helmet cams - advice

[steveindenmark]

With regards to helmet cameras. Looking on Youtube it appears that for many cyclists a helmet cam is a substitute for a blue flashing light and they take on the mantle of police officers. Finding as many offending motorists as possible and shouting out as many registration numbers as possible. strangely enough, they find very few offending cyclists. I am not totally certain but I do not think headcam footage is admissable in court. If that is the case it defeats the object in buying one. The only clips I have seen on Youtube where a cyclist has been involved in an accident wearing a headcam, when asked if they are ok, they invariably say "Yes". Again, another waste of a headcam. Great for touring footage but useless for preventing accidents or evidence. Usually worn by people who ask questions but dont read comments or listen to advice.

 

[thecube]

So Steve, if I have a bike accident and my camera films a car driver breaking the law and driving without due care and attention it is of no use in court? Even though it may show exactly how the "accident" occurred. So a witness statement is fine yet actual evidence is not? I doubt this very much. Also, if I was to report such and incident I wouldn't be dicking around posting clips on youtube. I think that having a bike cam does give you a little peace of mind knowing that if the worse case scenario happens, you can prove whowas at fault - and hopefully not you!

 

[Big Nick]

Of course headcam footage is admissible in court!

Every day hundreds of court cases are heard which involve the victims own video footage from shoplifting to armed robberies.

I can't see the harm in any road users wearing cameras, the camera doesn't lie

 

[harveymt]

I don't think that cameras will alter how drivers behave around you. Good drivers will give you plenty of space, bad drivers won't.

I cycle well, take primary position etc and even then I have near misses from cars that either didn't pay enough attention to see me or just didn't care. I reported two such incidences to the police to be met with complete indifference. One officer even suggested that I had issues with the police when, confronted with his attitude, I asked to see a different officer. I got hit by a car once coming which was coming out of a side street. While sitting in the ambulance the policeman popped in and said 'The driver said he didn't see you but sure it's six of one half a dozen of the other. You're wearing dark clothing too so that's probably why. We don't think there's any need to take further action.'

So I am getting a camera. It's in the event of a worse case scenario and something does happen then at least there's evidence that it's (hopefully!) not my fault.
As regards YouTube footage, I find a lot of those that are posted could well improve their position on the road, awareness and anticipation of other road users and their angry responses to incidents/drivers.

A camera does not make you invincible.

 

[thecube]

No one said a camera makes you invincible, but it may make you life a lot easier in the event of an accident. I'd sleep a lot better in my hospital bed knowing that it was captured rather than hoping there were witnesses that not only saw the incident but where happy to give a statement etc. I hope my camera is not required to be honest. But in the summer when a guy tried to reverse into me on purpose, this would have almost certainly lead to a conviction, so it would have been money well spent.

 

[harveymt]

My point is that I feel some people view the camera as a shield that lets them act as they please. There are plenty of videos on YouTube showing poor road position leading to driver's risking close passes. There are also plenty showing riders telling drivers to google their number plate, this is going online or even seeing the vehicle at a later point and confronting the driver. Actions like that can lead to some of the confrontations seen.

I'm getting the camera as a last resort. It'll record my rides, any incidences will be there if required and passed onto police for them to deal with.

As an aside, I've been in a few cars now which have cameras fitted. I'm only in the odd taxi but they appear to have them now too. Perhaps we could reach a point where cameras are a standard item, perhaps required by insurance, and this might lead to more drivers acting responsibly.

 

[glenn forger]

There are plenty of videos on YouTube showing poor road position leading to driver's risking close passes. .

Poor old drivers.

 

[harveymt]

Poor old drivers.

If the cyclists had been in primary position the driver would either have not tried to overtake or if they had the cyclist would have at least had somewhere to go.

 

[glenn forger]

What example are you thinking of, where the poor driver was forced to overtake dangerously?

 

[Black Country Ste]

If the cyclists had been in primary position the driver would either have not tried to overtake or if they had the cyclist would have at least had somewhere to go.

So we're blaming the cyclists for being unaware of or reluctant to VC? Awesome. Bad overtakes also happen when in primary. Those aren't drivers' poor judgement but wilful aggressive driving. The Punishment Pass.

 

[crazyjoe101]

I have ridden with a camera since I've had my road bike and I can tell you it will have very little to no effect on the way other road users behave. On the rare occasion I end up arguing with someone I do not point to the camera as you can never be certain how people will react.

I enjoy video editing anyway so there's a bonus for me, but if you aren't interested in it, it can become very tedius looking through your footage and extracting clips. However if you're only interested in keeping a camera for reporting the occasional incident then this isn't a problem as you can just wipe the camera after every ride.

I've found having a camera calms me down whenever someone does do something dumb because I imagine what I'd sound / look like through the playback and I also feel as though I've 'got them' with the camera, even though I'm not going to report it or anything. It's also another deterrent against doing anything stupid myself, but those are just my feelings on cameras.

If you ride within the law and within the instruction of things like the commuter guide on here then a helmet camera can be a great help after a collision, it won't stop one happening though, at least not directly.