Action cameras and safety

[User66445]

The other day I was forced off the road by a lorry heading towards me on the wrong side of the road of an S bend. The lorry was travelling far too fast in what is a 70km limit, and I only manged to avoid it by tumbling the bike into the hedge. I was wearing the full high-visibility gear by the way.

The company concerned is a local one, so I rang them. It was around 16h in the afternoon, but the entire staff were apparently in a meeting, leaving the receptionist to field all calls. She promised to email the manager, but, of course, nothing happened.

The upshot is that I invested in one of those cheap action cameras, primarily for use on the roads use for exercise purposes. That driver was driving both foolishly and dangerously, not to mention nearly obliterating this earthly form, so I was wondering what the impact of showing him a video of what happened would be. The French are usually extremely understanding about cyclists, and my aim is no more than asking the driver, who must be a local, to take due care. He must have seen me.

Anyone else using these cameras as a safety device? I'm not usually in favour of their use, and frankly, it's a pain setting it up, but I can't think of another way to make a point.

 

[Alex H]

In my experience (we lived in France for 7 years), if you want any sort of result go to the office and see someone in authority.

 

[glasgowcyclist]

Anyone else using these cameras as a safety device?

A camera does *nothing* for your safety.

It might provide corroboration of your version of events, or be your only witness if you are killed by some tit in a van, but don't assume you're any safer with one than without.

 

[Arjimlad]

I started using one because I was fed up of having nothing to use to hold careless drivers to account, and if one of them did bop me off there might at least be some evidence of what happened.

About a dozen drivers have been contacted by the Police as a result of reports I have made (the majority getting "words of advice"). The incidents have been close passes, tailgating and one incident of threatening behaviour.

I nurture a (perhaps naïve) hope that some of those drivers may have decided to drive more carefully around cyclists in future.

That is the only way in which, perhaps, having the camera may have improved my & others' safety in respect of these few individuals. I prefer it to shrugging my shoulders & meekly accepting the danger, or getting into potential arguments at junctions.

 

[glasgowcyclist]

I started using one because I was fed up of having nothing to use to hold careless drivers to account, and if one of them did bop me off there might at least be some evidence of what happened.

About a dozen drivers have been contacted by the Police as a result of reports I have made (the majority getting "words of advice"). The incidents have been close passes, tailgating and one incident of threatening behaviour.

I nurture a (perhaps naïve) hope that some of those drivers may have decided to drive more carefully around cyclists in future.

That is the only way in which, perhaps, having the camera may have improved my & others' safety in respect of these few individuals. I prefer it to shrugging my shoulders & meekly accepting the danger, or getting into potential arguments at junctions.

I completely understand that point of view, it's similar to how I came to be a camera user (Fly6 & 12), but I wanted to caution the OP that his journeys (in general) will not be any safer for using one.

If any of the drivers you report to police improve their behaviour, it'll be a miniscule proportion of the drivers you come across and even then that driver will have to already have risked your safety to be brought to the attention of the police.

 

[Johnno260]

In some instances it may make things worse (camera)

I had an issue at the weekend it wasn't captured on my Fly6 but I flipped them the bird, him and his mates pulled over and waited for me, 3 of them kids 17-18 all thinking they are tough, got out the car, I pulled over and asked what their issue was and was told road louse like me, they asked if I wanted to visit A&E, I put the bike against the fence, started taking my shoes off and said it's a shame there wasn't 4 of them, then we could call it an even fight, to say I saw red was an understatement.

Telling them I had cameras seemed to antagonise them more.

Anyway either way I think they saw the crazy look in my eyes are they said I wasn't worth it and drove off.

It was all sparked by a close pass and a can of drink thrown at me, my responses were far from acceptable but I had totally lost my temper.

 

[glasgowcyclist]

Telling them I had cameras seemed to antagonise them more.

I never tell the offender, or anyone else at the scene, that I have cameras.

 

[classic33]

I never tell the offender, or anyone else at the scene, that I have cameras.

I've extended that to any police that attend. They get told at a later date, when the driver version conflicts with mine.

 

[glasgowcyclist]

I've extended that to any police that attend.

When I said 'anyone else', I wasn't leaving the police out either!

 

[Johnno260]

I never tell the offender, or anyone else at the scene, that I have cameras.

It's a mistake I won't make again, it's a shame I hadn't turned the Fly6 on really, as I would've captured their number plate etc

I haven't reacted like this before, then again I have never had something thrown at me before.

 

[Sunny Portrush]

I never tell the offender, or anyone else at the scene, that I have cameras.

Aren`t they a bit difficult to hide?

 

[Drago]

Isnt the big camera shaped object a bit of a giveaway?

 

[classic33]

Isnt the big camera shaped object a bit of a giveaway?

Not always, bullet cameras can be less than half an inch in diameter.

 

[Sunny Portrush]

Not always, bullet cameras can be less than half an inch in diameter.

It`s my fault that this thread got resurrected as I was looking for info on action cams cycling. Never even heard of bullet cameras so I`m off on a tangent yet again!

 

[classic33]

It`s my fault that this thread got resurrected as I was looking for info on action cams cycling. Never even heard of bullet cameras so I`m off on a tangent yet again!

Dogcam Cameras is where I bought mine from. The one below is on the large side.