Is it worth getting an in-car video camera

Obukit · 18 June 2011 at 1:11PM

Hi,

Hoping for some advice. I drive about 100k miles a year, and have had two accidents, both of which clearly weren't my fault but both where the other party tried to contest liability.

Both were found in my favour eventually but it's a pain having to fill out twenty forms and spend ages on the phone to get it sorted.

I was looking at getting an in-car camera as they are less than £20 and would hopefully prove beyond doubt what happened. I was wondering if anyone has any experience of them, and whether insurance companies will accept video you've recorded yourself? Bus companies around here all have external CCTV so I guess it must have some value, but would be interested to hear experiences from anyone who has it installed.

This is what I am looking at buying: -

http://www.7dayshop.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=777_1&products_id=110354

mikey72 · 18 June 2011 at 1:25PM

They seem a good idea, depending on what you do with the footage.
Ask Strider for his opinion.

s_b · 18 June 2011 at 1:36PM

Obukit you need something better than that,you need one connected to the 12 volts of the car battery rather than a rechargeable lion battery
i use an in car recorder but modified mine so it runs off the ciggy lighter permanently but i dont drive anything like the miles you do and i upgraded to 2gb
if i was you i would purchase a roadhawk

Obukit · 18 June 2011 at 1:51PM

Thanks for the advice. The Roadhawk system looks very comprehensive recording speed, GPS etc. but as it's only me driving it's a little more advanced than I require. What I really want is more the deterrent effect of pointing out there's a camera, so they don't try and contest liability, and if they do I have proof of what happened. I think the cheap camera would probably provide that for a tenth of the cost. It's designed to be powered by a cigarette lighter but I intend to wire it straight to permanent 12V live to keep things neater avoiding charging issues.

atrixblue.-MFR-. · 18 June 2011 at 3:30PM

Obukit wrote: »

Thanks for the advice. The Roadhawk system looks very comprehensive recording speed, GPS etc. but as it's only me driving it's a little more advanced than I require. What I really want is more the deterrent effect of pointing out there's a camera, so they don't try and contest liability, and if they do I have proof of what happened. I think the cheap camera would probably provide that for a tenth of the cost. It's designed to be powered by a cigarette lighter but I intend to wire it straight to permanent 12V live to keep things neater avoiding charging issues.

in the event of an accident i wouldnt boast about a cam in the car this could aggravate someone in attempting to destroy it and cause you harm. just go through the normal process not mentioning it, then when you go home and inform the insurers tell them you have footage that you will pass ontothem in the event the third party tried to deny liability.

forgotmyname · 18 June 2011 at 4:33PM

I do be sneaky and not mention it until their claim/story is not accurate.

Then a quick call to the insurers saying the evidence caught on your incar camera tells a different story.

ariba10 · 18 June 2011 at 4:48PM

I have had a "Roadhawk" in my car for the past 19 months and if it does nothing else, it makes you conscious of the way that you drive yourself.

soup · 18 June 2011 at 7:30PM

for less than £20 delivered you can't go wrong with that thing. You could also leave it in the house filming and recording sound for 3 hrs when you are out, as anyone there will think its a torch.

CaptainKidd · 18 June 2011 at 7:54PM

I own one of those cameras and the footage isant to bad for the money, when the memory runs out it just records over itself again. The only problem i found is having to remember to turn it on and off every time you get in or out the car but i suppose if you wire it directly to the car then you could just leave it running incase anything happens at night.

mikey72 · 18 June 2011 at 8:25PM

Only thing that puts me off it the company have no phone contact, are in Guernsey, and don't take paypal, just cards.

soup · 18 June 2011 at 8:33PM

mikey72 wrote: »

Only thing that puts me off it the company have no phone contact, are in Guernsey, and don't take paypal, just cards.

I've used them in 2003 and 2004 for specialist batteries. Service was great, prices were great, never a fraud on card after. I guess they make good money via the tax system by being a tax haven.
I would trust them as much as any site on the net.

Is it worth getting an in-car video camera

Comments

Confirm your email address to Create Threads and Reply

🚀 Getting Started

Categories

Is this how you want to be seen?

Get our FREE Weekly email full of deals & guides - and it’s spam-free