Use of video cameras on public roads
Discussion
On track days many enthusiasts get their Manfrotto or B-Hague clamps out, or bullet cams, and video their progress. Which is fine in my book.
I'm curious to know how legal it is to affix a sunction-cup type clamp like the b-hague to your windscreen with a video camera under it and, say, drive down the motorway filming your progress. You could easily record evidence of stupid driving should you wish, but might look to other drivers like an unmarked car. Would you be accused of impersonating a police officer, maybe, or some other driving offcence?
Bit like that guy who stood by the side of the road in his little village with a hairdryer, although in his case the deception was deliberate. In my case I have a friend (yes, really) who was thinking about videoing part of a European trip we're doing, as well as a subsequent track day. I thought les flics might take exception to a camera mount on the windscreen.
I'm curious to know how legal it is to affix a sunction-cup type clamp like the b-hague to your windscreen with a video camera under it and, say, drive down the motorway filming your progress. You could easily record evidence of stupid driving should you wish, but might look to other drivers like an unmarked car. Would you be accused of impersonating a police officer, maybe, or some other driving offcence?
Bit like that guy who stood by the side of the road in his little village with a hairdryer, although in his case the deception was deliberate. In my case I have a friend (yes, really) who was thinking about videoing part of a European trip we're doing, as well as a subsequent track day. I thought les flics might take exception to a camera mount on the windscreen.
Don't video anything you that might get used against you; theres plenty of examples of these videos being used to assist prosecution.
Most famous was the 200mph in a F40 which although was Japanese, it was still a masterfull piece of not thnking of the consequences of widely distributing the video. He ended up in jail.....
Most famous was the 200mph in a F40 which although was Japanese, it was still a masterfull piece of not thnking of the consequences of widely distributing the video. He ended up in jail.....
I've got a bullet cam permanently fitted to the V8S, and I can't think of any problem on legal grounds. Obviously it might be used to incriminate you if you decided to publish video of you doing something illegal, not that you would. Just ensure that it doesn't obstruct your vision, don't try to operate it while you're driving, and for your own sake ensure that it can't possible hit you in the event of an accident.
Save your "exploits" onto a laptop with a nice big hard drive, with encrypted passwords and a copy of Evidence eliminator to destroy it with, in the event of ploddy trying to use it against you.
Ps, the hard drive can be anywhere in the car...lol
>> Edited by deltaf on Monday 19th May 13:50
Ps, the hard drive can be anywhere in the car...lol
>> Edited by deltaf on Monday 19th May 13:50
You will only be guilty of impersonating a Police officer if you possess or use a specific item or badge or uniform to impersonate the role of a Police Officer or if you state to someone that you are a Police officer to gain some advantage, either criminal advantage or not.
Placing a video camera so that it can record your progress is not illegal or a part of Police Uniform. It has has already been stated that it may incriminate you if you should come unstuck whilst it is recording and you must not have it in a position as to obstruct a clear view of the road.
Placing a video camera so that it can record your progress is not illegal or a part of Police Uniform. It has has already been stated that it may incriminate you if you should come unstuck whilst it is recording and you must not have it in a position as to obstruct a clear view of the road.
I've often thought of fitting something like this to my car. I even thought about the potential to develop a decent enough system that would stream both front and rear views to a hard disk of some type. At least then if you get some idiot choosing to drive in a manner that could OR did cause an accident you have the perfect evidence.
Not sure if the cops would be interested in you submitting a report on a weekly basis with all the idiots on the road doing stupid things, like speeding.
If you could get it connected to some speed measuring device and put the date/time and speed on the film surely this would be an excellent source of defence should plod, heaven forbid that they could ever get it wrong!, accuse you of driving at a speed you were not travelling at.
Oh, by the way, I'm still fighting mine, nearly 2 years running.
Not sure if the cops would be interested in you submitting a report on a weekly basis with all the idiots on the road doing stupid things, like speeding.
If you could get it connected to some speed measuring device and put the date/time and speed on the film surely this would be an excellent source of defence should plod, heaven forbid that they could ever get it wrong!, accuse you of driving at a speed you were not travelling at.
Oh, by the way, I'm still fighting mine, nearly 2 years running.
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