Dear LPG readers,

I read a statistic recently that tells something that got me thinking.  Did you know that over a fifth of the drivers on British roads are pensioners?  I feel privileged to be still able to drive down the road, and though my car does not have all the mod-cons of the latest models, I will not be changing it until I have to.  

Like many older drivers, I don’t go that far these days, but my legs are not what they used to be, and in comparison to walking at certain times of the day and night, there is a definite element of safety that being surrounded by its metal shell and central locking system gives.  Usually, I only get as far as the shops, the doctors and a few friends’ houses, but it is nice to be able to offer a lift to a friend who does not drive from time to time.  

For some older people, their car is as important as a pet, and perhaps women can relate to that more than men. Perhaps I have a cynical view of things, but most of the men I know who have one, see the structure above their set of four wheels as a mechanical conveyance rather than a beloved helper. 

Mine is old, and I feel so fortunate that it survived the whole ULEZ business. While we have been together for many years, I have managed to get my son to fit it with a dash cam. He recently moved and now lives about six miles away on the verges of the countryside, but since he moved, I have learnt to use the motorway again.  

He originally bought it because he thought that, in general, the little camera that sees what the driver sees can help with disputes if anything happens while you are on the road.  I have to admit that some odd things happen at times.   I recently caught one of those green cycles doing a pretty dangerous U-turn in the middle of the high street, and looking at some of the footage after the journey makes you realise just how much traffic there is on the road at times.    

I know that most people only use them when they are off on a long journey. Still, I think that even when they aren’t built in, and require you to do a bit of plugging in, rigging up and sticking to the front window each time you set out in the car before you turn on the ignition, they are well worth setting up every time you take a drive.  Have you ever been the driver in a vehicle when one of the passengers points out a lovely dress in a shop window or a beautiful sky you must miss because you are keeping your eyes on the road?  Some of the sights you see can look ordinary as they quickly come and go, but taking a second look shows some beautiful details that are so easily missed, and taking a look at some of your old footage can often hold wonderful memories of buildings and sights that can so suddenly become history.  I have to say that what my dashcam can see sometimes brings back memories that otherwise would be gone forever.  

The dashcam snapshot I asked LPG to post with this message was taken at the top of the road where my friend lives. One evening, about 6 years ago, I never noticed how beautiful the sunset was while driving.  Only when I looked at the dashcam footage did I realise how stunning even a London sky can be.  Now that I have worked out how, I take the odd look at where I have been, and I hope my fellow readers will agree that there are some lovely places in England, and some are actually in London.

TS, Dulwich 

While we do not suggest you try to fit one yourself, LPG found some information about the advantages of having a dash cam…

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