Many caravaners have reversing cameras on their caravan with the display in the tug vehicle often mounted dead centre of the dash facing the driver, or mounted to the windscreen. Again facing the driver. What is the take of this audience about the legality or practice of the monitor being on full time allowing the driver to use it in lieu of the rear vision mirror and see what is happening behind.
I recently posed the question to a senior member of Queensland Police Road Command with the view being you cannot if you get picky. The rules say you cant have a visual display unit visible to the driver unless it is for navigation.
I think they are saying the reversing camera on full time whilst driving is in the same category as a DVD being played in the car. It cant be where the driver can see/watch it.
A reversing camera comes on only when reverse gear is selected. A camera giving rear vision is called a drivers aid, providing you call it a drivers aid, to my knowledge it is legal. A point to consider though is how the drivers forward view is obscured by the monitor. This is what they might ping you for. I have no rearward vision because I have a canopy mounted on a ute, I have mounted the monitor where the interior mirror used to be.
The issue isnt the camera its the display. If its on full time then they say strictly speaking it cant be as it doesnt comply with the road rules. Whether they would ping you I guess is up to the officer concerned. The issue of the mounting is a subjective test I think. It may not block your forward view, but may of the secondary driver.
Our Honda 2014 CRV has a camera fitted to left hand mirror, facing rearwards, it comes on when indicating to turn left with a few distance lines as well, display is in the centre of dash. Same screen for reverse camera .So assume it is legal, as would be selectable display. However I am pretty sure you still need to have external mirrors. cheers Craig
Please see the following ... the VDU/monitor for a reversing camera is considered a driving aid and is therefore legal to have operating while the vehicle is being operated -
To me my rear view camera on the back of the van is there only to see what's behind the van it's useless for reversing that's what the mirrors are for.
Rocky, where did you find this bit on VDU's, I would like to keep a copy with relevant identification for future use, I did find VSI 29 but that was RMS headlights?
Sorry - but I am unable to copy the URL for this PDF .... however, if you type VSI26_0217_WEB into google, it will bring up the VicRoads link to the PDF.
Cheers - John
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2006 Discovery 3 TDV6 SE Auto - 2008 23ft Golden Eagle Hunter Some people feel the rain - the others just get wet - Bob Dylan
To me my rear view camera on the back of the van is there only to see what's behind the van it's useless for reversing that's what the mirrors are for.
I agree. Fantastic for rear view on the road but useless for reversing. It provides no view of the van's side extremities so can't judge it's position accurately enough.
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Cheers,
Tony
"Opinion is the medium between ignorance and knowledge" - Plato
My monitor is the centre mirror. I have a reversing camera on the back of the Dmax and a rear view camera on the Avan. So I can monitor the view behind on either vehicle.
The Monitor being the "Mirror" just gives me the same view as a Mirror (well Almost) Oh and it is still is a Mirror, when not switched on.
-- Edited by elliemike on Sunday 3rd of December 2017 07:33:17 PM
I reckon its a good piece to have in the glovebox just in case, or to havecto attach to any challengecto any ticket. i Intend to show it to who I spoke to for comment.
G'day all, I have my GPS mounted as low as I can get it in the bottom right hand corner of the windscreen, and the screen for the camera is on the top of the dash just left of centre facing the driving position.
I have clean vision forward and sideways.
I do have the camera on the 'van turned on at all times, there are those "drivers" that get soooo close you can't see them in the mirrows.
My vehicle is 9 years old and the system was in the previous vehicle and have never been pulled up or have had any trouble.
I have a Pioneer GPS which is mounted in the centre of my dash board. A feature of the GPS is the screen will split and show me the navigation map on the LHS of the screen and the view from the rear view camera on the RHS - all whilst I am going forward.
When I select reverse then the view from the rear-view camera fills the screen.
I find this set-up very useful in my particular circumstance. I am in an 8metre motorhome and the view the camera provides helps me when I am overtaking - if I can see the front of the vehicle I have just overtaken in the display screen then I know I can safely pull back into the lane - I don't need to judge, the image is a clear indicator.