Are these close passes ?

[mjr]

Thanks for the info. I have thought about getting one after occasional incidents with idiot motorists. The latest one was a couple of weeks ago when crossing a dual carriageway via a roundabout. A car approaching from the left, appeared to be slowing down to give way to me, but then drove out in front of me. If I had been 12 inches further on, I would have hit it. It was an outrageous piece of dangerous, negligent driving. I was incandescent and for the next 20 miles as I rode home I was thinking about a camera so I could report such incidents with evidence in future.

You may find that a camera fails to capture the vehicle number plate in such situations, if it drives across you rather than taking your exit, depending on what avoiding action you have to take, what the daylight or street lighting is like and what the camera's sensor is like.

I suppose though, that unless you have one with battery life long enough to leave on for the whole duration of your ride, it could be a matter of chance as to whether you actually capture the incident. In addition, will the police always take on an investigation of such incidents, especially in these days of seemingly everlasting austerity and cuts?

Incidents tend to happen more often around the same hotspots, in my experience, so when the battery is low, you can just switch the camera on for those points... but I've said it before and I'll say it again: get a camera which can record from USB power and you can run a wire from a bag for longer rides. I've even run a power lead from my pocket, but I did have to remember to unplug before dismounting!

The police won't always take on an investigation, but my experience so far is positive, with them investigating my first report while I fight with their upload site to send the second. In austerity terms, I suspect reviewing and acting on road user camera footage is cheaper than collecting it themselves.

There is of course, also the fun and interest angle of recording certain parts of your ride, which was my secondary, but much lower priority, consideration for getting a camera.

They're much more use for that, yes.

 

[kingrollo]

The fly 12 scores for battery life. I was knocked off just before xmas on the most innocent of roads - so personally I don't think you can judge when somebody is driving on way - but looking another !
I think there was a shimano camera that you could set to record at certain speeds / locations automatically !
The sound recording on fly 12 is woeful - IMO it doesn't double up as an action camera the way a go pro does. IMO the thing with cameras is there is always some element of compromise - there isn't a long battery, action cam, with good sound, that records at 4k and loops recordings and easily attaches to a bike - you have to prioritise what you want the camera for.....

 

[Dan B]

The police won't always take on an investigation, but my experience so far is positive, with them investigating my first report while I fight with their upload site to send the second.

Just to add another set of anecdata points here: my personal experience is that the police are happy to investigate where there is clear evidence that a law has been broken (car driving in pedestrian area, through no-entry sign or red traffic signal) but have tended to NFA anything which might involve personal opinon or judgement. Which is why I was quite surprised to see they're sending a NIP for last weeks' close overtake

 

[mjr]

The sound recording on fly 12 is woeful - IMO it doesn't double up as an action camera the way a go pro does. IMO the thing with cameras is there is always some element of compromise - there isn't a long battery, action cam, with good sound, that records at 4k and loops recordings and easily attaches to a bike - you have to prioritise what you want the camera for.....

For reporting incidents to the police, sound recording may actually be a drawback as the police told me to "NOT supply footage that contains audio as we may need to pass it to the other driver if contested. If you submit your footage with audio, any personal conversations would be heard by the other driver."

If the camera attaches to the bike, most of the audio will probably be road noise and brake or drivetrain noises while moving anyway, in my experience with five cameras so far.

 

[classic33]

Give the vehicle registration as seen, using the phonetic alphabet, to back up the pictures caught on camera.

 

[davidphilips]

TBH I am guilty of not using a camera but in my view the more cyclists that report close passes along with cctv footage then the safer roads will be for us all, so my view is report asap even if driver is only given a talking to then he and others that he tells will be more careful.

 

[kingrollo]

3 weeks on from sending my letter to west midlands police - not even an acknowledgement.
I recorded another close pass yesterday and was going to send that off - but noticed the fly12 hadn't flipped onto BST so the time is wrong - any point sending ?

 

[mjr]

I'd try to find out what happened to the first one first. If they've not given notice to the defendant within two weeks, it's now moot.

Wrong timestamp doesn't disqualify it, as long as you can explain and corroborate the correct time (GPS track?).

 

[kingrollo]

Got a phone call from west midlands police today. My footage was to late and is outside the area for west midlands - otherwise he the chap I spoke to said these were 100% prosecution cases. - Its a learning process at least I know what to do next time.
The good news is that very shortly west midlands police will be launching a web based portal whereby footage can be uploaded via the website.

Sending my most recent close pass of to west mercia police today.

 

[glasgowcyclist]

3 weeks on from sending my letter to west midlands police - not even an acknowledgement.
I recorded another close pass yesterday and was going to send that off - but noticed the fly12 hadn't flipped onto BST so the time is wrong - any point sending ?

Not a problem, simply make them aware that your camera is set to GMT.

 

[kingrollo]

West Mericia police now investigating one of my close passes !

 

[kingrollo]

First success from west midland police based on my video evidence. Driver will either receive £100 fine & 3 pts - or attend a driver awareness course at a cost to the driver of £145. (if he has previous he gets the fine)

 

[BADGER.BRAD]

Just had an email back from West Midlands Police here is the jist of it.
Contact us (WMP) <contactus@west-midlands.pnn.police.uk>
To: me??? (email address)
10 Jun at 14:14

Good afternoon



Any details of any incidents can be emailed through to us on this email address and we will forward the incidents to the relevant team who will be able to deal with your email(s)

 

[kingrollo]

Here is the email address
cj_tpo_drivingstandards@west-midlands.pnn.police.uk

You can create a drop box account - and email the links to the address above. There is also a form you need to complete (available from that email address)
The real killer is the timescales - they only have 14 days to issue a prosecution notice - so it needs to be with them within about 5 days at the outside.
If you want to PM me I have the contact details of the officer who seems to know the ropes on this.

 

[dutchguylivingintheuk]

Should get a cam too, had some lunatic in a fan yesterday steering towards me deliberately while i was passing on the inside(actually i could keep on driving while they where stuck in a jam. ) It seem as soon as some people get in a car they turn into cycle hating maniacs