Dashcams definitely have their moments, but I'm still on the fence about them. Had one for a while, and honestly, it felt like I was just collecting hours of footage of me stuck in traffic or waiting at red lights. Plus, when someone sideswiped me last year, the angle wasn't even helpful—insurance barely glanced at it. Maybe it's just my luck or the model I had...but are they really that reliable when push comes to shove?
I hear you on the dashcam thing. Mine mostly captures me singing badly to the radio or muttering about slow drivers...not exactly riveting footage. But honestly, when a guy backed into me at the grocery store parking lot last year, that boring little camera saved my wallet. The guy tried to claim I rear-ended him, but the dashcam clearly showed I was parked and he reversed right into my bumper. Insurance took one look at the video and sided with me instantly. Maybe it's down to luck or just having the right angle at the right moment?
I do wonder, though, if pricier dashcams with better resolution or wider angles would make a difference in tricky situations like yours. I've been using a budget model myself—good enough to help in a pinch but definitely not cinema quality. Curious if anyone's upgraded and noticed a significant improvement in reliability or usefulness when dealing with insurance claims.
"Mine mostly captures me singing badly to the radio or muttering about slow drivers...not exactly riveting footage."
Haha, same here—my dashcam footage is mostly just me grumbling at traffic lights or humming off-key. But you're totally right, even a basic cam can be a lifesaver when things go sideways. Had a similar parking lot incident myself: someone dinged my car door pretty badly and tried to say I swung it open into them. Thankfully, my cheapo dashcam caught enough of an angle to prove otherwise.
I've thought about upgrading to something with better resolution too, but honestly, I'm not sure if the extra cost would really pay off in most cases. Maybe clearer footage helps if there's a dispute over license plate numbers or something subtle like that? Curious if anyone's had a scenario where higher resolution genuinely made the difference between winning or losing an insurance claim. For now though, I'll stick with budget-friendly—I figure any video proof is better than none at all.
"Maybe clearer footage helps if there's a dispute over license plate numbers or something subtle like that?"
I think you're onto something there—higher resolution might help catch small details like license plates or faces. Still, most incidents I've seen don't hinge on tiny details...usually it's pretty clear who's at fault.
"Still, most incidents I've seen don't hinge on tiny details...usually it's pretty clear who's at fault."
True, usually the big picture is pretty obvious. But I recall one time at a classic car meetup, a buddy's pristine '68 Mustang got sideswiped in the parking lot. The other driver took off, and the only thing that saved the day was some random dashcam footage that clearly showed the license plate. Sometimes those tiny details can be a lifesaver...or at least a wallet-saver.
