I was hit by a car on Sunday. I won't disclose many details but I was headed homewards, heard a vehicle coming from behind, and started slowing intending to pull into a wider bit of the lane to allow the car to pass. A few seconds later I was flat on the road watching the car accelerating away.
What the driver was obviously too inattentive to realise is that I had a camera. The footage from that camera was given to the local Police force yesterday, and the RK of the vehicle will be getting a knock on the door in next few days.
Without that footage I'd be completely unable to do anything - in a court of law it would be one side against another and without the evidence of the video the driver would get away completely unpunished, and I'd be unable to claim a penny from his insurance.
The camera I had on the bike cost me less than £50, and it took less than 15 minutes to download the footage for the Police.
I was very lucky - largely unhurt apart from a bit of bruising to my knee, but if the worst had happened and I'd been severely injured or killed the footage from that camera would mean my wife and family had a chance of getting meaningful compensation from the driver.
So, if you're thinking about a camera, just go ahead and get one, and carry it whenever you're riding. One day it could make a big difference.
That's a bit close!
Oh **** It was more than close.