A warning to those that use cameras

[BentMikey]

Actually, I wonder whether their approach on language is at all reasonable? Is it really reasonable to expect perfect behaviour under an intense fight or flight response when your life has just been risked? Is there any sort of defence along these lines? I wonder what Martin Porter says about this?

 

[Origamist]

Crikey, they're really on a go-er with this one. I'm one of those who got once got warned via letter for overly aggressive behaviour, and I thought that was a little over the top as the woman concerned had just nearly wiped me out. I thought I'd been incredibly restrained, to be honest, and didn't even swear.

(See http://www.youtube.com/user/rosickyize for the KJ 05 driver vid if you want to take a look for yourself)

Of course this particular letter rather cut themselves, as its main point advised wrongly that I should be riding to the left instead of taking the lane up Leaves Green hill. Funnily enough last night I got a finely crafted PDF from John Franklin with his expert analysis, and also an email from David Dansky, and finally another communication from the head of the Met cycle task force. All disagreeing with the roadsafe officer.

Annoyingly, they wrote in the letter to the driver that I should have been further left, and she was crowing about it. Do you think I should ask Roadsafe to write a letter to her correcting that, and admitting that on the contrary I was entirely right to be taking the lane, both legally and via best practice?

Good work.

Yes, I'd ask them to redraft a letter stating that they have taken onboard expert opinion and their original take on the event was wrong. More importantly, I'd ask for the written evidence from Dansky, Franklin, and the Head of the Met cycle task force to be disseminated amongst the Roadsafe officers so they have a better understanding of cycling best practice. Even better, you could arrange to attend a briefing session on their premises, explaining why you adopted the position you did.

 

[DamoDoublemint]

I think I swear too much in my videos, and it's something I'm trying to avoid doing. I think coming across as calm in a situation like that looks a lot better, but in the heat of the moment, when the other driver is going on about how it's my fault he cut me up, it's hard to keep a cool head.

I have been worried that I might come across badly in my videos if I use bad language, and I admit editing over the audio in some videos with sound of traffic...

Thanks for the warning Gaz.

 

[benb]

You don't to appear too calm though, as they'll say "it was obviously a perfectly fine overtake officer, he didn't even say 'dash it'"

 

[crazy580]

It says in the Public Order Act 1986 that it is defence for the accused to prove that his conduct was reasonable.


Could you say that your conduct was reasonable in the circumstances?

 

[ohnovino]

It says in the Public Order Act 1986 that it is defence for the accused to prove that his conduct was reasonable.


Could you say that your conduct was reasonable in the circumstances?

I think instinctively letting out a "What The *#@&" as someone nearly knocks you off counts as reasonable, but chasing them down and swearing directly at them does not.

 

[thomas]

Does calling someone a plank for not indicating count as offensive?? If so I better remove my last video

 

[schlafsack]

Can I just get this straight? They are not eager or willing to use the videos as evidence to prosecute road traffic incidents, which could result in serious injury or death, but they are quite happy to forward the videos to the CPS because of the swearing? Am I missing something?

 

[mickle]

Who's side are these ***** on anyway?

 

[byegad]

Surely easy enough to publish the video without any sound? If not substitute a sound track, of none copyright source of course or they'll twist about that too!

 

[yello]

Am I missing something?

Well, if you are then I am too because I was about to say pretty much the same thing.

No doubt they are legally correct but what a bizarre use of their time.

...but, m'lord, I had to run him down, he said bottom.

 

[BentMikey]

Can I just get this straight? They are not eager or willing to use the videos as evidence to prosecute road traffic incidents, which could result in serious injury or death, but they are quite happy to forward the videos to the CPS because of the swearing? Am I missing something?

They do prosecute some motorists, but not very many. For example, I've only ever had exactly one email of their intention to prosecute a driver. This was the LG02 driver near Victoria who blatantly ran a red pedestrian crossing light. I've submitted many reports, at least 50-100 I would guess.

I wonder how often they actually write letters out of the submissions they do get? I rarely get drivers coming back annoyed about being filmed on the phone, so I wonder if that's a file in bin crime, or is it that I just don't capture enough evidential information for them?

 

[thomas]

Surely easy enough to publish the video without any sound? If not substitute a sound track, of none copyright source of course or they'll twist about that too!

If the Police were to take a case further they'd want to see the full, unedited video...so I guess at that stage they could still increase quotas of people they've done for something. I'd like to say I don't swear much, but I'm sure I've got plenty of videos showing otherwise

 

[BentMikey]

Who's side are these ***** on anyway?

Actually, I think Roadsafe are a really good thing. Let's not get too defensive, we've probably all used language we shouldn't have. For the most part they are very professional, and I think do a lot of good for road safety in London. It's easy to lose sight of the positives which far outweigh the negatives.

Whoever it was that said years ago your cameras might convict your own behaviour must be as smug as anything now.

 

[Origamist]

Can I just get this straight? They are not eager or willing to use the videos as evidence to prosecute road traffic incidents, which could result in serious injury or death, but they are quite happy to forward the videos to the CPS because of the swearing? Am I missing something?

This gives you some idea of how Roadsafe are handling traffic generated through the website in terms of reports, letters, prosecutions etc:

http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/efficacy_of_roadsafe_website

Scroll down to the report at the top of their reply from Nov 1st 2010.