This.
One of our newer vehicles has cameras, but because I’m used to driving a 25yo vehicle daily, I never remember to look at the cameras when I’m in the newer car, haha.
OKAY!!! Time for a PSA!!! Please, my dear Xennials, don't use solely your cameras to guide you. So many accidents, and deadly ones, too, occur because someone didn't see anything in their back up camera and come zooming out of driveways and parking places right into another vehicle, or worse, a person or animal that were approaching from the side.
Your back up camera is an aid. Please continue to check all surroundings, as well as look for oncoming traffic.
This was one of the most legitimate arguments that I saw when they were trying to make backup cameras standard.
It's a device that will lead to complacency.
Except… backup cameras have been mandated for several years now, and it’s proven by data to have reduced accidents, especially for older drivers (see, for example, a few pages in: https://www.iihs.org/api/datastoredocument/status-report/pdf/51/9 )
If it’s making some people more complacent it doesn’t matter because everyone in safer overall).
My 75 y/o mother… but the car beeps and flashes when a car is near. I don’t need to look. Ffs. They should require driving tests every 5 yrs beginning at 70
This BI adjuster thanks you. I can't tell you how many times a person relied solely on that camera when a simple look behind and using mirrors would have showed there was a car behind them. Cameras aren't enough.
my car has cross-traffic sensors too and I dont rely on them either. just today a car was easily going 30mph through a parking lot. faster than my sensors would have picked it up
luckily it was a small penis douche in a loud Charger so I heard it before I saw it
Maybe it’s not necessary, but I’ll probably always do it. Hitting that drum part during “In the Air Tonight” isn’t necessary, but nobody is taking that away from me either.
They aren't usually meant for backing up, but more for assisting so I always look back while in reverse. They warn me of that pile of snow or that cement pole I lost track of when reversing and that's about all they get used for.
Uh, yeah.
There have been 2 times in my life I have relied exclusively on cameras; the day my wife got a Nissan with "all around cameras" and the first time I had a rental car with them.
Both times I backed into a pole. The only 2 times in 20 years of driving I've hit anything.
And if you're wondering: No. My wife did not get mad when I hit a pole the day she got a brand new car.... Because she knew she could hold it over my head the rest of our lives.
And she has.
Lol I still think of my current Toyota matrix from 2007 as newfangled fancy
My mom’s car from 1996 is like this huge long station wagon with *a sunroof*, that is super fancy.
I have a tight parking space that I back into, and my car's alarms and warnings go off every time. So I have to use mirrors and look behind my shoulder to verify that I'm not actually going to run into the wall. The cameras make it look tighter than it is.
Yep-old habits die hard. I forget I even have it lol! What I do love though is the ding ding ding warning if you’re in reverse and something is about to pass behind you. Unrelated-but I also love the sensors on the side mirrors that light up to show you someone is beside you or in your blind spot.
I had a ‘03 mustang for 10 years so when I drove my husbands 2020 Camry to reverse his screen camera thing didn’t even phase me. There’s no way I’d depend on that thing it really throws me off
Yes. Though my car doesn’t have cameras, my boyfriend’s does. I feel like I cannot accurately gauge the distance to objects on the camera though and so I have to turn my head regardless
I still turn back and look, and use the camera as a supplement. I feel like there could be objects or people just out of the camera view that could still be hit before reaching camera range, so I always actually look.
Dang. I guess I'm an odd duck. I love my backup camera to back into a parking space. It's one of my favorite inventions!
I do look around and use my mirrors to double check for obstacles, but man I love being able to see how my alignment is.
I use mirrors most of the time. I've been driving vans and trucks with no rear window for a long time, so it's my go-to. I do use a camera for hooking up trailers if I can, though. It makes it super easy to align it perfectly.
I refuse to use the camera. My dumbass reasoning is that i have to keep in practice in case the camera dies or explodes or some shit. Totally illogical, but i can't shake that habit.
For sure. If you grew up backing up trailers/boats, you didn't want to just rely on mirrors. If I'm in the car I'll use eyes then mirrors. If I really need to get as close as possible, the camera is nice in the end.
Yeah, and I do the old fashioned arm around the passenger seat head rest for a full on view
Do love the camera on them parallel parks and other tight squeezes
Do wish the camera turned on and displayed while driving though
Yeah, I basically don’t use a backup camera even if a car has one. I’m holding on to my old school analog sports car with buttons for as long as I can, to enjoy it. Next car will be a tech-laden electric.
Have backup camera, installed it myself. Still always turn around. Its way easier for me. I only use backup camera to see how far I'm from parked car during parallel parking and when I leave my driveway to ensure no kids or something in my rear blind spot.
I do! And my son is learning to drive (finally) and I tell him to do the same. What if the camera isn't working some day for some reason. Always use the mirrors and always look around. Do not rely solely on the camera. I want him to know how to drive "the old fashioned way". 😆
That's my take anyway.
I never use my backup camera. I even have parking assist? This is my first automatic car, drove a manual for 27 years until I upgraded to the soccer mom SUV. I don’t trust it and or all the beeping it does when I go to switch lanes. I need to see it with my own eyes.
I use both mirrors and camera. The only time I use solely the camera is backing out my driveway in the early AM when my wife is already at work, kids are in the car with me, and I had just put the dog in the crate before leaving. Otherwise mirrors, camera, and crank the neck.
My husband never understands why I don’t just use my reverse camera.. I ain’t trusting that thing I trust my eyes and they look behind me , in my rear vision mirror and my side mirrors before I start reversing anywhere.
Too many pedestrians walking around taking zero notice of cars these days to trust a reverse camera only !
I feel like all this new car tech makes the average driver safer, because the average driver is a shitty driver. But for me they're distracting and make me feel less safe.
Of course. If you stop looking, you’re turning something that increases safety into something that is a wash on safety and instead increases comfort. Don’t do that.
My drivers ed instructor slammed that passenger side break when I tried to back up using the mirrors only... He said, "Which way are you going?" I pointed behind me, and he followed with "look that way"
Yes. Because cameras do have blind spots. Especially backing out at grocery stores or any public parking lot. When I exit my driveway I look to see if any cars are coming either way, then just use the camera.
All my cars have backup cameras except for one older vehicle I only drive occasionally. I'm ashamed to admit the amount of times I hop in and start backing up while just staring at the radio.
Nope. In fact, I’ve gotten so used to my Tesla’s screen showing me all the cars around me. When I drive a vehicle without full cameras I don’t know where to look when making a lane change without a screen. (I DO always look with my eyes directly to ensure the lane is clear while changing though!)
Yes, and tonight my 14 yr old son said, “wait! Can you parallel park without a backup camera?!” And I got to tell him about the time I drove a punk band and their equipment to a show in Philly, and the only parking spot left was one I had to parallel park in. I did it in two moves and they gave me a round of applause. I was just a fan/groupie girl but I was so amused that they were impressed.
I was trained to do without it. So yes, every time. Check my blind spots and parallel park like a boss too.
Also, while I’m at it: fuck touch screens. Especially those you can’t really turn off - looking at you, Ford.
I'm a millennial and still and will always do this. I drive a car that can literally park itself and tell me my blindspots but I'm not putting my faith in those things. The more bells and whistles the more often they can fail and if you don't know how to check mirrors or turn your head, you will mess your car up.
No, but only because my work van has only three windows; the windshield and the driver and passenger windows. It comes with a backup camera equipped as standard, thankfully.
For driving backwards, I use my mirrors. For backing up to park, I do both. My camera lets me see the sides, too, so I know I’m not parking like an asshole.
Yes. Someone crashed into me because they were at a blind spot. We were both parked and backing up opposite stalls. Since I was most of the way out i was found not liable. But yes, despite the camera blind spot exists.
I live in the city and got a new car during Covid, for the first 4 months I did not trust that camera, now I absolutely do more so then me turning around because I’m getting old and turning around that much hurts
My backup camera displays upside down now. No, it’s not physically upside down, either. Sometimes it doesn’t come on at all. I back into the garage so yep, gotta crane the neck and torso to see!
I always look back. I have cameras but don't use them as they have very limited field of view... Most the time backing up (like a parking lot) the main danger is not directly behind you but to the back sides which the camera misses.
My car is 20 years old. But even when I’ve been in a rental with a back up camera, I do not trust it to show me everything so ignored it other than a quick first glance
Absolutely. I don't trust that the camera sees everything, and they don't really help with my situational awareness anyway. They just help me see what's *directly* behind me. They're useful for helping me see if I'm lined up correctly when backing into a space, though
My rear view "mirror" is a video display of a camera, and I also have a 360 view plus warnings of cross traffic when backing up. All of these have better viewing angles and visibility in dim or dark conditions than I could ever hope to achieve. There is some distortion at extremely close distwnces, but that's no different than our passenger side mirrors used to be, except that these tend to err on the side of caution. For example, objects in the camera will seem closer than they actually are, which is much safer than the "Idk, that thing might be closer than you think, lol" warning messages etched on those convex lenses. The only issue I've had is false positives on the blind spot sensors, but I always mirror and head check anyway, and once again, that is failing safe. Something that is there not showing up on multiple overlapping cameras or sensors is far less likely than me not seeing something in a C- or D-pillar blindspot with my stupid human brain. Still, with all that said, I cannot shake 30 years of checking left and right before I back out, even if I then look down to the screen for most of the maneuvering, and it took me several months of learning to trust that the system was actually good unlike the two other rear view cams I've had experience with.
Yes, I tend to use my backup camera as a guide for not hitting the curb behind me. But still using my mirrors and turn my head for most of the backing up
Cars have blind spots, that's why you use everything you can to assess the situation. I find my side mirrors are much more useful than looking. Of course I do both, but the mirror sees more along the side than I can by just looking back. My backup camera makes a huge difference for what I can see behind me.
I…I wasn’t aware that there were significant numbers of people out there not doing this? I mean with anything driving related there are always going to be people with bad habits. But are you suggesting that it’s a regular thing that peeled are only relying on their camera?
Do people really only rely on the back up cameras when backing out of something? I mostly rely on it coming out of my long, narrow driveway, but still use my mirrors. Once I get near the end, I’m swiveling my head every which way for people, cars, creatures…
Yeah. The cameras and radar are just a failsafe in case I don't see something with my own eyes. I like having them, it's saved me from backing into shit a couple times, but it's nuts to just rely only on those and not actually look with your own eyes.
As is key with our generation, I have adopted the new tech while still understanding its weaknesses and not trusting it entirely. Backup cameras are great.
My vehicles are older, but I have added it to each and it gives me a view I didn’t have before. I typically back into parking spots, so the camera is especially useful then.
It took me over a year after buying a car with a backup camera to ever remember I can use it. For me it's mostly helpful backing around larger trucks in parking lots; I still do a full look in all directions before turning to check the screen.
Yeah I do it anyways to check for approaching cross-traffic and pedestrians. I do a combination of looking back and checking the camera and mirrors, always have. Even with the beeps for cross traffic when you reverse. My husband does too, and his car is a Tesla which (say what you want about them, we know) can park itself with supervision he’s still got his head on a swivel because ultimately he’s still driving. I think everyone should regardless of their vehicle’s technology. Those technologies are there to HELP us drive and be our eyes where we can’t be looking, they’re not a substitute for being careful, defensive, and attentive.
On the driving test to get your license, if you don’t turn around and look back and just use your mirror or backup cameras, you fail that part of the test.
I don’t fully trust just looking at the screen.
I’m on my second car with a backup camera and still only partially rely on it.
It helps that my new car has giant windows
Lazy eye on my right leads it to be more of a full body turn or trust the mirrors after a general surroundings check. Someday soon I'll wear your fancy pants.
Both, but that’s because I took driving lessons in my 20’s and got a drivers license abroad, they care a LOT more there and it was way harder than my US one when I was 16. I’m a better driver for it
I never had a camera till I was in a van- it helps in the van...but I definitely use my mirrors, obsessed with the mirrors-
When my nephew was 7, I was driving him in my Jeep- "yer a really good backwards driver, auntie" lol
It's a xennial thing kid lol
I have never driven a vehicle with a backup camera and I figure driving a rental car or someone else’s car is probably not the time to try on a brand new skill like that. I twist my head around like an owl
It's a good idea to keep doing it anyway.
Yeah, I don't think you're supposed to rely just on the camera.
Especially just backing out where there’s no momentum to contend with… so you have time to do it all.
Bingo. The cameras are an aide, not a replacement.
Still do it. The camera doesn’t see everything.
Yes, I’ve noticed mine not working occasionally
Agreed, I am teaching my 15 year old daughter driving right now and I keep having to tell her not to rely on the camera, look around.
I don’t have cameras but yes. Eyes first, mirrors second, camera 3rd
I tell my gf this constantly!
This. One of our newer vehicles has cameras, but because I’m used to driving a 25yo vehicle daily, I never remember to look at the cameras when I’m in the newer car, haha.
OKAY!!! Time for a PSA!!! Please, my dear Xennials, don't use solely your cameras to guide you. So many accidents, and deadly ones, too, occur because someone didn't see anything in their back up camera and come zooming out of driveways and parking places right into another vehicle, or worse, a person or animal that were approaching from the side. Your back up camera is an aid. Please continue to check all surroundings, as well as look for oncoming traffic.
This was one of the most legitimate arguments that I saw when they were trying to make backup cameras standard. It's a device that will lead to complacency.
Except… backup cameras have been mandated for several years now, and it’s proven by data to have reduced accidents, especially for older drivers (see, for example, a few pages in: https://www.iihs.org/api/datastoredocument/status-report/pdf/51/9 ) If it’s making some people more complacent it doesn’t matter because everyone in safer overall).
My 75 y/o mother… but the car beeps and flashes when a car is near. I don’t need to look. Ffs. They should require driving tests every 5 yrs beginning at 70
I think you meant 60
Every 5 years. Period. It costs me the same to renew my license as it does to get it initially. Actually use the money and test me again damnit.
I couldn't agree more, I'm a runner and the number of times a car has backed out of a driveway and never saw me approaching is alarming.
This BI adjuster thanks you. I can't tell you how many times a person relied solely on that camera when a simple look behind and using mirrors would have showed there was a car behind them. Cameras aren't enough.
Yeah, I hear that - have been calling them a lazy crutch since I first learned of their existence.
my car has cross-traffic sensors too and I dont rely on them either. just today a car was easily going 30mph through a parking lot. faster than my sensors would have picked it up luckily it was a small penis douche in a loud Charger so I heard it before I saw it
Yes - especially in parking lots. The cameras aren’t great at picking up people walking against the parked cars.
Backup cameras have huge blind spots. I use mine, but I also check myself for people who are in those spots.
Yes. I find it easier to align my approach by eye, and then fine tune using the camera.
Maybe it’s not necessary, but I’ll probably always do it. Hitting that drum part during “In the Air Tonight” isn’t necessary, but nobody is taking that away from me either.
Yes. The cameras don’t pick up everything, and I feel much better looking to see what’s around me.
Yes and despite doing that and checking the camera, I still somehow managed to back up into a garbage truck
They're a supplement, not a replacement
Always, don’t depend on a camera. This is why gen z is completely devoid of any driving skill. I’m in the car business, I see it daily
100% of the time.
They aren't usually meant for backing up, but more for assisting so I always look back while in reverse. They warn me of that pile of snow or that cement pole I lost track of when reversing and that's about all they get used for.
Every time. I only use the camera to see how close I can physically get to a wall or curb if I'm backing in
You guys all have back up cameras? We must be in very different worlds…I say as I look at my 10 year old car.
Haha, yeah my 2011 Honda really wants me to keep my neck limber 😂
I added one to my 20 yo car and it’s great.
Yes, my Luddite arse doesn't trust the cameras.
Absolutely. The camera is good, but eyes are better. Plus, I don't want to lose the skill of backing up.
I alternate 2 cars atm, one is an 02 the other is a 72 I crane 🤣
Uh, yeah. There have been 2 times in my life I have relied exclusively on cameras; the day my wife got a Nissan with "all around cameras" and the first time I had a rental car with them. Both times I backed into a pole. The only 2 times in 20 years of driving I've hit anything. And if you're wondering: No. My wife did not get mad when I hit a pole the day she got a brand new car.... Because she knew she could hold it over my head the rest of our lives. And she has.
I just got my first vehicle with a back up camera in March. I still use all my mirrors when backing up.
Of course, every one I’ve encountered even has a disclaimer saying not to rely solely on it.
Of course, do not only rely on your backup cam, it's there to assist not take over
Yes.
Lol I still think of my current Toyota matrix from 2007 as newfangled fancy My mom’s car from 1996 is like this huge long station wagon with *a sunroof*, that is super fancy.
EVERY. TIME. My backup cameras are wasted on me. I always look - changing lanes, backing up…every time.
Of course. There is more to see then what the camera shows you.
I have a tight parking space that I back into, and my car's alarms and warnings go off every time. So I have to use mirrors and look behind my shoulder to verify that I'm not actually going to run into the wall. The cameras make it look tighter than it is.
I use both. What I’ve noticed is it’s hard to see movement on the backup camera so I do a head check to make sure I don’t see unusual motion.
Always, I find it’s easier to park straighter in a parking space looking back and using the mirrors than it is using the camera anyway
I rely on my mirrors. I can’t turn my neck fat enough to crane my neck like you’re describing.
Yep-old habits die hard. I forget I even have it lol! What I do love though is the ding ding ding warning if you’re in reverse and something is about to pass behind you. Unrelated-but I also love the sensors on the side mirrors that light up to show you someone is beside you or in your blind spot.
Literally did it last night and I have a backup cam.
The backup cam on my car don’t work and I’ve been too lazy to fix it
I had a ‘03 mustang for 10 years so when I drove my husbands 2020 Camry to reverse his screen camera thing didn’t even phase me. There’s no way I’d depend on that thing it really throws me off
Check the camera first for stuff directly behind me, then turn and look.
Yes. Though my car doesn’t have cameras, my boyfriend’s does. I feel like I cannot accurately gauge the distance to objects on the camera though and so I have to turn my head regardless
It says to do that on the screen so …yeah.
100%
Yes
My car is over a decade old with no cameras so yes I do. Lol even in my work car WITH cameras I still look (at least initially).
Every time.
In my stock outback from 2002? I sure do. Like a boss.
I still turn back and look, and use the camera as a supplement. I feel like there could be objects or people just out of the camera view that could still be hit before reaching camera range, so I always actually look.
Absolutely. You're supposed to anyway.
Dang. I guess I'm an odd duck. I love my backup camera to back into a parking space. It's one of my favorite inventions! I do look around and use my mirrors to double check for obstacles, but man I love being able to see how my alignment is.
Every time. I just cant bring myself to trust the camera.
I literally bragged to my kids today while doing a perfect parallel park
I use mirrors most of the time. I've been driving vans and trucks with no rear window for a long time, so it's my go-to. I do use a camera for hooking up trailers if I can, though. It makes it super easy to align it perfectly.
100%. Just bought a new car and it has so many blindspots. I use the backup cam, but still am not used to trusting it.
Ohh you mean WHILE DRIVING.
I refuse to use the camera. My dumbass reasoning is that i have to keep in practice in case the camera dies or explodes or some shit. Totally illogical, but i can't shake that habit.
Not illogical at all. The camera is intended as an aide, not a replacement.
No. I’m too old. I’ve earned the right to not look where I’m going. Others better know I’m coming or they’ll pay. They’ll all pay.
It’s how I learned… I use head and backup camera
For sure. If you grew up backing up trailers/boats, you didn't want to just rely on mirrors. If I'm in the car I'll use eyes then mirrors. If I really need to get as close as possible, the camera is nice in the end.
Yeah, sometimes, but less so now that I finally have a car with a backup camera.
Yeah, and I do the old fashioned arm around the passenger seat head rest for a full on view Do love the camera on them parallel parks and other tight squeezes Do wish the camera turned on and displayed while driving though
I try to do it anyway. I’d hate to get out of the habit.
I rarely use my back-up camera. Using my mirrors is just too ingrained in my head.
I have never owned a car with a back-up camera. Our cars range from 60 to 23 years old.
Yeah, I basically don’t use a backup camera even if a car has one. I’m holding on to my old school analog sports car with buttons for as long as I can, to enjoy it. Next car will be a tech-laden electric.
I don’t have cars with backup cameras 🤷♂️
Yeah. I have a bike rack that lives on my hitch 8 months of the year and it blocks a lot of the camera's view.
Are cameras on cars really that prevalent? My car still has a CD player and no extra crap.
They’ve been required equipment, at least in the U.S., since 2018, though many automakers made them standard before that.
I use the mirrors. But I haul trailers all the time.
Yep. I still look back when changing lanes despite having a blindspot warning system.
Have backup camera, installed it myself. Still always turn around. Its way easier for me. I only use backup camera to see how far I'm from parked car during parallel parking and when I leave my driveway to ensure no kids or something in my rear blind spot.
Yes. I don't have a camera and won't until my paid off car finally dies.
I do! And my son is learning to drive (finally) and I tell him to do the same. What if the camera isn't working some day for some reason. Always use the mirrors and always look around. Do not rely solely on the camera. I want him to know how to drive "the old fashioned way". 😆 That's my take anyway.
I never use my backup camera. I even have parking assist? This is my first automatic car, drove a manual for 27 years until I upgraded to the soccer mom SUV. I don’t trust it and or all the beeping it does when I go to switch lanes. I need to see it with my own eyes.
I use both mirrors and camera. The only time I use solely the camera is backing out my driveway in the early AM when my wife is already at work, kids are in the car with me, and I had just put the dog in the crate before leaving. Otherwise mirrors, camera, and crank the neck.
My husband never understands why I don’t just use my reverse camera.. I ain’t trusting that thing I trust my eyes and they look behind me , in my rear vision mirror and my side mirrors before I start reversing anywhere. Too many pedestrians walking around taking zero notice of cars these days to trust a reverse camera only !
I drive a 2002 E250 cargo van. What back up camera?
I feel like all this new car tech makes the average driver safer, because the average driver is a shitty driver. But for me they're distracting and make me feel less safe.
Nope. I use my mirrors a little but mostly rely on the camera. My backing up ability has improved about 1000% with cameras and sensors.
Yes because my car doesn’t have cameras.
I still look back. It's a habit/skill I don't want to lose. Also, the camera doesn't show everything.
Yea
Of course. If you stop looking, you’re turning something that increases safety into something that is a wash on safety and instead increases comfort. Don’t do that.
My drivers ed instructor slammed that passenger side break when I tried to back up using the mirrors only... He said, "Which way are you going?" I pointed behind me, and he followed with "look that way"
I only use mirrors. Your driver's Ed instructor was wrong. Wait until you drive a vehicle with no back window.
Yes, cameras are not supposed to replace your eyeballs. It's just a tool.to help
I'll never stop.
Yes. Because cameras do have blind spots. Especially backing out at grocery stores or any public parking lot. When I exit my driveway I look to see if any cars are coming either way, then just use the camera.
Yes, because cameras aren't always reliable.
My car is a 2010. No camera. When I've driven rental cars, I act as if there's no camera. Not used to it.
Yes. Always.
All my cars have backup cameras except for one older vehicle I only drive occasionally. I'm ashamed to admit the amount of times I hop in and start backing up while just staring at the radio.
It depends on how fast I have to do it. If I’m not rushed, I’ll just do it by the camera. If I need to whip it in real fast I go old school on it.
I still have a 2007 Camry 😂 gonna be so weird when I upgrade
Nope. In fact, I’ve gotten so used to my Tesla’s screen showing me all the cars around me. When I drive a vehicle without full cameras I don’t know where to look when making a lane change without a screen. (I DO always look with my eyes directly to ensure the lane is clear while changing though!)
I can't break the habit and barely look at the camera view
I find it easier to parallel park if I ignore the back camera. Probably because then I can go on muscle memory and it works well.
I have a fucking 2000 Chevrolet Cavalier, it has an audio cassette tape deck. There is no camera anywhere whatsoever on that vehicle.
Well of course. You still have blond spots with a back up camera.
The camera is for the immediate blind spot in the back. Always shoulder check for safety.
Mirror>crane>camera. I don't trust the camera.
Yes, and tonight my 14 yr old son said, “wait! Can you parallel park without a backup camera?!” And I got to tell him about the time I drove a punk band and their equipment to a show in Philly, and the only parking spot left was one I had to parallel park in. I did it in two moves and they gave me a round of applause. I was just a fan/groupie girl but I was so amused that they were impressed.
I was trained to do without it. So yes, every time. Check my blind spots and parallel park like a boss too. Also, while I’m at it: fuck touch screens. Especially those you can’t really turn off - looking at you, Ford.
I turn my head and use the cam
Always. I physically look, and use my mirrors. Then the camera
Perfect
Every time. Camera is a crutch.
Almost hit a dog once because yeah. Went back to looking every time after that.
No.
None of my vehicles has a backup camera, so, yeah...?
I'm a millennial and still and will always do this. I drive a car that can literally park itself and tell me my blindspots but I'm not putting my faith in those things. The more bells and whistles the more often they can fail and if you don't know how to check mirrors or turn your head, you will mess your car up.
Depends on the car but I will always do a head check before changing lanes or reversing
No, but only because my work van has only three windows; the windshield and the driver and passenger windows. It comes with a backup camera equipped as standard, thankfully.
All the time. I really only use the camera to see how much closer I can get before pulling forward again or when backing into a stall.
For driving backwards, I use my mirrors. For backing up to park, I do both. My camera lets me see the sides, too, so I know I’m not parking like an asshole.
I don’t trust cameras
Yup and my driving 17 yo laughs at me every time
We grew up without back up cameras so it's second nature to me to throw my right hand behind the passenger seat and look over my shoulder.
The camera on my car seems kinda worthless, honestly. I only use it if I know something, usually a cat, is near the rear of my car.
my car is very old so i always use my eyeballs and my neck. i love parallel parking, i think its kinda fun
I have a CDL-A, cameras are tools as are mirrors and your eyes. Use all of your tools.
Yes. Someone crashed into me because they were at a blind spot. We were both parked and backing up opposite stalls. Since I was most of the way out i was found not liable. But yes, despite the camera blind spot exists.
I live in the city and got a new car during Covid, for the first 4 months I did not trust that camera, now I absolutely do more so then me turning around because I’m getting old and turning around that much hurts
I can't turn my back/neck that much anymore...
My backup camera displays upside down now. No, it’s not physically upside down, either. Sometimes it doesn’t come on at all. I back into the garage so yep, gotta crane the neck and torso to see!
Arm goes around the back of the passenger seat as I look over my right shoulder. Just like my dad did.
I'm getting a Tesla, but I'll still probably do it! 🤣
Yes I always trust my own eyes and I never rely on a machine to do all my things for me.
My caprice classic doesn't even have a rear view mirror on the passenger side and my truck has no camera. Yes
Yes! Sometimes analog is the best back up.
My main vehicle is nearly 20 years old and my other one is a motorcycle as old as I am. No cameras anywhere to rely on.
I always look back. I have cameras but don't use them as they have very limited field of view... Most the time backing up (like a parking lot) the main danger is not directly behind you but to the back sides which the camera misses.
My last two cars haven’t had backup cameras so I tend to forget they exist.
My car is 20 years old. But even when I’ve been in a rental with a back up camera, I do not trust it to show me everything so ignored it other than a quick first glance
F**k no. The camera is in the back of the car, has a fisheye lens, and lines that show where the car’s going to go.
Absolutely. I don't trust that the camera sees everything, and they don't really help with my situational awareness anyway. They just help me see what's *directly* behind me. They're useful for helping me see if I'm lined up correctly when backing into a space, though
I’m used to driving old cars with only a driver side outside mirror. The cameras on newer cars help but I’ll probably never get used to them.
I rarely rely on the backup camera. Eyes, mirrors is all I need.
Yes. I will never fully trust them.
All the time, because I don't have a "*back-uo*" camera.
My rear view "mirror" is a video display of a camera, and I also have a 360 view plus warnings of cross traffic when backing up. All of these have better viewing angles and visibility in dim or dark conditions than I could ever hope to achieve. There is some distortion at extremely close distwnces, but that's no different than our passenger side mirrors used to be, except that these tend to err on the side of caution. For example, objects in the camera will seem closer than they actually are, which is much safer than the "Idk, that thing might be closer than you think, lol" warning messages etched on those convex lenses. The only issue I've had is false positives on the blind spot sensors, but I always mirror and head check anyway, and once again, that is failing safe. Something that is there not showing up on multiple overlapping cameras or sensors is far less likely than me not seeing something in a C- or D-pillar blindspot with my stupid human brain. Still, with all that said, I cannot shake 30 years of checking left and right before I back out, even if I then look down to the screen for most of the maneuvering, and it took me several months of learning to trust that the system was actually good unlike the two other rear view cams I've had experience with.
Yes, I tend to use my backup camera as a guide for not hitting the curb behind me. But still using my mirrors and turn my head for most of the backing up
Them cameras don’t capture everything. They don’t exactly have peripheral vision. They’re called back up cameras for a reason.
Cars have blind spots, that's why you use everything you can to assess the situation. I find my side mirrors are much more useful than looking. Of course I do both, but the mirror sees more along the side than I can by just looking back. My backup camera makes a huge difference for what I can see behind me.
Yes. I'm a bodily injury and liability claims adjuster and let's just say back up cameras aren't enough.
I…I wasn’t aware that there were significant numbers of people out there not doing this? I mean with anything driving related there are always going to be people with bad habits. But are you suggesting that it’s a regular thing that peeled are only relying on their camera?
Why can't I trust them??
Everything gets flipped when I look in the camera. It's not wise I rely on them
I drive a 2007. Cameras? LOL
Do people really only rely on the back up cameras when backing out of something? I mostly rely on it coming out of my long, narrow driveway, but still use my mirrors. Once I get near the end, I’m swiveling my head every which way for people, cars, creatures…
Yeah. The cameras and radar are just a failsafe in case I don't see something with my own eyes. I like having them, it's saved me from backing into shit a couple times, but it's nuts to just rely only on those and not actually look with your own eyes.
I always look for myself. I still check my blind spot as well, even though I love my blind spot sensors.
My head is on a swivel constantly going mirror-camera-mirror-behind me 
As is key with our generation, I have adopted the new tech while still understanding its weaknesses and not trusting it entirely. Backup cameras are great. My vehicles are older, but I have added it to each and it gives me a view I didn’t have before. I typically back into parking spots, so the camera is especially useful then.
It took me over a year after buying a car with a backup camera to ever remember I can use it. For me it's mostly helpful backing around larger trucks in parking lots; I still do a full look in all directions before turning to check the screen.
Well look who can afford fancy new cars.
Yeah I do it anyways to check for approaching cross-traffic and pedestrians. I do a combination of looking back and checking the camera and mirrors, always have. Even with the beeps for cross traffic when you reverse. My husband does too, and his car is a Tesla which (say what you want about them, we know) can park itself with supervision he’s still got his head on a swivel because ultimately he’s still driving. I think everyone should regardless of their vehicle’s technology. Those technologies are there to HELP us drive and be our eyes where we can’t be looking, they’re not a substitute for being careful, defensive, and attentive.
Absolutely! They can't see everything. And I feel more secure doing it.
I’ve taught both my kids to drive on older cars because I don’t want them to rely on the camera. It can break then they won’t know what to do.
I haven’t made it to that level in the game yet. Still rocking my early aughts Honda
On the driving test to get your license, if you don’t turn around and look back and just use your mirror or backup cameras, you fail that part of the test.
Yes. I rarely look at the camera
I look backwards to back up even when driving a car that has the backup cam
I don’t fully trust just looking at the screen. I’m on my second car with a backup camera and still only partially rely on it. It helps that my new car has giant windows
Mirrors > Baby camera
Backup camera? Am i made out of money or something? I'm lucky to have an engine that starts and four working tires. 😂
Finally got a whip with a backup camera but just can't trust the thing
No. I drive a 33 year old Nissan with horrible blind spots. The steering wheel is on the wrong side and makes it even worse.
Lazy eye on my right leads it to be more of a full body turn or trust the mirrors after a general surroundings check. Someday soon I'll wear your fancy pants.
nope... my car has backup cams and a very small blind spot... I use the cam and all my mirrors and Ive never hit anything
I’ve had cameras in my last 3 cars and still never use them. It feels unnatural to not turn around to look when I’m backing up.
Considering my first car with a backup camera was purchased last year, yes I still look back.
Yes. My car is 16 years old.
Seeing as how I don’t have a back up camera, I do keep looking back.
Both, but that’s because I took driving lessons in my 20’s and got a drivers license abroad, they care a LOT more there and it was way harder than my US one when I was 16. I’m a better driver for it
The camera can’t see everything so keep Your head on a swivel and use all the tools available to you.
I never had a camera till I was in a van- it helps in the van...but I definitely use my mirrors, obsessed with the mirrors- When my nephew was 7, I was driving him in my Jeep- "yer a really good backwards driver, auntie" lol It's a xennial thing kid lol
I have never driven a vehicle with a backup camera and I figure driving a rental car or someone else’s car is probably not the time to try on a brand new skill like that. I twist my head around like an owl