why do you use a camera?

[terry_gardener]

i was just wondering why do you use a camera, is it just to keep a record of the journey or is it to use as evidence if something happens or is it for other reasons.

 

[ufkacbln]

All three....

I have used it as evidence both in an incident involving myself and another where I was simply a witness
I have a recording of a deer nearly taking me out on a cycle track and bounding off into the distance
I have time lapse video of sunsets and sunrises
I have a couple of videos of strange bikes.
I have videos of people riding in the Christiania

The list goes on

 

[downfader]

I do the same as Cunobelin. Use mine as a device to locate and report the odd pothole, random weirdness I sometimes see on the road. Also used to make promotional videos (for want of a better description) showing why I still cycle.

 

[gaz]

To campaign for safer roads for all.

 

[Recycle]

I first started it to record incidents but I like to record leisure cycling, and in @downfader's words to record random weirdness.
It also stops me from cycling like a dick. You are gathering evidence against yourself as much as anyone else.

 

[jdtate101]

Only to film special events or rides. I don't commute, but if I did I would probably wear one.

 

[Dragonwight]

Mainly in case of accident although some unusual events do get captured. I don't use it to post video and bang on about people behaving badly.

 

[lay]

Id use mine a bit more i suppose as I cant use any kind of film editing software, as it seems way TOO complicated to me, until then lol

But I do feel some of these have made CD's hate cyclists more! i dont know why but they dont understand the physical danger a car can appear, as not many do cycle or walk - just drive, to their physical detriment...#healthwise

I wonder if a car can make people, or certain people, dangerous. As a section of metal/glass (between them & the real world) seems to make people change like a drug or something.

 

[JoeSoap76]

I got my camera the day after I got knocked off by a left hook. The driver hadn't seen me (despite it being broad daylight and her having been behind me on a perfectly straight road for more than a half-mile) and then told me she'd been distracted shouting at her children in the back seat. No hint of an apology or acceptance that she was in the wrong. Since then if anybody asks why I have my camera it's so I have some independent evidence if anything like that happens again.

Having said that...

It also stops me from cycling like a dick. You are gathering evidence against yourself as much as anyone else.

In truth it turns out that this is probably the most useful part of having a camera for me. It's like having yourself watching over you as you cycle, tutting at any silly mistakes.

I've also used it to report driver behaviour (both good and bad) to companies and to the police, to report infrastructure problems to the council, to film some pretty spectacular scenic rides. My opinion is that bus drivers (who mostly know by now what the lumps on cyclists' helmets are) give me a little more room with the camera than they used to without.

 

[2_Wheeled_Wolf]

Originally I got one to protect myself from dangerous drivers & tho I still use it for that I now upload interesting parts of my ride to show what its like to cycle, to show areas of interest to cycle around as well as the stupidity I come across on the road by various road users or some bad cycle infrastructure. Now its not just to protect myself from dangerous drivers, now its mostly about showing the fun of cycling.