Is there anything I can do with dashcam footage?

Jlawson118

I'm a new driver and recently got a dash cam as the city I travel to has a reputation for dangerous drivers, and well don't I know it recently..

Yesterday it was like an obstacle course. I had a van with a trailer and a digger on the back pull out on me slowly as I was driving down the road, then a few minutes later, a cement mixer did. Just coming home today, some BMW swerved around me and tried to race and overtake down a very narrow street in the village I live in. I'm seeing it all most days, and I think about the things I see a lot of the time, like wondering if they've been in an accident after they've left me, or what if they'd have injured me?

Is there anything I can do with witness footage?

JP1978

Believe it or not, these are daily occurances for every driver.

Now, im not saying you are at fault but you will learn over time to predict how others around you will behave, or at least how they may behave and adapt your speed / road position accordingly. Oh, and you will be making as many, of not more mistakes or errors of judgement than those you are taking footage of.

hollie.weimeraner

Sign up with http://www.policewitness.com/

The incidents will need to prove offences have been committed. Drivers pulling out on you and overtaking you will happen every day and don't necessarily constitute law breaking.

Strider590

Youtube them, for commercial vehicles include the reg no and company name in the video tags. This means when an employee from that business Googles the company, your video will likely show up on the first page of results. Contact the company if you feel it was bad enough, contact the Police if it was downright dangerous.

For other vehicles use discretion, Youtube them, include a hashtag for your regional Police force, contact the Police if the offence could have resulted in a serious accident or if the driver became abusive/threatening.

Always remember, if it's possible the other party will remember your vehicle, by all means contact the Police, but don't post videos for at least a few months.

Johno100

hollie.weimeraner wrote: »

Sign up with http://www.policewitness.com/

The incidents will need to prove offences have been committed. Drivers pulling out on you and overtaking you will happen every day and don't necessarily constitute law breaking.

You don't think that is any sort of official website do you?

Suggest you have a read of this thread and you'll get the measure of Matthew Stockdale who runs it.

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5371824

Strider590

hollie.weimeraner wrote: »

Sign up with http://www.policewitness.com/

The incidents will need to prove offences have been committed. Drivers pulling out on you and overtaking you will happen every day and don't necessarily constitute law breaking.

I'm pretty sure that footage sent to that site gets built into compilation videos which are then posted on Youtube and monetised (ads put in front of the video to make money for the channel owner).

Jlawson118

Strider590 wrote: »

Youtube them, for commercial vehicles include the reg no and company name in the video tags. This means when an employee from that business Googles the company, your video will likely show up on the first page of results. Contact the company if you feel it was bad enough, contact the Police if it was downright dangerous.

For other vehicles use discretion, Youtube them, include a hashtag for your regional Police force, contact the Police if the offence could have resulted in a serious accident or if the driver became abusive/threatening.

Always remember, if it's possible the other party will remember your vehicle, by all means contact the Police, but don't post videos for at least a few months.

hollie.weimeraner wrote: »

Sign up with http://www.policewitness.com/

The incidents will need to prove offences have been committed. Drivers pulling out on you and overtaking you will happen every day and don't necessarily constitute law breaking.

JP1978 wrote: »

Believe it or not, these are daily occurances for every driver.

Now, im not saying you are at fault but you will learn over time to predict how others around you will behave, or at least how they may behave and adapt your speed / road position accordingly. Oh, and you will be making as many, of not more mistakes or errors of judgement than those you are taking footage of.

Yeah I know these are daily occurrences and I'm not somebody who will just report them for the fun of it, but I'm talking about the ones that really are dangerous, not just little stunts here and there because you're all right in saying that it's everyday that happens

Jlawson118

Strider590 wrote: »

Youtube them, for commercial vehicles include the reg no and company name in the video tags. This means when an employee from that business Googles the company, your video will likely show up on the first page of results. Contact the company if you feel it was bad enough, contact the Police if it was downright dangerous.

For other vehicles use discretion, Youtube them, include a hashtag for your regional Police force, contact the Police if the offence could have resulted in a serious accident or if the driver became abusive/threatening.

Always remember, if it's possible the other party will remember your vehicle, by all means contact the Police, but don't post videos for at least a few months.

Before I had a dash cam, I had to go slow and keep my distance behind a truck carrying a big load of hay, I couldn't overtake due to the weather conditions at the time and I had a DPD driver up my backside, beeping me, flashing his lights, actually touching the back of my car at some point, really impatient. I took note of the registration and reported him to DPD customer services. I don't know what will have happened, but had I have braked at any time, there'd have been a serious accident. Other than that, I wouldn't do much else with footage

MrsTinks

Dash cams are great in the event of an accident or an alleged accident, other than that police will rarely be interested as it's a pig to prosecute based on most dash cams quality of data to follow the video.

It's more likely a complaint to a company will result in driver training which will obviously be a good thing �� For private vehicles - up to you really... but avoid that witness website, the guy as mentioned is a typical opportunist and btw shunned by most of the industry

force_ten

MrsTinks wrote: »

Dash cams are great in the event of an accident or an alleged accident, other than that police will rarely be interested as it's a pig to prosecute based on most dash cams quality of data to follow the video.

It's more likely a complaint to a company will result in driver training which will obviously be a good thing �� For private vehicles - up to you really... but avoid that witness website, the guy as mentioned is a typical opportunist and btw shunned by most of the industry

that is no longer true, north wales police have launched operation snap where you can upload dash cam footage of bad driving

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t1DesHeugRU

and they have prosecuted based on footage they have received

King_Nothing

I'd just say, just get on with your life and forgot about it, unless you have an actual accident, life's too short.