Make Reversing Cameras Compulsory on all new vehicles.

[imugli]

Peeps,

As most of you would have read over the past few days (and in fact the last 12 months or so) the number of children being hurt or killed by reversing vehicles is becoming alarming.

Now, I'm not one to encourage government intervention in a lot of things, but I feel this is important.

Reversing Camera's have now been around for a number of years and the price of them has come down dramatically.

I believe it is now time that we called on our State and Government officials to legislate to make reversing cameras compulsory on all new vehicles sold.

To this end, I have created an online petition at

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/m...erasmandatory/

that I plan to submit to MPs to be tabled in Parliament.

As I'm sure all the dads on here could attest to, I don't know what I would do if I lost my little boy in this manner, given that it is so easily preventable.

Please take the time to sign the online petition and help it get to parliament.

Cheers,

Justin.

[pottery beige]

i backed over my neighbours cat the other week.. took me months of trying.. would have been much easier with a reversing camera......

[fmc351]

Originally Posted by pottery beige

i backed over my neighbours cat the other week.. took me months of trying.. would have been much easier with a reversing camera......

Bowl of milk is cheaper.

[imugli]

Originally Posted by pottery beige

i backed over my neighbours cat the other week.. took me months of trying.. would have been much easier with a reversing camera......

[JC]

It's not about cameras - it's about stupid parents not knowing where their kids are. Why would you reverse when there's a 2 year old or 3 year old around the car - they should be in the car, or in the house. We have 2 x 8 year olds and 1 x 6 year old, and they really have little sense around the car, so when we are moving it, they are either in it, or well clear of it where we can see them.

[pottery beige]

Originally Posted by fmc351

Bowl of milk is cheaper.

new cat is a quick little bastard.. thanks for the tip....

[XRGhia]

Originally Posted by pottery beige

i backed over my neighbours cat the other week.. took me months of trying.. would have been much easier with a reversing camera......

Originally Posted by pottery beige

new cat is a quick little bastard.. thanks for the tip....

You never fail to make me laugh...!!

[fmc351]

Originally Posted by JC

It's not about cameras - it's about stupid parents not knowing where their kids are. Why would you reverse when there's a 2 year old or 3 year old around the car - they should be in the car, or in the house. We have 2 x 8 year olds and 1 x 6 year old, and they really have little sense around the car, so when we are moving it, they are either in it, or well clear of it where we can see them.

We did the same thing, he's 16 now and we still kind of keep a close eye on things to his dismay. Its a bit harsh but mate, they are quick like the above mentioned cat. Some of these accidents arent your average stupid drongo, they can and do happen to knowledgeable people who just happen to make a massive mistake at the wrong time. Its probably happened to others too but the circumstances didnt lead to a kid being run over, we just hear about the hit, not the misses.

Its not a bad idea, I know a fiend of ours who bought a new soft roader had one fitted, it was one of her insistences. Funnily enough as cheap as they are aftermarket, she was stung $1400 for it IIRC through a red stealership.

[imugli]

Originally Posted by JC

It's not about cameras - it's about stupid parents not knowing where their kids are. Why would you reverse when there's a 2 year old or 3 year old around the car - they should be in the car, or in the house. We have 2 x 8 year olds and 1 x 6 year old, and they really have little sense around the car, so when we are moving it, they are either in it, or well clear of it where we can see them.

As is my 15 month old. He's inside the car, or inside the house. Unfortunately, some people are not as smart as you or I.

But here's a thought...

Your 8 year old is at a friend's house and that friend's *stupid* mother backs over your kid and hurts (or worse) them.

You take the mother to court and she get's put in the slammer. Do you get your kid back?

It doesn't have to be you that hits your kid.

[pottery beige]

cameras do not see all.. and possibly make the lazy even lazier these new fandangled people movers and their ground clearance can make them really cool things to hide or climb under.. nothing on the screen hit R for racing.... good idea but no substitute keeping an actual eye on the little buggers.....

[happy1]

Having reverse camera by itself will probably not prevent all accidents. There are a lot of distracted drivers, and it sounds like a lot of accidents for example happens by drivers by mistake hitting the throttle instead of the brake pedal. With this 'quality' of drivers, how can you expect them to stare at a reverse camera screen. My personal opinion is that some drivers are probably more dangerous if they only look at the reverse camera screen.

What about reverse sensors? Supposed to beep if some object is in the way.. The driver still needs to be awake enough to realize what is happening.

In the future probably there will be active systems that will intervene with driver errors, for example if an object is in the way, the car will apply brakes even if the driver attempts to hit the throttle.

[imugli]

The system I'm thinking of places the image in your rear-view mirror as long as your car is in reverse gear. That way, it's not another screen to have to look at...

[Jim Goose]

What about people who have old cars? What would be the point?
There would still be tens of thousands of cars/ vehicles out there not fitted with cameras.
Why is it we need to keep introducing legislation because of laziness and stupidity of others?

[fat4D]

like already stated if you have little kids Dont be a dipstick they are either where you can see them near the front of the car, in it or with the other parent/adult inside the house... Unless you have a common practice of leaving your kids on the lawn while you run to the shops. On the camera thing. People are so lazy as it is. Next people will want a camera in all blind spots

[Ben73]

Not just your own kids. You could be in a carparks and some stupid brat could run behind your car because thier parent cannot control them.

I don't really see any negatives coming out of this proposal.

[gtxb67]

not having the pleasure of owning children, maybe my thoughts are irrelevant
would it not be feasible to reverse into the driveway. it seems to me that in most, if not all cases that having started reversing at the road, the view behind would be so much better. even if a child ran out of the house while reversing, the driver would be able to see them - providing they were looking
I realise not all of these tragedies would be prevented by driving out, but I think it would be a fairly good precaution

[rocket67]

Originally Posted by JC

It's not about cameras - it's about stupid parents not knowing where their kids are. Why would you reverse when there's a 2 year old or 3 year old around the car - they should be in the car, or in the house. We have 2 x 8 year olds and 1 x 6 year old, and they really have little sense around the car, so when we are moving it, they are either in it, or well clear of it where we can see them.

JC, Good post. Agree for the most part. Parents need to take responsibility and ensure their children are well away, or inside the car.

You can`t always legislate against stupidity.

A little girl in the next street was killed in the same manner a few years back. Her father was backing his work van out of the driveway. I had noticed prior to this that their children regularly played in the front yard and wondered why the parents allowed this.They had a big backyard.
Still have a feeling of sadness every time i drive down that street.

Rocket.

[JC]

Originally Posted by imugli

As is my 15 month old. He's inside the car, or inside the house. Unfortunately, some people are not as smart as you or I.

But here's a thought...

Your 8 year old is at a friend's house and that friend's *stupid* mother backs over your kid and hurts (or worse) them.

You take the mother to court and she get's put in the slammer. Do you get your kid back?

It doesn't have to be you that hits your kid.

Fair point - and if that ever happened, I reckon I'd be locked up too.........

We have cameras on both our cars as a precaution, but the major responsibility of a parent is to reasonably keep your kids safe, not to buy cameras for cars.

[sneaky]

My wife was only saying this the other night.

Our new softroader has camera with the image in the rear view mirror and it has sensors as well. I still put the kids in the car or house or have someone watching them. And the kids (3 and 4) like 'driving' the car with me by sitting on my lap and holding the steering wheel - only done when moving in the driveway

[Mechan1k]

Originally Posted by Ben73

Not just your own kids. You could be in a carparks and some stupid brat could run behind your car because thier parent cannot control them.

I don't really see any negatives coming out of this proposal.

I keep a close eye on my little one ... but the problem in my street ... is some of the parents don't care where their kids are ... and they play out in the street .. albeit a cul-de-sac ... and it's unnerving reversing out of my driveway ... as these couple of kids just wander everywhere.

I actually try and reverse into my driveway as much as possible to make it safer for my wide to drive out .... and my driveway is an incline up to the road ... makes it harder to see ... in both the ute and the Territory.

But really ... it's the parents of their own children that are ultimately responsible in the end ... a lot of people have no understanding or concept of accountability.

Still can't believe parents let their kids play out on the streets when they are really young (I am talking as young as 3 years old).

[Ford_The_Win]

Maybe people should pay closer attention to their kids instead, or not buy ridiculous 4X4s when they live in suburbia?

[Sox]

Originally Posted by JC

Fair point - and if that ever happened, I reckon I'd be locked up too.........

We have cameras on both our cars as a precaution, but the major responsibility of a parent is to reasonably keep your kids safe, not to buy cameras for cars.

Not that I disagree with you, in fact I agree with your first post above, however it could be said that by being a responsible parent the installation of cameras is assisting in keeping kids safe.

My views may also be less relevant because I have no kids, but I see the value of 'things' which may save lives (real things, not stupid speed cameras and the like).

I'm also normally against big brother enforcing these 'things', but I think we need to keep a pretty open mind when it's very likely that kids lives may be saved.

[kaniSS]

Have you guys seen the way people reverse these days? They look forwards and use the reverse mirror and side mirrors to go backwards. How can you reverse safely while you are facing the front of the car?


I turn my whole body around almost 180degrees, put my left arm around the passengers seat and look right out the back window and use my right hand to manoeuvre the car as I reverse. I have never had any problems or hit anything in my life while using this method.

[pottery beige]

Originally Posted by kaniSS

Have you guys seen the way people reverse these days? They look forwards and use the reverse mirror and side mirrors to go backwards. How can you reverse safely while you are facing the front of the car?


I turn my whole body around almost 180degrees, put my left arm around the passengers seat and look right out the back window and use my right hand to manoeuvre the car as I reverse. I have never had any problems or hit anything in my life while using this method.

try that in a truck.....

[Mechan1k]

Originally Posted by pottery beige

try that in a truck.....

Or a ute with a decent sized pallet on the back.
It's all mirrors ... or hang out the window ... or in some cases out the front of shops ... use the reflections in the windows (if you are lucky enough).

[kaniSS]

Originally Posted by pottery beige

try that in a truck.....

Off-course a truck is different. We are not talking about trucks. We are talking about your average Joe in a sedan or 4wd.

[pottery beige]

Originally Posted by Mechan1k

Or a ute with a decent sized pallet on the back.
It's all mirrors ... or hang out the window ... or in some cases out the front of shops ... use the reflections in the windows (if you are lucky enough).

and if there is ever any doubt.. jump out and have a walk around...

[Mechan1k]

Have done that a few times in the past.

[new2ford]

Originally Posted by kaniSS

Have you guys seen the way people reverse these days? They look forwards and use the reverse mirror and side mirrors to go backwards. How can you reverse safely while you are facing the front of the car?

That's exactly the way I reverse and I haven't caused an accident in 40 years. If you turn and look back you don't have your eyes on the mirrors which is the most important thing. And as the last two posters said, you can only use the mirrors in a truck, bus or loaded ute or wagon.

In the Territory you don't gain anything by looking back because it's too high to see anything. I've just upgraded to one with a camera and it's a useful adjunct to the mirrors, that's all. I can imagine some stupid people relying only on the camera but it doesn't show you everything. The best advantage of a camera is that it stops people turning around and looking over their shoulder, allowing them to concentrate on the mirrors!

Then there's the people who reverse while looking forward (not even at the mirrors) - I've seen a couple of those dillbrains reverse into cars behind!

[pottery beige]

Originally Posted by kaniSS

Off-course a truck is different. We are not talking about trucks. We are talking about your average Joe in a sedan or 4wd.

or a little short *** like me that would need to sit on six phone books to see over the parcel shelf....
i see plenty more out of my mirrors.. straight down the sides.. i thought people that used your method were people that didnt know how to use mirrors....