(Above) Image of actual dashcam although mine is pointing to the left
I finally got a dashcam that I like and actually understand – to a degree. I had a couple of cheaper ones that had menus and buttons and stuff – lots of stuff. All I ever wanted was to get in the car, start the car, drive to my destination, and once there I could look at my dashcam and magically, my entire trip would be recorded in vivid color for all to see. Then I would erase it and start again when I went home. Is that really so much to ask?
I never asked for planetary charts and the ability to track asteroids. Hemorrhoids maybe, because I think that would be kind of handy. But I don’t need to make 11 menu choices before I even leave the driveway. I’m old and it’s too much.
So while I was goofing off on Amazon buying something else, I thought I would check out the dashcams and see what science had to offer now that it was well into 2019.
I came across this little number that was tube shaped and didn’t have a screen hanging down. It just recorded on a wireless network and sent it to my phone. I liked the sound of that. PLUS, while it was recording, I could swipe my hand underneath, just in the air, and it would take a photo of whatever was going on out there at that moment. That sounded like fun too.
So I added that to my Cart and in a couple of days, it arrived.
When I checked out the instructions, they all seemed to be something I could understand. Put dashcam here, plug into lighter socket, it turns on automatically, get the network going and we’re in business.
I propped my phone so I could see what was being recorded, I tested the photo swipey thing, and it was all up and running. Now I just had to drive around until I spotted a crime or a semi tipping over and I could start my own You Tube channel and become famous. This was going to be a piece of cake.
Alright, so first of all, this dashcam is recording in three minute videos – tons of them. I don’t know why. I may have to pull the manual out from under my coffee cup and read it. Secondly, when I look at my phone to see what it looks like when I am driving, I seem to swerve the car. So Memo to Self – just use the windshield to drive – don’t try to drive using the little tiny screen on the phone.
Now this part here actually has something to do with this story. Abby, our calico cat, has long fur that is EVERYWHERE. I hate it. There is always one sitting on the rim of my coffee cup. Always. So I had her shaved at THE VET a few weeks ago. When her fur is shaved, her skin is like a little pinto. She is adorable. I can’t stand how cute she is. Pinto.
So when I went on days off, I brought the dashcam inside to charge it here in the house and to play with it a bit and maybe figure out this whole three minute video mystery and whatnot. Don’t forget that we still have this swipey photo feature activated.
I plugged in the dashcam on the dining room table and left it there, putting the Familiarization of Dashcam on my list of things to do.
I came across the dashcam a couple of days later and picked up my phone to check out the network and look at their website on my computer. The phone indicated that there were a number of photos stored. I thought – Hmmm, that’s funny. I didn’t take any pictures.
So I opened the picture file and there they were. Ten clear photos, all with a tiny little piece of a pinto belly caught just in the corner, or over to the side. No clear shots of the face of the culprit, but who needs a face or even DNA when you have a pinto belly staring back at you.
Culprit identified and spoken to.
Dashcam still recording in three minute videos. I’ve gotten used to it. I still look at the phone now and then when I’m driving and I still swerve. Whatever, right? The manual is back under my coffee where it belongs.
Maybe someday something really cool will happen right in front of me when I am driving, and I won’t be able to retrieve it on my own dashcam, but everybody else has one so I will just watch their videos on You Tube and taking a page from Taylor Swift, I’ll call out to Bru – I WAS THERE, I REMEMBER IT ALL TOO WELL.