bamboobike4

Savvy riders, most.

1989Pre

No "computers", either.

Bianchigirll 

I want to get a body camera for work and thought ti might be fun to shoot riding videos as well. Personally I think it is a sad comment on our society that we need to have rear facing camera on our bicycles to protect us for drivers and lawsuits.

merziac

Agreed, yet here we are and make no mistake, they can make a big difference when it all goes horribly wrong.

merziac

Guess I'm in the minority here, so be it, my people will have more evidence to use and rely on for a far better outcome.

Digger Goreman

If they were reliable and cheap, would love to....

merziac

"reliable and cheap", pick one.

Many of us spend 100's and 1000's on our bikes, the cost < potential reward could be invaluable and thereby a drop in the bucket when it goes south.

Whole heartedly agree on the cost aspect but think they could be worth it, I have the latest Cycliq's that were a pretty good deal preordered as a bundle.

Also have older versions, none were cheap but again feel they are worth it in the end.

bamboobike4

I agree.

Otto Rax was hit at a roundabout. Lady gave him her info, admitted fault, but only for a few hours, then denied it ever happened. Broken arm, no health coverage at a critical time in his life.

The law enforcement environment is moving towards “no citations” because of force reductions and defunding. They clear the scene and get traffic flowing, the chips fall where they may. Officers spend less time writing reports and going to court, both traffic and civil.

The only recourse is getting to be in civil court, and you present your own evidence. You stay off of social media about it, let a mouthpiece handle it. Opens up more cans of worms.

3 years ago, no lights, zip.

Now, running front/rear lights, camera on my sunglasses.

Switching over to Cycliq, front and rear video.
(I like their sync’d brake lights, anyway.)
Wish I didn’t feel the need, but self-defense won’t hold up.
Yet.

tyrion

I use an 8x10 Deardorff.




Hard to focus when riding, but with practice you get the hang of it.

seypat

Did not see many on the ride today. Over 700 riders. Not many Varias either.

old's'cool

I use a rear facing sport camera when commuting (on my C&V commuting bikes), to make a movie of the car that kills me.

merziac

And yet the new $400 radar/camera/tailight version is flying off the shelves.

Wishing I hadn't recently sprung for the new Cycliq although the rear was pretty cheap, could spring for one but $400 to add radar is a bit too much.

And speaking of radar, a rear view mirror seams to work just fine for keeping an eye on the miscreants in the back, anyone coming in hot or doing it on purpose isn't going to be thwarted by either one.

bamboobike4

Taking “car back” for granted has been my MO.
I figured a 1-second notice of impact with a mirror was just 1 second less of contentment on this earth.

I bought my +1 the radar, but it just clutters the Garmin screen, was annoying, and produced tension unneeded.

A recent spate of cars hitting cyclists had me look into motorcyclists’ latest gadgets, and yep, they’re all over the cameras.

I’ll get my partner the front/rear bundle, and see what shakes out.

I’m not sure that will deter cars, but it helps with the consequences.

albrt 

I am not a fan of surveillance in general, but I am thinking of getting a cam to document the internal refugee crisis in the U.S. Economic refugee encampments that I ride by every day in Phoenix are unbelievable.

seypat

That's the issue. It might give you peace of mind, but does it really make you safer? There's a couple of threads going on the new Varia unit in Road and Electronics subforums.

jon c. 

Haven't felt the need.

But I ride mostly lower traffic roads with friendly drivers.

seypat

The question I keep asking myself is: How is it going to make me safer. I'm still going to have to look over my shoulder or into a mirror. How is it going to make me safer when I'm already riding the white line and holding my line? I already take 3 right turns instead of a left if I have the chance. It might help if I have to make a left turn.

Spaghetti Legs 

I typically ride front and rear cameras, Cycliq, although they are both aged now with pretty short battery life. I recently replaced the rear Fly 6 with an Amazon knock off that worked great but on my first real long ride with it, I hit a hard bump at high speed and it bounced off my seat post and into the Meechum River. No fault of the camera as I had used a Garmin quick release mount to easily switch between bikes and it wasn’t up to the task.

Short term, for the most part, a camera won’t make me safer but I use them so my wife and the police know who to look for if they scrape me off the road one day. They can also help long term keep the road safer. I was once nearly run over by a kid pulling out of the driveway , so I mailed a still of the car and license plate to the address to let the resident know how their kid or employee was driving. Just recently I got intentionally buzzed by a kid driving a large pickup going 20+ mph over the speed limit. My hand reflexively shot up, may have flipped him the bird. He skid to a stop, high speed reverse back to me. He got out of the truck and got in my face screaming obscenities for 30 seconds straight. Unfortunately my old camera had died (I was aware as it gives loud beeps) so I got my phone out and took pics before putting it back in my pocket to defend myself. I sent pics to the county police and they seemed responsive but a video would have been much more helpful. It also would have helped identify witnesses as there was a poor lady and her child in another car who had to watch the whole thing because the road was blocked.

seypat

I guess I need to get up to date for the family's financial well being. I don't care for all the crap hanging from the handlebars, though. Still waiting for the bike computer/display that mounts to my helmet like a mirror. Maybe one that sits out in front of the brim of the cap/helmet that reads from side to side instead of top to bottom.

seypat

Good seeing you yesterday. How'd you make out on the ride? I skipped the mountain. I hit the first SAG, then the 45 loop to the 61 SAG. 100 route the rest of the way. Had to do a 4-5 mile loop at the end of the 100 route to get 75 miles total. Really struggled once it got hot. The legs were still cramping when I got back to Richmond.

Spaghetti Legs 

Likewise, good to see you and catch up. I struggled yesterday. I started cramping on the big climb even though I was cramming salt and fluids in. I’ve done that climb a hundred times and first time I’ve ever cramped. It was really bad on that little climb after the downhill to Peaks of Otter. I rested up at that bathroom at Peaks of Otter and managed to have a lot of fun on the descent (51 mph max) and ride slow and steady for 75. A friend of mine who lives in Lynchburg did the 100 plus a 50 mile “warmup” in the AM before.

seypat

It was approaching HotterNHell conditions. The difference is at HNH there is no shade on the routes and no descending to cool down on. Still was hot in the shade. I was soaking my Halo skull cap with cold water at the SAGs. That seem to help. Lot of cramping going on in the peloton.

bamboobike4

I don't think anyone claims they make you safer, other than the ads.
They may make things easier for you or your survivors in the aftermath.
Someone has to pay that tuition.....

In an era where there is less and less personal accountability for anything, this can help determine same.
Perhaps.

I've had instances like Spaghetti Legs, heard the obscenities, and just put the bike down and said "well, then, let's go."
So far, when walking back to me, the driver either has realized he's the aggressor and had 2nd thoughts, or saw the spandex and started laughing.
It's what I tell myself, anyway. My only advice is to not try that, but if you do, take your cleats off first.

merziac

Likely not, as alluded to above the radar was an annoying distraction, therefore a liability for false sense of security in actuality. I think you're right, no substitute for "head on a swivel".

seypat

BITD, I might have been guilty of pulling a few out of the car window and opening up a can of WA.............I can't recall now. If you are quick enough, you can get a handful of hair and get the head out while the body is pinned inside of the window frame. Go to working on it like a speed bag. They'll usually make a hasty retreat. Nowadays, the perp is probably packing heat. I'm too old now to do that kind of stuff, anyway.