[gippy]

months ago i did a ton of research and bought a VIOFO A129 Pro dual.
Easy enough to fit and hardwire - i specifically wanted parking mode so i could catch anyone bumping my car in a car park.

Then about a week ago i got the fear that actually the chances of getting bumped by a car in a car park might be the same as a thief running round smashing windows and grabbing dashcams.

so for those of you with dashcams - what do you do?
Leave it plugged in and in parking mode?
Or stick it in glovebox when you park

[HarryTee]

I've been using dash-cams but I don't do either of the listed possibilities:
- I don't use them in parking-mode for fear of battery drain (I know there are ways to reduce the drain but...).
- I use simple, inexpensive cams and don't feel the need of putting them in glovebox. I don't like the prospect of constantly putting them on and taking them off either.

[Sullym6]

Had a dash cam mounted in the front of car for last 3yrs and not had any issues.
Mine is actually stuck to the window so probably less tempting than the suction mounts

Sully

[TiredGeek]

I've got a "good" dash cam and leave it in the windscreen permanently, it is tucked away behind the mirror so not as obvious to scum.
Don't use parking mode, never considered it necessary in the car park we use, all the cars tend to stay in the same spot all day. Plus there's now an unofficial BMW area where all the like minded owners cluster and respect each others motors Must look like a sweet shop to crims, M3, M140i, X330d and the best my 335d F31

Has anyone ever actually had any worthwhile footage from a dash cam in parking mode?

[MY340i]

I wouldn’t have thought there was a market for stolen dashcams

[Paddy1975]

Originally Posted by Barsj111

I wouldn’t have thought there was a market for stolen dashcams

There's a market for anything these day, the bag heads and scum bags will take anything that doesn't belong to them or that they don't have to work for, if it is not nailed down. They can walk into a pub with a couple of dash cam sell it for a tenner each to some other scrote and then happily be on their way to the local dealer for a score. We had a spate by us the weekend where several car badges were taken, luckily ours still intact it was like stepping back to the early eighties and the beastie boys VW thefts.

[winther1]

After a lot of research, I bought the Viofo 129 duo and really happy with it.

CarSoundSecurity did a great install for £99 - hardwired and cables hidden
https://carsoundsecurity.com/securit...fety/dash-cams

I would not worry about the camera being stolen, as I don't think dashcams are encouraging thieves. The booster seat in the back is worth more than the camera
Having the peace of mind that anyone hitting you front or back will be recorded, is certainly worth the risk.

I only use my car once or twice a week and leave it to record in the residents parking using the "low bit-rate" option. With this, I do have the high battery drain warning whenever I get in the car, but it starts just fine.
Alternatively you can use the timelapse at 3fps (no battery warning), but the footage from low bitrate is more useful in case of an incident.

[cfm56d7b]

I'd say use the dash cam for the intended purpose at all times. That's what it's for.

[cfm56d7b]

Originally Posted by Paddy1975

There's a market for anything these day, the bag heads and scum bags will take anything that doesn't belong to them or that they don't have to work for, if it is not nailed down. They can walk into a pub with a couple of dash cam sell it for a tenner each to some other scrote and then happily be on their way to the local dealer for a score. We had a spate by us the weekend where several car badges were taken, luckily ours still intact it was like stepping back to the early eighties and the beastie boys VW thefts.

Wow. Someone actually remembers Mike D from Beastie Boys with the VW necklace. Major appreciation points.

[Paddy1975]

Originally Posted by cfm56d7b

Wow. Someone actually remembers Mike D from Beastie Boys with the VW necklace. Major appreciation points.

and don't forget MCA & Ad Rock mate, what a team, background to my youth.

[aquazi]

My thinkware is not very noticeable from inside the car due to placement and size..... however outside the car when recording in parking mode the little blue light is on and visible from outside......

So just thought i would put that out there - parking mode (well on mine) are noticable when recording.

[winther1]

It's OK. But don't leave any hand sanitizers on show

[gippy]

Originally Posted by winther1

After a lot of research, I bought the Viofo 129 duo and really happy with it.

CarSoundSecurity did a great install for £99 - hardwired and cables hidden
https://carsoundsecurity.com/securit...fety/dash-cams

or fit it for free in about an hour on your own. its not hard.

[winther1]

Originally Posted by gippy

or fit it for free in about an hour on your own. its not hard.

So half of my comment was "off topic" and you are having a fit?
Holy shit, some people

[gippy]

Originally Posted by winther1

So half of my comment was "off topic" and you are having a fit?
Holy shit, some people

nono its cool, just as this is my thread i dont like seeing misinformation.
Unles you're disabled or really are struggling to spare an hour, there's not much sense in spending £99 to fit a dashcam that costs about £130.

and yes, most of your post was offtopic. just saying.

[winther1]

There was no misinformation in my reply. With your worries about keeping the thread "clean", you sound like the kind of person who should put the dashcam in the glovebox for the sake of your own sanity

[Quantox]

Originally Posted by Sullym6

Had a dash cam mounted in the front of car for last 3yrs and not had any issues.
Mine is actually stuck to the window so probably less tempting than the suction mounts

Sully

Much the same for me too, except I've only 18 months experience. The rear cam is almost invisible too, so shouldn't cause an issue.

Q

[Liquidfox]

Originally Posted by aquazi

My thinkware is not very noticeable from inside the car due to placement and size..... however outside the car when recording in parking mode the little blue light is on and visible from outside......

So just thought i would put that out there - parking mode (well on mine) are noticable when recording.

BlackVue let you turn off the LEDs in parking mode, a handy feature.

[gippy]

Originally Posted by Sullym6

Had a dash cam mounted in the front of car for last 3yrs and not had any issues.
Mine is actually stuck to the window so probably less tempting than the suction mounts

Sully

please could you elaborate/take a pic?
do you just mean stuck to the windshield via adhesive pad....?

[gippy]

Originally Posted by TiredGeek

I've got a "good" dash cam and leave it in the windscreen permanently, it is tucked away behind the mirror so not as obvious to scum.

does your car have rain/light sensor? i couldn't do that because of those sensors taking all that room up so i've had to place mine just to the side of the mirror.
come to think of i could move it up a lot more given the horizontal FOV and have it partially hidden but still seeing enough of the front view....guess i'll make that adjustment tomorrow.

[Sullym6]

Originally Posted by gippy

please could you elaborate/take a pic?
do you just mean stuck to the windshield via adhesive pad....?

Will take a pic tomorrow but yes it is stick with a 3m adhesive pad

[Sullym6]

Sorry for the delay, just moved the cam over so only had grey 3m pads. It's stuck solid and took a good deal of pulling to remove it from my other car