Most of the time, when we talk about looking back, we mean looking back in time. “Looking back, it was clear that something was wrong,” you might say. The trouble with this sort of looking back is that we’re not time travellers. Sure, reflecting on the past is important. There’s the old saying about how those who do not study history are condemned to repeat it. But you can’t change the past. You can only revise your mistakes and learn from them.
But when driving and reversing, looking back means in space, not in time. And it’s not in the weird astrophysical way where space and time seem to bend into one another, like around black holes. It’s just looking back, physically looking behind you. And rather than this being about things that have already happened, this has the potential to affect the future. You look back so that you won’t make mistakes, won’t hit someone else or bump into obstacles.
When reversing, looking back really matters, and your awareness of your surroundings has immediate, significant impact. It’s important, then, to be as aware as possible, and that means getting a rear vision camera. A camera will give you a field of vision and a sensitivity unrivalled by mere mirrors or by sensors. There are all sorts of objects, from kerbs to small children, who might be in your blind spots if you’re just using mirrors. If you have a rear vision camera, you’ll be able to see all of these and you won’t do anything that you then look back on with regret.
A reversing camera kit is, in this day and age, a key bit of safety equipment. It helps you look back with awareness, so you don’t look back on what happened someday and think ‘if only I had a camera.’
