Cyclotherapy: Police, (helmet) camera, action!
Following hot on the heels of last week's remarkable footage of crazy couriers tearing up London comes a claim that an increasing number of cyclists are using similar helmet-cams not to record high-adrenalin races across the capital, but to catch dangerous drivers.
We'll treat the news with necessary scepticism - it comes in a press release from helmet cam retailer Action Cameras - but if true, it would be an interesting, hi-tech development in the increasingly fierce battle between drivers and riders.
Action Cameras boss Sab Jhootie says he has seen a 170 per cent increase in the number of cyclists buying his cameras, which are designed for use in extreme sports, to film bad driving in the hope that their footage could help lead to prosecution.
Here are two examples. The first clip shows one hapless cyclist being taken out by an oncoming car turning right across his path - the most common serious offence in my experience. In the second, the rider is clipped (and bruised, presumably) by the wing mirror of an oncoming car (turn the sound up).
If you've got helmet-cam clips you'd like to share, whether it shows up bad drivers or your own reckless pursuits on or off the road, post the links below (and if you've got time to kill, search "helmet cam" or similar on YouTube - you'll be there for hours).
The effectiveness of cycle helmets in preventing injury is already in serious debate. I can't believe strapping one of these things to your helmet is going to do anything to improve their protection value.
Posted by: Paul Owens | Wednesday, 20 February 2008 at 11:52 AM
You can also join a community of helmet camera enthusiasts (and view tons of user-submitted helmet cam videos) at www.skullcamnation.com
Get yours on!
tx
m
Posted by: Mike | Wednesday, 20 February 2008 at 05:50 PM
After being rammed by a driver who "just didnt see me", and then putting up with the police's pathetic excuse for dealing with it I bought a camera for this exact purpose.
The key thing though is to get footage of the incident and the driver or the police will do nothing.
For what its worth by the way Strathclyde Police suggest that you dont ride a bike when its wet, or dark...
Posted by: David Miller | Thursday, 21 February 2008 at 11:43 AM
Necessary scepticism not needed - if you go to the CTC message boards some cyclists regularly fit Cameras onto your helmets. Rather than taking your camera-phone out of your bag to snap the person who has just tried taking you off the road (which somebody tried to do to me this week)it is a far more effective method of gathering evidence and is far more convincing to the Police.
Posted by: Katie | Thursday, 21 February 2008 at 01:14 PM
Film from my commute today - this is pretty average for Glasgow.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JkKt6urV-yM
David.
Posted by: David Miller | Monday, 25 February 2008 at 09:04 PM