SAIA | Driver Facing Cameras - 1 Situation Where They Increase Hazard

Bogie

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The driver facing cameras do effect the way we drive. We are always conscience of the camera, to the point of being distracted and looking at it frequently to see if we set it off when we just hit a bump. Maybe the overall effect of the cameras is good, which is the claim Saia will make. That may be true... maybe. It seems they adjusted the sensitivity of the cameras in the new Freightliners, which is good... maybe because they were loosing drivers and having difficulty getting and keeping new ones? But even if the overall effect is positive no one should deny that the camera does increase risks in certain ways. It does create a distraction. Every driver looks at the camera multiple times during their trip, taking their eyes off the road. And these instances occur right at the very moment we should be more focused on the road (ie. when we get close to another object, hit a bump or some other occurrence that could trigger the camera).

There another type of incidence which happened to me yesterday. As I'm going down the interstate through a big city the road curves left and you can't see what's ahead until you round that curve. I'm traveling the same speed I always do, normal traffic speed in that area, as I round the curve I see brake lights. I know a hard brake will cause the camera to go off, which of course we all try our best to avoid. So now a mental game gets played in my head, happening at just a second or two. Can I brake enough to avoid hitting the traffic in front of me without setting off the camera? I brake in a way to try to find that fine edge between not hitting the traffic in front of me and not setting off the camera. That didn't work and I finally had to hard brake and set the camera off. Damnit.

Afterwards I started thinking about that little incident. If the camera wasn't there my only goal and focus would have been to avoid a potential rear end crash. I would have braked in a way where that single objective was achieved. But the presence of that camera added another factor I had to consider. That additional factor effected the way I responded to the hazard. Because the camera was there and I didn't want to set it off, I didn't apply the amount of braking the situation called for. As a result, the risk increased as I moved closer to the traffic in front of me. And because of this, I had to apply even harder braking to avoid a crash and came to a stop much closer to the traffic than would have occurred if there was no camera. This is a just instance of a situation where the presence of a camera increased the risk of a wreck. Yeah, maybe the overall effect of the cameras is positive... but also be willing to acknowledge that they pose some negative consequences as well.
 
The driver facing cameras do effect the way we drive. We are always conscience of the camera, to the point of being distracted and looking at it frequently to see if we set it off when we just hit a bump. Maybe the overall effect of the cameras is good, which is the claim Saia will make. That may be true... maybe. It seems they adjusted the sensitivity of the cameras in the new Freightliners, which is good... maybe because they were loosing drivers and having difficulty getting and keeping new ones? But even if the overall effect is positive no one should deny that the camera does increase risks in certain ways. It does create a distraction. Every driver looks at the camera multiple times during their trip, taking their eyes off the road. And these instances occur right at the very moment we should be more focused on the road (ie. when we get close to another object, hit a bump or some other occurrence that could trigger the camera).

There another type of incidence which happened to me yesterday. As I'm going down the interstate through a big city the road curves left and you can't see what's ahead until you round that curve. I'm traveling the same speed I always do, normal traffic speed in that area, as I round the curve I see brake lights. I know a hard brake will cause the camera to go off, which of course we all try our best to avoid. So now a mental game gets played in my head, happening at just a second or two. Can I brake enough to avoid hitting the traffic in front of me without setting off the camera? I brake in a way to try to find that fine edge between not hitting the traffic in front of me and not setting off the camera. That didn't work and I finally had to hard brake and set the camera off. Damnit.

Afterwards I started thinking about that little incident. If the camera wasn't there my only goal and focus would have been to avoid a potential rear end crash. I would have braked in a way where that single objective was achieved. But the presence of that camera added another factor I had to consider. That additional factor effected the way I responded to the hazard. Because the camera was there and I didn't want to set it off, I didn't apply the amount of braking the situation called for. As a result, the risk increased as I moved closer to the traffic in front of me. And because of this, I had to apply even harder braking to avoid a crash and came to a stop much closer to the traffic than would have occurred if there was no camera. This is a just instance of a situation where the presence of a camera increased the risk of a wreck. Yeah, maybe the overall effect of the cameras is positive... but also be willing to acknowledge that they pose some negative consequences as well.
I said the same thing when these cameras 1st came out, If I owned a company I wouldn't want my drivers 1st thought being if I break hard I might set camera off which is a natural human thought. I would want my drivers ro.get on the brake however he need be to avoid an accident.
 
I don’t care anymore I drive the same way I have for the last 3 million miles accident free and damage free. I don’t care how may times that stupid thing goes off. If I’m not good enough for saia plenty of other companies would love to have someone who shows up for work on time,completes their run on time and takes care of their equipment. I hate the cameras but I’m done worrying about them whatever happens will happen
 
The driver facing cameras do effect the way we drive. We are always conscience of the camera, to the point of being distracted and looking at it frequently to see if we set it off when we just hit a bump. Maybe the overall effect of the cameras is good, which is the claim Saia will make. That may be true... maybe. It seems they adjusted the sensitivity of the cameras in the new Freightliners, which is good... maybe because they were loosing drivers and having difficulty getting and keeping new ones? But even if the overall effect is positive no one should deny that the camera does increase risks in certain ways. It does create a distraction. Every driver looks at the camera multiple times during their trip, taking their eyes off the road. And these instances occur right at the very moment we should be more focused on the road (ie. when we get close to another object, hit a bump or some other occurrence that could trigger the camera).

There another type of incidence which happened to me yesterday. As I'm going down the interstate through a big city the road curves left and you can't see what's ahead until you round that curve. I'm traveling the same speed I always do, normal traffic speed in that area, as I round the curve I see brake lights. I know a hard brake will cause the camera to go off, which of course we all try our best to avoid. So now a mental game gets played in my head, happening at just a second or two. Can I brake enough to avoid hitting the traffic in front of me without setting off the camera? I brake in a way to try to find that fine edge between not hitting the traffic in front of me and not setting off the camera. That didn't work and I finally had to hard brake and set the camera off. Damnit.

Afterwards I started thinking about that little incident. If the camera wasn't there my only goal and focus would have been to avoid a potential rear end crash. I would have braked in a way where that single objective was achieved. But the presence of that camera added another factor I had to consider. That additional factor effected the way I responded to the hazard. Because the camera was there and I didn't want to set it off, I didn't apply the amount of braking the situation called for. As a result, the risk increased as I moved closer to the traffic in front of me. And because of this, I had to apply even harder braking to avoid a crash and came to a stop much closer to the traffic than would have occurred if there was no camera. This is a just instance of a situation where the presence of a camera increased the risk of a wreck. Yeah, maybe the overall effect of the cameras is positive... but also be willing to acknowledge that they pose some negative consequences as well.
 
Well said and I hope Carla and her other followers read this instead of feeding us they same crap over and over again about Warner
 
I feel and act the same way even with the forward facing cameras. I’ve had several events very similar to the ones you speak of. It’s tempting to run a red light every now and again to avoid a camera event.
 
I feel and act the same way even with the forward facing cameras. I’ve had several events very similar to the ones you speak of. It’s tempting to run a red light every now and again to avoid a camera event.

That statement speaks volumes. You actually have to think “is it worth risking a ticket to avoid an event”? Like we don’t have enough to think about. Sigh...
 
I stop on yellows, regardless if it triggers a hard brake or not. I'm not risking hitting a pothole on the other side and getting nabbed for rolling a red. Can't count how much freight I've torn up, but I'm looking out for ME.

35mph stoplights without crosswalks are the worst. Too slow to go, too fast to stop.
 
How in the world can a regional safety head, tell me that a inoperable windshield washer is a dot violation due to safety yet alter/remove a sun visor to accommodate a camera view of the driver??? Is this even legal? This whole camera debacle is disturbing in so many ways.
 
How in the world can a regional safety head, tell me that a inoperable windshield washer is a dot violation due to safety yet alter/remove a sun visor to accommodate a camera view of the driver??? Is this even legal? This whole camera debacle is disturbing in so many ways.
He's right. a sun visor is not a DOT requirement, windshield washer is
 
Alrighty then, I guess I’ll take comfort in knowing that if I’m blinded by the sun and crash & burn, i’ll be videod with a clean windshield in the name of saftey
That’s a good one! I’m just sitting back and taking a break from TB for now. I will soon be back with a different perspective. And that’s not necessarily a good thing. :burnsauce:
 
That would be in a perfect world,but then we couldn't have people that have never seen the inside of a truck,telling us how to do our jobs..
Oh I hear ya, just try this one that the dispatch had for me. Told him the routeing was incorrect for a certain dealer,told him you can't get into his dealership that way, Well why in the he** can't you I looked it up , I said good for you but did it show as a one way street and we would be going the wrong way, no problem I'll just back her down the street so at least it looks like I',m going the right way, then I got the gazed over eye's look lol
 
Oh I hear ya, just try this one that the dispatch had for me. Told him the routeing was incorrect for a certain dealer,told him you can't get into his dealership that way, Well why in the he** can't you I looked it up , I said good for you but did it show as a one way street and we would be going the wrong way, no problem I'll just back her down the street so at least it looks like I',m going the right way, then I got the gazed over eye's look lol

Now thats funny, I got a different tale from your dispatcher, he told me you were in the wrong state, and besides
you have trouble finding reverse in your truck.
You know the old saying, "The boss is always right"
 
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