Rear Back up Camera

I have a very large Yukon Denali XL and therefore use my cam for backing up. I can't see anything otherwise! I really love this particular camera because it has an outline of my car so I can see exactly where it is headed. It also flashes "X"s wherever it detects something close by - whether on the sides or in the rear. It also beeps louder and faster as I approach something.

I test drove some other vehicles and did not like their rear cams...it probably depends on which you have. The Yukon Denali XL's has a HUGE monitor to see it from so that probably makes a difference too. : )

It's not meant to be used to back up. It's meant to check the rear of the car for hazards that you can't see by looking over your shoulder, like small children. I think it's fantastic. I know someone who had a tragic accident in her driveway, and maybe it could have been prevented with a camera. So no, that could NEVER be useless in my mind.

I have a lot of problems backing up without one now. I still look all around and to the sides, but I rely on the camera heavily. My husband's car doesn't have one, and when I'm in it, I sit for a good 5 seconds waiting for it to turn on, until I remember his doesn't have it.

My camera appears in the rearview mirror, which I find much more useful than the cars where it appears in the center console.

Woulda saved me 2 grand. "Just sayin"

My husband's Pilot has one and he loves it.
You still have to look all around you, but it's easier to check that blind spot behind you.

I've used it when backing into spots and parallel parking. I've also used it when pulling through a spot to make sure I've pulled through enough.

Since I don't back into spots that often, my primary use is to make sure there is nothing behind me when I go to back out of a spot or my driveway. I look all around me though not just at the camera. It's just another view point.

As part of backing out, I've also used it to see how close I am to the cars that might be in the row behind me. That's especially useful in tight parking lots.

But whenever I use it, I'm also continually rotating between looking to my left and behind, rear view mirror, right and behind, and back up camera.

When I first got the camera, I had someone stand say 6-12 inches away from my car so I got a good feel what that looked like in my camera so I'd know when I was getting too close to something.

My husband's new car has a back-up camera plus sensors in the front and rear that beep when you get close to something. You can adjust the sensitivity as well. I think it's great, especially if you don't have a good visual feel for how close the side front bumper may be to something. He hates them though and turned them off.

Nikki is correct. It is an extra set of eyes.

Also remember as we mature, it is really harder to turn our necks our shoulders and our backs.. Any type of help to see behind the vehicle can help, but has to be used along with the other basic mirrors.

My husband's car has one, and my van does not, so it's been a good comparison for me.

We plan to install one as soon as we can, though, because people are just stupid about vans. They will walk directly behind me in a parking lot and think I can see them. It's a BIG vehicle, I can't see them!!! Especially shocking is when they let their children run behind me - my reverse lights are on people, and I can't see your little children who are below my window! It sends my heart into my throat just thinking about it. I love being able to glance to my husband's dash to just check that there is no one back there. I think they are absolutely more useful than useless if people use them as intended.

Which car did you end up getting?

Our new car will come in about 3 weeks, and it will have one of these back up systems. I have never used one before. It will be interesting to see how it works.

Dawn

I only use mine to parallel park to see how close I can really get to the car behind me before hitting it.

Otherwise, I back up the old-fashioned way of double checking what's around me.

Statistically speaking, it has been proven that there are more accidents with the back up camera than before. Go figure. It's just one more distraction or thing to look at.

For me it is most useful when parallel parking. Even though I'm a pretty damn good parallel parker it just makes it that much easier!
And yes, it's useful when backing into or out of anything (parking space, garage, etc.) because your mirrors don't give you a full view, especially directly behind and down low, like where a kitty or small child might pop up.
Gotta love and embrace technology, it's (almost) always a good thing!

I would love one! I can't see behind my van all the way, let alone a car (way down low). I don't drive with mirrors. I LOOK. So because I can't see behind me ALL the way, I worry about children. Or the garbage cans.

I would never rely on it and not look, though. Hope that helps!
I am waiting until 2014 or whenever to get our new car b.c they will be standard, most likely.

I use mine every time for checking for children behind the car. That's the only reason I had it installed.

I had one on the Town & Country I was using while my Odyssey was being fixed. What I liked about it? It had the two lines that were red (closest to you), green (okay/safe) and white (farthest away), it was pretty wide angle but I don't think I could trust it fully.

I liked it. But I did NOT rely ONLY on the camera - I did look too!!

Now in my mom & dad's 40' motorhome? LOVE theirs!! That bad boy covers a lot of ground (it would have to!!) but my mom is usually standing outside with her walkie-talkie telling him about the stuff on the SIDE!!

ENJOY YOUR NEW CAR!!!!

I use mine (Town & Country) as an extra mirror, and as I am finishing backing up into a parking space.

If you use it only, you will hit things with the front of your car/van and you will miss things on the sides and blind spots.

I also have blind spot sensors on both side mirrors which are helpful on the road driving as well.

The back up camara also says on it to check the whole area before backing up, so they are not responsiable for accidents that may occur if you don't.

I did not use mine at first, but I have had It for a year now and I am comfortable using it as a 4th mirror. It is really helpful at night, to see what is directly behind me.