyone out there is a f'in looney intent on killing you. I'm pretty sure there are some  Dash Cam owners who are secretly quite pleased they can display their little incident to the masses. 

Edited 8 January, 2017 by Isocrem

[tubbytommy]

We're all much better at identifying other peoples faults, while removing our own 'errors' from our memory Banks. That's not to justify or condone truly dangerous and illegal driving, but Dash Cams help us to strengthen this stance.

There is a 'Post Your Dash Cam vids' post on this site and loads available on Facebook/Youtube etc. Whilst no doubt there are true instances of dangerous and idiotic driving, a lot of it just seems to be about 'look at this knob'.. I'm not sure how that benefits anyone, apart from entertaining and allowing people to vent (perhaps justifiable, perhaps righteous) anger (even if they weren't involved in the incident) and strengthen further the perception that everyone out there is a f'in looney intent on killing you. I'm pretty sure there are some Dash Cam owners who are secretly quite pleased they can display their little incident to the masses.

I bought mine as I believe an accident will occur caused by mindless overtaking on the stretch of road near where I work.

Several times I've had to brake or swerve to avoid mindless overtakes,I want evidence for when the inevitable happens.

[Isocrem]

I bought mine as I believe an accident will occur caused by mindless overtaking on the stretch of road near where I work.

Several times I've had to brake or swerve to avoid mindless overtakes,I want evidence for when the inevitable happens.

 

And that is entirely your right. I can see the benefits of Dash Cams and I would consider getting one for those purposes. 

 

(Hopefully not entirely inevitable!)

[tubbytommy]

And that is entirely your right. I can see the benefits of Dash Cams and I would consider getting one for those purposes.

(Hopefully not entirely inevitable!)

Well so far I've not had the need to download anything from it.

I hope I never will too.

[andy68]

See this daily... usually when a clueless car driver cannot maintain a set speed, so the truck goes to overtake (on his set speed limiter of 56MPH), gets halfway past the car then the car speeds up again to either stop the truck from pulling back into lane 1, or worse still... come back up the inside of the truck, basically ‘undertaking’ him.

 

As an HGV driver have to put up with this everyday on numerous occasions, car drivers seem to have a very high dislike of being overtaken by a lowly truck driver.

[Auric Goldfinger]

As an HGV driver have to put up with this everyday on numerous occasions, car drivers seem to have a very high dislike of being overtaken by a lowly truck driver.

 

May I ask please, Just how big is this Truck ?   :think:  

[@Lee]

I have to drive a speed limited van and have to deal with this on a daily basis. So frustrating.

My work Ducato is limited to 60. PITA trying to pass trucks uphill on the A34 :D  All's well until the limiter kicks in :doh:

[Auric Goldfinger]

My work Ducato is limited to 60. PITA trying to pass trucks uphill on the A34 :D  All's well until the limiter kicks in :doh:

 

 

Only 60, you do surprise me, I've seen it

 

 

 

 

[@Lee]

Only 60, you do surprise me, I've seen it

 

 

 

 

2006-Fiat-Ducato-Truckster-SA-1280x960.jpg

where do I put my ladders :notme:

[GentleGiant]

See this daily... usually when a clueless car driver cannot maintain a set speed, so the truck goes to overtake (on his set speed limiter of 56MPH), gets halfway past the car then the car speeds up again to either stop the truck from pulling back into lane 1, or worse still... come back up the inside of the truck, basically ‘undertaking’ him.

 

 

I have to drive a speed limited van and have to deal with this on a daily basis. So frustrating.

 

 

As an HGV driver have to put up with this everyday on numerous occasions, car drivers seem to have a very high dislike of being overtaken by a lowly truck driver.

 

 

I will reiterate, we were following another vehicle at a safe distance, we werent speeding up, or slowing down, we didnt try to undertake the lorry; we were sat minding our own business; the lorry was fast enough to come up behind us, pull alongside within a few seconds of pulling out to overtake, start honking his horn, pull another 1/4 length of his lorry in front, THEN start forcing his way in. The gap between us and the car in front was safe for our speed, but it WAS not large enough for a HGV, at the end of the manoeuvre he was only a few feet behind the lead car.

 

There was NO justification, the car in front of us was the ONLY other vehicle in front for as far as we could see in the visibility, the lorry could have easily continued and pulled in in front of that car (remember, we were matching speed), so if he was overtaking us, he was over taking the other car as well.

 

Just checked the video file, I was shaking so much, I accidentally hit stop after only 5 seconds, and didnt get the details, bummer.

 

A lot of hostile HGV drivers in here, so I will also mention I spotted a Staffordshire NHS Ambulance tail-gating at speed in the outside lane, not long before this happened, no flashing lights, just screaming along at 80+ (in the fog) and 10ft off the back of the car in front - shocking.

[Auric Goldfinger]

where do I put my ladders :notme:

 

Put them on the roof Man, if there to long use the ladder rack on the rear

 

 

Sorted.

[niceyellow vrs]

Just checked the video file, I was shaking so much, I accidentally hit stop after only 5 seconds, and didnt get the details, bummer.

 

 

That's convenient...

[BJM]

Without pictures it didn't happen  :dull:

[GentleGiant]

That's convenient...

 

 

Yeah, isnt it, and then I foolishly deleted it, forgetting that these forums are populated by assholes.

 

Yeah, dont bother with the ban, I quit.

[niceyellow vrs]

Don't forget to close the door on your way out, nobody likes a draft.

[mac11irl]

Forums aint populated by assholes, they're just lime real life, occassionally one bumbles into one's sphere of existence.

But.. there is a history of many things being said/described/insinuated and never any arrival of the evidence purported to exist.

People get weary...

Edited 8 January, 2017 by mac11irl