Car Cameras.... Realistic option?

[DriverR]

Hope this is the correct section for this.

With the way people drive today, I was wondering is it possible and, more importantly, legal to install an in-car video recorder that can be used to prove guilt/innocense in the event of an accident?
The idea came to me while watching the reality clip from the US and European Police cars that normally have a video camera mounted on their dash to record their day to day actions, and it is often used as evidence in court for some cases.

[benbsb29]

Nice idea.. but not practical, i feel.
In Indian city conditions, we would need cams all round, as we face the risk of being brushed by some auto, or rear ended by a bus/cabbie, or else, someone spitting from a passing bus.

[SRK]

Right now there are some cameras installed on top of the signals..mostly where there is too much flow of vehicles.

Also I had seen one poilce van here with a street ligh thing on top of it..It was too high and covered..I think it was a camera too..used to capture video in a crowded place..like rock concerts..

[akshay1234]

yeah.. those are mobile cameras.

[manikjeet]

In chandigarh we have some traffic lights where we have camera installed and the people who jump the lights are sent pic with the challan
thier three picks i think so
1 the car before the light
2 the car and the light
3 the car crossing the light when the red light is still on

it is all triggered with some sensors under the road

[Zappo]

@DriverR, what a coincidence. Just today I experienced a moron in a WagonR who cut across my car, inches in front, at a speed of above 60kmph while overtaking from the wrong side. I swerved violently towrds the divider to avoid a collision. I was lucky... I knew even if I caught up with the bugger he will feign ignorance or will get into a bad verbal duel. Thats when I was thinking that it will be nice to have a camera on the dash to record such incidences which can serve as a proof against such ba**ards.

[passion4cars]

Hi friends,

Idea is good......but how practical it is.....?? and where all would you put cameras ? 1 for front / 2 for rear / 3 for left side / 4 for right side ? and still then you will always find angles....which would have been missed as camera didnt cover it )

Thanks & regards
P4C

[tsk1979]

So you are saying we need a nanny state watching every move made by the public. WEll we are getting closer to 1984, George Orwell would be proud!

[DriverR]

@TSK : I sure hope we don't turn into an Orwellian state! I for one would not want Big Brother to be watching my every move!

@Zappo: I emphatize with you. In fact seeing the way people drive in Hyd prompted me to think of the idea, as I every day I see atleast 3-5 near-misses and arguments between vehicles.

@P4C: It is certainly not possible to have 4 cameras at the 4 sides....I guess only James Bond would have such a car!!! I think the best position would be a forward looking camera, similar to the the set-up of the Police cars cams in the West. In anycase even if someone side-swipes you or kisses your bumper, the motion will be recorded in a shake in the forward viewing image.

[esteem_lover]

You would be spending more time in police stations trying to explain to the cops that you were not holding the cam while driving.

[hydrashok]

Think of implementing it practically, you'll need one mutha of a hard-disk in the car (heat/vibration/dust protected) to store one day's stream. If you plan to archive the footage, a daily transfer to PC and to DVD.

And as e_l said, you'd have a tough time proving you weren't holding a cam while driving.

BTW, you'd also be filming all the speeding, occasional 1-way and U-turn violations and misc. other stuff you do in moments of stupidity (even the most law-abiding of us have those moments). If you need to produce the footage in a court to prove innocence in one thing or to prove somebody did something to you, the entire shebang (including your minor violations which will become "shocking examples of rash & life-threatening driving" in the court, according to the opposition) will become public.

Sorry for being skeptical. I myself have felt the need for something like this from time to time, but it just isn't practical.

[DriverR]

The way I was thinking, it is more of a detachable dash or roof mounted camera (so that no one steals it at night!!!) that runs off the 9V/12V socket.
It would ideally be used only when driving. I don't know about others but in a day I am on the road for max 2 hours. So memory space may/should not be too much of an issue.
Plus at the end of the day, I have no intention or need to archive or even review the recording unless something happened. Hence I'll be reusing the same menory space the next time.
And yes....even my driving style will be captured...... So I would have to drive more carefully!!!!

But the main point was that I myself am not sure if such a thing would be feasible, practical and legal. I personally think it should feasible to rig some sort of equipment for this. It may/should have its practical use, but I have no idea whether it is legal. Infact I think it will most propbably be considered illegal for a ordinary citizen to install such a setup in the car..... And that then probably throws the whole idea out of the car window.

[hydrashok]

If you want to just try, how 'bout using a laptop webcam (like the Logitech QuickCam Express) clipped on your dash facing forward, feeding the data into a laptop in the passenger seat? You'll get all forward action with the camera. Or even just a regular medium-end mobile cam-phone would do!

[sreedotk]

You do get sport version of camcorders that have a helmet mounted cam attachment to the camcorder itself. It would work out cheaper than a Dedicated Laptop web cam camera. If you already are carrying a webcam on a daily basis then Hydrashok's solution is workable

Helmet Cameras from Bullet Cam. Helmet Cams for motorcycles, boating, hunting and virtually any activity

Amazon.com: Archos Helmet Camcorder (500876): Electronics

instructables : DIY: Bicycle - Steady Cam - mount


can give some ideas

[sbasak]

Well, this idea is already implemented in many commercial vehicles (especially public buses) in developed world.
Some buses have revolving camera which records inside of the bus (in case of any passenger misbehaving, it can be used as evidence in court) and also other cameras to record frontal traffic of the vehicle (with the purpose of any insurance dispute).
I don't see any reason why you can't do it. If you can fix a tiny camcorder on your dashboard, you can get a decent recording. You can reuse same cassette/disk everyday. Just remember to take it away with you every time you get out of the car You don't need to transfer footage anywhere everyday. It is required only in case of an accident.
The way modern technology is progressing, probably after sometime this will be offered as a factory fitted option.