Rearview camera on highway

llowllms wrote:
If you decide on a camera and mount it and see someone tail gating what are your options? If you are rear ended they will be charged at fault and the camera will not stop them from the practice. Even rear view cameras on motor homes are primarily designed to keep an eye on a towed vehicle verses following traffic. I would be more concerned about what is in front of me rather than that in the rear.

poguelife wrote:
Sorry, I dont quite follow the logic here... The more aware you are of your surroundings, the better all your driving decisions will be. We make many "micro-decisions" every moment we drive. I don't think it would serve anyone for me to belabour that point with many examples. By that logic why use rearview mirrors at all?

The "logic" is that once you have a rear view camera you'll find yourself taking your eyes off the road and off your mirrors where they should be and instead focusing way too frequently on the camera monitor. As I mentioned earlier the camera angle is often so wide (even fisheye) that one loses perspective as to how close or how far away the following vehicles are and you'll find yourself staring at the stupid thing trying to figure it out ... one minute they appear way behind but in a flash they're right on top of you. :E Been there, done that and you couldn't pay me now to use a rear view camera ever again ... and what this has to do with using a rear view mirror is a mystery as none of us who are towing any full height trailer can anyway. :S Instead of wasting $$$ on a rear view camera system which at best will only be a crutch equip your TV with a good set of towing mirrors and learn how to use them.