Dashcams - Blessing or Curse?

[Barclaybasher]

I wouldn't. I'd take them home and pick them up in the morning to collect their motor if need be. After all we are a community.

50 or so years ago driving to work I was following a car swerving all over the road.

Although it was before 9am I figured the driver must be drunk.

Using my lights and horn I managed to get him to stop - the driver was absolutely pi$$ed but calm and coherent.

I took his keys, parked up his car and put him in a taxi............

He was a pub landlord who'd had a 'domestic'..........was it the right thing to do?

I thought so at the time

 

[MattR]

I wouldn't. I'd take them home and pick them up in the morning to collect their motor if need be. After all we are a community.

So nothing to worry about then.

 

[Eggs]

50 or so years ago driving to work I was following a car swerving all over the road.

Although it was before 9am I figured the driver must be drunk.

Using my lights and horn I managed to get him to stop - the driver was absolutely pi$$ed but calm and coherent.

I took his keys, parked up his car and put him in a taxi............

He was a pub landlord who'd had a 'domestic'..........was it the right thing to do?

I thought so at the time

I think you did the right thing, stopped an accident before it happened. Other opinions are available.

Why cause someone that is under the influence a load more problems if you can stop it without getting the police involved?

I'm not condoning drink driving by any stretch of the imagination, but let's try to sort these things out without getting the authorities involved.

 

[Richard n Ann]

So, you wait until they cause an accident....?

They might not (probably won't) cause an accident, there's thousands of bad driving events every day in the UK that are uneventful and unreported.

 

[Barclaybasher]

They might not (probably won't) cause an accident, there's thousands of bad driving events every day in the UK that are uneventful and unreported.

Poor driving seems to be the norm...............

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Richard n Ann]

So, you wait until they cause an accident....?

So, Maybe they're guilty before they commit the crime....?

 

[Frankiej]

So, Maybe they're guilty before they commit the crime....?

Yes, guilty of dangerous or reckless driving! That is a crime I believe...
So a stalker is not dangerous until they kill their victim? That was the norm until a few years ago when the law was changed.....

 

[MattR]

So, Maybe they're guilty before they commit the crime....?

They're guilty when they take control of a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol (above legal limit ).

 

[Larrynwin]

Gives the impression that drink drivers are being defended , odd

 

[Barclaybasher]

Gives the impression that drink drivers are being defended , odd

I don't think anyone is defending drink driving but it hasn't always been seen as a major cause of accidents in as much as smoking wasn't seen as harmful...................times (and understanding) change

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Larrynwin]

I don't think anyone is defending drink driving but it hasn't always been seen as a major cause of accidents in as much as smoking wasn't seen as harmful...................times (and understanding) change

Don’t quite see the parallel, smoking causes self inflicted damage, drink drivers kill innocents.

 

[Eggs]

Gives the impression that drink drivers are being defended , odd [/QUOTE

Could I ask who's defended drink drivers?

 

[Barclaybasher]

Don’t quite see the parallel, smoking causes self inflicted damage, drink drivers kill innocents.

Years ago drinking and driving wasn't seen as a problem and many did it.....publicity and the breathalyser changed that as did publicity about smoking

 

[Nosmo King]

I guess it’s like who decides how smelly a fart is. One persons view can be greatly different from another’s as is the angle or position of a camera view.

Turn the sound off....

 

[Richard n Ann]

A person staggering out of a pub and into the drivers seat deserve all they get. We're drifting off topic a bit here, I'm talking.about busy bodies reporting to the police with video evidence, what they deem to be bad driving.

It's petty and childish, like running to the teacher to tell tails. I'm bowing out of this discussion now, no one's opinion was ever changed on a forum so it's a waste of time talking about it.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[tonyidle]

Speeding? Jumping red lights? Vehicles with only one headlight? Drivers using phones?...........etc etc

I see these every day driving 5 miles to work and back

Where do you start or finish?

Who decides who to prosecute?

The Thought Police?

If everyone does it there won't be any problems on the roads............or traffic !!

See you all on Youtube.........

I was talking about driving behaviour so blatantly dangerous (IMO) that it would be irresponsible not to report it. Everyone makes mistakes - but some show such casual disregard for the safety of others that they shouldn't be allowed to continue.

 

[filopastry]

I live in a rural part of Suffolk, if those people who keep the local pub open didn't drive home the pub would close.

I'm not saying it's right, just how it is.

The only time before today, I have heard this opinion put forward is here in France where we live in the sticks. My wife and I both enjoy a drink ... but ... every time ... without exception, we decide between ourselves who will drive, the driver drinks zero alcohol, the restaurant still gets its trade, we still enjoy our evening and put no-one else at more danger than already exists by the fact that either myself or 'er indoors is on the road.

No ... we are not angels, not do we have great big halos, we have seen the carnage that can be caused by alcohol and drug related driving.

Our French friends here used to try and insist that we "could" have one or two with dinner and it took a while to explain that we prefer the zero approach to the just one or two simply because it is, for us, easier to have none than regulate our intake.

Is it better to that we know there are many many dash cams out there and that there is a real risk that these will be used as evidence of unacceptable conduct .. or ... do we wait until someone is hurt and then of " oh heck ... what could we have done to stop this happening in the first place".

Phil

 

[Barclaybasher]

I was talking about driving behaviour so blatantly dangerous (IMO) that it would be irresponsible not to report it. Everyone makes mistakes - but some show such casual disregard for the safety of others that they shouldn't be allowed to continue.

I agree to the use in serious incidents

The problem is that any clips of any offence have been used in Wales and the scheme is being rolled out nationwide

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-46424514

 

[Larrynwin]

Read the posts above and you may see that some imply that they would ignore a drink driver .

 

[ivorantony]

I agree to the use in serious incidents

The problem is that any clips of any offence have been used in Wales and the scheme is being rolled out nationwide

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-46424514

With the exception of the ford KA Rolling across the motorway without a driver all the rest deserved to be prosecuted, I don’t understand what’s not to like? Yes we all make mistakes but when it’s blatant dangerous driving as shown in the clips, then loss of license ( if they have one ?) and a heavy fine is the way to go IMO
Yes I have been found guilty of imprudent driving in the passed and had endorsements and fines, and with the exception of one were a camera would have prevented me being prosecuted I feel they were justified,
I might add this was in the sixties when I definitely knew everything to know about driving and considered the rules didn’t apply to me,

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Barclaybasher]

With the exception of the ford KA Rolling across the motorway without a driver all the rest deserved to be prosecuted, I don’t understand what’s not to like? Yes we all make mistakes but when it’s blatant dangerous driving as shown in the clips, then loss of license ( if they have one ?) and a heavy fine is the way to go IMO
Yes I have been found guilty of imprudent driving in the passed and had endorsements and fines, and with the exception of one were a camera would have prevented me being prosecuted I feel they were justified,
I might add this was in the sixties when I definitely knew everything to know about driving and considered the rules didn’t apply to me,

The video showed only 7 of 2300 the clips - presumably the worst (and they were bad)

The problem is (for me) that there will be some 'holier than though' types uploading every infringement they can

We will become a 'Big Brother' society with everyone watching everyone else......is that good?

 

[The Wino]

The video showed only 7 of 2300 the clips - presumably the worst (and they were bad)

The problem is (for me) that there will be some 'holier than though' types uploading every infringement they can

We will become a 'Big Brother' society with everyone watching everyone else......is that good?

There is obviously a balance on the one hand no-one would like a society where someone witheld cctv footage of a murdr because they didn't want to dob someone in it. On the other hand if society developed to as you say cctv constantly watching everyone and prosecuting even the most minor infringments it wouldn't be great. As for the driving scenario I think we have little to fear the police won't have the resources to prosecute every single offence but interesting to see the views on the forum it looks to me like some have obviously changed their driving habits a lot over the years (particularly relating to drinking and keeping to the speed limits) others seem to want to return to a period where we were much less regulated. Keeping to the limits and driving safely (solid white lines etc) might be more boring but should someone else potentially have life changing injuries for someone elses "fun"

 

[SpeedyDux]

Just turn the microphone off

Turn the sound off

I have the option to turn off audio record.
Mio mi-view (sp)
Thought all the better ones did.

Yes, thanks for that advice. Even my cheapo dashcam instructions say you can switch the microphone off. My post was slightly tongue-in-cheek although based on an incident not long ago, when slowing for a big roundabout with traffic lights we were overtaken by a roofing company van that blasted past 2 red lights in quick succession without slowing. I used several expletives and a very non-PC description that is even banned on FUN, before realising that what I just said could be self-incriminating under our laws that have made this an offence even though nobody outside the MH could have heard anything. The clip has probably been overwritten by now. The lesson should be to moderate my language. Maybe stick the old Revenger* on the dashboard and use that instead!

The main reason I leave the microphone on is that I feel more likely to need to provide an audio recording of road rage than just a video of dangerous driving although there is an awful lot of shockingly bad driving. Last year I witnessed 3 quite disturbing nearby road rage incidents that escalated into actual violence and not only aggressive and threatening behaviour, but I didn't see an actual road traffic collision, so I tend to think the dashcam should provide audio as well as HD video of any serious incident.



*It provides satisfying options of DEATH RAY, FRONT MACHINE GUN, or GRENADE LAUNCHER

 

[EuroTrotters]

Waste of time sending it to the police

But if you are in Manchester and want to give it s go

opconsiderate@gmp.police.uk

 

[iandsm]

Waste of time sending it to the police

But if you are in Manchester and want to give it s go

opconsiderate@gmp.police.uk

It might be where you are but police certainly use dashcam footage in many counties as an aid to investigation in traffic accidents and crimes as well. Indeed there are sometimes appeals for it.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[tonyidle]

The video showed only 7 of 2300 the clips - presumably the worst (and they were bad)

The problem is (for me) that there will be some 'holier than though' types uploading every infringement they can

We will become a 'Big Brother' society with everyone watching everyone else......is that good?

I think the Police will filter out what should be ignored. If what you suggest does happen they'd be inundated.

 

[Barclaybasher]

I think the Police will filter out what should be ignored. If what you suggest does happen they'd be inundated.

I've no problem with the police using dashcam or cctv in evidence.

Everyone with a dashcam reporting everything they think is wrong/illegal is another thing.

Whether or not the police take action it will change society...............for the worse

Some complain about governments controlling our lives...... we will be doing the job for them.....

 

[gus-lopez]

It has been posted about drivers "Speeding up" when you are trying to overtake them,then slowing of when you pull in behind them...

That's why it is a specific offence here in spain now. Even if the half wit pulls out over doubles you still have to let him in.
Then when they do it approaching a tunnel & you have now lost your 100m space ( Chevrons legal requirement for distance here) to the vehicle in front it goes down like a lead brick.

That is where your honesty is important. I would pass any footage unmodified whether it showed me in a good light or not.

& so when they decide not to prosecute what you sent it in for but instead prosecute you for the 47 occasions of alleged 'hate crime' etc; you'd still be ok with that ?

We will become a 'Big Brother' society with everyone watching everyone else......is that good?

Good Lord! It was like that when I left17 years ago

. On the other hand if society developed to as you say cctv constantly watching everyone and prosecuting even the most minor infringments it wouldn't be great

You mean like the UK is & has been for years ?

*It provides satisfying options of DEATH RAY, FRONT MACHINE GUN, or GRENADE LAUNCHER

Just wondering what happened to mine

 

[filopastry]

@gus-lopez accelerating whilst being overtake is an offence in France.

 

[Eggs]

... and if you had video evidence of someone doing it you could send it to the police to get them in trouble. Life really is too short.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}