Dashcams - sometimes snitches don’t get stitches
Dashcams - sometimes snitches don’t get stitches
Can you remember that song by Rockwell….. the one that says it always feel like somebody’s watching you? It gets stuck in your head so I’m sorry about that. But its a fair point in todays society. There is always somebody watching, CCTV , doorbell cameras lets be honest most of us have a HD camera in our pocket or handbags at all times. But how does this fit in to your car, or your fleets vehicles.
Dashcams are a relativity cheap and efficient way of covering your backside. I happen to be in a position where I drive between 1500-2000 miles per week. I see some sights on the road. Im also no angel behind the wheel. Where they really come into play is on the rare occasion where vehicles get a little bit too close.
Insurance companies
Insurance companies love a Dashcam. There’s no secret to that. It saves a lot of the “he said she said” what inevitably comes after a collision. And in the words of Hot Fuzz we don’t say accident because accident implies there is nobody to blame. With clear video footage there is no no ambiguity in who crashed into who.
YouTube Videos
I appreciate I sound like a hypocrite here. It might be the fear of appearing in one of these bad driving clip videos on YouTube but there is a genre of social media entertainment based around posting the scenes you see on your daily travels. A lot of these channels provide commentary and lets be honest who doesn’t enjoy telling people they’re the best driver in the world. These video channels provide a good training tool for learner drivers. I defiantly think that this is a underused resource in getting people ready to be better drivers. Like a version of the hazard perception test.
Parking mode
Do you know that feeling when you have a new car and van. When you turn back round to look at it and smile. When I had an Alfa Romeo I would park the car and every time look back and smile. She was called Rosabella. I can remember the first time I parked it at Morrisons and somebody had dinged it. I was broken hearted. It just never felt the same again. Now I always fit a dashcam with parking mode. I have tried all the models, Thinkware for me seemed to work better with Blackvue being a close second. Roadangel was good but I just couldn’t really get on with the interface. Mind you that may be my well known aversion to anything what isn’t Pokemon related. Now every time I start the car up before I put on my Spotify or Podcast on I listen for my dashcam. If somebody has dinged my car it will tell me in clear language. Then I can check the footage and let the insurance take over. I really don’t think that people damage other peoples cars on purpose. I just think that people are careless. Work car parks tend to be the worst for that.
Fleet applications
Its an awkward position. You have a interview with somebody. Everybody’s is on their best behaviour. They want the job you want somebody to help. I have always said that you don’t really know somebody based of a 45 minute interview which lets be honest 9 times out 10 now are done on zoom. You then start the new person. You hand them keys to a vehicle because they need it to do the job, the sad thing is that vehicle represents something, investment, trust and if the vehicle is sign written its directly linked to your name. Fitting a dashcam gives you a small bit of security that the person you’re trusting isn’t driving in a way that can hurt you. Pair this with a tracker and you get a nice bit of peace of mind.
Negatives of dashcams
Lets be honest there are some downsides to having a dashcam fitted. Some of which can be mitigated but its a conversation worth having.
Recording on conversations
I certainly am guilty of saying some things to my friends which I wouldn’t want made public. Not even that really I don’t really want people judging my music tastes. Honestly mom it wasn’t just a phase. But this feature on all dashcams can be turned off, this will give you the peace of mind when your ranting about the missus making dry chicken to your best friend it won’t make it to the desk of some insurance claims adjuster.
Social media
This really applies in a company vehicle, especially when sign written. If your driver does something that displeases somebody they have every right to post that to social media. Boom then your logo, phone number and everything is in full HD quality airing your dirty laundry for all to see. There really is nothing you can do for this. Just make sure you have the processes in place to placate the complaint when it comes in. I myself have had people call me demanding I terminate an employee because they have made a genuine mistake. I don’t think its worth repeating what i said to the man.
If the incident is your fault?
Shit happens. Somebody’s always at fault for everything. But when its clear that its your fault there is really no hiding it with a Dashcam. Short of eating the memory card like your escaping from occupied Europe in 1943. The reality is that insurance companies are looking to minimise what they pay on claims sometimes you just have to trust the process because lets face it you have no control of it anyway.
Overall dashcams do make a positive impact. Insurance companies like them and as long as you’re not doing something too outrageous you shouldn’t appear on your local Facebook group being dragged through the mud by a bunch of Karens.
