Watch: BMW tech tries to disconnect dashcam but spots second cam facing him

Technician double takes interior-facing cam and abandons attempts to disconnect main dashcam

Watch: BMW tech tries to disconnect dashcam but spots second cam facing him
The moment the BMW technician spotted the second dashcam.

Video footage of a BMW main dealer technician attempting to disconnect a front-facing dashcam from a customer’s car has emerged online.

The technician can be seen fiddling with the dashcam before what’s likely to be a routine test drive.

However, while adjusting the rear-view mirror to gain better access to the camera he spots a second, interior-facing camera in the corner of his eye and double takes before realising his every move is being recorded.

He abandons efforts to disconnect the front-facing camera, repositions the camera and casually reverses the car off the forecourt.

Posting the video online, the owner of the car said: “Continuous attempts to disconnect my dashcam when it was in for a service, but gives up when he notices I have a rear camera facing the cabin.”

Test drive or joyride?

It follows numerous cases of owners mistaking a routine test drive for a joyride and posting the dashcam footage online following servicing and maintenance work at a garage.

Writing previously on the subject of dashcams in the GW forum, Nick Seabrook of Palmers Garage Exmouth said: “Public perceptions worry me.

“You hear a lot in the media about people being recorded, named and shamed but I think a lack of understanding could misrepresent the garage in the wrong way.

“You may have a good reason why the vehicle is being driven a certain way, but the customer may not understand this.

“You might be looking in the glovebox, door pockets and boot for the locking wheel nut key, which on dashcam could look highly suspicious and be easily misinterpreted.”

Dashcams can take many forms and are available for as little as £20, boasting the ability to record vision, sound and even GPS tracking.

Higher-end models tend to feature more than one lens, capturing the road ahead, behind and inside the cabin.

Where do you stand with dashcam filming in your garage? We’re interested to hear your experiences of dashcams in the workshop – share your comments below.

Home Page Forums Watch: BMW tech tries to disconnect dashcam but spots second cam facing him

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  • #167306 Reply

    Video footage of a BMW main dealer technician attempting to disconnect a front-facing dashcam from a customer’s car has emerged online. The technician can be seen fiddling with the dashcam before what’s likely to be a routine test drive.

    However, while adjusting the rear-view mirror to gain better access to the camera he spots a second, interior-facing camera in the corner of his eye and double takes before realising his every move is being recorded. He abandons efforts to disconnect the front-facing camera, repositions the camera and casually reverses the car off the forecourt.

    [See the full post at: Watch: BMW tech tries to disconnect dashcam but spots second cam facing him]

    It got me thinking – what’s your policy when it comes to dashcams in your workshop?

    #167377 Reply
    CRAIG
    Guest

    I BELIEVE ALL DASH CAMS SHOULD BE TURNED OFF AND NOT RECORDING WHEN THE VEHICLE IS IN ANY GARAGE FOR ANY WORK.
    NOBODY IN THAT GARAGE HAS AGREED TO BE FILMED AND I BELIEVE THE RULE IS:
    You cannot film on private property without permission.

    NOTHING TO DO WITH HIDING WHATS BEING DONE, THATS ALL ON THE NOW EVHC EVERYONE HAS TO DO.

    #167378 Reply
    Kevin
    Guest

    I completely agree with the previous comment .If a car is fitted
    with a dash cam I insist it is switch off before coming into the
    workshop. I don’t want people filming all the expensive equipment
    that I have in my workshop .This I feel will bring on a rise in
    workshop break ins which I am sure nobody wants.

    #167379 Reply
    dougal
    Guest

    It would make our insistence on Dash cams being switched off easier if trade policy insurance made this a condition of the policy.

    #167381 Reply
    Matt
    Guest

    I disconnect forward facing cams but only when the vehicle is in the workshop I don’t want people seeing my tools or watching me while I work, also there may be other customers details on computer screens so cocould breach gdpr rules. When I test drive I reconnect them as I have nothing to hide

    #167380 Reply
    Graham Jordan
    Guest

    I’m a BMW technician and like most of my colleagues, even at Tesla, refuse these cameras to watch any activity.
    IT IS A DEVICE TO RECORD A POTENTIAL CASE ACCIDENT. NOT TO PERV OVER A WORKING INDIVIDUAL.
    When a customer says they want a full recording a do not touch device a sign goes over it saying GDPR and then rock music is played inside. Get over it.

    #167384 Reply
    CompareNewTyres.com
    Participant

    It’s easy to see why garages may be a little apprehensive about their workshop being filmed, especially given how much equipment is there and the value of it, but if the vehicle is on road test then the camera should be connected. There’s no real reason for turning it off on a road test.

    The suggestion from Graham is great though, placing something over the camera whilst its in the workshop.

    #167396 Reply
    Jon Morgan
    Guest

    Data protection law needs to prevail here.
    If a vehicle dashcam is recording during a workshop repair it is recording technicians activities, private conversations, potential libelous comments about customers, the chance of hearing financial details which may be private and many other infringements of personal information.
    There can be only one rule to protect staff and customers alike and that is to turn these devices off.
    Customer perceptions can never be calculated, as a tech I know once said, “never let a customer see you hitting his car with a hammer, it is as bad as watching another man make love to your wife!”

    #167397 Reply
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    Is it not against the law to record someone without their knowledge??

    #167486 Reply
    graham cox
    Guest

    dashcams are not the only issue,have any of you been recorded in reception on car collection by customers ?
    we have and the conversation has been misused against us
    any thoughts how to stop this ?

    plus can we all go on rogue traders and moan about the public and there antics

    it must be our turn ???

    #167686 Reply
    Peter Miles
    Guest

    I can really only think of one reason why a customer would want to record me working on or driving his car and that is, quite simply, because he doesn’t trust me.
    Which is fine but I’m quite happy to to him go somewhere else.

    #187492 Reply
    Peter
    Guest

    Many dash cams are linked to the ignition, car owners don’t think of them until they need the footage.

    If the garage needs to disconnect them – fair enough.

    Just leave a note to remind someone (garage or owner) to re-connect it.

    #199102 Reply
    Bob Rock
    Guest

    Concur with the above post – my dash cam is linked to the ignition and out-of-sight behind the rear-view mirror. I have it purely from an insurance viewpoint. Just got my car back from a BMW dealership and it had been disconnected. Didn’t realise until I got home. Thankfully nothing happened on the drive home else I’d had been fuming they didn’t reconnect it.

    #200702 Reply
    zaynting
    Participant

    O! I know

    #201023 Reply
    Meat-Head
    Blocked

    If there in the cigar lighter, yeah yuk it out, if not leave alone

    If the UBS connector gets damaged and packs up, who pays.

    Open bonnet and dont worry.

Viewing 15 posts - 1 through 15 (of 15 total)

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