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Laws on Display Screens in Cars


Jazman23
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I've bought a new dashcam for the rear of my car so im covered from behind as well as in front and I discovered it can output the display to a screen if I wanted to. I'll be hardwiring the dash cam into ignition and I had a random Idea have the display of the dash cam wired in to a small screen in the front of the car.

This will NOT replace use of the rear view mirror / Wing mirrors or my parking sensors, i'm purely wanting to do it as an extra and just basically to see if the idea works so I'm not looking for any comments telling me to just use my mirrors and look out of the back of my car, that's what i'll still be doing and it's mainly just so I can see the camera is actually working and recording.

The question is though, is it actually legal to have a permanent live feed of the rear of your car while driving forward? I know pretty much all reversing cameras only switch on when in reverse and otherwise the display is off. I won't be using it as a reverse camera.

I've done some searches and found that it seems to be a bit of a grey area. The law states that you can't have any moving pictures within the drivers view even when stationary and it also states that the use of TV equipment is illegal in the drivers car. BUT people get away with using sat navs and information displays and it is also legal to have these displays if they aid you in getting to your destination, give you a view of the road adjacent to you and generally aid in driving

 

SO what are people's opinions? Is it okay to have a display that permanently shows the rear feed of your car or does it have to switch off while the vehicle is moving forward? (Like normal behaviour of a reverse camera)

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Id be a bit reluctant to have any screens apart from built in ones in a car,, a lot of people with dash cams have had their windows potted by thieves thinking they were on to a satnav, this is why i had a Mobius hard wired,, no screen, so it stands to reason if you have an extra screen fitted the same mistake could be made costing you the screen and a window.

Just a thought.

 

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Agreed keep screens limited!

Sent from my GT-I9195 using Tapatalk

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A screen displaying continually can be classed as a distraction, that's why reversing screens only come on when reverse is engaged.

Like stated, it can be a grey area (many coaches & lorries now show cctv footage in motion) but in some eyes it could be seen as driving while distracted.

If the source was switchable from front to rear and also an off setting then maybe ok but permanently on may cause problems.

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Not only that but the light will affect your night vision. Imagine you driving on a country road, in the pitch black with only your headlights. That light off the screen will prevent your vision from adjusting fully to the environment.

That is one niggle I have with my Focus (and debating putting a fixed resistor in to sort it), and that is the very bright dash!

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Thanks for the replies guys. I see all your points. Especially about it being mistaken for a sat nav.

Was just an Idea haha. The screen I was going to place in the little useless storage space behind the gear stick as it fits perfectly

11 minutes ago, Micro said:

Not only that but the light will affect your night vision. Imagine you driving on a country road, in the pitch black with only your headlights. That light off the screen will prevent your vision from adjusting fully to the environment.

That is one niggle I have with my Focus (and debating putting a fixed resistor in to sort it), and that is the very bright dash!

It's quite a dim screen and wouldn't be in my face. But I see what you mean, I fine the dash on my Fiesta to be quite bright in the dark. But the fiesta has a switch next to the light switch to reduce the brightness of the the dash which isn't too bad.

I Think the best bet would be to just leave it, or have one that isn't permanently on

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You could link it to the handbrake switch, or if you're really geeky (or have the money) rig up a can bus adapter so that when you're stationary it will come on.

Although from where my dash cam is mounted it would provide a good view right behind you, so a reversing screen sounds like a good idea. I will be rigging my K1S to my tablet when I get it installed so I have rear view.

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On 22/02/2016 at 9:36 PM, Micro said:

Not only that but the light will affect your night vision. Imagine you driving on a country road, in the pitch black with only your headlights. That light off the screen will prevent your vision from adjusting fully to the environment.

That is one niggle I have with my Focus (and debating putting a fixed resistor in to sort it), and that is the very bright dash!

Micro, can you not set how bright the displays are ?

I have this on mine down on the right near the fog lamp switches,, you can set the brightness of the displays, also when you turn the exterior lights on the displays dim even more.

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On 2/24/2016 at 7:53 PM, Figgis41 said:

Micro, can you not set how bright the displays are ?

I have this on mine down on the right near the fog lamp switches,, you can set the brightness of the displays, also when you turn the exterior lights on the displays dim even more.

Nope.

I believe the 2008-2011 Focus mk2.5's did not come with a dimmer as standard on anything less than the Titanium. I have toyed with the idea of replacing the light switch, but they are quite pricy. It would be far easier to stick a resistor to replicate the dial and fix it at a dimmer setting (I drive to work in the daylight, and always drive home in the dark).

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Swapping out the light switch is a doddle, I have a guide for that.

Finding a compatible switch with the dimmer option is a doddle via eBay.

As long as the switch has the correct options to matvh your car (auto light/levelling settings etc) then they are a straight swap.

Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk

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