7141 replies to this topic

[Mattjvd]

Crazy back ups on malahat again tonight apparently due to a 5 car MVA near shawnigan lake turnoff

I was coming back to Victoria from my parents house in Qualicum this afternoon. I passed Mill Bay at about 4, didn't get home until after 8. The 'Hat' was closed from 4 to about 5:30.

[rjag]

I was coming back to Victoria from my parents house in Qualicum this afternoon. I passed Mill Bay at about 4, didn't get home until after 8. The 'Hat' was closed from 4 to about 5:30.

 

There needs to be some serious consideration of a new road cut through from Goldstream to the Shawnigan turnoff....this is just ridiculous....and of course the usual clowns will make noises about more speed traps and cameras 

[kxl]

Less than an hour ago, an SUV going northbound on Wharf made a tight right turn on Yates.

In front of a police car.

The cops then blared the sirens while all the vehicles in the vicinity stopped and waited, but ultimately chose not to follow the SUV, which was now parked along the south curb on Yates.

Perhaps it was the green National Rent-A-Car sticker on the rear bumper that spared them.

[SimonH]

Less than an hour ago, an SUV going northbound on Wharf made a tight right turn on Yates.

In front of a police car.

The cops then blared the sirens while all the vehicles in the vicinity stopped and waited, but ultimately chose not to follow the SUV, which was now parked along the south curb on Yates.

Perhaps it was the green National Rent-A-Car sticker on the rear bumper that spared them.

Wonder if its the same one that drove the wrong way down Government st on Sunday midday ?

[Sparky]

Looks like the Pat Bay Highway is closed.

Hence West Saanich is a mess.

[Mike K.]

Yes, a big wreck southbound at Keating. One single lane northbound remained open. All lanes are now open.

[On the Level]

I was driving up Blanchard today and was cut off by someone driving in the opposite direction turning left in front of me. No big deal...I stopped in time to avoid the crash, waited for them to clear and then went to move on.  The light changed to yellow but since I was stuck in the intersection, I had the right of way.

 

Not according to some lady on a bike without a helmet, jumping the green light and shaking her head at me like I was the one in the wrong.  I then sat while pedestrians started across the cross walk apparently oblivious to what was going on.

 

So that's it.....I just ordered a dash cam.  It was cheap at $56 and is 1080p, front and back cameras with a recorded backup feature.  We'll need a thread for nutty pedestrians / drivers / bikers.......

[Lorenzo]

So that's it.....I just ordered a dash cam.  It was cheap at $56 and is 1080p, front and back cameras with a recorded backup feature.  We'll need a thread for nutty pedestrians / drivers / bikers.......

Does it have the "Quick Delete if it's My Fault" feature? 

[Bingo]

Yes, a big wreck southbound at Keating. One single lane northbound remained open. All lanes are now open.

 

 

Deputy chief Darren Lench of Central Saanich police said a vehicle waiting to turn left onto East Saanich Road was rear-ended by a vehicle travelling at full highway speed.

That caused a chain reaction involving another vehicle in the northbound lane and a vehicle in the southbound lane.

https://www.timescol...hway-1.23395382

 

That's the dumbest place to make a left hand turn when another minute down the Pat Bay Highway you have a controlled intersection to turn left onto Island View Road and THEN onto East Saanich Road.

[Cassidy]

 

So that's it.....I just ordered a dash cam.  It was cheap at $56 and is 1080p, front and back cameras with a recorded backup feature.  We'll need a thread for nutty pedestrians / drivers / bikers.......

I see a few folks that have mounted their dash-cams such that they are fastened to the right hand side of the drivers seat head rest - so that they have a clear view around the drivers head.

 

This seems to offer three potential advantages ... one is that it gives a slightly wider view of the road ahead of and beside you, and the other is it cleans up the rather messy wiring you have to get from your 12V socket up to your rear view mirror, and the third is it means the camera isn't hanging down below your rear view mirror and blocking that part of your view.

 

I have always hesitated on a dash-cam largely because of the requirement for the messy wiring, but thought I might pick one up and try this head-rest mount technique.

[Bingo]

I have always hesitated on a dash-cam largely because of the requirement for the messy wiring, but thought I might pick one up and try this head-rest mount technique.

 

That would increase the chance of injury if you are rear-ended and the cam became imbedded in your head?

[Cassidy]

I see installations where the cameras are about 10" to the right of your head, mounted to one of your headrest posts on a flexible shaft.

 

Nothing at all in front of the cameras except misbehaving cyclists, pedestrians, and other miscreants that inhabit our roadways, sidewalks, and crosswalks.

[DustMagnet]

I see installations where the cameras are about 10" to the right of your head, mounted to one of your headrest posts on a flexible shaft.

 

Nothing at all in front of the cameras except misbehaving cyclists, pedestrians, and other miscreants that inhabit our roadways, sidewalks, and crosswalks.

Calling out misbehaving cyclists and pedestrians, but sweeping the #1 threat - misbehaving drivers - under the "other miscreants" rug? 

 

Also, you can often place the camera behind the rearview mirror (an existing deadspot) and run the wires long the headliner and down the door pillars (or tap into the cabin lighting/power sun/moonroof circuit if available).

[On the Level]

I have always hesitated on a dash-cam largely because of the requirement for the messy wiring, but thought I might pick one up and try this head-rest mount technique.

 

This one has two rubber straps that attach it to the rear view mirror itself.  It becomes the rear view mirror with a display that activates when you put the car in reverse.  Wiring doesn't seem that messy.....watching youtube it seems simple to hide the wires in the head liner.  It has a cigarette adapter but I will probably cut it off and attach it to the wiring with a crimp connector.  I'll post how I made out.

 

 

Calling out misbehaving cyclists and pedestrians, but sweeping the #1 threat - misbehaving drivers - under the "other miscreants" rug? 

 

Also, you can often place the camera behind the rearview mirror (an existing deadspot) and run the wires long the headliner and down the door pillars (or tap into the cabin lighting/power sun/moonroof circuit if available).

 

Yes, with this design (replacing the rearview mirror) makes it easier to run down the pillars.  The back camera has one wire I will need to route to the back of the car....we will see how that goes.  

 

[DustMagnet]

So how does this deal with "night mode" to prevent glare from the headlights behind you?  My current mirror is electrochromic, so there is no option to mechanically move the angle.

[On the Level]

It is strapped to the existing mirror, so if the sensor is the round spot on the mirror face backwards then you are out of luck.  If you have the usual red sensor on the back of the mirror you're fine as it will adjust.  There is a similar model of the same line with what looks to be a better display but you have a suction cup on the windshield.....

[sebberry]

I have always hesitated on a dash-cam largely because of the requirement for the messy wiring, but thought I might pick one up and try this head-rest mount technique.

 

I designed and 3D printed a mount for my camera that clips onto the rear-view mirror mount.  I can barely see the camera past the mirror.  Power wiring runs up above the headliner, down behind the a-pillar trim and direct wired to a factory option connector behind the fuse box. 

 

Yeh, I'm just like that.

 

I still can't figure out why the manufacturer provided this super handy connector for exactly two years on my model, I think it's designed to run an after market gauge pack or nav unit or something.

[On the Level]

I have always hesitated on a dash-cam largely because of the requirement for the messy wiring, but thought I might pick one up and try this head-rest mount technique.

 

OK....it's installed   Here is how I made out.....

 

• Basic installation was easy - 2 minutes!
  • It was very easy to attach the unit to my rear view mirror with rubber straps.....it works well as a replacement mirror.  The display stays on for a few minutes then shuts off so it's not distracting when driving.  You could simply plug it into the cigarette lighter socket and you're done.
• Trying to hide the wires and feed it without using the cigarette lighter socket - 1 hour and some hassle
  • I traced an unused circuit in the fusebox and used a "tap" so the power would have it's own fuse.  Had to cut off the supplied cigarette lighter male end to feed the wire down the door pillar, then had to splice it back as the unit takes 5v so I couldn't just attach it to the fuse box. This needed a female cigarette lighter socket which I happened to have.
  • Comes on when I start the car and shuts off 5 seconds after I shut down....nice!
• Hiding the back camera wire and mounting the back camera - 1 hour + and some hassle
  • It was easy hiding the wire in the top headliner and down....
  • It was a hassle trying to figure out how to get the wire from there to the outside of the car where I could mount the camera.  Trim clips are a nightmare!  Drilled 2 holes....one into the bumper cavity and another where the camera was mounted.  
  • Mounting the camera was easy.
  • This basically gives you a "picture in picture" showing what is happening behind you in a small window on the top right of the display.
• Activating the backup camera - fairly easy - 15 min
  • An extra wire comes out of the connector at the rear camera end of the wire.  Splice it into the positive lead of one of the backup lights.
  • Pretty slick....the display turns into a HD backup camera that records.  It also has 4 tiny LEDs like the one on your phone.  Reasonably bright for backing up.

 

We'll see how it holds up....

[Bob Fugger]

Sooooooo...did anyone know that the City is shutting down Government Street to traffic today between Fort and Yates Streets and turning it into a pedestrian mall? And that this is a pilot that's being run every Sunday until the end of September?

 

First I'm hearing of it (and I work on Government Street!) and I don't think I've read anything about it here.  Talk about yet another communications fail by the overpaid and underworked "Civic Engagement" department.

[nagel]

Yup known about it for a while but what’s really cool is I now know who you are. I win the free small cone at DQ.