I think dashcams are a double edged sword. Personally whilst I like my technology, I've never yet felt the need to drive around with CCTV fitted to my car.
But when it comes to the fight against dodgy whiplash claims and/or fraudulent fender benders deliberately braking in front of people, to say nothing of self-righteous cyclists who want to be respected on the road but have no respect for the rules of it, they would seem a necessary evil.
But then that's about using it as evidence of your innocence which is one thing. Using it as evidence of someone else's guilt is quite another.
With serious incidents of road rage (such as people getting out of their cars) or extremely reckless driving where there was a real risk to other people (or where someone was actually hurt) I think it's fair enough to use them as evidence.
But it would be just a little bit too totalitarian if we get into a position when 3rd party dashcam footage is routinely being used to bring prosecutions for minor offences. Once that starts happening, it won't be long before you start getting self-appointed vigilantes patrolling the roads and sending off dashcam footage of people doing 25 in a 20, or swearing at someone who cut them up when they were angered in the heat of the moment. Would we really want this?
Indeed, would the police want it? What if people start capturing footage of all the 'shouts' which they seem to get late at night when approaching a red light but which miraculously are called off once they are the other side of it ?
My question is this how legal are these videos and do the police watch them? could local polices forces take notes and will book them? Has anyone used one? and has it been very helpful proving your innocence?