Alignment shop tech disconnected my dash-cam - what should I do?

[Deleted member 59498]

1. Find out where his girlfriend lives
2. Rent the apartment next to hers
3. Create a fake identity. Something exciting like an aircraft pilot or white hat hacker.
4. Trick the girlfriend into falling in love with you.
5. Get her pregnant
6. Abandon her in the middle of the night leaving everything behind
7. Alignment dude will think the baby is his and will marry the girlfriend.
8. Alignment dude will spend the next 18 years raising your child.
9. Arrange for a letter to be sent to alignment dude explaining the cuckold when he is on his deathbed so he understands that his whole life has been a lie.
10. Checkmate bitch.

If someone has a better plan I’d like to hear it.

I will make damn sure never to cut you off in traffic or use my phone in your Jeep!

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[Shots]

I hear you 100%. I guess I'm not trusting, and in comparison to some of you, apparently I'm not trusting at all. Former Marine, six kids, and multiple other fun events in life have taught me to take care of my things, not trust that anyone is going to treat my stuff like their own, and if they don't want to be seen or observed there is usually a reason for it beyond simply not wanting to be seen....

Well I can certainly agree with that too, which is why I do my own work. Jeep Wave provided a bunch of free service and I only used it once. I prefer to work on my own stuff, because I know it done right, and the vehicle was taken care of. If something got messed up, then it was my own stupid fault.
And I also agree that surreptitious behavior typically means someone is up to no good. That said, I try to remain objective and hope that it's not the case.

.... it certainly seemed to me that the technician was being overly lax with his approach to working on the OP's vehicle ....

100% agreed.

.... If I was a tech in a vehicle and noted that it had a camera installed, I would not be bothered by that in the least. As a matter of fact, if something did happen while I was in the control of someone else's vehicle I would be glad the camera was in the vehicle and active to prove what occurred without question. ...

As would I. Some people though, are completely paranoid and think everyone is out to get them, so they fear any kind of survelience.

Integrity - Doing the right thing, even when no one is watching. Something that we lack as a nation in general by my estimation.

Yeah that seems to be an antiquated concept doesn't it. Saddens me.
The right thing to do is not always easy, and the easy thing is not always right.

 

[JEEPIDON]

no, it isnt. Handling your own shit is never lame, and trying to convince me or anyone worth their denim that a man whining to someone else is the right course of action isnt going to get you anywhere.

I dont see why this has to be such a big deal. Just tell them next time you go not to do it again. If you saw the guy who did it, tell him not to do it again. If you didnt, tell the guy at the counter booking you in “hey last time this happened. Please dont do that again” Is all that has to happen. this “call the manager, call the owner, demand compensation omg omg” people are advocating for is utterly fucking pathetic.

I have to say this thread is next to worthless!!! This is pathetic. 80% of the people on here should never give advice unless it involves onion rings or fries! They love to write volumes so they can read it and smile and agree how smart they are!

Report this to the manager? Maybe it was the manager!

If they didn't damage anything, move the f__k on!

 

[DuRsT]

Well I can certainly agree with that too, which is why I do my own work. Jeep Wave provided a bunch of free service and I only used it once. I prefer to work on my own stuff, because I know it done right, and the vehicle was taken care of. If something got messed up, then it was my own stupid fault.
And I also agree that surreptitious behavior typically means someone is up to no good. That said, I try to remain objective and hope that it's not the case.

100% agreed.

As would I. Some people though, are completely paranoid and think everyone is out to get them, so they fear any kind of survelience.

Yeah that seems to be an antiquated concept doesn't it. Saddens me.
The right thing to do is not always easy, and the easy thing is not always right.

All fair points my friend, sounds like we think alike.

 

[Shots]

Maybe slack was the wrong word, but saying he deserves privacy, or his preference in a customer's car is silly imo. Obviously the customers preference was to keep his vehicle recorded.....

To record the Jeep, not the tech? I would concluded, based on the OP's statements, that it's there in case of a crash, not to spy on techs.
Not that he was "spying", but it was simply left to record. If he didn't care that it was unplugged as long as it was plugged back in after service, it certainly implies that he's okay with the tech having privacy to a phone conversation in his Jeep. After all, why not.

I don't think it's the same as turning a radio up. I'd say it's more like turning your airbags off. Dash cams are imo a safety feature.....

No a camera is certainly not a safety feature. It has zero affect on injury or prevention of a crash. It is a potential civil/criminal liability resource. There's really no item in the vehicle that I can think of that would be similar.

....All in all I think the manager handled it perfectly. Even went above to call back and let them know how it was handled. That's someone I would keep going to.

The issue itself may not be a huge deal but how they handled it was perfect.

I agree completely.

The guy did wrong and it should be corrected, and the OP already has. But fuck. We got people here practically trying to hang the dude in the center town square gallows at midday for treason as a soviet spy plotting acts of terrorism.

goodness. Id pay money to see how some of you react to a REAL fucking crisis. Like a gunfight or something.

there are at least half a dozen people here that need to turn the news off, turn their phones off, smoke a big bag of weed, and go the fuck to sleep. Repeat daily until you realize this isn’t that big a deal in the grand scheme of the universe.

I agree with all but the smoke a big bag of weed part. Maybe do some yoga or meditation instead. It's better for your lungs.

 

[Shots]

Regardless of intent the tech is in the private property of the customer and has zero expectation of privacy. Would you make the same argument for a plumber in your home who disconnects security cameras while fixing your toilet?
...

I understand your point, but probably not the best example. I say that because YES the plumber has a reasonable expectation of privacy in the bathroom. It doesn't matter if it's a public bathroom or a privately owned one. Any reasonable person is going to expect that they are NOT being recorded in a bathroom. That is quite possibly the most protected place you can be in terms of privacy.
That said, I also call into question the claim of "zero" expectation to privacy in the car. I argue he would have it, based on SCOTUS ruling in Byrd v US, wherein they unanimously agreed that the sole occupant of a vehicle has an expectation to privacy based on "possession and control" of the vehicle.
In that case the driver of a rental car was determined to have the same expectation of privacy as the person who had rented it. While it's not a the exact same circumstances, the similarities are there.
The tech is driving a car that belongs to someone else. Likewise Byrd is driving a car belonging to someone else AND he had not be authorized to drive it by the owner. So if someone who isn't authorized to be driving the vehicle has an expectation to privacy, it stands to reason that someone who is authorized to drive it (the tech on test drive) would have the same expectation.
Ergo, the tech has an expectation to privacy in the vehicle, and his choice to not be recorded is valid.

To be clear I'm not a lawyer so that's just my interpretation of it.

 

[Shots]

I have to say this thread is next to worthless!!! This is pathetic. 80% of the people on here should never give advice unless it involves onion rings or fries! They love to write volumes so they can read it and smile and agree how smart they are!

Report this to the manager? Maybe it was the manager!

If they didn't damage anything, move the f__k on!

So what fries do you recommend? I prefer steak fries. Mmmmmm.

 

[DuRsT]

So what fries do you recommend? I prefer steak fries. Mmmmmm.

My wife makes the Ore-Ida steak fries in the air fryer taste amazing.

 

[Mr Lee]

The OP lives in B.C. as do I and I work at a Jeep dealership. After some discussion during lunch today the a little online research about provincial and federal laws it seems everybody is at fault.
The mechanic has broken the law by driving while on his phone. This is a offence here that is considered worse than. excessive speeding. He was not being a adult by disconnecting the camera without reconnecting it or telling the customer.
Now I have been recorded by a dash camera that points inside and outside the vehicle and really could care less. The worst it will see is my use of curse words.
The OP you are at fault the most. You recorded the audio of the driver without his consent. You should of told him about the camera or had a sign inside the vehicle telling him of the camera. Think of when you go into a department store and see the security sign. This is the law here.
If your dash camera was recording while the repairs were done then you really would have been at fault. you did not have permission to film any of the staff at the shop or the inside of the shop, the mechanics tools or the security the shop has.

 

[BCalvin]

1. Find out where his girlfriend lives
2. Rent the apartment next to hers
3. Create a fake identity. Something exciting like an aircraft pilot or white hat hacker.
4. Trick the girlfriend into falling in love with you.
5. Get her pregnant
6. Abandon her in the middle of the night leaving everything behind
7. Alignment dude will think the baby is his and will marry the girlfriend.
8. Alignment dude will spend the next 18 years raising your child.
9. Arrange for a letter to be sent to alignment dude explaining the cuckold when he is on his deathbed so he understands that his whole life has been a lie.
10. Checkmate bitch.

If someone has a better plan I’d like to hear it.

Note to self: Never mess with this guy, ever.

 

[DadJokes]

An observation,

If the tech “always” disconnects... then it seems he wasn’t diligent if he was really all that consistently concerned about being recorded without his permission. Rather than tamper with something unrelated to the visit for maintenance, he could refuse to service it. That way neither party has an issue. That seems the most reasonable approach. It sure is difficult to prevent being recorded without permission these days though.

 

[roaniecowpony]

An observation,

If the tech “always” disconnects... then it seems he wasn’t diligent if he was really all that consistently concerned about being recorded without his permission. Rather than tamper with something unrelated to the visit for maintenance, he could refuse to service it. That way neither party has an issue. That seems the most reasonable approach. It sure is difficult to prevent being recorded without permission these days though.

Corvettes, ZL1 Camaros, and probably a number of other high end vehicles have had racetrack focused, or performance driving, cameras with "valet" features to record use of the vehicle when parked or being used by valets or maintenance workers. Keeps the hired help from "Ferris Buehler-ing" you.

 

[RedundanT]

That's cool. But my question still stands.

Would you make the same argument for someone working in your home who disconnects Security devices? Or perhaps a nanny who disables a baby monitor when you're not home? Or a dog walker who removes a GPS tracker from your pets collar while walking?

A baby is NOT a vehicle. Moot point.

 

[Shots]

.... The OP you are at fault the most. You recorded the audio of the driver without his consent. You should of told him about the camera or had a sign inside the vehicle telling him of the camera.....

Does the fact that it's in plain view change BC law on the matter? Just wondering if a sign is really necessary for something you can clearly see. Obviously the camera wasn't covert if the tech saw it and unplugged it.
If a sign is still required, despite plain view, it would be easy enough to make a little card or something to leave in the Jeep when you take it anywhere for service.

 

[Shots]

A baby is NOT a vehicle. Moot point.

Agreed. And to add to that, the reasonable expectation of privacy in someone else's house likely isn't met either.
A case similar to Byrd (People v Howard) ruled that the passenger of a vehicle doesn't have the same expectation of privacy as the sole occupant/driver. This is because someone in the passenger seat (even when alone) doesn't have possession and control of the vehicle. Likewise a caregiver in your house (even when alone) would not have possession and control of the house.
Since the court ruled that it didn't apply in the car, I don't think it would apply to home either.
So I doubt there is a reasonable expectation of privacy for the care giver. That is with the exception of the bathroom, where caselaw established that there is an expectation of privacy in there. This would probably also extended to a bedroom they use if the care giver stays there.
Just brain storming, and trying to make the nexus between home/auto as the rebuttal tried to do. It's not an easy nexus though, because the home it typically more protected toward the rights of the home owner than a vehicle is to a vehicle owner.

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