Automotive Backup Cameras - Early Aggravation to Tolerance

2022 Ford Escape

I guess this post certainly shows my age (72). It’s been getting close to ten years now since I first started driving a car with a rear view camera.

2016 Nissan Altima

I bought a slightly used 2016 Nissan Altima in early 2017. As standard equipment it featured a backup camera with a 5 inch display in the dash. Those early units were a far cry from what they have in today’s new vehicles. The Feds began mandating rearview cameras in all new automobiles starting in 2018. I can’t remember the Altima having any type of audio alarm or sensor warning if you got too close to other objects or pedestrians. In fact, before long I was thoroughly fed up with it and never used it. At night, trying to back down a dark driveway, the view from the camera was useless and there was not enough illumination from the camera to see more than a couple feet behind the vehicle. And the glare from the interior screen impaired my ability to visually see out the windows or mirrors leading to very unsafe consequences. I actually remember having to roll down the windows in order to use my mirrors and cut the reflective glare. I couldn’t find a way to dim the screen or shut the damn thing off. The only thing I found useful was in backing to an object in daylight hours, such as up to a trailer or parking. You could see with confidence how close you were. Otherwise, I completely ignored the thing until it got me angry with the night time issues.

So, on to 2019 when we bought a new Ford Escape SE. We didn’t have all the bells and whistles on it and it came with an eight inch LCD screen. The rearview camera was a big improvement especially at night. I didn’t notice any problems seeing out the windows after dark with the camera on. Still without sensors for audio warning, I seldom used it except in rare parallel parking scenarios.

In 2023, we traded for an unsold new 2022 Escape that the dealer made us a great deal on. This one featured many more options, including a large eight inch high definition display for infotainment and backup camera viewing. Included with the camera is cross traffic audio alert to warn of pedestrians and cars crossing as your backing, in addition to a fixed object warning. I haven’t really noticed any issues seeing out the windows at night with the camera on. I must say it’s a vast difference from what I had in 2017!

We've had this car for about two years now. But, thinking about it, I still hardly use the camera! After 56 years of driving I just can’t make myself use that camera to back out of a parking space or back down a driveway. Other than quick glances at the screen, I use my mirrors and keep my head on a swivel while backing. Previously, driving trucks for 37 years, using my mirrors is too instinctive. Looking forward at the center of the dash while backing is just so unnatural. So, I guess, that’s the way it’s going to be until I’m gone. I do appreciate hearing the audio warnings of cross traffic however. It does have a reassuring effect. It’s such a different world these days since I first got my driver’s license in 1968.

Happy Easter!

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Crime Story TV Series - Vintage Las Vegas and Cool Cars!

Do you like to see Las Vegas the way it was in the late 1980’s? Or, how about seeing the really cool cars of the late 1950’s and early 60’s?

We ran across this TV series starring Dennis Farina called Crime Story that ran for two seasons starting in 1986. The series setting starts out in Chicago in the early 1960’s. Farina plays a Chicago Lieutenant cop chasing down mob figures and transfers his team to Las Vegas after a few episodes. Before Dennis Farina started his acting career he spent 18 years in the Chicago police department advancing from a patrol officer to detective.

In Las Vegas, a lot of scenes were shot inside the old Bob Stupak’s Vegas World that eventually became the Stratosphere, now named The Strat. About 1989, my wife and I went to Vegas World using one of Stupak’s promotion club deals. They would give you $1200 in slot play tokens, vouchers for table game play with a room and meals for 3 days for $400 per couple. We actually broke even on one trip out there from Wisconsin. Since the series was shot in the late 80’s, it was cool seeing all the original decor, layout and even the same carpeting in the TV show! Lots of action on Old Fremont St. downtown before all the changes and great scenery.

And then, the cars! So many late 50’s and early 60’s pristine classics! Farina had the best set of wheels, a jet black 1957 Chrysler 300C convertible. It had a factory 392 hemi engine with 2 four-barrel carburetors producing 375 hp. In some scenes you can clearly hear the powerful engine as the car accelerates. No wonder Farina wanted to drive that car for both seasons. It's like watching a vintage car show. They didn’t abuse the car too much in chases, as I’m sure the owner would have had a problem with that. Too many cars to list from an early 60’s Corvette to T-birds, Cadillacs, late 50’s Fords and so many others.

With the TV show produced in the 1980's I was unaware until finding it on Amazon Prime a few weeks ago. There’s about 40 episodes over two seasons and we just started the second and final season. The show has enough action to be entertaining. There were quite a few guest stars in the first season including Debbie Harry, Paul Anka, Gary Sinese and Julia Roberts among others. It’s available to stream on Amazon, Tubi, Peacock and others.

And, I just was sent a recent photo of the original car this afternoon (Edit 4/3/2025), after posting to another group. The original car is in Chicago (Pic on the right)! The friend of the owner said he has had it since the 1970's! I asked if the car was for sale and was told the guy will never sell, has two of them, and his two daughters will each get one when he passes. Guess I'll just have to own it in my dreams!

Message received from a car owner, "I owned the 1959 Cadillac used in the filming in 2 seasons in Vegas. At first it was white, and the next season it was painted brown. They paid me $50 per day, and kept it 2 months! When I got it back, it was full of 30 MM spent cartridge rounds. They wanted to blow it up in the final episode, and I refused to sell it, so they had to change the ending of the show."

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