The importance of installing a dashboard camera (dashcam) was highlighted online after a vehicle was accused of tailgating a sedan while waiting in line at a gas station.
Automotive publication VISOR shared dashcam footage on Monday, January 6, submitted by a reader, showing an incident that occurred on the evening of Sunday, January 5, at the Petron gas station in North Caloocan.
“Had a funny encounter at Petron North Caloocan. Naatrasan ako ng Vios while in queue sa gas station,” the reader was quoted by the publication as saying on its Facebook page.
“Nung una, nag-deny na hindi daw siya umatras. Ako pa sinisi dahil masyado daw ako nakadikit sa kotse nila. Panoorin niyo na lang ‘yung video,” the reader added.
The video featured the vehicle idling in a queue after a red sedan.
The sedan’s plate number is visible in the dashcam footage, installed at the front of the vehicle, showing that the car was maintaining a certain distance.
However, as the video progresses, the sedan’s plate number gradually disappears, indicating that it is moving backward.
Its driver and the front passenger eventually emerge after the vehicle behind honks its horn.
Both the sedan’s driver and front passenger insist that the vehicle with the dashcam tailgated them.
Meanwhile, the driver and front passenger of the dashcam-equipped vehicle claim that the sedan was the one that reversed and hit them.
The video has earned 954,000 views, 14,000 likes and reactions and 4,500 comments so far.
Some Filipinos commented that the vehicle behind was fortunate to have a dashcam, which captured the incident.
“Buti [na lang] may dashcam… [Kung] wala… babaliktarin ka pa [niyan] pagdating sa investigation.. sabihin ikaw bumanga…” a Facebook user wrote.
“Ang haba ng inatras eh, meaning, hindi tutok. With conviction pa paglabas ni girl sa Vios, legit kamote naman driver [niya],” another online user commented.
“Kakahiya mga ganitong asal [niyo], kung ipapa-review [‘yung] dashcam clip ng k**angahan niyo, para niyo [nang] sinampal ang sarili niyong mga mukha. Buti na lang may dashcam, sapat na ebidensya na ‘yan,” a different Pinoy wrote.
“Sila pa galit at matapang, mabuti [may] dash cam,” another user said.
Others reminded drivers to be always attentive to their surroundings.
“Pay attention lagi sa surroundings, ‘yon ang the best defense. Kasi kung nakita mong unti-unti umaatras, mabubusinahan mo before the contact of both bumpers,” a Facebook user wrote.
“I don’t see the reason why inantay mo mabangga ka ng Vios at saka ka lang bumusina.. you rely on dash cam to prove na magkakasala ‘yung umaatras… bakit ganun… nakita mo nang umaatras, ba’t [hindi] ka bumusina ahead,” another Pinoy said.
Dashcams, as the name suggests, are typically installed on a vehicle’s dashboard, facing the windshield. Their primary purpose is to record footage of a driver’s journey, providing a visual record of events that occur on the road.
Dashcams are especially useful in the event of accidents, offering proof of incidents like hit-and-runs, being sideswiped by other vehicles, or collisions with the front bumper.
They also come in handy if a driver encounters road scammers who stage accidents in an attempt to extort money from victims.
