Have you ever wondered why all of our crazy videos seem to come from Russia? – We have too, and it’s time for some answers.
According to Marina Galpernia of Animal New York, “In Russia, everyone should have a camera on their dashboard. It’s better than keeping a lead pipe under your seat for protection (but you might still want that lead pipe).”
As you may or may not be aware, Russia has poor road conditions – and by poor, we mean awful. The roadways in Russia are severely congested, and the rural highways and backroads wind through seemingly endless swamplands and desolate winter conditions. Many of these areas are completely without law enforcement – and some of that territory is completely unregulated.
To make matters worse Russian police and civilians are extremely inclined to extortion, bribery, and fraud. It’s no wonder that road rage and consequential extreme physical violence in Russia are serious business, it’s every man/woman for themselves out there! Assault charges aren’t even something that can be pressed with a simple statement or even eyewitnesses. The police and court systems want rock solid evidence, otherwise victims are completely out of luck. This makes dash-cams the only source of proof, defense, and justice – it also explains why everybody seems to have them.
But wait, there’s more. Russia is notorious for insurance scamming, which makes the insurance companies notorious for denying claims and sky high rates. That being said, drivers there carry liability insurance (or don’t carry insurance at all) unless they or their company can afford full coverage.
This troubling issue unleashes a horrifying chain reaction – hit and runs. If a motorist gets into a traffic accident and the person at fault is uninsured or doesn’t have the funds to pay a deductible, they’re going to run. – It happens all the time.
Russian insurance companies won’t even pay out unless the person at fault is found – which explains why dash-cam videos are so easily assessable, they’re the Russian version of a ‘America’s Most Wanted.’ Dash-cam videos are released so that those at fault can be caught, charged, and probably jailed for property damage.
Many Russians even run scams which entail causing innocent motorists to rear end previously damaged vehicles so that the scammer can collect. This is extremely common in lower income areas where dash-cams aren’t common.
In short, dash cams are the only thing out there to fight scam artists and all around brutality – don’t get us wrong, the cams aren’t by any means stopping it. Fortunately, the court systems are harsh in that they don’t hesitate to jail offenders for battery and property damage if the video proof is definite.
The other reason that Russian dash-cam footage is so prevalent is that their television censorship is significantly more strict that ours. – Interestingly enough, in Russia brutal, graphic footage is less likely to be flagged and removed than it is in the United States. Needless to say, internet videos are where Russians find their uncensored drama, action, violence, gore – you name it.
Be glad you’re driving in the United States!
Video by Animal
Sources
Animal
Russia Beyond The Headlines