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collecting video evidence as you ride

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collecting video evidence as you ride

Old 12-13-13, 11:45 PM
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Originally Posted by jon c.
If everyone on the road had a camera and reported every incident of dangerous driving, and if we actually expected police to act on these, how much larger would our police departments need to be?
an interesting thought experiment...

if points were issued for all of those moving violations, how much safer would our roads be? how long would it take before enough people lost their licenses (or changed their behaviour) that the police depts could shrink back down, maybe even allocating less resources to traffic safety than they currently do?
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Old 12-14-13, 12:57 AM
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the thought of that sort of police state on a path to some idealized society where all humans have been conditioned to act "properly" rather frightens me.
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Old 12-14-13, 09:05 AM
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Originally Posted by smasha
an interesting thought experiment...

if points were issued for all of those moving violations, how much safer would our roads be? how long would it take before enough people lost their licenses (or changed their behaviour) that the police depts could shrink back down, maybe even allocating less resources to traffic safety than they currently do?

My personal thought in what would make more motorists here in the US drive safer, is if the fault a collision would automatically default to the larger vehicle, unless it could be proven otherwise.
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Old 12-14-13, 11:05 AM
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how long would it take before enough people lost their licenses (or changed their behaviour)
Minutes. People violate the laws several times a minute -- they fail to signal turns, don't come to a complete stop at stop signs, they exceed the speed limit by small amounts, etc.

That said, our current moving violation penalty structure is based on the premise that only a tiny fraction of violations will be penalized. If that tiny fraction was bumped up to 100%, the penalties should be greatly reduced -- you sped? $5 fine. That light turned red right before you got there? $5 fine. Rolled through a stop sign at 1 mph? $5 fine. And you'd need to get dozens before you lost your license rather than the current three or four per year (depends on your state. Texas doesn't automatically take away licenses at all for typical moving violations any more, no matter how many, but it does start hitting you with increased fines from the "Driver's Responsibility Program", quite the cash grab.)

100% enforcement would drive the privacy advocates absolutely mad (as whatever system that enforced it would have to watch 24/7), but it would make the roads a much safer place. And any time there was a collision, the system would be able to say who was to blame.

Penalties would probably be small, but bad drivers (or riders) would be unable to afford their past habits, and would clean up their act quickly. (I guess the wealthy might have to be charged more, like they do in Europe?)

Of course, the privacy angle of this is horrible, as it would require constant surveillance. Computer controlled surveillance -- it would require too many people watching cameras to do -- but it would still be constant surveillance. I imagine that this is where society is headed, but it's not coming quickly.
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Old 12-14-13, 11:24 AM
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Originally Posted by cderalow
I wouldnt disagree with that assessment. I'm sure they're less likely to respond to complaints in Takoma Park or parts of Rockville, but I know it took several years of complaining about the parking at the local high school to get any sort of action.
The only time I have truly been able to get any 'action' from 'authorities', is when, while calling about something related to biking on the road, I sort of place myself in the position of motorist(no I not leading up to 'taking the lane'), as to how, something could also affect motorists' adversely. So, The 'authorities' can't marginalize what I would be calling about.
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Old 12-14-13, 11:33 AM
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Originally Posted by jon c.
If everyone on the road had a camera and reported every incident of dangerous driving, and if we actually expected police to act on these, how much larger would our police departments need to be?
Yes, True. At the same time, as I have mentioned before, police take a 'dangerous driver' report more seriously, when it is coming from another motorist. Than they do, when it is coming from a cyclist. Even with video evidence.
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Old 12-14-13, 11:39 AM
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Originally Posted by Chris516
Yes, True. At the same time, as I have mentioned before, police take a 'dangerous driver' report more seriously, when it is coming from another motorist. Than they do, when it is coming from a cyclist. Even with video evidence.
..... why I never start off with my report in that I was riding a bicycle, and only divulging that information if the dispatcher happens to ask.
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Old 12-14-13, 12:27 PM
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Nice discussion!

Minor update from me. I've ridden most of this past week with the camera on. I tried to get into a routine of having it, collecting the video daily, putting into my computer and reviewing it. In looking at my own riding, I didn't have very many surprises, though I did clean up my act in a couple of places, so as to remain a squeaky clean model of bicycling behavior. I was concerned that the thought of having the camera on would be with me every step of the way, but for the most part, I don't think about it and am able to ride normally without worry.

I did capture one or two situations that might be reportable, but nothing too egregious yet. One situation that unraveled right before my eyes was when a car went into the oncoming lane (and fast) and headed right at me in order to bypass a line of cars waiting at the light. Unfortunately, I did not get it on video, which brings me to my main update:

With the temperatures persistently low, I discovered that my camera does not like to run cold. When I first get out of the building and get on the bike and everything is still warm, the video is working normally. But when things get cold, the camera develops a tendency to shut off by itself. I've spoken with a friend with better insight into electronics than I and he thinks it's probably a poorly designed voltage regulator -- a common trait of cheap gadgets. I may play around with different types of batteries and ways to thermally insulate the device and decide what I want to do ultimately. Perhaps I just suck it up through the winter with inconsistent video. Or maybe I'll find a way to make it work.

Last edited by seafood; 12-14-13 at 12:29 PM. Reason: spelling and grammar
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Old 12-14-13, 01:39 PM
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Originally Posted by dynodonn
..... why I never start off with my report in that I was riding a bicycle, and only divulging that information if the dispatcher happens to ask.
While in specific(bike only), I agree. I mention that I am a cyclist and the traffic code pursuant to cyclists'. Then mention how a particular situation could also affect motorists'. But that is in reference to DPW calls.

Law enforcement is a different matter. I don't call law enforcement about a close pass, or dangerous driver. Because, cderalow lives in the more affluent section of the county, that is only patrolled by the county and state police. I live in a section of the county that is middle-class, and is patrolled not only by the county and the state. It is also patrolled by the city police too. So the income level of a given region also plays into it. The major mall near my house, and the neighborhood I lived in not far from the mall when I was married twenty years ago, have sort of become a hub of criminal activity. So regional socioeconomic status makes a difference about whether the law will care or not.
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Old 12-14-13, 01:44 PM
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Originally Posted by seafood
Nice discussion!

Minor update from me. I've ridden most of this past week with the camera on. I tried to get into a routine of having it, collecting the video daily, putting into my computer and reviewing it. In looking at my own riding, I didn't have very many surprises, though I did clean up my act in a couple of places, so as to remain a squeaky clean model of bicycling behavior. I was concerned that the thought of having the camera on would be with me every step of the way, but for the most part, I don't think about it and am able to ride normally without worry.

I did capture one or two situations that might be reportable, but nothing too egregious yet. One situation that unraveled right before my eyes was when a car went into the oncoming lane (and fast) and headed right at me in order to bypass a line of cars waiting at the light. Unfortunately, I did not get it on video, which brings me to my main update:

With the temperatures persistently low, I discovered that my camera does not like to run cold. When I first get out of the building and get on the bike and everything is still warm, the video is working normally. But when things get cold, the camera develops a tendency to shut off by itself. I've spoken with a friend with better insight into electronics than I and he thinks it's probably a poorly designed voltage regulator -- a common trait of cheap gadgets. I may play around with different types of batteries and ways to thermally insulate the device and decide what I want to do ultimately. Perhaps I just suck it up through the winter with inconsistent video. Or maybe I'll find a way to make it work.
Which camera? GoPro just says the cold affects battery life. Contour says 5-104 degrees.
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Old 12-14-13, 01:51 PM
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Originally Posted by Chris516

I don't call law enforcement about a close pass, or dangerous driver.
I'm the opposite in this matter, since that my locale has a seriously high collision rate, law enforcement is more receptive to these types of reports, and I feel much more so if one does not mention what mode of travel that is being used, due to the autocentric thinking that I feel our local law enforcement has.
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Old 12-14-13, 01:51 PM
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Originally Posted by Chris516
Which camera? GoPro just says the cold affects battery life. Contour says 5-104 degrees.
I am using something called "Action Cam" -- some weird non-brand brand item that seemed to have decent specs for about $40. I can't seem to find it for sale online anymore. I wanted to try something inexpensive as I dipped my toe into these waters.

The problem does not seem to be battery life, but effective voltage to the camera circuitry. When batteries are cold, they provide less juice and it's up to the voltage regulator to keep it within operational range.
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Old 12-14-13, 03:10 PM
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Slight aside.
It might be interesting to see what the Lane Controlling vs FRAP breakdown is in respect to actually riding with a camera for evidence.
No it wouldn't tell us which was safer-but it might indicate which group feels most threatened-LC or FRAP.
It MIGHT indicate which group has the most "car encounters"
If FRAP is safer why are FRAPPERS dragging around cameras-same token if LC makes you safer,why the camera??

I would love to get some actual LC vs FRAP same direction "hit by car' numbers-to settle the LC vs FRAP interminable argument we love.
But these numbers might tell us something.
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Old 12-14-13, 03:47 PM
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Originally Posted by phoebeisis
Slight aside.
It might be interesting to see what the Lane Controlling vs FRAP breakdown is in respect to actually riding with a camera for evidence.
No it wouldn't tell us which was safer-but it might indicate which group feels most threatened-LC or FRAP.
It MIGHT indicate which group has the most "car encounters"
If FRAP is safer why are FRAPPERS dragging around cameras-same token if LC makes you safer,why the camera??

I would love to get some actual LC vs FRAP same direction "hit by car' numbers-to settle the LC vs FRAP interminable argument we love.
But these numbers might tell us something.
You have to be careful around correlation and causation and also perception. For example, during World War 2, there was a poll of the American troops to see which populations felt greatest dangers, among other questions. The group that reported highest levels of distress and fear for their life were ground troops, while the lowest levels were reported by bomber pilots. As it happens, those groups were on polar opposites of actual fatality rates with the pilots being most likely to die and ground troops least likely. This is commonly interpreted to be due to the perceived threat of death, of which the individual has no control (ground troops usually died in aerial bombings, while the pilots had a pretty good sense of when they were in danger (on missions) and when they were not).

If we tried to infer that one type of bicycle commuter chooses to use cameras as a symptom of perceived danger, this may or may not be true in the first place (we'd have to control for lots of other factors) and furthermore it may or may not actually indicate higher rates of incidents of injuries.
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Old 12-15-13, 06:11 AM
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Originally Posted by phoebeisis
Slight aside.
It might be interesting to see what the Lane Controlling vs FRAP breakdown is in respect to actually riding with a camera for evidence.
No it wouldn't tell us which was safer-but it might indicate which group feels most threatened-LC or FRAP.
It MIGHT indicate which group has the most "car encounters"
If FRAP is safer why are FRAPPERS dragging around cameras-same token if LC makes you safer,why the camera??

I would love to get some actual LC vs FRAP same direction "hit by car' numbers-to settle the LC vs FRAP interminable argument we love.
But these numbers might tell us something.
as mentioned previously, there are a lot of variables. having noted that, reviewing my own footage (front, rear, helmet) has pretty much validated just about everything on the LC side of the argument.

sure, there's still the occasional dip**** that doesn't know how to share, but FTMP a more VC style of riding does prevent a huge amount of the close-passes that were inadvertently invited by a meek lane position.

it's give and take. when i'm in front, i lead with confidence and most people "get it". when it's suitable to let others pass, i move over and (usually) wave them ahead.

short answer... when i learned how to take the lane with confidence, close passes dropped significantly. you won't need cameras to test it yourself, but a mirror does help.
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Old 12-15-13, 07:35 AM
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Originally Posted by smasha
as mentioned previously, there are a lot of variables. having noted that, reviewing my own footage (front, rear, helmet) has pretty much validated just about everything on the LC side of the argument.

sure, there's still the occasional dip**** that doesn't know how to share, but FTMP a more VC style of riding does prevent a huge amount of the close-passes that were inadvertently invited by a meek lane position.

it's give and take. when i'm in front, i lead with confidence and most people "get it". when it's suitable to let others pass, i move over and (usually) wave them ahead.

short answer... when i learned how to take the lane with confidence, close passes dropped significantly. you won't need cameras to test it yourself, but a mirror does help.
The "close passes dropping" with LC- I don't doubt. I'm just not convinced fewer close passes is a good marker for "less likely to be hit"
Closes passes are delivered by alert drivers-probably not the ones who deliver the actual "hits".
Sure would be nice if someone would collect actual same direction hits.

Last edited by phoebeisis; 12-15-13 at 07:40 AM.
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Old 12-16-13, 02:44 AM
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Originally Posted by phoebeisis
The "close passes dropping" with LC- I don't doubt. I'm just not convinced fewer close passes is a good marker for "less likely to be hit"
Closes passes are delivered by alert drivers-probably not the ones who deliver the actual "hits".
Sure would be nice if someone would collect actual same direction hits.
right... i recall reading about that... basically, there's too many variables. in some situations, a more VC approach is better/safer, in other situations a more FRAP (or FLAP, here in NZ) approach is safer.

part of it is also accounting for different crash types. rear-end crashes may be more common among VCers, but they tend to be outnumbered by intersection crashes (including driveways) which are likely to be avoided by a more VC style.
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Old 12-16-13, 05:25 AM
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Smasha
Right-it would border on impossible to get good clean numbers -and the crashers-rarely agree whose fault it is.
London is said to be "fully videoed"?
Perhaps "one day" someone will park themselves in front of a bank of monitors which watch some heavily biked streets-and see what happens for several knees.

Besides if the numbers favored LC I and others would IMMEDIATELY insist they were biased-not controlled for experience- reasonably assuming LCers were more experienced.
Guess it won't happen
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Old 12-30-13, 03:31 PM
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Minor update.

I finished up the year with about a full week's worth of commute videos. I have not had any serious cause for pursuing complaints so far of those caught on video. I continue having problems with battery life. This is no doubt exacerbated by the cold weather, but I am now wondering about the overall costs of running a camera 100% of the time. I will keep an eye out for battery longevity as the temperatures change, but I also wanted to pose the question to those reading, who have some experience with different types of helmet or handlebar cameras:

What is your battery life like?

At this point, I have had a few reportable situations and one life-flashing-before-my-eyes kind of moment, which I would have loved to report, but alas the camera was out of juice and captured none of those.

Happy New Year, everyone!
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Old 12-30-13, 05:13 PM
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@seafood - with the gopros, my experience is reasonably close to published specs of battery life, but it rarely gets colder than 5-10ºC, here.

some ideas...
* spare batteries, swap as needed
* if you're commuting to work, re-charge at work
* keep the batteries at room-temperature prior to use
* keep spare batteries in inner-pockets, so they stay warm
* if you're using really cheap cameras, just get extra cameras, and keep them warm until the "a" cameras go flat
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Old 12-31-13, 02:24 AM
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Originally Posted by seafood
Minor update.

I finished up the year with about a full week's worth of commute videos. I have not had any serious cause for pursuing complaints so far of those caught on video. I continue having problems with battery life. This is no doubt exacerbated by the cold weather, but I am now wondering about the overall costs of running a camera 100% of the time. I will keep an eye out for battery longevity as the temperatures change, but I also wanted to pose the question to those reading, who have some experience with different types of helmet or handlebar cameras:

What is your battery life like?

At this point, I have had a few reportable situations and one life-flashing-before-my-eyes kind of moment, which I would have loved to report, but alas the camera was out of juice and captured none of those.

Happy New Year, everyone!
My experiences with Go Pro cameras....

2nd edition go pro hero with standard battery...... 2 hours and 45 minutes of continuous recording

Go Pro 3 Black edition with standard battery .........1 hour and 5 minutes

Go pro 3 Black with additional bacpac battery..........2 hours and 10 minutes

If I am using my go pro for simply documenting my ordinary ride I will use my older version because the battery lasts longer and the camera is more reliable.

However, if I am doing something specific or special that I want best quality I will use my black edition 3 as the image quality if far superior to the older versions. If I ride at night I always use the black edition because its low light performance is WAY better than older versions.

Sadly, battery life is terrible on the newer models but rumor mill is saying go pro will be coming out with an improved battery soon.......
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Old 12-31-13, 08:17 AM
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I've had serious battery life issues in the past. The GoPro isn't great, but it's not bad. I got about 75 minutes on the stock battery, 90 on the cheap Chinese $4 batteries that I bought. This was a Hero3 white.

The RD32II had about 75 minutes of life at first, but the batteries in it go downhill fast and they're soldered in. So the RD32II was a bad move though it's not a bad camera for what it is. However for about the same money you can get the SVC200.

I'm currently running a TCL SVC200, which is a $135 ebay camera and I like it better than any other camera I've had. It takes standard Nokia cell phone batteries that you can buy for < $5 each, and gets > 2 hours per charge.

I run whenever it's not pitch black out. It's not that big of a deal to just bring my helmet in at work and plug the USB in to the camera in the morning. With it set on loop recording, that's all I need to do, just that and turn it on and off at the beginning and end of the ride. I don't bother emptying the card or getting anything out of it unless something happens.
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Old 12-31-13, 12:35 PM
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Originally Posted by Nikon Rep
My experiences with Go Pro cameras....

2nd edition go pro hero with standard battery...... 2 hours and 45 minutes of continuous recording
Wow, that's better than I get -- I tend to get about two hours with my GoPro 2.

In any event, if battery life is the chief problem, that's not difficult to fix. You either buy their case with holes that expose the USB plug or drill your own, and get a mini USB cable and a 5v voltage regulator or DC to DC converter that emits 5 volts and use that to provide 5 volts to the USB plug, and power it with pretty much anything that can provide six or more volts -- five AAs, a 2s lipo battery of some sort, etc. (I don't know how well 4 AA's without a voltage regulator would work. I'd be reluctant to try it.)

For example, this video I made with my GoPro 2 covers twelve hours of periodic pictures. No way would the battery last that long on its own, but by giving it external power it was easy.
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Old 01-01-14, 05:26 PM
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Interesting feedback, thanks folks. In my case, the camera takes 4 AA batteries and tends to get enough of a voltage drop after less than an hour of col temperature recording to begin cutting out. The cost of these non-rechargeable batteries is adding up quickly, so I'm looking at alternatives, which seem to be:

  1. acquire a camera or batteries such that recharging is an options
  2. modify current setup to allow for an external longer lasting (preferably rechargeable) battery


I kinda like option 2 better, since it's more interesting , but practically speaking, option 1 might materialize first. We'll see
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Old 04-16-15, 06:46 PM
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I believe a helmet cam is a great idea for every cyclist in NYC. God save but in case of an accident you'll always have a doubtless proof. That would definitely help seeking justice!
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