In Cab Cameras On The Driver

Nicely written G-town. Thank you for your insight. :)

Rebellious Vamp commented

Nicely written G-town. Thank you for your insight. :)

Thank you and you're welcome. Hope this helps to ease your angst over the camera.

It's all about insurance rates for the big companies, and covering their corporate butts if something really bad happens:

Dashcam video

Im pretty alarmed at some of the rational given too people to make them feel like their feelings are not valid.

1. You are already on camera every where you go. Well first, there has been cases where some of these cameras have had to be removed, or recordings weren't able to be used cause of privacy right violations. Lots of these cameras out there probably violate privacy laws. But you will never know until something has to go too court. Secondly this is really a apples to oranges comparison. Here is why. It comes down to EXPECTATION of privacy. You do not have a expectation of privacy when in public. In your home, backyard, you do. So we live in these trucks am I right?

2. Other assorted invasions of privacy. Are we going to really have a conversation that says a agreeing to take a physical is in anyway akin to having a camera in your face? Really? You know that a medical worker can be prosecuted for illegally revealing any medical information. So you have a lot of protection there. All they can say is that you passed. And I have to say that these DOT physicals really are bare bones. I didn't feel convinced at all that Im all that healthy after one. I go too my own doctor for a much more thorough physical. So you use a cellphone, a fitbit, facebook, whatever. Well we don't all use those. You can even buy black phones if you want. But thats just it "if you want". Its a personal choice issue. You can say you have a choice as which company you work for. And thats true, but comparing that choice with deciding whether or not to use facebook is a bit disingenuous. They are worlds apart in all that they entail. And just from a physiological point of view people always feel better about things they can choose or things they feel they have chosen! So how about a 1 cpm increase to "agree" to have a camera? Or tie it in with safety bonus some how?

3. No company has any interest in your personal life. Well first I strongly disagree. People have been fired for things they have said on social media. Social indicates that its personal. They may have been admitting to illegal activity or bad mouthing there company and so on. Im not arguing that they dont deserve it. Just arguing that companies DO care about your personal life. Second, it may not be the company as a whole that would "spy" on you or whatever. How many people do you think are involved in going over these critical event recordings? What if I didn't make sure my curtains sealed all the way. And while changing my underwear I get backed into.... I will not be responsible for the person die'ing of pure bliss while viewing my pristine, lilly white, overweight backside lol! But seriously this really wouldn't bother me much. But obviously it would bother others. And if you dont think that theres people out there that would take advantage of that opportunity I dont think you are being realistic. I mean in that case why even have curtains on your windows. No one cares what you are doing in your house anyway....

But now heres the funny part. Im not actually against these cameras lol. I have some misgivings about them sure, but overall I see them as a positive. I had one in a bus I used to drive. I had a guy run a stop sign and plow into the front of my bus. I saw the footage and I saw how it records. It was very very very obvious who was at fault. And i was very very very relieved. As others have said. And if these are the same types of cameras we used. They record only 10 seconds before and 10 seconds after a "critical event". Basically the camera feels a certain amount of g-forces.

My problems with them is mostly the inward facing cameras. For most of us ( I think anyway ) the outward camera will be a useful tool for us to prove we did nothing wrong. The inside camera (imo) will be used as a tool by companies to say that we did. Companies can limit liability by putting some or all blame on the drivers. And heh Im sure sometimes its deserved. Hell a lot of times it might be. But can you tell me that 11 hours a day you guys always are doing the absolute right thing. Things that might not lead too an accident. But maybe you didnt have your hands on the proper place on the steering wheel right before that guy in front of you had a heart attack or whatever unfortunate event that may happen. This may be a one off situation but it could happen to anyone out there. How many trucks are out on the roads at any given time? And all are driven by fail-able humans. You could find yourself in bad way very easily for a small mistake that in no way caused the accident. But companies will do what that they have to do to limit their exposure.

But yeah anyway like I said I liked having one. And I have to have one again, so be it. I just found some fault in some of the arguments being made to justify them. At the end of the day if you are a company driver. Its their equipment they can do what they want with it. I would like to see the inside cameras done away with though. I dont think they help us.

Infidel offers this:

So how about a 1 cpm increase to "agree" to have a camera? Or tie it in with safety bonus some how?

I can only vouch for the dedicated account I am assigned to. There is a cumulative CPM safety bonus tied in with the camera. A safety bonus was also offered during the beta-test for the technology.

It's all about insurance rates for the big companies, and covering their corporate butts if something really bad happens:

Dashcam video

That is part of it, but not "all" of it. Cell phone use is deadly, as proof from your video example. How do you think the insurance rates went down as a result of this recorded accident? They rates will decrease when the carriers who have the technology implemented can prove a reduction in accidents. Not before.

I am not for the driver facing cameras. They are there to protect corporate, not the drivers. (I believe they can view individual cameras real time) The sad part is….they are here and more are coming to your company. Sooner or later. (I think everyone knows this now, but so many are in denial.)

I think the OP is feeling invasion not discrimination. She wanted a choices. Camera or no camera. Privacy –vs- no privacy. Giving up control of is difficult for anyone. Cameras took that control away.

Dilemma: Truck = Workplace and Your Home

While driving or on duty (basically AT MY WORKPLACE) I can accept that Big Brother will be monitoring me by camera. I understand that corporate is protecting themselves. However when I am AT HOME, Big Brother is not there potentially watching or listening. My home is my “private” fortress. I would think, at the very least, that the driver facing camera/mic should shut down when the driver is OFF DUTY or SLEEPER BERTH. Let the driver have some control of their personal space without concerns of monitoring!!! Note: let the outward camera do what it does to help the company.

Agree with hookemhawk.

Agree with hookemhawk.

My camera is powered off when the ignition is off and the truck is stationary. Remember it is activated by a critical event; hard braking, buffeting or pitch or yaw. No one is watching you sleep!

Awe. What a loss for them. I look like a princess when I sleep! lol (not....)