YouTube Dilema

[Origamist]

One thing is clear to me, the camera cannot show what the cyclists felt at the time. Near misses may not look that bad, so the poster is told, both by motorists and by other cyclists, to stop whining and MTFU. The really nasty happenings don't happen that often.

This is key. Cycle cam films strip away thoughts, senses, experiences and feelings. As a consequence, I find watching incidents mediated through the eye of a lens often leave me feeling: disaffected, cold, superior, voyeuristic as I’m distanced from the rider’s perceptions at the time. The exception to this 1D blandness is usually the rider’s voice - this humanises the material enormously. I’m thinking particularly about Magnatom’s scream when confronted with a HGV failing to give way at a RaB and Andy’s RaB incident when he just has time mouth a few resigned words before impact. It is these things that stick in my memory as it gives a clear insight into rider’s experiences and emotions.

 

[BentMikey]

Yes, I think company complaints are the most likely to affect driving behaviour, both immediately and longer term. That's because the drivers are most vulnerable to complaints. They are in a liveried vehicle, and they report to their company. The consequence is also likely to be very painful, stinging even. I can't imagine that points from the police will be anything like as effective as being hauled up in front of your boss/transport manager.

The companies too are more vulnerable to having to deal properly with the incident, because of public perception of their image, and because whomever you complain to in the organisation is likely to have to perform their job to general standards. That means taking the complaint much more seriously, especially in bigger organisations.

 

[Origamist]

One worry I have is that selectively posting hairy moments and confrontations gives the impression that cycling is dangerous and that confrontations are common.

Indeed. Mag’s tries to counter this on his blog by commenting that the overwhelming majority of his rides are incident free. The problem is that people quickly forget this when they watch clip after clip of near misses and collisions: pictures/film speak louder than words.

 

[magnatom]

Have I missed anything with this thread....?


(Magnatom walks slowly and quietly away from the thread. He is only about half way through his holiday and he doesn't have time to take part in controversial threads......)

 

[Tinuts]

I don't post a lot of my footage, either becasue it looks different on camera or becasuse someone had clearly made a mistake and I don't think they will do it again.
The usual comments about us with cameras looking for incidences is always a laugh.
If the cabbie had told me a lie, and he had no reason to pass cloesly, then I would post it to expose him.

Exactly.

 

[Tinuts]

Yes, I think company complaints are the most likely to affect driving behaviour, both immediately and longer term. That's because the drivers are most vulnerable to complaints. They are in a liveried vehicle, and they report to their company. The consequence is also likely to be very painful, stinging even. I can't imagine that points from the police will be anything like as effective as being hauled up in front of your boss/transport manager.

The companies too are more vulnerable to having to deal properly with the incident, because of public perception of their image, and because whomever you complain to in the organisation is likely to have to perform their job to general standards. That means taking the complaint much more seriously, especially in bigger organisations.

Given that it still amazes me when I get no response from a company who is the subject of a complaint. Some of them clearly don't give a s**t.

 

[BentMikey]

Yeah, some don't seem to care at all. Most care enough to at least respond though, they don't like the painful public attention very much. At least half take responsible action against their driver, or so they claim.

 

[Tinuts]

Yeah, some don't seem to care at all. Most care enough to at least respond though, they don't like the painful public attention very much. At least half take responsible action against their driver, or so they claim.

Yes, I agree. I've definitely had some positive responses.

 

[Sh4rkyBloke]

You're not making your point very well for someone with a supposed IQ of 133.

Not supposed, confirmed.

How does one "confirm" ones IQ? I have an IQ of 151 on the Advanced IQ Test on Facebook... is this an accurate measure?

 

[Ashaman42]

What compels cam-wearers to attach the cam day-in day-out? I can understand it for a nice ride in the countryside. But filming the same commute twice every day?

I sure wish I'd had a camera for my daily commute when someone knocked me off on a roundabout and then ran a red light rather than see if I was ok.

Too startled to look at, let alone remember, his reg.

 

[dondare]

How does one "confirm" ones IQ?

Think of a number.

I have an IQ of 151 on the Advanced IQ Test on Facebook... is this an accurate measure?

 

[Sh4rkyBloke]

Think of a number.

Ok. Now what?

 

[dondare]

Ok. Now what?

That's it.

 

[magnatom]

You are not going to believe this but you can go and take an IQ test, have it marked and the result given to you - no really.

Oh, the temptation to go into detail about the practicalites, the usefulness and the limtations of IQ tests is very hard to resist.......

 

[magnatom]

Could say the same for your vids, ho hum.

You don't tend to hold back Lee, and I would't want it any other way.