# Everyone PLEASE get a dashcam to avoid what happened to me!



## Brokedoc

I have dash cams installed in all of my personal cars. I was in Vegas 3 weeks ago attending a convention and I was driving a rental into the parking garage at Planet Hollywood/Miracle Mile Mall. There was a lot of traffic so everyone was stopped. The pickup in front of me decides he wants to get out of line and move into the left lane so he backs up right into my fender. I called the police and they said that they don't respond to minor accidents in Las Vegas so we exchange numbers.

Now, he claims I drove into him!

I'm getting video from the parking garage if they still have it but if the video isn't available, I WILL BE RESPONSIBLE for the repairs on the BMW I rented! I can't believe this idiot is lying and I can't believe that I need a portable dash cam even for when I go on trips and rent a car?!?!?!

Please protect yourselves and make the small investment in a dashcam!


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## Maevra

Brokedoc said:


> I have dash cams installed in all of my personal cars. I was in Vegas 3 weeks ago attending a convention and I was driving a rental into the parking garage at Planet Hollywood/Miracle Mile Mall. There was a lot of traffic so everyone was stopped. The pickup in front of me decides he wants to get out of line and move into the left lane so he backs up right into my fender. I called the police and they said that they don't respond to minor accidents in Las Vegas so we exchange numbers.
> 
> Now, he claims I drove into him!
> 
> I'm getting video from the parking garage if they still have it but if the video isn't available, I WILL BE RESPONSIBLE for the repairs on the BMW I rented! I can't believe this idiot is lying and I can't believe that I need a portable dash cam even for when I go on trips and rent a car?!?!?!
> 
> Please protect yourselves and make the small investment in a dashcam!


So sad to hear this happened to you @Brokedoc.  That's just a really low, rotten thing to try and lie about it too!


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## Brokedoc

Maevra said:


> So sad to hear this happened to you [UNot everyone in this world is honest and truthful.SER=6257]@Brokedoc[/USER].  That's just a really low, rotten thing to try and lie about it too!


Thanks. Not everyone in this world is honest and truthful. That's why we need to protect ourselves with indisputable facts from a dashcam.


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## teslamcteslaface

Brokedoc said:


> Thanks. Not everyone in this world is honest and truthful. That's why we need to protect ourselves with indisputable facts from a dashcam.


@Brokedoc 
Wouldn't it be cool if this scenario played out....you were in vegas after all
Just text him & ask him if he wants to dispute your dash cam footage.... (bluff)
see what happens.....
if he claims he has dash-cam and it doesn't has footage....
say fine, agree to a trusted third party, send both dashcams to a lawyer.

If he had a dashcam, there is evidence, even if deletes, data doesn't wipe out fully from a commercial delete function ....It is recoverable....or there will be metadata of the delete.....

and on the off chance this works, let me know and I'll draw up an invoice for your settlement so he can pat a few extra bucks for being a dick & just a bad human


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## SoFlaModel3

Brokedoc said:


> I have dash cams installed in all of my personal cars. I was in Vegas 3 weeks ago attending a convention and I was driving a rental into the parking garage at Planet Hollywood/Miracle Mile Mall. There was a lot of traffic so everyone was stopped. The pickup in front of me decides he wants to get out of line and move into the left lane so he backs up right into my fender. I called the police and they said that they don't respond to minor accidents in Las Vegas so we exchange numbers.
> 
> Now, he claims I drove into him!
> 
> I'm getting video from the parking garage if they still have it but if the video isn't available, I WILL BE RESPONSIBLE for the repairs on the BMW I rented! I can't believe this idiot is lying and I can't believe that I need a portable dash cam even for when I go on trips and rent a car?!?!?!
> 
> Please protect yourselves and make the small investment in a dashcam!
> 
> View attachment 5428


I really don't want one (never had one before). The big, open glass is so nice, I'm 99.9% sure I am ditching my Valentine One as well.

That said the road is full of idiots.

Not sure what to do...


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## garsh

SoFlaModel3 said:


> I really don't want one (never had one before). The big, open glass is so nice


Put it to the right of the rear view mirror. Then you will at least not see it from the driver's seat.


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## SoFlaModel3

garsh said:


> Put it to the right of the rear view mirror. Then you will at least not see it from the driver's seat.


Yeah, I guess I'd hide it there with my Sunpass (tolls). We'll see. What about the rear facing camera though? That one will bother me if I look back and see it.


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## garsh

SoFlaModel3 said:


> Yeah, I guess I'd hide it there with my Sunpass (tolls). We'll see. What about the rear facing camera though? That one will bother me if I look back and see it.


That will be more of an issue.
I'm planning on mounting it on the rear decklid. Someone else mounted it there, and it actually appeared to have a pretty good view out the back.


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## JWardell

That totally sucks @Brokedoc !!
There is just now excuse to not have a dash cam now that they are only $40 or so.
Very good point to remember to bring one when traveling and renting a car.
I have front and back cams in my car, but none on the wife's, and I'm always nervous something like this will happen to it


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## EValuatED

SoFlaModel3 said:


> Yeah, I guess I'd hide it there with my Sunpass (tolls). We'll see. What about the rear facing camera though? That one will bother me if I look back and see it.


Have to say, my rear cam is very small and actually reassuring to see when I look in the rear view mirror... I installed a blackvue 650 2ch after almost getting sideswiped into another lane by a driver who pulled past me, beyond the end of a merge, and just swung over right at me. I could see them yakking on their cell phone. That was it!

BTW, I recommend mounting as high as practical so you can see license plates. Also, if someone behind me can see the camera... good!


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## SoFlaModel3

EValuatED said:


> Have to say, my rear cam is very small and actually reassuring to see when I look in the rear view mirror... I installed a blackvue 650 2ch after almost getting sideswiped into another lane by a driver who pulled past me, beyond the end of a merge, and just swung over right at me. I could see them yakking on their cell phone. That was it!
> 
> BTW, I recommend mounting as high as practical so you can see license plates. Also, if someone behind me can see the camera... good!


Florida isn't a front plate state, so we can't catch that from the rear view.


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## chojn1

Don't we already have 7 cameras on the model 3? Seems crazy to add two more. Maybe Tesla will let us access those camera feeds?


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## Brokedoc

chojn1 said:


> Don't we already have 7 cameras on the model 3? Seems crazy to add two more. Maybe Tesla will let us access those camera feeds?


Elon has tweeted something about allowing access to the onboard cameras but that was months ago. Also, keep in mind that these cams are all black and white (aside from front) and resolution may not be enough to capture plates or other detail. EAP/FSD utilize fuzzy logic and high resolution cameras are not always necessary. Check out Tesla's video for a sample of what the cameras can "see". It looks fuzzy to me and I can't make out any license plates in the video. 




For the small investment of a dashcam, I'd rather buy now and have full control over accessing the images instead of relying on a tweet from Elon that may never come.

***Update***
For future reference, if you're going to get into an accident with conflicting driver statements, try to have the accident in a casino parking lot. Apparently video exists and hopefully the angles will be enough to back my version of the events. Now it's just a waiting game for the proper steps to take place before the security personnel can locate the video, analyze the video, and create a report for the insurance company. FYI - their security doesn't release the video because they don't want anyone to know their exact video capabilities or locations of cameras. AND, for the future, I will be travelling with a portable dash cam anytime I need to rent a car.


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## Spinball

The problem with a dash cam is that you have now made your car a smash and grab target. Just can’t win... Now if Tesla manages to make the built-in cameras record in an accessible way it would be the best of both worlds.


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## Brokedoc

Spinball said:


> The problem with a dash cam is that you have now made your car a smash and grab target. Just can't win... Now if Tesla manages to make the built-in cameras record in an accessible way it would be the best of both worlds.


Once upon a time, thieves would break into cars to steal radios and 8 track tapes. Dash cams are getting so cheap and common I think theft is becoming less of an issue.

***Update***
The mall/casino security was able to review the footage and corroborate my version of the events. The damage on my rental will be covered 100% by the other person's insurance and my lesson was learned that not everyone is honest and truthful. I will ALWAYS have a dashcam in every rental car I drive. Too bad I had to have all this stress to learn this lesson...


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## jsmay311

https://www.teslarati.com/elon-musk-hints-tesla-dashcam-feature-arrive-soon/

It'll be nice if/when Tesla enables this. (Not holding my breath tho.) It'll be one more nice differentiator vs other cars.

I do wonder if they'd make it a standard feature or require EAP activation.


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## Spinball

Brokedoc said:


> Once upon a time, thieves would break into cars to steal radios and 8 track tapes. Dash cams are getting so cheap and common I think theft is becoming less of an issue.


I've have my car broken into and the only thing stolen was change in the console tray.

I remain unconvinced that putting a $200 device visible in the window isn't a "please break in" signal to thieves.

Don't get me wrong I think they are great for accidents, just bad for leaving a parked car with one visible.


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## DErkan

So how do we feel about dashcams now that Model3 forward cam can be saved to USB?


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## MelindaV

DErkan said:


> So how do we feel about dashcams now that Model3 forward cam can be saved to USB, when it works?


fixed that for you


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## garsh

DErkan said:


> So how do we feel about dashcams now that Model3 forward cam can be saved to USB?


I decide to forego adding a dashcam when I heard that this feature was coming. But this constant flash drive corruption issue has me wondering if I should pick up a cheap dashcam to use until Tesla fixes this problem.

BTW, I had bought a BlackVue DR750S-2CH as part of M3OC's original DashCam group buy. Once Tesla announced the built-in dashcam functionality, I decided to just sell it. Bought for $290, and sold for $350. @MelindaV does an incredible job of getting us good prices for these group buys.


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