# Reversing camera ?



## carico694 (Mar 20, 2009)

Hi all
sat at home bored and waiting for the weekend trip away,I thought about looking on line to buy a reversing camera for the van, but wow so many !
HELP ! does anyone know a good buy for a 7M van and the do's and dont's I only really need it to stop the wife from waving at me in my mirrors.
I thought about reversing sensors but I have a bike rack that is sometimes up sometimes down.
cheers


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## TWS (Mar 20, 2009)

Cant give any info on cameras, but I use my camera all the time, its a must for a large M/H, I have mine on while driving and use it as my rear view mirror, I would never have M/H without a camera. Hope you get sorted, I'm sure one of the techy members will be able to point you in the right direction.

Regards Tom


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## carico694 (Mar 20, 2009)

Cheers Tom
At any price its got to be cheaper then a bump!


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## scotsy (Mar 20, 2009)

I have driven lorries (for a waste company) which have a camera with 2 views available, the normal view is like a rear view mirror (from a high mounting point) and when you select reverse gear it changes to a downward view so you can see the area directly behind the vehicle and you can watch both 'corners' to see how the 'swing' is doing.

I will be fitting something similar when finances allow

ps. they also have sound so you can hear what anyone 'directing you' is saying as you reverse


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## scotsy (Mar 20, 2009)

found this link that explains it

http://www.conrad-anderson.co.uk/reversingcameras/rearvisionsystems-twinlenscamera.htm


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## ian81 (Mar 20, 2009)

The system where the camera changes from pointing downwards to give the long view is from Waeco now part of Dometic and is expensive.

We got our system from ebay there are many options available. I fitted a pointing down camera (£15) along with reversing sensors that feed a bleeper and overlay the picture with distance and direction to the nearest object -a useful countdown from 2m to 40cm.

Have the wiring in place to add a second camera for the 'long view' The screen is a 10" touchscreen that is also the display for our onboard pc giving routing / map information as well as feeding music to the radio and  also engine diagnostics from the OBD connector.


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## tony (Mar 20, 2009)

TWS said:


> Cant give any info on cameras, but I use my camera all the time, its a must for a large M/H, I have mine on while driving and use it as my rear view mirror, I would never have M/H without a camera. Hope you get sorted, I'm sure one of the techy members will be able to point you in the right direction.
> 
> Regards Tom



i would not like to drive with the reversing camera on i would find it a distraction , likewise having the radio or playing  cds or tapes i like to give my full attention to driving.
i switch off the reversing camera when the dull & dark days come in as i find the glare from the screen blinding.
if you observe your surroundings before you start to reverse you can reverse safely using both mirrors.
i suppose this is a habit i got into driving trucks.
tony


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## Cornish Emmit (Mar 20, 2009)

We used to have reversing cameras fitted to all our old ambulances in Cornwall ( Renault masters ), now we have a new fleet of Mercedes sprinters which are much larger but they have no cameras, OH BOY DO WE MISS THEM,
thank goodness that our old Hymer came with one fitted.


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## TWS (Mar 20, 2009)

tony said:


> i would not like to drive with the reversing camera on i would find it a distraction , likewise having the radio or playing  cds or tapes i like to give my full attention to driving.
> i switch off the reversing camera when the dull & dark days come in as i find the glare from the screen blinding.
> if you observe your surroundings before you start to reverse you can reverse safely using both mirrors.
> i suppose this is a habit i got into driving trucks.
> tony



Hi Tony, I find the camera is a great asset for rear observation, as we don't have a rear view mirror, the camera lets me see just what happening at the rear, I just use it as a rear view mirror, don't think it distracts me, but I could see how it could if you used it too much.

Regards Tom


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## bevo (Mar 20, 2009)

*reersing cameras*

i drove buses for 20 years without reversing cameras, i personally find if you are using the side mirrors when reversing you can also see anything aproaching from the sides.
  but it's down to personall choice and what you feel comfortable with.
if i am reversing up close to anything then mrs bevo has to earn her keep and see me back.


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## tony (Mar 20, 2009)

bevo said:


> i drove buses for 20 years without reversing cameras, i personally find if you are using the side mirrors when reversing you can also see anything aproaching from the sides.
> but it's down to personall choice and what you feel comfortable with.
> if i am reversing up close to anything then mrs bevo has to earn her keep and see me back.



keep the good woman at it.
tony


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## t&s (Mar 20, 2009)

another gimmic
i would think it is as dangerous as watching TV whilst driving if it were to be used as a rear view mirror
your mirrors should be enough there is no need for anybody waving hands 
may be as an ex trucker reversing is the same as going forward 
if you had a crunch whilst being directed backwards it would still be your fault not theres


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## tony (Mar 20, 2009)

i agree on that. the driver is always responsible for his/her vehicle & load.
tony


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## Cornish Emmit (Mar 21, 2009)

Looking at the thread so far oppinions seem to vary (diversity is a good thing)
But something has just occured to me. Driving is a skill, skills improve with training and practice.

Most car drivers only do 8/12000 miles per year.
Looking at the adverts, most motorhomes do about 2/4000 miles per year.

Some of the comments have been made by professional or ex professional drivers, as a professional I have driven about 50000 miles per year ( thats about 1000000 miles over my 20 year career.

Reading the thread I should think there are some out there who have driven far more than me.
I have been lucky enough to have had about 250/300 hours of driver training, granted a lot was high speed driving but a significant amount was low speed manouvering, restricted access reversing etc

As professionals we all drive using our mirrors, it's instict, based on hundreds of hours of experience, we plan our reverse by looking into our evential parking space, we check for obstrucions, we look for overhangs (structures, buildings,branches ) , we look at the surface for camber, mud, slope, and we plan how far we can go back, its instict based on experiance, we are so used to it we dont even know we are doing it.
A lot of our members dont have this advantage!

When I first joined this site I was (and continue to be) impressed by the way members not only had oppinions, but shared the benifit of there experiance with others.

It was as a result of reading these usefull threads I decided to change from a little old Auto sleeper rapsody, to a left hand drive Hymer, and it will be with the help of these threads i will take my first steps into "wilding"

So lets not just have oppinions, lets give help and encoragement based on our experiencies.

As other members have said reversing cameras are not the way to reverse BUT they are an aid to reversing which you can use in conjuction with mirrors and observations, and they do give a vission into the blind spot and let you know to the inch where the back of the vehicle is.

Chris


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## tony (Mar 21, 2009)

i agree entirly with your comments. every time you go out on the road you will encounter something new , you are always learning.
the day you think that you know it all thats the time you could easily end up in trouble.
i think the accident rate for motorhomes is very low ? lets all do our bit to keep it that way.
tony


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## stokey_phil (Mar 21, 2009)

try www.reversingcamerasuk.co.uk


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## nichodia (Mar 21, 2009)

Hi there,
Getting back to the original topic, try www.parkingcameras.com they have a great range and cheap too. I recently fitted one to my van, it came complete with 7 inch rear view mirror lcd display with two av in points and 10 meter extension cables (very easy to fit). you can fit the camera either as a rear view mirror or as a reversing camera. I personally use it as a rear view mirror, I too have had extensive driving training and tend to use my mirrors mainly, what it is good for though, is seeing who is behind you, you know when the numpty gets too close and you can't see him in your side mirrors! I only look at the rear view as mauch as I would if it was a real mirror. Check them out I paid £102 for mine and it is excellent quality.
Di


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## cipro (Mar 21, 2009)

I do have concerns when reversing as you can't see directly behind if some one is to close.
I remember a sign on the back of a bus ( IF YOU CAN NOT SEE MY MIRRORS I CAN NOT SEE YOU ) makes you think especially when the white reversing light comes on


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## t&s (Mar 21, 2009)

well Cornish Emmit  your impartial views are probably correct and some of us do get carried away with our comments
 but if we were all together in the pub  you would probbably hear the same opinions being said 
is this not what a forum is for 
one to air there views 
not for all see the answers they want to ?


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## Cornish Emmit (Mar 23, 2009)

Ah t&s what can i say exept well said and duly noted.


On the original question, I dont personaly find reversing sensors much help in my particular situation, they seem to get a bit confused and go off when they encounter uneven ground, obstructions at the side that you can clearly see you will miss in your side mirrors, and they dont always go off when you do need them to. I feel I need to see to be safe




Good luck in your choices

Chris


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## Pioneer (Mar 23, 2009)

Hi, couple of years ago my reversing camera became waterlogged and useless, it was waterproof! honest. I was by myself and required to reverse a matter of 2ft to manouvre into a tight driveway, checking mirrors, nothing to be seen, bump, some guy must have been trying to get so close he wanted a free tow! In 1/4 mile previous nothing in the rear views.
Camera changed, and thinking of fitting a smaller extra camera in the rear skirt. Insurance and repairs too expensive not to have some means of detection. 

Happy Camping


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