Why Americans don’t use dash cams

[yuiyoshida]

Dashboard cameras are so widespread in Taiwan that two consecutive cars happened to capture terrifying raw video of Wednesday’s fatal TransAsia plane crash in Taipei.

Yet even in an era when Americans are using wearable GoPro cameras to capture every turn of their downhill ski runs, and mobile phones to record their most mundane moments, hardly anyone in the U.S. uses dash cams except police and commercial truck and taxi drivers.

That might change as dramatic incidents like the plane crash or a big meteor shower in Russia raise awareness about dash cams. And now, even big name companies like computer giant Hewlett-Packard and navigation device maker Garmin are hoping the U.S. dash cam market accelerates.

For now, “the dash cam is a brand new concept in the camera category,” said Vic Chan, an executive with Papago, the Taipei company that made the device that recorded the most widely viewed video of the TransAsia crash.

http://www.sfchronicle.com/business/article/Why-Americans-don-t-use-dash-cams-6067560.php?t=b22276c52c1210a92f&cmpid=twitter-premium#/0

[Cirque du So-What]

1. I'd like to see the dash cam become ubiquitous in this country

I wonder about the reasons mentioned in the article - cost and usefulness in an accident. At $100 or less, I don't consider cost a prohibitive factor. And even though many states have 'no-fault' insurance laws, I don't believe that's the reason why Americans haven't started using them.

I believe it's due to lack of offerings on new vehicles; the older people who purchase new cars want everything pre-installed. Given time, younger people will demand that these devices come standard.

[ileus]

2. I've wanted a dash cam for years....maybe it's time to invest in one.

I also need two for my Kayak.

[onehandle]

3. My iPhone 6 Plus sits on a mount on my dashboard.

I've been thinking about just letting it shoot video whenever I drive.

Just delete the video later, assuming I haven't caught a glimpse of Bigfoot.

[Phentex]

5. Yes. I read even an old cell phone can still video if charged...

I am considering using one. The things I see everyday!

[VScott]

4. I've had one for a little over a year now.

It was a little over $60.00 at the time.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00F2GMX1Q/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I look at it as something that's better to have and not need, than to need and not have...
like in a traffic accident, or to dispute certain moving violations.

I haven't captured anything monumental yet, but have recorded a couple of close calls and other motorists
bicyclists, pedestrians doing dumb ass shit.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

8. I've been thinking of getting one for idiot bicyclists doing stupid shit here in the city.

A couple years ago, I had a bike cut across traffic in front of my truck, catch a sewer grate and flip right in front of me. Fortunately I was stopping so I had my foot on the brake and was able to stop quickly.

I'd rather not run somebody over. And I'd rather not be accused of something I did do.

[hunter]

20. Fucking automobiles.

I despise our automobile culture and resent the fact that I'm forced to drive my POS 1984 salvage title automobile with lichen growing on it, never washed but for the glass, to be considered a somewhat functional human being in this society.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

21. Yeah. It sucks.

My partner has to drive 75 miles a day to and from work. There is no public trans option for him. When he gets home he refuses to drive anywhere.

I use my truck/suv for my constuction business. Even though I don't travel far, the gas bill sux ass.

[madokie]

36. Have you ever stopped and given any thought to what you post on here

you are not forced to do anything, in fact if you cared as you claim you'd get out there and do better than drive around in a lichen covered '84 POS automobile. a car wash cost me about a buck 25. Geeze

[hunter]

42. Does my car offend you? I think it expresses my attitude toward cars very well.

I'm entirely unable to "take pride" in any automobile. If someone gave me a shiny new Tesla or something similar I'd immediately give it away without driving it to someone who could appreciate it. All cars are POS in my eyes.

I'm doing "better" by avoiding driving as best I'm able.

When my wife and I met in the mid 'eighties we were Los Angeles commuters. We moved away and by some good fortune and planning, have managed to avoid the commuter lifestyle ever since.

What would be better than my car? It passes the biannual smog test, and I really don't drive it that much. I'm a very infrequent visitor to the gasoline station.

"Best" would be a society where automobiles were an expensive and unnecessary inconveniences for most people. The best form of human transportation is walking. That's what we humans evolved to do.

The freedoms afforded by automobile ownership are an illusion. Automobiles are actually a way of restricting our freedom of movement, and our right to privacy in those movements.

[ND-Dem]

6. i'd bet the reason most americans don't have them is that the system around accident reporting

isn't as corrupt here as in other locales where the cameras are more ubiquitous. like Russia and Taiwan.

[dixiegrrrrl]

15. I understand that in Russia, they are a form of self defense

Apparently there are a significant number of people who fake being hit by cars.
In fact, on some the Russian cams on You Tube, there is indeed videos of people throwing themselves on the hood of cars.

Sure was glad they had the cams when that meteorite came down..fantastic video resulted.

[pipi_k]

7. I've had a dash cam

in my main vehicle for a few years now, and glad of it.

[Nailzberg]

9. I just figured it would be something worth stealing.

So I'd have to put in in place and remove it every time I get in or out of the car. Which means I'm probably not gonna use it for a quick trip to 7-11. But that's when I'm probably gonna get hit by another car, so really why bother at all.

[VScott]

11. Hardwire it in

and use some creativity when mounting it.

The one I have is about the size of an old 35mm film cannister, and is easily tucked up between the rear view mirror
and windshield. You'd never know it was there.

[Nailzberg]

23. Perhaps on my next car.

I can easily rig all that. I've actually done it for work. I'm close to ditching my 03 Impala, and will likely wire in a cam on the new car.

But for most people, that level of set-up isn't gonna happen, which is why its not catching on here yet.

[pinboy3niner]

10. Yum, dash clams

[U4ikLefty]

17. Dash clams serve the porpoise of distinguishing the good carps from the bad carps. nt

[pinboy3niner]

18. Careful, before we're accused of using excessive farce

[msanthrope]

50. Or cruel and unusual pun-ishment. nt

[In_The_Wind]

12. My dash cam is working anytime I'm in my car.

[treestar]

13. I'm surprised it hasn't

as litigiousness over auto accidents is far more common in the US.

[cemaphonic]

22. More common than Russia?

Insurance fraud is huge there.

[rustydog]

14. I've had one for over 4 years

captured some forest fires, vehicle accidents, near-misses with birds and deer.

[brooklynite]

16. Why stop there?

Why not have cameras in your back yard in case of a plane crash or meteor. Odds are just as unlikely.

[benz380]

19. I have a dash cam, but it's a hassle.

Every time I park I have to take it down. It's now been under the passenger seat for a couple of months now. I've missed videoing 2 wrecks and 1 road rage incident since then.

[pinboy3niner]

25. I tried dash clams, but the butter kept spilling

[benz380]

47. Aw, what a bunch of abalone!

[davidpdx]

24. They are common here in Korea

and referred to as "black boxes". You can have them installed in both the front and back windshields. I guess it's good in case you get in an accident and clearly it wasn't your fault, then you have proof. The other part would be if your car got hit or broken into while you were not there.

[SheilaT]

26. My son, the pizza delivery guy,

somewhere on the West Coast, has one.

[pinboy3niner]

27. OMG, does he know he's going to incriminate himself in 30 minutes or less?

What the hell is he thinking?!1!!

[SheilaT]

29. ????? Really?

[pinboy3niner]

30. It's the old trope about pizza drivers driving crazy

And, by the way, I always tip the pizza driver VERY generously. And in return, they always make me their first stop, so I always get my order hot from the oven. We have a symbiotic relationship.

Oh, and I know all my delivery drivers by name. And sometimes, from our conversations, I know the names of their spouses and kids.

But what's the deal with the shorts in the winter? Brrrr!

[SheilaT]

31. Thank you for tipping the pizza delivery guys and gals well.

I used to work the information desk at this city's only hospital. Pizza was often delivered, and as often picked up in front of me. I ALWAYS told the people getting the pizza they needed to tip the driver well. I also told the drivers my son delivered pizza in another city, and I had some clue what the were up against.

My son recently transferred to a different delivery location in his city, and he tells me that at his new location, while he doesn't do as many deliveries because they aren't as busy, he makes as much or more money because in this new delivery area they tip much better.

[pinboy3niner]

32. Good for him!

I hope he'll do even better when business picks up at that store.

A long time ago when I was an inpatient in an Army hospital, the pizza delivery guys had to sneak it in to us. They weren't allowed in, but we managed to make it work. My jaw was wired and I wasn't even supposed to be eating any solids, but I had a space to slip bits of it in and that was heaven! God bless the pizza guys who were sympathetic to our plight.

[SheilaT]

33. Oh, I uderstand.

I happened to have C-sections for each of my babies. The worst part was what I saw as enforced starvation. I simply NEVER eat crap like jello, and I was on the edge of sending my mother out for pizza when I was finally put on a non-restricted diet.

[pinboy3niner]

35. I was on a liquid diet after surgery a bunch of times

It usually lasted two months. It wasn't enough, so I always asked for a TRIPLE serving and they always gave it to me. The hospital staff was great, and their liquid diet was mostly very good. But it wasn't pizza.

[benz380]

48. My father in law broke his jaw and had it wired shut.

My mother in law would puree pizza in the blender and he would drink it. YUCK!!!

[Blue_Tires]

28. ?? The SCCA and other weekend track amateurs have been using them for years...

along with the street racing scene...

[JI7]

34. i think because the US requires car insurance

so that gives some protection in cases of accidents. but in places like russia it's easy for certain people to blame others and they don't have similar laws.

but i would still like to get a dash cam

[JVS]

37. I don't have one because the prospect of self surveillance doesn't appeal to me.

Unless there were a guarantee that my dashcam footage is not allowed to be used as evidence against me, then I'm not going to create it.

[Quackers]

38. I've been using this one since last May.

It's worked great for me!

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00JFUU5OM/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[jberryhill]

39. No-fault insurance, mandatory insurance, and uninsured driver protection

[pinboy3niner]

40. The butter keeps spilling

What's that? Dash CAMS? Well, that's very different.

[gerogie2]

41. Dash cams in your car are a perfect way..

to have an traffic accident be turned into a crime or then insurance company say you violated your agreement by not operating in a safe manner. That is exactly what the insurance companies and prosecutors in these countries that require dash cams are doing.

[ChisolmTrailDem]

43. Hi, yuiyoshida. I asked about the use of dash cams in Taiwan exactly because of the two

cars that got video of the plane crash.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10026188877

Thank you for adding to the discussion and informing us re: dash cams!

[yuiyoshida]

49. When the story broke, there were

Three videos I posted...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1017242587

I have always seen the dash cams from Russia, but this is a first to see so many from Taiwan.

[NightWatcher]

44. We'd turn them around and post "drivies" on our facebook page

OMG like here's video of me driving to the Piggly Wiggly

[pipi_k]

45. "Drivies"

bahahahaha!!!!!


OK that is funny!

I will have to mention it to Mr Pipi next time we're out. I don't take "selfies", but it really would be hilarious to post a "drivie" on Facebook!!

[NightWatcher]

46. While you wait for the ambulance to get there, you can upload "Wreckies"