a1penguin

Did you have one of those Google Streetview car cams on your helmet? I can't imagine most drivers are paying close enough attention. If the camera is on your helmet it might be noticeable. But if the camera is on your bars, the only view a driver is going to get is in the rear view mirror.

Booger1

If the back of your shirt says SMILE YOUR ON CAMERA it might,otherwise how would they know?

ChrisM2097

By spotting the camera that's strapped to your helmet, maybe? A Go-Pro mounted on top of a helmet is pretty obvious. A side-mounted Contour is a little more subdued, but still noticeable at short distances.

mherke

I use a gopro mounted to my handlebar for the past few months. The only difference i've noticed is at stop lights, I haven't received any verbal abuse. In motion, I still get about the same amount of drivers cutting in front of me. And I do wear bright clothes and have a bright hubdynamo generated light. I use the camera mostly as a black box or if I see any thing unusual I want to capture on my commute.

AdamDZ

Precisely. However, when confronted and you point at the camera, they may be more likely to STFU and leave you alone as suddenly their anonymity disappears.

FenderTL5

I have a 808 #16 camera that I've been running on the handlebars. I made a mount and moved it to my helmet this morning.
I thought the recording was better from the handlebars. Maybe I move my head too much, but my constantly checking the cross streets, behind, rearview, etc was way too much movement for a coherent video.

Anyone else encounter a similar situation? How did you resolve it?

I-Like-To-Bike

Any evidence that this scenario, cycling "camera clip is accepted as evidence against them in a trial court", ever occurred anywhere but on Internet blogs?

smasha

for the OP, this guy quickly changed his behaviour, after i brought his attention to my helmet cam - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yYqK_yLOyvQ

by now, he probably received his "Police Roadwatch" letter in the mail reminding him to not use a phone while driving. i'd like to think he'll be more cautious... especially when he sees a bicyclist with a camera (or light!) mounted on their helmet

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2MO2U5KcFI

i showed up to court, we watched the video, the prosecutor and the plaintiff asked me some questions, and the plaintiff was found guilty. it wasn't too complicated.

that's the only time one of my videos resulted in someone fighting the charges. usually they just enter a guilty plea & pay the fine after they watch the video at the police station.

Ns1

I particularly like this video of yours:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o0Y3R...feature=relmfu

lungimsam

I don't think the sight of the camera will deter anyone mean enough to physically assault you.

They would just take your camera from you after pummelling you to the ground. If anything, maybe encourage them to beat you, then share the movie with their friends, and then have fun with camera until selling it for some cash.

That said, there are benefits. Like capturing tag #'s if needed, or images of others who don't get the camera from you. Also, recording breathtaking special moments on rides.

I do want to get one one day. Just for fun to watch some of the rides and moments.

I-Like-To-Bike

OK got it, you used your camera to take pictures of motorists' traffic violationsthat didn't affect you or any other cyclist. And at least one motorist in NZ had to pay for a ticket. Hardly seems like a rationale for cyclists to arm themselves with a camera for their own legal protection.

IMO your examples don't really answer the question about these cyclist videos being used to help out a cyclist involved in any accident related legal proceedings.

silmarillion

Okay, here's where we are going to just have to agree to disagree. You are carrying on about cyclists "arming" themselves, and trying to affix a twisty zing word to it as to imply that we cyclists need a reason or "rationale" to have them. Sounds like your trolling for a "You aren't violating my civil rights" angle.

What about the civil rights of people who are riding their bikes and some asshat comes along and kills or maims them..only to drive away? Who's side are you on here anyway?

Perhaps you aren't up on current events, but there have been cases where cyclists have been killed by hit and run drivers, and the perpetrators have never been brought to justice...Why, because there was no witness. However, there have been successful prosecutions due to data collected by cameras the cyclists have had either on their cell phones or a mounted camera.

https://autos.aol.com/article/video-b...-run-accident/

https://abcnews.go.com/WNT/video/hit-...ts-us-16240298

Like the reporter says, it puts these jerks on notice. If the aggressive driver thinks they may end up being videoed, the more likely they will avoid confrontation by being a little more careful.

In my book, that makes every penny I spend on cameras worth it.

Let's face it, we are living in a technology age where we are being videoed all the time. It's no secret to the public that cameras are everywhere. I don't like it anymore than you do, but sometimes we face losing some civil liberties when it comes to protecting the public. Cameras are here to stay, and they're only going to get better.

Well maybe not to your liking, but you gonna sit there and try to tell me that if someone has a camera and they are seriously hurt or killed by a hit and runner that the police will not use any information they can obtain from a camera they may have on them?

My only regret is that there isn't a better option out there...Smaller remote lenses that can feed into a main unit. I know they are available.

Wouldn't surprise me a bit in a few years if you could buy a bike with cameras already integrated into the bike.

You will probably have one (a camera) yourself one day if you don't already.

chefisaac

I would have to agree with the above. Only 14% of all S. Jersey and Philly's hit and run folks are caught. We have the highest rate of hit and runs here.

smasha

in a few years, cameras will be standard equipment on cars. they're already ubiquitous on fleet vehicles (trucks, buses, etc). the only unknowns are how much video will be stored prior to impact, and if the vehicle owner will have any access to the video without police or insurance company assistance.

ronfinch

I will hit the helmet-cam traffic violation reporting mother-lode on the day they ban smoking in cars here in the UK. It is going to be a very enjoyable day indeed.

jdoff

I use an 808 #16 with 120-degree lens velcro'd to the top of my helmet. Yes, it can be nauseating to watch when I've been looking around a lot, but I remind myself that the footage is for "just in case" not quality videography.

How are you liking the 808 #16? I'm very happy with mine and am thinking about adding a second rear-facing one. Can't go too wrong for $43.

sudo bike

I wouldn't think most drivers would notice, honestly. The only time I might see it changing behavior, probably for the better but possibly for the worst, is during an altercation. That's the only time I could really see them spotting the camera. I'd think most people, in today's litigious atmosphere, would probably be wary around a camera, but there are those weird people who might freak out that you're recording them. $.02.

I-Like-To-Bike

I don't know why it is so difficult to understand my skepticism (which has nothing to do with civil rights about camera use) about claims of "successful prosecutions due to data collected by cameras the cyclists have had either on their cell phones or a mounted camera", rest on one or two examples of an arrest in a foreign country or two.

Civil rights for the photographed party might come up in any trial case where visual evidence is provided by an interested party, that has a real possibility of being edited/modified in unknown fashion by the same interested party prior to being furnished.

BTW, your links didn't work on my computer. What was the bottom line result of the video evidence furnished?

I am on the side of cycling without paranoia; and without cycling advocacy being brought down by incessant fearmongering.

dynodonn 

While motorists are driving at speed, you would be correct. While I'm stopped at a signal light or stop sign, motorists seem to be very savvy at spotting a camera lens pointing back at them, and from my personal experiences, my incidents with motorists at signal lights/stop signs dropped dramatically after installing video cameras on my bike.

I-Like-To-Bike

No doubt next to follow will be cycling watchdogs using their cameras for reporting "abuse" on every parent accompanying children who don't behave or cycle IAW the watchdog's personal "safety rules" for the street, MUP or sidewalk. Just think of the good these always prepared amateur sleuths will do reporting all the alleged violaters in the act.

sudo bike

What sort of incidents would you have at a light besides altercations, which I mentioned?

silmarillion

Sorry the links didn't work...
Essentially, this was the case in Cali, where the guy was prosecuted because of the evidence on video.

The perp tried to deny it, claiming that his car had been stolen
Which supports the position you speak of.

I can respect your position, and I'll even agree that cameras are not flawless.
In Georgia, publicly aquired video can be used in court, but it has to be professionally authenticated.

I also do not care to fear-monger...I just want to video my rides for fun.

Like the other poster said, it could be used as a tool to prevent me from shouldering a loss through no fault of my own.

I-Like-To-Bike

We are on the same page on this subject. I wish I had video of my commute in and out of Heidelberg, Germany. I enjoyed it for five years and I wouldn't mind reminiscing about how good it can be.

I find offensive the fear mongering encouraged by posters/Drama Queens that exaggerate their fear of hit and runner drivers leaving cyclists strewn about the highways and byways [What about the civil rights of people who are riding their bikes and some asshat comes along and kills or maims them..only to drive away? Who's side are you on here anyway?] necessitating the need for cameras for cyclists to protect themselves from these ever present driving marauders.

dynodonn 

Verbal abuse/name calling, and pulling up to within inches of my back fender as a form of intimidation. Again, just my personal experience, since these types of incidents dropped dramatically after installing the cameras.

I-Like-To-Bike

If in your experience, the sight of a camera makes people behave better, so be it.

Considering the humongous number of Fail videos, and compilations of same on YouTube, I suspect that there is quite a large number of people who will act out/act like idiots when they know/suspect their foolish behavior will be recorded; and better yet if it might be shown on YouTube.