Strider etc - In Car Camera's on a budget?

thenudeone

Flyboy152 wrote: »

If you were involved in a collision and they suspected you to be the cause of that act, would they not have the right to search your vehicle for any evidence that might prove their case; such as drink, drugs or rather contraband.

I'm afraid that that's complete rubbish.

The conditions under which a police officer may conduct a search are clearly outlined in PACE (links above) and do not allow speculative searches / "fishing trips" without reasonable grounds. My comments are in {circular brackets}.

1 Power of constable to stop and search persons, vehicles etc.

(1)... {not relevant - refers to public places}

(2)Subject to subsection (3) to (5) below, a constable—
(a)may search—
(i)any person or vehicle;
(ii)anything which is in or on a vehicle,
for stolen or prohibited articles [F1, any article to which subsection (8A) below applies {8A refers to pointed or bladed articles} or any firework to which subsection (8B) below applies] ; and
(b)may detain a person or vehicle for the purpose of such a search.

(3)This section does not give a constable power to search a person or vehicle or anything in or on a vehicle unless he has reasonable grounds for suspecting that he will find stolen or prohibited articles [F2, any article to which subsection (8A) below applies or any firework to which subsection (8B) below applies] .

(4) and (5) {irrelevant - refers to yards, grounds, and dwellings}

So - your car cannot be searched just because you have had an accident, even if you are suspected of an offence.

Flyboy152

thenudeone wrote: »

I'm afraid that that's complete rubbish.

The conditions under which a police officer may conduct a search are clearly outlined in PACE (links above) and do not allow speculative searches / "fishing trips" without reasonable grounds. My comments are in {circular brackets}.

<snip>

So - your car cannot be searched just because you have had an accident, even if you are suspected of an offence.

There was no need to be so blunt, I was asking the question, not stating a fact.

That said, why are the police allowed to search my car for a mobile telephone, if they belive that to be he cause of a collision? The telephone is not a prohibited item, not would it have been stolen.

fivetide

Flyboy152 wrote: »

There was no need to be so blunt

Pot, meet kettle.

That would be a complete and utter waste of time, seeing as there would no proof of where that speed as accumulated

Especially as it wasn't even related to gaining proof as explained above.

You can't have it both ways (ooo er)

5t.

thenudeone

fivetide wrote: »

Pot, meet kettle.

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

thenudeone

Flyboy152 wrote: »

That said, why are the police allowed to search my car for a mobile telephone, if they belive that to be he cause of a collision? The telephone is not a prohibited item, not would it have been stolen.

I don't believe that they are allowed (in general), but most people are ignorant of police powers and just assume that whatever they are doing is within the law.

Police Authorised Vehicle Examiners have more powers to detain and inspect vehicles which ordinary coppers don't have. This might allow them to claim that they were inside the vehicle lawfully and therefore could seize any camera for evidence, provided they already had some reason to think that the camera contained some evidence of an offence, but it's a bit of stretch, IMO. Those inspection powers were given for road safety reasons, not to seize evidence under PACE.

Flyboy152

On all of these many police shows, it is often seen that officers look in cars for such things, I am sure that someone would have spotted if it was illegal and used that as evidence.

thenudeone

Flyboy152 wrote: »

On all of these many police shows, it is often seen that officers look in cars for such things, I am sure that someone would have spotted if it was illegal and used that as evidence.

It's not illegal; i.e. it's not a criminal offence. But if evidence was obtained by a search that was not specifically allowed under PACE or some other Act, or if the requirements of PACE are not satisfied, a good lawyer will argue that the evidence is inadmissible, and will probably take a civil action against the police.

I know of one case where a person was legally stopped and searched by the police. Nothing was found, but the police did not complete the search record that PACE requires them to. Result - £50 compensation to the person.

Cash-Strapped.T32

*Thanks to Strider for PMming me a link to a cracking little camera - Not as cheap as some in this thread, but checking the bit-rate & img quality looks to be ideal for use on a bike & waterproof too. Good man! :cool:

Jakg

Another recommendation is this - http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Road-Angel-Camera-Car-Vehicle-Dvr-Recorder-Cam-Dash-DV-/250861530985?pt=UK_CCTV&hash=item3a68832f69#ht_4328wt_1163

I got mine from a UK seller but they're all the same thing.

Turns on / off with the ignition, you can hardwire it in if you want (or use your cigarette lighter). Does 2 / 5 / 15 minute chunks & cycle records (records continually, deletes the oldest video when it's full).

Some videos
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6sfTUEX9go
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zBafDxh20Ok

tsutton

I use MiniDVR 3 with a bullet camera - works well. Do a search for my Youtube username - t1sutton - for many examples of videos from it.

Am very happy with it.