I bought a dashcam for the car today. The excuse is that I was dangerously cut up three times on the M4 to Wales two days ago, but the real reason is that I just like toys.
It was only £20 (£19.95 actually) including postage, so not a huge expense. It arrived this morning and I am very impressed with the build quality. Chinese, of course. Sorry, but if I bought a European or British one, it would still be made in China but I would be paying about £200 and I don't want one that much. Think telescopic ladders.
Being of Chinese manufacture, the instruction manual is so badly written and in such minuscule print that I resorted to You Tube to see what you really had to do to get it working. The first 10 minute video was 'Unboxing your WDR dashboard camera', and that was exactly what it featured. Getting it out of the box and plastic bags. 10 minutes devoted to taking it out of the box. With music. No dialogue.
The next was by a Russian man living in Ireland and was much more useful. The one after began with an Australian man saying, "OK guys, today I'm going to show you how you get your dashcam out of the box..." and I stopped it after 10 seconds. I had already worked out how to get it out of the box for myself. Without music.
I was talking to an ex car insurance salesman about it in the pub last night, and he said it could work against me as well as for me - especially if any any accident was my fault - and asked what I would do about it in that instance.
"Easy", I said, "I will just deny having a camera at all. Wouldn't you?"
Fucking idiot.
I, too, have resorted to You Tube, and frequently. How many things slide from the box with no instructions included! Far, far too many.
ReplyDeleteSome companies don't bother to print manuals any more. You can always find them - for anything - online.
DeleteIf I lived in an area that had 'traffic', I would buy one too.
ReplyDeleteThe dog recently found, and chewed, the instruction manual for our new toaster. It was written in 500 languages, and weighed as much as the Encyclopedia Britannica; well done that dog!
Someone switched one of my phones to Suomi once. It took about a week to get it back to English.
DeleteEnjoy your toy, Tom!
ReplyDeleteI hope it will not be an irritant, but I fear it will.
DeleteI've been thinking of getting one so please keep us informed as to how you get on - oh and some pictures of bad driving too.
ReplyDeleteIf I want to know how Tom gets on I will ask him myself.
DeleteIf anyone other than Tasker wants to know how I get on, send me your email and I will reply privately.
DeleteOh dear!
DeleteDon't worry. I will probably get bored with it in a few days. I am Mr Toad incarnate.
DeleteOne tip...in hot weather the camera might come unstuck! Ours did.
ReplyDeleteYes, my old satnav would do that. For best results you should put the sucker on the windscreen during hot weather. That way, when it cools off the suction will be greater.
Delete