Driver Facing Cams | TheaterFire

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stormofthedragon@reddit

The number of people on here just a-ok with authoritarianism is scary. No, mine is getting the Ai cameras, so I'm quitting. It's a shit company, anyway. All the quality drivers are leaving. Established teams at that. Guess they don't care so long as they get that insurance discount. Moving to greener pastures, ot out of this all together if that's the way the industry is going. I am not OK with big brother micromanagement.

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oasuke@reddit

I would. People dont realize how soul draining it is to have someone constantly nag about the most pointless shit ever and threaten your job over it. You can show up everyday, have perfect on time deliveries, no issues with customers yet potentially get fired because you followed too closely to a car at some point during your 10 hour drive. Absolutely stupid.

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Richard_Tickler69@reddit

I had a truck with an inward facing camera when I was involved in a fatality accident. Being g able to show law enforcement that you were just doing your job and not distracted is a huge plus IMO.

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Codexe-@reddit

Depends on how much you're making total.

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Over_Working2255@reddit

I just started a job and quit the very next day for this very reason. I didn't mind the camera but this specific one talks while you drive. All day for 11 hours driving I heard, slow down, distracted , fatigued driving etc. The pay at this company was very low and the truck was governed so I couldn't speed if I wanted too. When asked does the inward camera ever turn off they said no so apparently they can watch me when I sleep also. Gave them the keys back and found another job. Job already stressful but not AI is going to micromanage me also. I'll pass.

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InevitableAd3996@reddit

What camera system was this with all the talking at you all day long?

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InvstrJester@reddit

I cover the camera when I’m not driving on my break. Nobody is gonna argue with that. I got in trouble for leaving an index card blocking the camera after my shift and the next driver to get the truck told somebody. I got wrote up for that.

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Anachronism--@reddit

At least my company doesn’t care if you cover the inside camera while sleeping.

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Over_Working2255@reddit

The company would either fine you 250 per occurrence or just terminate you. I just gave back the keys

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Minimum-Jacket-705@reddit

In the current economic climate I could not afford to take that kind of a hit to my settlement.

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Strict-Aspect6716@reddit

Yes because the Ai ones beep at you just looking mirrors or drinking something. It's annoying as hell so yes I'd take a pay cut just for that

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RJ_JO@reddit

I went from Driver to Driver Trainer to being part of safety and I’ve walked out when the company installed driver facing camera’s. Why? Two reasons: 1) Because I knew the shit storm that was going ensue when the drivers found out. And, 2) Because I personally would not and still will not stand behind having one pointed at the driver. If I can’t trust you to do your job correctly, I’m not going to have you in a truck rolling down the road.

….

When the drivers found out that inward facing camera’s were being installed over the weekend in their trucks, 4 out of the 26 total showed up to work Monday morning.

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Tru3insanity@reddit

Have one now. Wouldnt take a pay cut to get rid of it. I think the issue is more so how obnoxious the company is about it. My team pretty much never bothers me so I dont care about it.

Other ppl have said their company micromanages them to death with it. That would be the deal breaker for me.

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PathoftheWolf@reddit

I'm lucky too. My dispatcher and fleet owner don't micromanage, and are super transparent about what sets it off and what the settings are.

Although funny story, I listen to audiobooks while driving (listen to Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir. You're welcome). I'm on a huge romantasy kick lately, and I dunno how common knowledge this is among men, but romance novels can get smutty. I mean explicit, graphic, often kinda kinky smut. Not all of them, of course, and not everyone who reads romance is looking for that, it's usually seen as a bonus on top of what we actually read the books for, but smut is often there, and some of them get dirty.

Usually I use a single earbud to listen but my ear buds died and I had to wait to get back home for my new set. So I was listening to it just using the speaker on my phone.

I had someone brake check me last week so I hit the driver capture button out of habit, just a CYA thing in case the car decides to be a problem. Of course I completely forgot my audiobook was playing out loud, and of course it was during a spectacularly explicit smutty scene.

So i got a call from my fleet owner's wife the next day, because the owner is super proper and sweet and way too shy and embarrassed to acknowledge it. Of course she recognized the scene and which book it's from, just from what she heard on the footage, and we got to talking about our favorite romance books.

And because I know what goes on in the books she listed as her favorites, I now know she is filthy compared to her husband. A woman after my own heart, we're going out for coffee next weekend to talk about ~~shameless smut~~ romance books.

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mistakemaker3000@reddit

It sounds like you're risking your job 😂

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DaSaw@reddit

Lol, look at her avatar. Just too ladies having a meal and discussing... literature.

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Jackso08@reddit

Yea I'm not sure how this story ends lol

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Tru3insanity@reddit

Haha omg thats amazing.

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InvstrJester@reddit

Cool. The inward camera isn’t so bad. It would be bad if people would criticize your choice of listening pleasure. People who don’t like inward cameras should just listen to their over the top stuff in their off time. A book like what you listen to is no problem. I used to listen to a lot of political radio. Nobody treated me differently or said anything. Nobody really cares.

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Lazy-Throat-7572@reddit

I agree with you. Company i work for has inward facing cams aswell. No microphone tho, so they cant hear you. And they dont micromanage. The only time i hear anything is if I do something unsafe. I did a rolling stop a few weeks back. I just got an email with a screen grab of the image letting me know that was triggered and to be careful. End of story

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Exact-Leadership-521@reddit

Ever got a screen shot of pedestrians j-walking or cars doing bs in front of you and a "we'll deal with this for you" email?

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Lazy-Throat-7572@reddit

And how exactly would they "deal with that" for me?

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Exact-Leadership-521@reddit

They could clip out the relevant video and send it to law enforcement? Go to court on your behalf. Same way they'll throw you under a bus

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Lazy-Throat-7572@reddit

Yea because a company with 1800+ trucks has a lot of time to sit around and send law enforcement pics of people doing dumb shit. Sounds like you've worked for shitty places and for that im sorry. But where I work isnt that. They were notified I messed up, I was informed. I cant complain when I was the one who made a mistake. That's not throwing me under a bus thats holding me accountable. Small slips can turn to big mistakes with complacency and considering I enjoy my quarterly safety bonuses, profit sharing and a whole host of other financial incentives I appreciate the feedback when I mess up.

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Exact-Leadership-521@reddit

I get the full rate for every load. Quite often I'm the one negotiating the rate. And I get tips pretty often actually, maybe 4 times in the last couple months

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InvstrJester@reddit

I had a guy walk away, make a UTurn and drive back to tell me something. He swiped my truck on the Driversside as he drove back. That camera saved me

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InvstrJester@reddit

I just had the system tell me about a rolling stop and I didn’t get any mention of it by anyone.

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TruckerChet1973@reddit

Take picture of self and print it very small. Place in front of camera

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Wadester58@reddit

Big brother trucking sucks. They want you to basically sit in silence for 11 hours.

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Living-Worry-3190@reddit

this right here. I end up having to drive no radio, Windows up, ac on so low it's not even worth it. all this so I can be completely distracted listening for this AI overlord to make noise, so I can "self correct" in time to save myself from losing money.... it's retarded.

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InvstrJester@reddit

Play music with cursing and see if anybody really gives a shi&

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yamahamama61@reddit

I have a sick sense oh humor. Id get fired.

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Txctydrver@reddit

Take the pay cut, and then in 6 months, the company you're working for and for less money will install the driver facing.

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BluePocket@reddit

If it's a pay cut to go to a job without driver facing cameras you are searching the wrong job type for truckers. I guarantee you this is not the norm outside of large careers. And us in small companies make as much if not more than you in most cases.

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DimensionalAxolotl@reddit

Personally don't mind, but then again I don't drive like a jackass and the company i drive for has safety go through and clear all the false alerts daily. If anything it's a boon for me. If something happens, I can take it to court knowing it'll show me attentive to the road, and there's a decent quarterly bonus of 10% earnings for the period so long as everything stays safe.

Im sure other companies out there use them as a tool to control and micromanage their drivers, but some of them aren't bad at all

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RedlineM5@reddit

I'm an O/O, previous company added driver facing cams after saying they would never do it. I left and I make more money now.

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Chuuby_Gringo@reddit

That's $10-15k per year. Me, personally, I couldn't take a got that big.

The camera itself I don't hate. It's the AI micromanage I can't stand.

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Rag3QuitnRob3rtGame@reddit

This. I hated the Samsara inward camera ai so much. If it was just a recording camera or a truck triggered event camera, it would be one thing. The AI ones are just trash

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Some_Victory_5499@reddit

Agreed to much bullshit

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Hydra_Kitt@reddit

This exactly. My previous employer had driver facing cams (Lytx) but I think they disabled the AI bs because I NEVER got a call from safety about anything unless it was a legit claim like getting a close collision or something.

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lawlet91@reddit

Opposite actually, they were utilizing the ai component properly, by flagging false alerts away and then they only have to pour over the alerts generated else, meaning they can focus on just the stuff that matters

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Some_Victory_5499@reddit

I hated it! Boss called me after my shift one day . He said I needed to watch the road more than my mirrors . I just retired. 🖕

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Just_Ad3916@reddit

Lmao it’s a prison

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onisyndicate@reddit

More home time means less money anyway. So, are you really losing that kind of money? If you're working 6 days a week and cut down to 5 days. Then it's an automatic pay cut. Are you home just for your 34 hours, or do you really get 48 hours off?

Lastly, can you handle being home that much?

Drive cams are the norm thanks to big insurance.

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icsh33ple@reddit

It would be worth it for me. Use the extra hometime to keep looking for something better.

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AndrewG34@reddit

I haven't driven since 2019, but I've got to ask... Are people not just putting a sticker over their driver facing camera anymore?

When I was driving, it was something everybody did. "When I'm in this truck I live in it. They're not going to watch me in my private space" type idea.

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Academic_Solid85@reddit

Is this company a LTL… I might know the company…

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Microshlongg@reddit (OP)

Close

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Longway23544@reddit

Stay at the company you’re at they other company will install camera too

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Longway23544@reddit

I have the camera in my truck, it starts recording if a car cuts me off and starts going slower then I am

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RoseKlingel@reddit

I have 1 now and I tell stories to safety team/management/whoever reviews footage. 😂 I ham it up for the camera sometimes.

The AI voice is annoying. Tells me to slow down in a 75 when I'm going 65 (governed). Tells me distracted if I yawn too widely or look away for too long (caught me looking downwards). I'm pretty sure it reads speed limits for service roads or cleared (bypassed) weigh stations and misattributes them to the driver. The cameras are new. There are 4 lenses. Safety or whoever else has yet to call me about anything I've done wrong according to the camera.

I get that privacy is a big issue. But so long as you aren't touching your phone, there is nothing really damning about what you could be doing. I've decided to curb my eating while driving habit (I don't do this excessively but sometimes my blood sugar drops and I've got a snack in the cupholder so I'm nomming it!). I've decided to be more leisurely and eat while parked, mostly. I hope this helps w/my own stress management.

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viertes@reddit

Doesn't matter the setup, day one. I will always put my balls directly on the camera. It's an awkward spread eagle, but its worth it by the day is done.

You either get the call or you're good to haul.

Slap it with the shaft a few times for good measure.

I also use it as a booger repository for flinging goopy targets.

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patricksb@reddit

Man, I have have one and I absolutely hate it, but I have seen them save too many innocent drivers' jobs/ careers from damage and insurance claims, including a fatal with 4 "witnesses" in the car that turned out to be 100% at fault.

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seang239@reddit

No you haven’t. Outward facing cameras prove everything important. Driver facing camera, what we’re talking about here, only creates liability where there wasn’t any before.

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patricksb@reddit

Four witnesses claimed a box truck driver was distracted and on his phone before the (actually distracted) driver of their vehicle changed lanes into his rear axle, pit maneuvering him into the median and two vehicles on the other side of the interstate, killing one and hospitalizing two more, and creating $millions in liability for the at fault party. Driver facing cam can see out the side windows, showing both the truck driver doing everything right AND the other car swerving around. Without that proof, it's 4 vs 1 on who is at fault, per the troopers I spent 7 hours on scene with while they investigated and documented the scene. The front camera shows the truck moving towards the median from the #2 lane, but not what causes it to do so .

I hate the driver cam too, but that 5 second clip saved our customer tens of thousands in just the recovery at the scene, plus their totalled truck, plus whatever civil liability that would follow.

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seang239@reddit

The forward facing camera would have been sufficient here.

A box truck traveling along in his lane suddenly has an impact at the rear axle severe enough to cause a pit maneuver, direction change, and sudden deceleration? That’s obviously an extreme outside force. This wouldn’t have been gentle.

Since there was a death involved, the scene will have been meticulously measured, marked and reconstructed so everyone knows exactly where the vehicles were located at impacts, where the impacts occurred on the vehicles, the speed they were traveling, direction etc. There’s no guessing or he said she said involved when people are killed. The black boxes in the vehicles record the pertinent information. Steering wheel position, all pedal positions, etc.

The forward facing camera, along with the vehicle black box, would squash the claim of the box truck being all over the road because of a distracted driver, no matter how many people claim it was. Either the box truck was all over the road or it wasn’t. Either his cell phone was in use or it wasn’t. The phone and carrier logs determine that. With a death, you are guaranteed everyone involved will have their logs verified to make sure none of the drivers were using their phones at the time.

Since this accident is an extreme example, do you have any links so I can check it out? Vehicular deaths would have shutdown whatever interstate system that was for hours, if not a day, until everything was documented.

But I do agree with you, it is best to also have rear outward facing cameras, in addition to forward facing cameras, and most systems have options for that.

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Super_Sphontaine@reddit

yall willing to do alot of weird shit to avoid them fucking cameras instead of putting your damn phone down

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Bergamoted@reddit

I haul hazmat, we have cameras. I just act like a normal person while driving. Idk whats the issue with the cameras.

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humpthedog@reddit

No

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Charly509@reddit

I will go back to warehouse before I drive a truck with facing camera

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COATHANGER_ABORTIONS@reddit

I don't like the camera at all, but also I haven't ever had an event show up that wasn't a false positive.

If it's only clipping when an event happens, that's fine. Being able to tune in live or whenever they want is an issue for me.

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Pleasant_Tangelo6791@reddit

This bothers you? I’ve been dealing with this for ten years driving motor coaches. It’s standard in our business. They also have cameras on the passengers. People have gone to prison for violent crimes committed on buses, due to the cameras.

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WaltetMatthouch@reddit

My job has it and it’s the worst. I’ve been written up for literally preventing an accident. Someone cut in front of me and I was able to break fast enough before rear ending them.

“If you would’ve scanned your mirrors, you would’ve been able to predict the drive was gonna cut you off”

This is a daily occurrence with our site.

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SeaResponsibility720@reddit

I don’t have cameras…yet. But a buddy of mine moved and went to drive for a company in his area and they did. He got written up for taking his hand off the wheel to drink from his water bottle. I’ve known him for five years. He’s a very good worker and a safe driver. That’s completely uncalled for.

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Ok_Pack_5136@reddit

The only thing that is keeping me at my current company is the fact that they have no inward cameras. I had an opportunity to go somewhere else with more home time and better pay but passed on it because they had driver facing cameras.

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Corkymon87@reddit

Every company will have them eventually so no. Ive had one for about five years and have never heard a peep about it from management/safety.

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wizoneaia@reddit

That’s when I have up my cdl and quit trucking after 35 years.

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casino_night@reddit

My company has driver facing cameras. Luckily, my boss has it set so that it only records if we do something egregious. Like driving without a seat belt or having a phone in my hand. I don't really mind it.

Unfortunately, I think it's the waive of the future and I think more and more insurance companies are going to insist on it. Which doesn't make a lot of sense. If any of us get into an accident, the opposing counsel will subpoena the footage. If it shows us picking our nose or lighting a cigarette, they can argue that we were distracted. It feels like it could be a big liability.

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seang239@reddit

It doesn’t just feel like a liability, it is a liability. A huge one.

Shills for the camera companies come on here to sing the praises of “safety” and “the camera helps you/me” and “if you don’t do anything wrong, you’ve got nothing to worry about.”

If it was about safety because someone could be killed in an accident, then maybe you should lookup why cameras aren’t allowed in the cockpit of US airlines. An accident there risks hundreds of lives at a time. Surely a camera would be even more helpful to the pilot/airline, right?

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Exact-Leadership-521@reddit

No cameras allowed in the front of trains either

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seang239@reddit

It’s almost as if operating a vehicle is liability enough on its own. Why would a carrier choose to add an additional layer of liability by having the inward camera? On top of that, you’ve got companies developing a “safety department” to oversee the things.

Good luck getting your company off the hook if you have cameras and an actual department tasked with watching them. No way to claim you weren’t negligent when something happens like you could have before you installed them. They’re getting rid of their plausible deniability. It won’t just be the vehicle insurance on the hook anymore..

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Gr00veChild@reddit

This is my thing. Yes, I'm sure they can prove innocence, but there is also a good probability that the other side has a lawyer capable of using SOMETHING in that footage. If it doesn't exist you can't have it used against you. Hell, any good lawyer will tell you to keep your mouth shut if you're pulled over/detained.

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Fomonster9000@reddit

Yeah this is how mine is. It never kicks on unless you slam the brakes or have a phone. It does pop up if you're 20 over, but nothing happens. Boss drove over 10 years so it just depends on who has control and how sensitive it is. So we just have to not be on the phone and drive normally.

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supes_sus@reddit

Just make sure you rub one out in front of the camwra every night before you go to sleep

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InvstrJester@reddit

My truck has a curtain that crosses the windshield. I suggest that drivers get a windshield sun visor and cover the camera. When you’re not driving the game changes

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Anachronism--@reddit

I think changing companies is just delaying the inevitable. It won’t be long before everyone has them.

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Exact-Leadership-521@reddit

I got some wires dangling from the headliner. I'm pretty sure I see cars pull out past a stop sign, their eyes scan all over the windshield for a camera and they are the wires and stop. If I had a camera they'd pull out cause the video will make the space look bigger and then it's me hitting them.

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nikifullerton@reddit

I've been a safe driver for 15 years, most of them at a Mega Carrier... I've been doing fine, mostly because I didn't have the stress of having someone scrutinize every single thing I was doing.

The moment they put a camera in, I'm out.

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Exact-Leadership-521@reddit

I'd be ok with the owner of the truck installing a forward facing dash cam. But if anything happens, Id remove the chip and he better do his job and make police reports or whatever is needed. If it's just to catch me then there's the reason I don't drive company trucks anymore. Don't hire me and then lay in wait to catch me

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MCryptoWars@reddit

Facts! I been a safe driver for 12 years straight. The mega carriers work for, has inward facing cameras and I told them that if they force me to uncover the camera inside my cab, I am leaving. So far, all is good and I am allowed to keep it covered. But for new hires, they do not have that option.

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Ecstatic-Eye-5766@reddit

Even if you touch the GPS they would fire u? wtf

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Ecstatic-Eye-5766@reddit

In this case just started and YouTube channel and live stream 24/7 at least get superchats from people watching u.

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Red-Falcon2727@reddit

No driver facing cameras, I wouldn't take up the job. They do all complete background checks before hiring, we trust the company and join them, so should they. Outward facing cameras, we understand the importance, but inwards, it is most irritating 😑

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ChampionshipThin8916@reddit

There is a difference between a truck having a driver facing camera and a company using it to harass and micromanage you with it.

I put up with that crap my first year of trucking. I’d have to be on the verge of starvation and homelessness to tolerate that again.

Some people have zero issues with it.

Everyone has different tolerances of different things and different priorities.

Only you can say if it’s a good trade off or not.

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Riyeko@reddit

No.

Not unless they were paying me an extra $1000 a week guaranteed.

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FrothingRantallion@reddit

Carefully open the camera up and snip snip the microphone wire.

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InvstrJester@reddit

You can’t avoid it. It’s not bad as long as you aren’t eating boogers or whole Subway sandwiches while you’re driving. If you feel like someone is always watching you, say something that will get a response. Go to work and wait for someone to comment about what you said.

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ShackledColt@reddit

I’ve had one for years at this company. It’s more about how strict the features on it are. Mine rarely goes off, so it’s not a big deal. And it gets covered each night by the curtains so no big deal imo

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sum_say_its_luk@reddit

Yes

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Commercial-War1494@reddit

After I has an inward facing camera save my ass after someone claimed I touched them inappropriately back on the bus that the camera proved them wrong I would be hesitant to drive for anyone who doesn’t have one. If you follow company rules, there’s nothing about them that are bad.

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Fli_fo@reddit

Such a cam is fine if the driver installs it and is the sole decision maker on if and what he does with the footage.

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Commercial-War1494@reddit

Samsara isn’t bad. People are gonna down vote this because they don’t like being held accountable for breaking the rules when they get hit with a camera violation

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Fli_fo@reddit

It's not about that. It's the uncontrolled surveillance.

One of the major perks of being a truck driver is that you have much privacy for extended periods.

That is all flushed down the toilet now.

The psychological impact of this is small but it adds up over the years. Drivers already have a bad lifetime expectancy. It's very bad when they accept these things. It will make it even worse.

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Commercial-War1494@reddit

My guy, you’re on Reddit. I assume you have a smart phone. You’ve been under surveillance for years. You can’t even stroke your cock without the NSA seeing it.

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Microshlongg@reddit (OP)

The problem itself isn’t the camera. It’s more of management having a history of abusing the cameras to stalk and ease drop into drivers daily

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Commercial-War1494@reddit

Yeah, that’s balls. Luckily I’ve had over all good experiences with them.

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Ok_Bug_6470@reddit

They’ll be out of trucks in six months, lawsuits being filed all over, they have zero to do with safety. They’re selling the data to use for autonomous trucks. Improper firings, sexual harassment and companies sharing and storing X rated videos and private convos. What company would produce evidence to be used against them where they will lose 100% of the time?

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Human_Lecture_348@reddit

Eh, ever since i started at a place with inward cams, I dont mind. I thought id care more, but I dont. I just cant pick my nose now lol (jokes, but sometimes you get an itch inside and I feel like theyre gonna watch and judge you). Also i got written up for having my phone in my hand even though it was clearly looking at directions for how to get somewhere (i even showed the camera). Aside from that, I dont care. If im ever in an accident, itll help to show that I was paying attention.

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seang239@reddit

Just as a heads up, a camera won’t ever prove you were paying attention. You could have both hands on the wheel and looking straight ahead and still be daydreaming/distracted.

Driver facing cameras can only hurt you, not help you. Anything helpful would be shown by an outward facing camera, negating the need for the driver facing camera.

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Commercial-War1494@reddit

Until you’re accused of sleeping behind the wheel, touching a DOT officer in appropriately or any of the other reasons drivers have gotten out of trouble thanks to their driver facing cameras

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seang239@reddit

Someone else could also claim you’re a pink elephant and sleep with Barbie every time you’re on LA. Without proving it beyond a doubt, it doesn’t matter.

It’s so easy to tell when the shills come out because you reverse how our court system works. No one is asking people to prove a negative. You can’t actually prove a negative because there won’t be any evidence of you not doing the thing you didn’t do.

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Commercial-War1494@reddit

The cameras are coming. At the CVSA they are pressuring insurance companies to drastically lower premiums for companies who use them because some of y’all are 100% in the wrong and need to get caught. Those who do the right thing will have nothing to worry about. Ever find it funny how these companies who have driver cameras have a rate of drivers who quit over the camera than of those who were fired because of the camera?

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seang239@reddit

Have what rate? Higher/lower? It’s not difficult to tell who the intelligent people are. They know anyone can prove anything given enough data.

Adding additional liability where there was none before isn’t the smartest move. But I get it, it makes cash for the powers that be to push those systems. They have invested godawful amounts of resources into developing ai for it and have the shills out here in full force.

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Commercial-War1494@reddit

There’s a reason you hold a CDL and not a bar admission, and that’s because your argument skills just aren’t good enough to make a convincing argument as to why the cameras can’t help you. Maybe if you drove for a company that had driver facing cameras you could use their tuition assistance to earn your JD degree

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seang239@reddit

I don’t drive for a living, but nice try. Dig a little deeper, you might be surprised.

I’m not arguing they can’t help, I’m arguing they’re a liability. It’s not hard to squash any argument I’ve ever seen as to a driver facing camera helping, because they’re not necessary and aren’t as effective as outward facing cameras.

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Commercial-War1494@reddit

Having no proof of innocence can be just as bad as having proof of guilt in situation where the company will fire you to save a law suit.

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seang239@reddit

Never heard a court rule someone didn’t prove their innocence enough. Have any links for that claim?

You’re not saving a lawsuit if there’s video evidence proving negligence by the company and someone is seriously hurt/killed. That’s my main point. Why give the people suing you proof of their claim when you could just simply not have that installed? Outward facing is sufficient, in fact more so than anything a driver facing camera will ever produce. It’s just liability, nothing more.

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Commercial-War1494@reddit

Let me tell you my story. I drove a bus for a while. One of the passengers tried to claim that I touched her in appropriately and left my seat to do so. I was suspended pending investigation and was told the company would peruse legal actions if they found enough evidence. They pulled the drive cam footage, which proved that I didn’t do anything that I was accused of. The case was dropped immediately. Had that footage not been there, it would have been a he said, she said case that could have lasted much longer. Proving my innocence with footage proved to a fast, easy and reliable thing.

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seang239@reddit

Sure, no issue conceding in a bus it’s a different story. This sub is primarily geared towards truckers and trucking though. I understand why having interior cameras, multiple actually, in that scenario is a worthwhile investment, no argument. I’ve sold/installed solutions for school districts that do that along with a router and gps so they can access the feeds in real time and see their vehicles as dots on a map.

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Commercial-War1494@reddit

The same argument can be made for truckers too. Those drivers who claim you were texting and driving when you hit them? There are plenty of situations where they can help the driver

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Background-Winner-30@reddit

All these AI driver facing cameras can suck my dick!

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DonBoy30@reddit

It’s really a matter of how your company micromanages using the metrics and data collected by the cameras, really. Some companies are just looking for cheaper insurance premiums and will just call you stupid for an offense and be done with it. Other companies will write you up for yawning.

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jgremlin_@reddit

I found a company with more hometime and no inward cam but I’d be making almost $300-350 less a week

What's your plan going to be if you take the pay cut and a month later they install inward cams? You gonna just find another job and potentially take another pay cut?

Companies can tell you they'll never have cameras all that want. But there WILL come a point when their insurance company is going to make that choice for them.

If the camera is that much of an issue for you, it might be time to look for another line of work.

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seang239@reddit

Don’t worry, it won’t take but a couple lawsuit awards using the driver facing camera as evidence to cut that nonsense out.

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jgremlin_@reddit

I assume you mean lawsuit awards due to the inward camera showing the driver doing something he shouldn't be doing. Its already happened many times. Those cases do not ever make it trial because defense always moves to settle and offers attractive instant sums to make it happen.

Get into an accident and lawyer up. Have the company offer you an instant guaranteed cool $25M instead of whatever greater amount you MIGHT get IF you win the case, none of which is guaranteed and every lawyer you could ever hire is going to advise you to take the settlement and 99% of clients do.

That $25M stings. But not nearly as much as the $40M it could have been if the case went to court. Inward cameras aren't going anywhere.

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seang239@reddit

Take that same logic and the lawyer has video showing the driver doing something. Settle for peanuts comes off the table.

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jgremlin_@reddit

So $25M is peanuts in your world? Must be nice.

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seang239@reddit

What’s your family worth to you?

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jgremlin_@reddit

What’s your family worth to you? What’s the number where you’re ok with them being killed?

There is no number. Are you suggesting you have a number in mind that you would be comfortable allowing someone to kill a member of your family for? If so that's pretty dark.

Add on a camera that proves negligence for you and it’s no longer just the truck insurance..

Absolutely no idea what you're trying to say here.

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seang239@reddit

Someone kills my family and our lawyer receives video evidence of negligence by the trucking company, it goes beyond an accidental fender bender covered by the vehicle insurance. That’s not just an accidental oopsie by a driver.

If you aren’t able to grasp what I’m saying, or how additional agents can be on the hook beyond just the driver and the vehicle insurance, it’s cool. Have a good day friend.

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jgremlin_@reddit

What specifically did I say that makes you think I was advocating to accept the insurance payout and nothing more in the scenario we were discussing?

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seang239@reddit

You claiming you’d accept a settlement for half of what something should be paid to avoid going to court. Having a driver facing camera takes away the uncertainty of court and all but guarantees the higher payout. If your family was killed, would you accept half, or less, of what your family should receive?

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jgremlin_@reddit

Ah, now I see what you're getting at. So let me clarify a few things.

Having a driver facing camera takes away the uncertainty of court and all but guarantees the higher payout.

No it doesn't. Having the video certainly helps. But nothing in court is ever guaranteed.

If your family was killed, would you accept half, or less, of what your family should receive?

I think your use of the word should is a little misguided here. If I lose a loved one due to the negligence of a company, the amount I should receive is immeasurable and pointless to discuss. So the only number worth discussing is the amount I could receive.

And what your lawyer is going to point out to you in that situation is that while its possible you could cost the company more by taking them to court, it will take years resolve and it won't be guaranteed.

Then your lawyer will talk about how if you take that $25M and put it in the hands of a good wealth manager, you will be able to live very comfortably and end up with a net worth of at least $50M in less than 10 years. Whereas by the time the case makes it through trial and the inevitable appeals, the award could end up being bigger (but it may not) and your legal fees will definitely be significantly larger it is very likely you will have a much lower net worth in that same 10 years time.

So your choice is a lower payout for them but more money for you now and more money for you later (via responsible investment), or the possibility for more payout for them later but less money for you in then end than taking the settlement now.

Yeah, you could still say fuck them, I want them to pay as much as possible even if I never see any of it. But most people would not. If you don't believe me, just ask Tracy Morgan.

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couchpatat0@reddit

Keep looking, a lot of driving jobs out there right now, you'll find one without cameras and the same or better pay.

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docweston@reddit

My company has AI cameras in the trucks. It records constantly. I witnessed a near miss accident a few days ago, and it got me wondering how i activate the camera if I witnessed an actual crash. So I asked my boss and he said I just need to remember what time it was. He can go back and pull footage from any time I'm in the truck. In fact, my co-worker just got fired because he tapped a car and broke their taillight. The thing that got him fired was that he had his phone in his hand when it happened. They have a zero tolerance policy for that. I've learned to adapt to the "always on" camera.

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Anachronism--@reddit

My company we are fired if we touch our phone at any time… AI is watching…

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The_Leafblower_Guy@reddit

Which honestly is way safer for all of us. Phones and distracting are the biggest issue facing drivers of all vehicles!

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Old-Register-6102@reddit

It literally isn't bur go on

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Fli_fo@reddit

Waiting for a bridge or whatever and getting fired for phone use?

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FirstBet4328@reddit

That’s a question only you can answer, if you have family talk to them. Everyone finances are unique. Only you will know if you can take that pay cut. I personally wouldn’t.

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Septhulu@reddit

I told them they owe my pornstar money, if they turn the cameras on, I'm driving nude 24/7.

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IBringTheHeat2@reddit

Can they discipline you over the inside camera? At ups we have inside cameras but we can’t get in trouble for what we do inside the cab.

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Emotional-Payment430@reddit

I don’t care about the driver facing cameras, but I have two things that I want to come along with that. One the camera needs to be turned, so it sees me as the driver and not into the back of the sleeper all the time two how do I put it in private mode when it’s parked, I want the camera and the audio off in the cab when off duty. If a company cannot have their camera set up that way, it was never about the possible lawsuits. It was more about the micromanaging.

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starlux33@reddit

I'm almost wondering if these companies are aware they may be violating call recording laws by recording driver calls that are being played over the truck speakers.

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Slosky22@reddit

I’m not taking a pay cut. I’ll just work for a company or do something myself.

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JColeTheWheelMan@reddit

That company that you're thinking of switching to will also be installing cams eventually. The grass is always greener over the septic field.

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cdubose@reddit

The company is also known to ease drop on drivers before we even switched to inward cams.

I would leave just based on this information. Cameras aren't ideal, but there are a lot of companies that will basically leave you alone. But if they were already eavesdropping on drivers before cameras (which, how was that even possible?), that means the company culture is more about invading privacy than safety or cutting insurance costs.

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kit_eubanks@reddit

Find a different company if you don't agree with it? They own the trucks their rules... I have my own authority and own my own truck so it's my rules and I actually have a driver facing camera it's mainly for my seat belt and I have a camera that looks at my speedometer with the camera system on my mirrors looking down the trailer and the one that looks out front....

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seang239@reddit

You own your truck and operate under your own authority and you put a camera on yourself? Aren’t you worried the other side will use your footage against you in an accident?

Outward facing cameras prove anything you’d need to prove, driver facing just creates additional liability where there wasn’t any before.

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kit_eubanks@reddit

it actually saved my ass going to court because I don't use my phone while I'm driving and they said I was distracted driving Guess what I pulled up the footage for 15 minutes prior never once did I touch my phone touch the radio or anything like that...

But each their own If you don't want it in your truck don't install it is that simple

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seang239@reddit

Anyone can claim anything they want, it doesn’t matter. Your outward facing camera proves whether you were driving properly or not, in your lane or not, speeding or not, ran the red light or not etc.

If you want to add additional liability where there was none before, have a ball.

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kit_eubanks@reddit

It was a cop that gave me a cell phone ticket I went to court showed the judge 15 minutes prior It was dismissed so no the front facing camera doesn't Tell the whole story

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seang239@reddit

Usually courts use call/message records to prove you were using the phone since they have to prove it beyond a reasonable doubt.

Regardless, in our court system you don’t have to prove you didn’t do something. Proving a negative isn’t actually possible, because there won’t be any evidence of you not doing the thing you didn’t do.

If you weren’t holding a phone, he wouldn’t have been able to conclusively prove to the court beyond a doubt that you were, therefore it would have been dismissed anyway. Cool story though.

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kit_eubanks@reddit

Yeah believe what you fuck you want dude cops never write tickets that aren't truthful never happens...

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seang239@reddit

I’m not saying they don’t, we all know they do. But they do have to prove it beyond a doubt, and you don’t need to roll over if it happens to you either. Ask for a jury of your peers. Would you go against your peer if it was obvious the cop was out to get him? I wouldn’t. I’d be happy to click not guilty.

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kit_eubanks@reddit

Made it really simple, show them my evidence it was dismissed within 3 min of me going to court and guess what The judge says now I can't trust anything that trooper happened to be in Georgia sends to me... But you do you I'll do me and I'll have that camera face me for when this shit happens

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seang239@reddit

If you’re the type of person who just rolls over and pays the fine, so be it. But more importantly, think about this for a second and flip the roles. Are you saying you’d sit in a jury box judging one of your fellow drivers when a cop says he can’t prove he did something, and there’s no evidence he did something, and you’d still find him guilty? I’m not sure you understand how our court system works. No evidence to prove something happened doesn’t equal guilty.

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kit_eubanks@reddit

So me going to court is rolling over and paying the fine Jesus Christ dude you're f** stupid

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Redsoxdragon@reddit

I've stopped caring about driver facing cameras a while ago. I don't really do anything that gets scrutinized. And even if i do, as long as they're not blowing up my phone, i don't care. It's not worth losing money if some bored mfer wants to watch me sing baby shark and shout slurs at bad drivers

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Competitive_Tell_469@reddit

Told the company your camera is your risk put it in the truck I'll go naked .... no camera yet lol

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CaptCooterluvr@reddit

but I’d be making almost $300-$350 less a week

And in 6mo they could decide to install the same cameras you’re taking a paycut to avoid

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GoMake_me_a_sandwich@reddit

It depends on how much I'm making. Companies that want to record me should pay me more. But I'm not taking a pay cut that's going to pay me below my market value as a trucker.

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Charlie_Hustler@reddit

Nope. My company has AI cams and driver facing aswell but they never really hold anything against us and we can get away with quite alot. If you have a company that's super anal about the camera then yeah I could see it being an issue but if the company doesn't enforce the camera like crazy I honestly wouldn't mind it tho. You forget it's there most of the times tbh

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Fli_fo@reddit

Wait 'till your a bit older and slower and make a mistake.

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seang239@reddit

That dude has never had an argument with someone that uses everything against them, good or bad.

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SnooOranges2497@reddit

Lawsuit time violation of privacy.

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TheFringedLunatic@reddit

My company has driver facing cameras, but the company makes having them covered optional. If you choose to have them uncovered, you have an extra 2cpm to your pay, since it nets the company a discount on insurance and they’re not the sort of stingy assholes who keep all that shit for themselves.

The camera itself is non-bothersome. Yes, it complains if I’m 10 over the limit, or if I run a stop sign, or hit my brakes too hard. But that’s it. Those are the only times. I drink, vape, and snack pretty continuously and it doesn’t pipe up. I put on sunglasses and it doesn’t care. I move around and belt out all my favorite songs at top volume when I’m not cussing out the 4 wheeler who thinks I can stop in 2” of space and the camera still doesn’t give a shit. I cover it entirely when I am off duty and that does not count against the extra pay, because it is specifically only for use while I am driving.

The problem isn’t the cameras. It’s the assholes in the office who demand you perform your job like a fucking robot, who have cranked the AI settings up to match that expectation. It’s not the camera, it’s your bosses fucking you. Expect better from them and hold them to a higher standard, or find a better company.

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ColtNickel@reddit

I wouldn’t drive for a company with driver facing cameras in the first place so there would be no need to take a pay cut to get rid of it, honestly though it’s the AI cameras and micromanaging that make this industry so stressful, last thing I want is AI telling me because I looked in the mirror 1 second to long that I’m distracted or because of a yawn in driving fatigue, it’s already troublesome enough dealing with the AI forward facing cameras like oh someone cut you off you didn’t hit your brakes in .2 seconds here’s 150 points on your safety score, or you canceled your lane change a quarter of the way through because someone on a mission to meet Jesus decided to dive bomb past you and you decided to not assist with their mission here’s 450 points, oh now you’re over out arbitrary 20 point safety limit that’s a roughly $300 loss on your bonus that you need to survive because we don’t want to to push yourself with more than 2000 miles a week, but now we may give you even less miles because you’re a safety “liability” risk, even though you have 0 points on your license and have never been in a accident.

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BoonkeeHead@reddit

The trash companies. I left one because of it. I got suspended for not driving like a robot.

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Slater_8868@reddit

Time to buy some mirrored aviator sunglasses

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Unfair_Fisherman_605@reddit

Clear and Simple Fuck a driver’s facing camera. First question I ask when looking for work. Cams? Forward facing? And what is my truck governed at. Currently working for a company that uses AI cameras as well but they only look forward. Our cameras are tied into Samsara, Insurance and compliance office.

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Dual-use@reddit

The day they install one in my truck is the day I hang up the keys.

Luckily my company is pretty old school, I got my 18 speed and a contract that specifically states they are not allowed to micromanage me.

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Indigenous-Genius83@reddit

I would run not walk away but run my peace and personal space is priceless to me. At the same time I worked for a company with inward facing cameras I don’t do OTR at all. So the inward facing camera it was the same deal it was silent though a couple red, blue and yellow lights. Whenever I was parked & taking a nap I would turn on the privacy mode and cover it with my hat. Never had any issues but it costed a few drivers their job one particular driver got into a fatal accident while texting. Funny thing is the guy who kept falling asleep on the road is still driving for that company. Unless they lost the contract it was up for renewal and the renegotiation process was taking longer than expected so think they lost it.

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