I was a little bit surprised today to receive a phone call asking what I knew about a (minor) accident that occurred two weeks ago or so ago. Surprised for two reasons: I knew nothing about any accident and wondered how my vehicle details had been obtained. TBH, I thought it was a scam and said so. I got the name of the individual and the company for whom he worked and said I would call him back on that company's main number. I tried to check with the pollis but we've only four and can rarely be got hold of easily, so did just as I said and called the guy back. The call was genuine.
Yes, I had been on the stretch of road in question around the time the accident happened. The reason they were calling me was to ask if I had seen the accident because my car was seen in the forward in-car camera about 30 seconds before the accident. My reg. plate was clearly readable (I'm told) and I was identified through DVLA. I had to tell the guy I couldn't help - no rear facing camera - and I genuinely had no idea of what had gone on behind me. On single tracks, whilst you may be constantly checking your rear view mirrors so you don't hold people up, you're also driving forward and have to judge distances and speeds of oncoming traffic, not to mention free-ranging livestock.
Now, please don't get me wrong, as I have witnessed and been first on scene at accidents, in principle, in car cameras can help determine what went on. There was a chance that, had I had a rear view camera, I might have footage of the incident that occurred behind me. I am not naming the company involved as the matter is cleared - unless a get a spate of the "your recent accident" phone calls start!!
What does concern me is that many RTCs are put up on YouTube for example where perfectly innocent motorists' reg plates are clearly readable, despite having nothing to do with any incident whatsoever. The Police do not do this; the reg plates of motorists not deemed to be involved are blanked out. With the ease that people can look up reg. plates nowadays, it does make you wonder how many less than scrupulous individuals can make use of such clips in the public domain!!
Just think for a moment: Snowball, you may be towing your caravan and caught on in-car - they can find out where you live and if someone wants it - it could be targetted; Santa and Hometune, you've got interesting vehicles, same goes for you and so on. No-one would want my car but it's still vital to me and thankfully, if it disappears, I call Calmac first and cops second, the thief won't get it off island!
Yes, I had been on the stretch of road in question around the time the accident happened. The reason they were calling me was to ask if I had seen the accident because my car was seen in the forward in-car camera about 30 seconds before the accident. My reg. plate was clearly readable (I'm told) and I was identified through DVLA. I had to tell the guy I couldn't help - no rear facing camera - and I genuinely had no idea of what had gone on behind me. On single tracks, whilst you may be constantly checking your rear view mirrors so you don't hold people up, you're also driving forward and have to judge distances and speeds of oncoming traffic, not to mention free-ranging livestock.
Now, please don't get me wrong, as I have witnessed and been first on scene at accidents, in principle, in car cameras can help determine what went on. There was a chance that, had I had a rear view camera, I might have footage of the incident that occurred behind me. I am not naming the company involved as the matter is cleared - unless a get a spate of the "your recent accident" phone calls start!!
What does concern me is that many RTCs are put up on YouTube for example where perfectly innocent motorists' reg plates are clearly readable, despite having nothing to do with any incident whatsoever. The Police do not do this; the reg plates of motorists not deemed to be involved are blanked out. With the ease that people can look up reg. plates nowadays, it does make you wonder how many less than scrupulous individuals can make use of such clips in the public domain!!
Just think for a moment: Snowball, you may be towing your caravan and caught on in-car - they can find out where you live and if someone wants it - it could be targetted; Santa and Hometune, you've got interesting vehicles, same goes for you and so on. No-one would want my car but it's still vital to me and thankfully, if it disappears, I call Calmac first and cops second, the thief won't get it off island!