Screen mounted cam - potential magnet for Police attention?

[Shaun400se]

Morning fellow PH'ers.

I'm away on a road trip in my 2005 Noble M400, travelling Aberdeen to Amalfi via Reims, Strasbourg, Berne, Chamonix, Monte Carlo, Pisa and Rome, in just over two weeks time.

I've invested in a Road Hawk RH-1 HD camera for two reasons

1) I'd like to record sections of my drive for the sake of posterity.
2) I like the idea of an insurance 'failsafe' recording being available in the event that I'm caught up in an 'incident' of any sort.

So to the question. I'm well aware that radar detectors / jammers are illegal to own or use in France and that's no problem with me as I don't own one, however given the fact that this screen cam is quite obvious visually even when sitting next to the Sanef toll box just in front of my rear view mirror - will it possibly act as a 'red rag' to the French Police, and are there any restrictions about using such a device on French roads? Same goes for Germany, Switzerland and Italy I guess....even though I appreciate I'm on the wrong thread for those countries.

Any help or advice offered would be gratefully received.

Rgds,
Shaun+

[Cunning Punt]

No restrictions against dashcams to my knowledge. There is a remarkably vague and poorly thought-out law that says something along the lines of "no video screens in the driver's line of sight, oh except we suppose GPS is ok", but I don't think the RH-1 has a screen?

Very unlikely the camera would be a) mistaken for a detector, and b) even if it was, sufficient reason alone for them to stop you. Wanting to know more about the car and asking you to give it some beans is a much better reason. If in doubt, take the instruction booklet along so you can show what the cam does in the unlikely event of being asked about it.

TBH I'd be more worried about petty theft of the camera/sanef box while stopped at autoroute services. And that's equally unlikely, since the Noble will have already attracted a crowd of potential witnesses before you've got the handbrake on



I'm quite jealous. You're going to have an amazing trip.
Get used to saying "425 chevaux" and "325km/h" and "3 secondes" a lot.

[anothernameitist]

Cunning Punt said:

the cam does in the unlikely event of being asked about it.

TBH I'd be more worried about petty theft of the camera/sanef box while stopped at autoroute services.

My thoughts too

[Shaun400se]

Cunning Punt said:

I'm quite jealous. You're going to have an amazing trip.
Get used to saying "425 chevaux" and "325km/h" and "3 secondes" a lot.

Thanks for the tips CP, but in fact I got it wrong, it's a Road Hawk RH2 and neither that or the RH1 have screens.....but my Garmin does so thanks for flagging that up in respect of the 'monitors' matter too. I'll be 'gadgeted' out in my upper mid screen area so maybe that'll put them off in the first place, and I'll mind to unplug the kit if I'm parking up anywhere too.

Can you give me the french wording for 425, 325 and 3 now please?

ATB.
Shaun+

[Fatt McMissile]

Cunning Punt said:

TBH I'd be more worried about petty theft of the camera/sanef box while stopped at autoroute services.

I'd use a secure car park in Rome if possible, otherwise you might return to it and find the interior missing.

Glad you're travelling through eastern France, means we won't be affected by your wash here in Brittany