Camsters

[BentMikey]

If someone never experiences trouble on the roads, then they are sticking their head in the sand about things that many of us on here don't and wouldn't find acceptable.

Accept bad behaviour, and do nothing to change it, and you're encouraging worse behaviour in the future. That's why I'm so chuffed with those cyclists who do take the effort to report bad or bullying behaviour on the roads.

 

[JoysOfSight]

IMO the reason people find headcams disturbing is not because they truly think that nothing dangerous ever happens on the roads - that's just a paper-thin conversational gambit.

They are disturbed in fact by the idea that people might want to do something about it.

YouTube is for video what posting on a forum is for text. I always find it funny that people will suggest something sinister in the motives of anyone who spends five minutes uploading a clip from their commute, whereas it's "normal" to spend that time moaning on the keyboard!

(If you want to get really deep - I think the problem many cyclists have with headcam users is the same problem that drivers have with cyclists, i.e. out-group.)

 

[BentMikey]

Ah, now that is an insightful post. High-5!!!

 

[MrHappyCyclist]

I dont mind a wind up as you well know. FTFY is a lazy efficient effective way to make a point as you also well know.

FTFY.

FTFTFYFY

 

[lukesdad]

Ah thats better

 

[Andrew_P]

The problem I see with Cams is that they extend the stress and tribulation, closes pass are a regualr thing for anyone who cycles daily, filming then showing everyone and re-visiting the situation time and time again just seems to extend the stress of a close pass.

For similar reasons I have stopped recounting my stories of woe to friends and family as it just extends their stress that I am risking my life everytime I jump on my bike in the morning.

 

[BentMikey]

Yes, I think it might add to stress in family members, but for me it's a nice way to get rid of any tiny bit of stress I might have left. There's usually none, even from a very bad incident, simply because cycling is so much fun, and the physical exertion means ENDORPHINs. Comeback is rather satisfying, especially when it results in the driver doing better in future.

 

[Origamist]

The problem I see with Cams is that they extend the stress and tribulation, closes pass are a regualr thing for anyone who cycles daily, filming then showing everyone and re-visiting the situation time and time again just seems to extend the stress of a close pass.

You don't have to upload the films or even save them - I take pleasure in deleting them and find it quite cathartic...What's more, I've often forgotten to switch the camera on or off, and by the time I get home I have usually forgotten if I was involved in a minor incident.

 

[MrHappyCyclist]

The problem I see with Cams is that they extend the stress and tribulation, closes pass are a regualr thing for anyone who cycles daily, filming then showing everyone and re-visiting the situation time and time again just seems to extend the stress of a close pass.

For similar reasons I have stopped recounting my stories of woe to friends and family as it just extends their stress that I am risking my life everytime I jump on my bike in the morning.

If that's what works best for you, then go for it. I prefer to use the cam and to post the bad cases on YouTube but, as they say, YMMV.

 

[XmisterIS]

I assume that the only way by which a cyclist could end up being assaulted is if they choose to remonstrate with a driver who has driven inconsiderately.

In this day and age wouldnt it be wiser for cyclists (and drivers) to just ride to the best of their ability and to try and avoid any confrontation. Remonstrating with someone who has driven poorly is rarely going to end with an apology and a promise to try harder is it.

You've very succinctly scuppered your own argument, scored and own goal, peed in your own bed, so to speak ... a very big reason for wearing a helmet cam is so that you don't have to remonstrate with bad and/or aggressive drivers. You have the satisfaction of knowing that all you need do is calmly give the footage to the police and they will (hopefully) take action.

Clearly, if you give footage of every single close-pass to the police, then they will rapidly get bored of you - but by submitting the odd few who's driving is shockingly aggressive and dangerous, you remove the need and desire for any kind of remonstration - why would I feel minded to remonstrate with someone who has just nearly killed me if I have video evidence that will get them prosecuted? There is no desire in that instance.

 

[montyboy]

You've very succinctly scuppered your own argument, scored and own goal, peed in your own bed, so to speak ... a very big reason for wearing a helmet cam is so that you don't have to remonstrate with bad and/or aggressive drivers. You have the satisfaction of knowing that all you need do is calmly give the footage to the police and they will (hopefully) take action.

Clearly, if you give footage of every single close-pass to the police, then they will rapidly get bored of you - but by submitting the odd few who's driving is shockingly aggressive and dangerous, you remove the need and desire for any kind of remonstration - why would I feel minded to remonstrate with someone who has just nearly killed me if I have video evidence that will get them prosecuted? There is no desire in that instance.

I am sorry but I dont agree.

If you choose to challange people on the quality of their driving you are likely to get a negative response. If you challange them with raised voices and hand gestures you are likely to get thumped.

If you really think that it is a good use of your time and energy to report drivers to the police for poor driving you are are free to do so. I just feel I have better things to do.

I honestly feel that bad driving is usually a mistake or an error of judgement and we can all be guilty of those. I just prefer to give people the benefit of the doubt and hope that the next time i make an error they will do like wise. I would like to think that the quality of my driving has enabled them to make a mistake and to avoid what could have been a far worse outcome.

That's the nice kind of guy I am

 

[gaz]

I am sorry but I dont agree.

If you choose to challange people on the quality of their driving you are likely to get a negative response. If you challange them with raised voices and hand gestures you are likely to get thumped.

If you really think that it is a good use of your time and energy to report drivers to the police for poor driving you are are free to do so. I just feel I have better things to do.

I honestly feel that bad driving is usually a mistake or an error of judgement and we can all be guilty of those. I just prefer to give people the benefit of the doubt and hope that the next time i make an error they will do like wise. I would like to think that the quality of my driving has enabled them to make a mistake and to avoid what could have been a far worse outcome.

That's the nice kind of guy I am

So it's a mistake when people try to drive you off the road. Now I understand!

Without teaching people about their mistakes, how will they learn?

Note: I'm not talkig about remonstrating with drivers. I am talkin about reporting dangerous drivers to the police.

 

[BentMikey]

Montyboy, I think you may have missed the point of XmisterIS's very eloquent post. His point is that by filming, you don't need to confront a driver. I'm not sure if you meant that from your original post, but it did also come across to me as though you equate filming people with confronting them then and there, and risking a beating as a result.

Pointing out peoples' mistakes after the event on youtube, and complaining about them via company/police where appropriate, is much more likely to result in an improvement in future behaviour. Not everyone is as nice and well intentioned as you are that they care at all about a driving mistake. Many won't even realise what they did wrong or how they endangered a cyclist, and thus have no chance to learn from it. Unemotional and objective feedback such as from video footage is perhaps the very best way to give such feedback.

 

[montyboy]

Montyboy, I think you may have missed the point of XmisterIS's very eloquent post. His point is that by filming, you don't need to confront a driver. I'm not sure if you meant that from your original post, but it did also come across to me as though you equate filming people with confronting them then and there, and risking a beating as a result.

Pointing out peoples' mistakes after the event on youtube, and complaining about them via company/police where appropriate, is much more likely to result in an improvement in future behaviour. Not everyone is as nice and well intentioned as you are that they care at all about a driving mistake. Many won't even realise what they did wrong or how they endangered a cyclist, and thus have no chance to learn from it. Unemotional and objective feedback such as from video footage is perhaps the very best way to give such feedback.

Sorry, if I wasnt clear.

My view is that I wouldnt either remonstrate or report them to the Police.

I just cant imagine anyone deliberately trying to drive someone of the road.....I cant get my head round it. I have seen drivers do all sorts of stupid things but I prefer to believe it was not intending to kill anyone.

 

[Gandalf]

As a vulnerable road user with empathy towards other vulnerable road users, I'm not really interested in intent, only the outcome.

If an increase in the use of video cameras and/or reporting can, however indirectly, positively influence those outcomes I'm all for it.