Bekologist

a recent related thread got me thinking about the debatable merits of helmet cameras and other video cameras as a bicycle safety tool.

Some thoughts on the questionable merits of videotaping while riding.


Bicycling with a helmet camera in traffic might induce a type of gladiator syndrome in certain types of cyclists.

For some riders, video cameras may lead to aggravated interactions that become counterproductive to enhancing their personal safety.

I'm thinking of the bicyclist - discussed and even posts here himself - that videotapes himself yelling "Hey!" at almost every vehicle passing him with a camera positioned preventing him from using the drops on his road bike.

Cameras may ostensibly be a bicyclists safety tool but their efficacy at this is debatable.

Cameras are neither tools nor techniques to mitigate traffic hazards.

degnaw

I wouldn't consider them safety tools per se - Maybe an insurance tool, or a means of getting "revenge" without confrontation.

Mithrandir

I don't think anyone thinks a camera will directly make them safer. I don't see how, unless some rager cager sees a helmet cam and decides not to run over a bicyclist. But I would argue that's a minority of cases. They indirectly increase safety in that they introduce accountability. It seems there's a large number of hit and run incidents out there where the perpetrator seems to think it's ok to get away with it, or those incidents where they aren't even aware that they just hit someone. In those cases, showing the video to the authorities will allow proper punishments to be carried out, thus either removing or educating the problem drivers, and making cycling, on the whole, safer for everyone.

dynodonn 

Minus the revenge part, the last time I tried to physically write down an offending motorist's license number, it ended up with the motorist getting out their vehicle, going into a long winded tirade, and ransacking my panniers looking for my personal ID.

SBRDude

I have no idea why a video camera would make anyone safer, or why anyone would think so.

buzzman

I think you make a valid point about helmet cams.

In a sense once you turn a camera on every one turns into an "actor" and might be inclined to "perform". If someone puts a camera on their helmet it's like carrying a gun- they can get obsessed looking for the first opportunity to use it- after all, if you spent the money and took the time to put it up there you better have a good reason.

However, I've been harassed by motorists countless times over the past 40 years of riding and never had a camera on my head but often wished I did to give proof to my experiences. The incident in DC that I believe was your impetus for this thread seems pretty straightforward- the rider had every right to be where he was on the roadway, the driver was aggressive and acted dangerously, illegally, had plenty of passing room and the only thing that "slowed him down" was his need to "school" the bicyclist. I suppose we could question the cyclist's response time to the aggressive driver and suggest he move away quicker but I think it's hardly a "fault" and certainly does absolutely nothing to mitigate the actions of the driver.

And, IMO, it is the driver's actions that should bear the greater scrutiny. If cyclists are riding about with cameras on their heads and, in some cases, "baiting" aggressive drivers it still doesn't make that kind of aggressive driving excusable.

Might be worth it to get a little "fake" camera on my helmet to intimidate drivers.

Bekologist

I believe they may make some people less safe.

Regardless, its unfortunate riders are feeling the need to turn to video taping their rides for diffuse evidence gathering -

That bicyclists across the country are now riding with oft times mutiple videocameras to record motorist transgressions and agressions is indicative of widespread American transportation dysfunctionality.

aggressive driving is by no means excusable.

alhedges

I am happy that helmet cams have become more popular, although I think Bek is probably right that *some* bikers may engage in risky behavior because of the cameras.

But I do think it's an important tool to use against dangerous and aggressive drivers, even though it may only help after the fact. Otherwise, you basically have no remedy.

benjdm

You don't think it's more likely he only yells 'Hey!' at 1% of the vehicles and posts 100% of those passes?

genec

As long as traffic crashes come down to a "he said, she said" situation and "the system" tends to weigh heavily in the favor of motorists, I think the best reason to have a helmet cam is to protect yourself "after the fact" with some sort of record.

prathmann

I'm certainly in favor of cyclists using video cameras on their rides. The more cases that get publicized where a hit&run driver is caught or a motorist is cited as a result of video evidence the more people will start to think twice before leaving after a crash or using their car to intimidate cyclists on the road. I'm convinced that most harassment of cyclists would end if motorists didn't feel so anonymous and invulnerable.

Even cellphones have been a help in that regard. Just reaching for my phone and making it clear that I'm starting to place a call has made motorists stop their harassment and hightail it out of there.

buzzman

Yep. Sad but true.

sggoodri

I'm 100% in favor of other cyclists using cameras on their bikes, but personally, I wouldn't want to be bothered with it. It's not just mounting the camera and changing batteries - I don't even want to be bothered with pressing a button before and after each ride. I don't get on the bike expecting harassment - I almost never experience a negative experience worth recording and sharing, certainly less than once a year - so I can't imagine doing so much work to plan ahead for it. Putting on a helmet is as far as I'll go.

I own a sport camera designed for bike and helmet mounting, but I haven't used it yet. It was a gift; hypothetical purposes for it would be to record my kids cycling with me, or maybe to show an interesting route, or maybe to shoot educational videos about traffic cycling. But I don't need another thing to fiddle with.

Maybe when automated solid-state-recording cameras are integrated into vehicles for insurance discounts, I'll do that for my car.

FYI: I actually develop video forensics technology for law enforcement applications. Video evidence is great to have when something happens. But at what economic and mental cost is it acquired?

noisebeam

I used one for a couple years for my commutes. I found I enjoyed cycling better without one.

dynodonn 

I really like my cameras, now motorists that I encounter have little chance in using their higher speeds to get away with acts of intimidation or bad driving habits.

I have other uses for my cameras other than reporting aggressive motorists, such as pinpointing sections of my commute that might need attention by our local DOT or chronicling changes along my commute travel over time.

Any time I want to check out a certain section of road that I may have traveled, a couple of clicks with the mouse, and I'm reviewing it.

Bob N.

Winner. Cameras seem to be the only way of catching and punishing these drivers. How else can that happen?

shawmutt

Sorry, but that's not the best analogy. One of the benefits of moving to PA was being able to get my carry license, and I have yet to pull a Dirty Harry--punk

To the topic, it doesn't make anyone safer, but when it comes down to my word vs. someone else's, the more evidence the better.

CB HI

Bek, didn't you start pretty much the same thread sometime ago when the other cyclist video made the forums?

CB HI

Besides, I had a JAM harassing me once. I braked and let him get ahead. So he turned down a side road, U turned and was headed back towards me. I got up on the pedestrian island to wait and prevent him from getting behind me again. He stops, starts giving me ****, I pointed to the video recorder and said “it is all on video”. His jaw dropped and he silently drove away to never be seen again.

I forgot to tell him that the battery had already ran out on the video.

Chris516

Safety tool- Yes, But not directly. They give 'armor' to a cyclist when addressing a given situation with LE.

Mitigating traffic hazards- Yes, But again, not directly. They may not have an affect on motorized vehicular directly. But they may have an 'after the fact' affect, not just on the upkeep of bike/ped trails, but also on laws on the state, county and city level.

degnaw

I thought of a way they make me safer - When I have a witness on my head, I'm more inclined to follow traffic laws.

CB HI

You mean it is not a good idea to get hit running a red light while video taping the whole thing.

As I recall, some cops have learned the same lessons with their dash cams.

noisebeam

Helmet mounted cams definitely change the dynamic of an interaction as one has to continuously make the decision on where to point the camera.

gbiker

Ppl with top-mounted helmet cams look like tools.

Digital_Cowboy

And IIRC wasn't it largely video shot on cell phones that cleared a cyclist in NYC of any wrong doing when a wet behind the ears rookie tried to paint him as some sort of "home grown terrorist" claiming that the cyclist had rode his bike at said rookie cop?

That video footage blew said rookie cop's statements and official report out of the water leading to either the firing or resignation of said rookie cop and all charges against the cyclist being dropped?