"You were there and I was there!" MGIF and complete denial

[andyfraser]

I'll start by saying this isn't a particularly good example of how a camera should be used.

I wonder how many of these camera cyclists are getting annoyed and posting to YouTube due to a feeling of impotence?

I'm lucky because I commute on fairly quiet roads without too many junctions to negotiate. Everyday I see an example of bad driving and a lack of respect for other road users that could be considered careless or dangerous driving. Mostly I just shrug it off but very occasionally a driver does something that's genuinely dangerous and if things had gone slightly differently I could get hurt or killed through no fault of my own.

The problem is there's no recourse. Reporting to the police gets you nowhere. The driver probably doesn't think they've done anything wrong and it'll only affect them directly if they hurt someone or get a visit from the police.

I've thought about getting a camera, usually after something bad happens, but without anyone to send the footage to and with no guarantee that anything would be done anyway, even if it's just a letter from the police, I can see me resorting to posting the worst offenders to YouTube just so I feel like I'm doing something even if that something is misguided.

If there was a mechanism by which I could film any incidents, send them to the police, and know something will get done it would be easier to passively film these incidents without feeling the need to rant at motorists and post to YouTube. There's no mechanism by which we can help make the roads safer without having to die first.

NB I believe there's a scheme in London like the one I've described but I don't know about anything for the rest of the country.

 

[Drago]

Surely before you could even passively film an incident there has to be an incident to film? This was nothing. Zip. Zilch. Nowt. A non event. A lady who was slightly 'rude' with her road manners, but a gulf away from being either dangerous or unlawful.

I wish these impotent people would get some viagara and a girlfriend rather that post up stuff that makes Emmerdale look interesting.

 

[andyfraser]

I agree, the video posted is a non-event. I was making a more general comment about using cameras and the possible impotence caused by not being able to do anything about genuine incidents.

 

[vickster]

I wish these impotent people would get some viagara and a girlfriend rather that post up stuff that makes Emmerdale look interesting.

So true

 

[jay clock]

 

[glenn forger]

The problem is there's no recourse. Reporting to the police gets you nowhere. The driver probably doesn't think they've done anything wrong and it'll only affect them directly if they hurt someone or get a visit from the police.

Even then a driver who overtakes in what was admitted to be an unsafe pinchpoint and kills a rider walks free:

http://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.c...er-death-of-cyclist-andrew-mcnicoll-1-3348358

Overtaking and cutting in isn't trivial.

 

[gbb]

I feel like I've let everyone down.

Dont worry about that, weve all been there (except of course for the few who never ever made a faux pas...and theyre deluding themselves)

 

[Shut Up Legs]

Some have cycle cam... some must justify..

Some of us don't fit into these general categories, either. I've been using front and rear cycle cams for the last year at least, and haven't posted any of it to Youtube in that time. I use them because they may come in handy one day (but I hope that day never arrives).

 

[ianrauk]

Some of us don't fit into these general categories, either. I've been using front and rear cycle cams for the last year at least, and haven't posted any of it to Youtube in that time. I use them because they may come in handy one day (but I hope that day never arrives).

Didn't say you did fit in to these general categories. . 'Some' (cammers) being the imperative word.

 

[Drago]

Overtaking and cutting in isn't trivial.

The link in your opening post shows how trivial it can indeed be.

 

[S.Giles]

As a cyclist, I feel that we are all ambassadors for the cycling community (even though no such 'community' really exists, barring possibly chat-rooms like this one). As such, I am more than happy to 'waste' a few seconds out of each day, in order to smooth things out. This may take the form of pulling over for a moment to let a wide vehicle pass on a narrow road, or slowing-down to let a pedestrian finish crossing the road in front of me (even though they maybe shouldn't have started to cross in the first place).

The point I'm making is that my attitude is not one of deliberate confrontation. This makes for a more satisfying experience for myself and (I assume) others. I can't understand the rationale of those who go around getting into spats with everyone they meet. My cycling isn't perfect (ok, it is perfect, but let's pretend it isn't for the sake of the point I'm making:-), and so it would be unreasonable for me to expect perfection from others.

Having said that, I did have brief words today with someone who nearly tail-ended me as I was stopped about to enter a roundabout. Having nearly wiped me out, he shot me a 'F***ing cyclists!' look which I didn't appreciate, given the circumstances. I took issue, but it didn't get unpleasant or aggressive at any point.

 

[glenn forger]

The link in your opening post shows how trivial it can indeed be.

That's not overtaking and cutting in, she had gone past, watch the clip again. Overtaking and cutting in can kill, no death is trivial.

 

[Drago]

The cyclist had to take zero action to avoid her, had he chosen not to be a nob. Small man syndrome, so some kind of sexual inadequacy.

 

[nickyboy]

As a cyclist, I feel that we are all ambassadors for the cycling community (even though no such 'community' really exists, barring possibly chat-rooms like this one). As such, I am more than happy to 'waste' a few seconds out of each day, in order to smooth things out. This may take the form of pulling over for a moment to let a wide vehicle pass on a narrow road, or slowing-down to let a pedestrian finish crossing the road in front of me (even though they maybe shouldn't have started to cross in the first place).

The point I'm making is that my attitude is not one of deliberate confrontation. This makes for a more satisfying experience for myself and (I assume) others. I can't understand the rationale of those who go around getting into spats with everyone they meet. My cycling isn't perfect (ok, it is perfect, but let's pretend it isn't for the sake of the point I'm making:-), and so it would be unreasonable for me to expect perfection from others.

Having said that, I did have brief words today with someone who nearly tail-ended me as I was stopped about to enter a roundabout. Having nearly wiped me out, he shot me a 'F***ing cyclists!' look which I didn't appreciate, given the circumstances. I took issue, but it didn't get unpleasant or aggressive at any point.

That just about sums up my attitude too. Whenever I hold up another road user (and this happens a fair bit on narrow, steep roads) I'll give them a wave when they pass. Equally if I'm waiting at some roadworks I'll wave cars behind me through before I go through the narrow section. Life's too short to spend my time angry and confrontational. If I make other road users feel a bit happier about other cyclists too then then that can only be a good thing.

 

[andyfraser]

That just about sums up my attitude too. Whenever I hold up another road user (and this happens a fair bit on narrow, steep roads) I'll give them a wave when they pass. Equally if I'm waiting at some roadworks I'll wave cars behind me through before I go through the narrow section. Life's too short to spend my time angry and confrontational. If I make other road users feel a bit happier about other cyclists too then then that can only be a good thing.

I did something similar last week. I went a different way home to run some errands but didn't know about the road works on an uphill section. The lights were changing when it was my turn so I stopped at the sign. I could see a queue building up behind me and I was carrying extra weight so I waved the cars behind through when the lights changed so I didn't hold them up. Everyone took that as a queue to go through! I couldn't go and the lights changed again. At the next green light I went.