Rear View Mirror Monitor - Advice please

[davenewellhome]

Look guys can we please get away from this silly discussion about whether or not a reversing camera is necessary or whether you are a good driver and therefore do not need one, please? Some people don't feel the need for a reversing camera system and others do, why is that not acceptable to both sides?

 

The point of this thread was simply that Mel B already has a camera and was considering a mirror type monitor for it and asked for advice and comments on that point.

 

D.

[Basil]

Ours is a 'clip on' the mirror type and find it the most natural position for it to be in, we had a dashboard mounted one prior to this one (a Waeco one) and found it completely inferior. I do not find any problem whatsoever with it being reflective as when it is on you don't see any reflection just a clear view behind (we use it as a rear view mirror, it is on all the time) however when it is off you get a view of the interior of the van just like a normal 'Sundym' type mirror. Got ours off EBay but the latest equivelant that replaces ours is available in the UK from see

 

http://www.parkingcameras.com/store/home.php

 

it is about halfway down the pageas an individual buy.

My neighbour has just bought and installed one of these using the dual CCD camera as advertised on that site and it is extremely good particularly for the £165 he paid.

 

Bas

[Brian Kirby]

To Stephen and Jon, all I would say is that I am not arguing "either or", but "as well as".  I have not claimed a reversing camera is a substitute for looking around (why on earth would I argue that?), or for using mirrors - or one's brain, for that matter - just that it is a highly desirable aid when used in conjunction with both, in busy, crowded places.

In reality, Stephen has his "camera" on legs, while Jon just waits until the crowd has gone, and I use mirrors, windows, and monitor, to gain the same advantage.  I'm not getting into "mine is bigger that yours", or "who has the hairiest chest", debates, it is just a handy device that makes tricky manoeuvres in crowded places that bit safer, by increasing what the driver can see.  Simples?

[flicka]

Tomo3090 - 2010-04-12 3:16 PM

 

Brian, in the case you were suggesting I would get out to see where I was going to reverse to, get Ann to watch for other vehicles and using my reversing mirrors and her directions move out of the place and into the traffic stream. I have actually been in that situation you describe in Ragusa in Sicily, in Morrisons in Gibraltar and in a car park in the ASDA in the UK and on all three occassions it worked. Infact in Ragusa and in the UK other drivers stopped and let me carry out the manouvre safely.

 

I have been driving HGVs for over 25 years now so I suppose I am confident in my abilities to drive the van safely where ever I get to. I do realise that a lot of people do use them and many people are convinced they can't live without them, and I'm not knocking them in any way. I was just interested in Mels' need for them because they have had their van for a while and wondered why they decided they wanted one, and then broadened my curiosity to others.

 

Hi Tomo,

That's fine when you have a partner, who can go to a position of guidance, BUT if you get out of the Van have a look & then get back in the Van, before performing the reversing manouvre, there has been plenty of time for the situation to change. Especially on Camp sites, etc., where children are running around.

I am reliant on myself (wife is disabled and unable to go to the rear of the Van) so having checked mirrors & physically, I use the reversing camera to ensure nothing has moved in to a vunerable position whilst I get back in the Van.

On the open road, young motorcyclists can travel a great distance between mirror checks (your earlier post = 35/40 seconds) & have a habit of closing up in your blind area & cutting out or under very quickly. Equally so if manouvring in & out of traffic in built up areas.

I firmly believe any driving aid is preferable, if it makes the roads safer.

 

Sermon over for today ;-)

[The Decorator]

I certainly don't wish to be better at anything, my apologies if I gave that impression.

 

I considered it was a safety issue and that is important to me. If MelB feels safer with a monitor fine, I would not.

 

Nuff sed. TD

[Mel B]

Flipping heck what's going on here ... and I haven't been rowing with anyone!!! (lol)

 

In my first posting I said:

 

We're thinking of putting a rear view camera system on the new motorhome as it won't have a rear window. We've already got a very good camera and a standard 'TV' type monitor, but were thinking of getting one of the monitors that you use in place of a rear view mirror.

 

Basically, hubby has got used to having a rear window and does actually use it quite a lot, both whilst travelling and when reversing. As our new van won't have a rear window and we have a good camera already, it seems sensible to consider the proposition of installing the kit - hubby had wanted to install it on our current van but found he didn't need it as he could see sufficiently through the rear window. We see it as an added safety measure, along with the side mirrors and common sense - being bikers we are well aware of the dangers on the road and some of the idots who drive on them. It certainly isn't an 'envy' thing either ... :-S

 

Anyway, thanks for all your views and advice, it will all be taken into consideration to help us decide what to do when we get the new van.

[Tomo3090]

Sorry anyone who thought I was getting at people for wanting a camera. It was just a piece of idle wonderings and a digression, like we've had on many other threads, and I didn't intend to make anyone feel I was being "better than you" because I don't want a camera.

 

It matters not a jot whether you do or don't.

 

:-(

[Brian Kirby]

I realise I missed a "smiley" off my last post.  Hope it didn't come across as grouchy, it was intended to be humorous!

[silverback]

oh yeh mel, forgot to mention, on the screen it has a gradient on it from 4mtr to 1mtr it takes some getting used to but been out with the tape measure and once you know what the gradient on the screen refers to its cool :-D dont know if this same with other cameras

jonathan

[tonyishuk]

A couple of mounting tips.

 

I always have had monitors mounted on the RHS of the dashboard and find it easy to switch from looking at the monitor to the RHS wing mirror. (With a check to the LHS wing mirror as a check !)

 

My new M/home will have a Din2 screen with a monitor where the radio is. I dont know how this is going to work as I now look right, look down middle, then left !

 

Using a couple of straight bits of wood, I marked on on some acetate on the monitor screen, the position of the kerbs and distance from the rear of the M/home. I then have some idea of distance where obstructions are.

 

From experiance, it seems the smaller the m/home, the tighter people park to your rear and leave you with less manovering room.

 

Rgds

 

 

 

 

[Patricia]

Mel I am not sure I understand the type of monitor that you want but I have an ordinary 7" one and have had it fitted instead of a rear view mirror. Fitting on the dashboard would not be an option for me asbeing small it would restrict my view. However I find it brilliant and of course leave it on all the time. I find it particularly helpful for me, as a lone traveller, when driving on the right.