Protect yourselves - Get a dashcam.

[OldVW]

Hi, 

 

 

(Edit - sorry for the essay, once I started writing I couldn't stop, I think it helped a bit getting it all out and on the page. )

 

 

Pretty much what the title says, get a dash cam. 

 

I have been meaning to for years, but never got around to it. The fact I kept getting away without one meant I kept putting it off. 

 

I was driving along a country road minding my own business (ie not racing, in a hurry or otherwise driving indecently, I was aware of my surroundings, in control just not in a rush) and a car not too far ahead of me without indication slowed down and turned off the main road at a junction to my left up ahead of me.

 

He immediately swung a hard right turn, came back on to the main road directly in front of me without looking. 

 

I was behind this car for a little while, I turn my lights on the second after I start my car, always. So I know that if they were paying attention at any point of the journey they would have seen me behind them. 

 

I should of hit them side on. 

 

I honestly thought I was about to kill someone. That is the first thing that went through my mind when I saw them just pull broadside right in front of me. 

 

I slammed on the horn and brakes, they heard and saw me then and stopped completely blocking both lanes. 

 

Thankfully I spend a lot of time on the road for work, I am safety conscious and I love my cars so I like looking after them as best as I can. 

 

I put the best A rated tyres I can afford on the car, even if its on a credit card. 

 

I put the best brake disc and pad combo I can afford on the car, again even if its on the credit card. 

 

I flush the brake fluid once a year to two years maximum.  

 

That is my safety minimum, I also make sure the bushes and other perishables are always changed as soon as possible. 

 

This is the only reason I am possibly alive today and do not have someone else's health or life on my conscience.  Because even though it was 100% their fault I would not cope knowing I had killed someone or severely hurt them. 

 

My car slowed so fast it hurt my shoulder where the seatbelt dug in and I felt my body start to come off the seat. I must of missed the front of their car by centimetres. 

 

I went off the road and into a ditch. 

 

Before I had chance to think they had wheelspinned away. 

 

My insurance representative told me within the first minute that I should of just hit the other car, because it would make things a lot easier for me and make sure that they did not get away with their actions. 

 

Thankfully this was the best possible outcome for me, because flashing up on my dashboard was 'airbag error'.  I later found out from my insurer that my car was a structural write off before I bought it.   At the time I was desperate for a car and did not know I could pay for a comprehensive history check.  The guy I bought the car off did not tell me and clearly did not do an honest repair, he tricked the car into thinking it had an airbag. 

 

If I had hit them at the speed I was doing, maybe 40 - 45 mph, I could of been severely injured, crushing my chest on the steering wheel, and also killed the other driver. 

 

As it stands the impact with the ditch was a lot easier, but not painless.  The twisting motion as the one side went in first, the stress through my right leg pressing as hard as I could on the brake into my hips and lower back still hurts weeks later. 

 

My insurance company took the car there and then, wrote it off, put it as a fault against me whilst I was on the phone at the side of the road. 

 

I was paid a stupidly small amount because the car was a structural write off before I bought it. Way less than I bought it for. 

 

I have no claim against the guy I bought the car off because it was bank transfer and my word against his. 

 

I have no claim against the driver who ran, because I don't know who they were, don't know their reg number. The police said that even if they got CCTV footage from a house a mile away they don't have footage of the accident, it is my word against theirs. 

 

Because it is a fault against me I do not get a courtesy car. 

 

Because I have no one to claim against I cannot claim whiplash or injuries against myself. 

 

I signed up to facebook 🤢 just to put a request for information on the two pages of the villages nearby but got nothing. Reported it to the police but got nothing. 

 

Because I drive for a living I needed a car quickly, as much as I would of preferred a cheap nugget, I do a lot of miles and will be doing more soon as I am moving.

So I was forced to take a loan out and get a decent older car, but I got a blessing there, a friend found me a car in an ebay auction with immaculate history and in very good condition inside and out, it just needed some love. 

The same model car and mileage sold the day before with considerable accident damage for twice what I paid for this one. 

 

I have had to spend a lot of money I don't have on very worn out items, the tyres were illegal, brakes did not work, the front shock absorbers were broken and the oil needed changing, plus filters etc but now I have a decent car I wouldn't otherwise be able to afford. 

 

Love the car, hate the debt. 

 

My insurance has also risen from £350 a year fully comp with business use to £1200 a year fully comp with business use. Both cars 2.0tdi. 

 

If I had a dash cam I would be in a much better position financially, I would be able to afford physiotherapy, not need a loan, feel satisfied that the other party did not get away with their actions at this present time. 

 

On the positive side, I have felt the presence of Jehovah's helping hand, inner peace despite feeling at times very alone, experiencing first hand peoples inhumanity, a severe injustice and quite substantial pain.  I have received love and support from my family, congregation, work colleagues and most importantly I was able to walk away with a limp, not be carried away on a trolley. 

 

I am single, don't earn a lot, I get fairly good mileage from the NHS for the community work that I do but in the real world I actually pay to do my job as tyres, parts and fuel cost more than they pay. With the cost of living and everything else I will be paying this loan off for years. 

 

Apart from having a dash cam, I would not have it any other way.  My conscience is completely 100% clear. 

 

My car maintenance and due diligence whilst driving allowed me to potentially save two lives, that is worth any price, and I got to experience first hand Jehovah's helping hand.

 

Since the accident I have been stopped at red lights and watched cars drive straight past me, weaving through traffic. I have also watched several people overtake cyclists on blind corners barely avoiding head on collisions. 

 

I have just bought a good dash cam and will be fitting it asap. 

 

As this world sinks even further into the mire it is prudent to protect ourselves from the complete and utter lack of natural affection, consideration, lies and deceit of the regular person on the roads today. 

 

Stay safe out there x

 

[hatcheckgirl]

Bro Martin, wow! I’m so glad you are ok, and alive to tell the tale so to speak. You have a good attitude towards a true injustice. 
The “time and unforeseen occurrences” are increasing nowadays as people are becoming more negligent and selfish. You are right - this world is sinking into the mire faster before our eyes and we are all affected until Jehovah ends it.

[Witness1970]

I thought a lot about getting a dashcam for years.  I used to have a job on the North side of Atlanta Georgia.  There were times when it might have been useful.

 

My first turn was onto a ramp to get onto Highway 316.  On one occasion, as I was getting to the end of the ramp, I was merging onto Highway 316.  There were 2 cars in the left lane behind.  The car in the very back decided to pass the other car and ran up behind me.  He was upset that I was already halfway on 316 but had nowhere to go.  The ramp was ending and the only way for me to get out of the way of the other car would be to run off the road.

 

After I was completely on I85, the cars both passed me.  The car behind decided to pull over in front of me.  He got halfway off on the shoulder of the road and drove that way for a while, then came back on the road.  He again went onto the shoulder completely off the road and drove that way for a while.  I stayed back, not knowing when he might come back onto the road.  As we approached my exit, he suddenly came onto the road again and he exited ahead of me.  I noticed an SUV in the left lane suddenly hit the brakes.  I didn't know why at first.  As I exited behind the errant driver, the SUV swerved to the right and got behind me.  I saw blue lights start flashing and I pulled over to the right.  The SUV sped by me and went after the other driver.

 

On another occasion, I was going up the ramp from 316 to the Lawrenceville HWY.  When I got to the top of the ramp there was a sign that said "Keep Moving" and a police car stopped, waiting on traffic, instead of using the lane that was for cars coming off the ramp.  I managed to stop, but I was worried that some big SUV might come around the curve, not expecting anyone to be stopped at the 'Keep Moving' sign.  I thought about being sandwiched between the SUV and the Gwinnett County police car ahead of me.  Fortunately, the police car moved before any other vehicles came running up behind me.

 

Then there was the time on Sugarloaf Highway when a car passed me.  I was doing the speed limit (50 MPH) and was just cruising along.  A car went by me very fast in the left lane and, in order not to blind the other driver, I dimmed my lights.  As soon as I dimmed my lights the car slowed down.  He rode along right beside me for a short while and then sped up again.  I again dimmed my lights as he passed and he again slowed down.  This time he got behind me in the right lane and followed for a short distance.  Suddenly he sped up and came right toward my bumper.  At the last second, he swerved to the right, barely missing my rear bumper, and passed me with his car on my side of the center line.  Then swerved back into the right lane barely missing my front bumper.  When I got close to the end of Sugarloaf Parkway, I saw the car waiting at the end of Sugarloaf.  I turned to the right on Johnson Road which was a road that made a right curve and came out on Grayson Highway.  I expected him to be on Grayson Highway so I turned around and went back to Sugarloaf Highway.  When I got there the other driver was gone.  The rest of the ride home was uneventful.

 

 Then there was the time I was approaching the end of Sugarloaf Parkway.  I was doing the speed limit (50 MPH) as always, but the car ahead of me was going slow.  I decided to pass.  As I reached to turn on the turn signal to change lanes, I accidentally hit the dimmer switch (which was on the same handle as the turn signal), brightening my lights.  I immediately dimmed the lights.  The driver seemed to be upset that I accidentally flashed my lights.  He sped up refusing to let me pass.  When I got behind him, he slowed down, slower than before.  When I started around him again, he sped up again.  This time I touched the brakes to make him think I was getting behind him.  Just as he hit his brake I hit the accelerator and went past him.  (I blame this partly on myself for accidentally hitting the dimmer switch, but I do feel that he over-reacted somewhat.

 

On another occasion, someone came up behind me with his lights on bright.  There was a long straight highway ahead and he had plenty of time to pass.  I slowed down slightly below the speed limit to give him plenty of time to pass.  Instead, he got right on my bumper, brightened his lights, and had his horn blasting nonstop.  When I came to the spot where I was going to turn, I turned on my signal light.  He cut across the road and turned in ahead of me.  I went behind him not bothering to dim my lights.  at the next stop sign.  He finally turned off on a side road.

 

On another occasion on the same highway, I came upon a person who was going about 20 MPH in a 55 MPH zone.  It was close to my turn off so I did not immediately pass.  The route he took was the same route I was going.  I stopped at one stop sign and let him get well ahead as I sat there.  After I turned at the stop sign I caught up with him again still going about 20 MPH.  Again I waited at another stop sign and let him get ahead. When I left that stop sign I caught up with him at the next turn.  This time there was a long straight section of road.  I pulled into the left lane and started to pass.  He seemed to suddenly find the accelerator and sped up.  The speed limit was 55 and when I looked at the speedometer I was going 60.  I normally stay below the speed limit and I immediately slowed down.  When I got behind him he slowed down to about 15 MPH, even slower than before.  It was not a good place to pass so I stayed behind him.  He finally made a left turn and I was able to go back up to the speed limit the rest of the way home.

 

A dashcam might have come in handy for some of these occurrences.   Maybe it would have been a good idea to invest in a dashcam years ago.  I don't drive much anymore.  My health problems make it safer if I leave the driving to my wife.  She likes it that way because she gets nervous any time she gets in a car with someone else driving.  We recently purchased a vehicle so that she could drive in Field Service.  Our old car was low to the ground which was not good on the roads in our mostly rural territory.

 

 

 

 

[OldVW]

There are some crazy people out there!

Those stories remind me of the dash cam videos on youtube.

I used to watch them and laugh and the states people got themselves into, but over the years they have just got worse and worse and now more and more violent. The people seem possessed by pure rage.

I dont watch them anymore because they arent funny.

The actually remind me of the accounts of the people in Noahs day.

 

But in general today it seems that people are no longer able to critically think. Anger and rage first, think later... maybe.

 

As people descend even further we will stand out more and cannot rely on them doing the decent thing.

 

By taking basic precautions whilst driving and in every day life, following Jehovahs instruction to teach ourselves to be able to take a step back, take a breath when we have been wronged, cut up on the road or in the shop queue, and let it go we may very well save our lives.

 

I dont live in a rough area thankfully, but i still see and hear of awful crimes happening, when in the car i always make sure i lock the doors on entry.

 

Never have the windows fully open in built up areas where i have to stop, only an inch or two max.

 

When pulling up behind a car at lights always leave enough space to pull off to the left or right. This serves several purposes, if they brake down you can pull around them without reversing. It also means if ambulances or police etc need to get past you can pull to the side.

Also if you get hit from behind and do not hit the car in front you do not get a fault on your insurance, the car infront always claims off the car behind.

Also if someone tries to car jack you, you arent blocked in. Yes i have seen this in sleepy shropshire, someone brazen enough to walk up the line of cars at a traffic light just trying door handles with a mask on.

Windows up, doors locked, emergency space between you and the car infront.

And dash cam 😅

 

What a relief it is to know that this isnt the real life! 

This is temporary and will be forgotten. 

 

[LeolaRootStew]

any recommendations for brands to buy?

[Qapla]

There is a channel on YouTube that shows dashcam videos and they recommend these two cameras

 

https://amzn.to/3TVRS4L (5% off promo code: WhamBaamVS1)
https://amzn.to/3MHU9xx (5% off promo code: WhamB229PRO)

 

 

[Tortuga]

I have had a dashcam in my truck for several years. The model that I bought has a separate rear camera.

[ReadYourBible]

As irony would have it, my husband's dashcam caught a semi truck fail to stop and run over a car in the opposite lane. Thankfully, no one was killed but many serious injuries. He submitted it to the police when the trucker's company tried to say he wasn't at fault. The cam showed otherwise. 

[boodles]

There are a lot of hit and runs in our area, so I decided to get a dashcam, but it's hard to make out license plates sometimes. 

[OldVW]

Hi,

 

Sorry for the delay, i am absolutely exhausted from moving house and working on my car.

 

I bought the nextbase GW 622 with the hardwire kit, but you can run it from the cigarette lighter with the cable provided in the kit.

 

It is very well rated, 4k in 30fps or 1080p and you can use slomo.

 

You can attach a rear view camera.

 

It has alexa voice control to take pics or record, it has what 3 words and can call for help in an accident.

 

It also connects to your phone so you can wirelessly check the data or settings.

 

It also has protect mode for when the car is parked.

 

So far i like it.