Helmet cams - fuelling tensions?
Discussion
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/hel...
IMO helmet cams have no place on the road. Personally if I was involved in an altercation with someone and I noticed that they were filming me then I would immediately feel on edge and be convinced that the other person had escalated the situation - this could possibly result in me acting out of character.
Not sure if that makes any sense but I am sure someone with a psychology background could explain why I would feel like this - I do know that I am not alone though.
Thoughts anybody?
IMO helmet cams have no place on the road. Personally if I was involved in an altercation with someone and I noticed that they were filming me then I would immediately feel on edge and be convinced that the other person had escalated the situation - this could possibly result in me acting out of character.
Not sure if that makes any sense but I am sure someone with a psychology background could explain why I would feel like this - I do know that I am not alone though.
Thoughts anybody?
Interesting debate
I find watching some (sometimes a lot) of the videos on Youtube, the cyclists get involved with hazards that I would stay well away from and then they complain when they get knocked off or nearly knocked off.
For example in one video there was a guy riding along, a van pulled out, you could see the rider accelerate so it "became" an issue, he then dived down the inside of the van to try and undertake/shout abuse , the van driver closed the gap, nearly squashed him and shouted abuse at the rider.
The van driver was a complete prick and was playing with someones life.
But if I was the cyclist I would have eased off or braked a touch, tucked in behind him and if he was stuck in traffic I would have filtered past on the right , providing I could see there was space.
Often the videos feature tenuous arguments, where both of the parties come across pricks, even if you are right as a cyclist I find there is no point arguing with idiot car drivers they drag you down to their level and win on experience.
The above doesn't apply to all videos. I also realise that videos often distort physical perception, so close calls don't look too bad when played back
Ultimately if I was going to get worked up over every misdemeanor I'd be dead now through stress!
I find watching some (sometimes a lot) of the videos on Youtube, the cyclists get involved with hazards that I would stay well away from and then they complain when they get knocked off or nearly knocked off.
For example in one video there was a guy riding along, a van pulled out, you could see the rider accelerate so it "became" an issue, he then dived down the inside of the van to try and undertake/shout abuse , the van driver closed the gap, nearly squashed him and shouted abuse at the rider.
The van driver was a complete prick and was playing with someones life.
But if I was the cyclist I would have eased off or braked a touch, tucked in behind him and if he was stuck in traffic I would have filtered past on the right , providing I could see there was space.
Often the videos feature tenuous arguments, where both of the parties come across pricks, even if you are right as a cyclist I find there is no point arguing with idiot car drivers they drag you down to their level and win on experience.
The above doesn't apply to all videos. I also realise that videos often distort physical perception, so close calls don't look too bad when played back
Ultimately if I was going to get worked up over every misdemeanor I'd be dead now through stress!
I can see the appeal of having something like the integrated rear light/cam thing linked to on here a while back. Something that keeps enough footage on it so that if someone takes you out and then takes off you’ve got some information on the incident. The trouble is you might need to be able to see it from the front of the bike so it’s not a perfect solution at the moment.
IMHO there is a marked difference between that and the sort of knobs you see with their Gopro proudly mounted on their helmet reading out number plates and making a nuisance of themselves at junctions. Then posting these tedious daily battles on youtube for all to see.
IMHO there is a marked difference between that and the sort of knobs you see with their Gopro proudly mounted on their helmet reading out number plates and making a nuisance of themselves at junctions. Then posting these tedious daily battles on youtube for all to see.
Theres a difference between people using cameras to help should they have an accident and the type of person who makes a lot of noise posting on the internet for a bit of attention.
The media likes to create a gulf between types of people to make stories. It helps breed poor attitudes in small minded people
The media likes to create a gulf between types of people to make stories. It helps breed poor attitudes in small minded people
Edited by Batfink on Wednesday 26th February 12:25
I am not in the business of filming every ride, but this morning, I had a GoPro rolling.
Reason being I was filming my fairly interesting London commute for my brother so he had something to watch while on the turbo trainer (yes, really...).
Quite by chance, I managed to capture two pieces of truly cretinous driving. One was a taxi swerving into a cycle lane and taking out a cyclist in front of me, and later in the ride, another taxi turning left across the front of me in a rush to get to a red light.
I avoided any dialogue with either idiot, but I’m glad I captured it on film, because highlighting how unpleasant cycling can be when confronted with such bad driving might one day lead to better infrastructure or better policing. Wishful thinking perhaps, but it is not a myth that some people drive in a way that nothing short of murderous. Even so-called professional drivers.
Reason being I was filming my fairly interesting London commute for my brother so he had something to watch while on the turbo trainer (yes, really...).
Quite by chance, I managed to capture two pieces of truly cretinous driving. One was a taxi swerving into a cycle lane and taking out a cyclist in front of me, and later in the ride, another taxi turning left across the front of me in a rush to get to a red light.
I avoided any dialogue with either idiot, but I’m glad I captured it on film, because highlighting how unpleasant cycling can be when confronted with such bad driving might one day lead to better infrastructure or better policing. Wishful thinking perhaps, but it is not a myth that some people drive in a way that nothing short of murderous. Even so-called professional drivers.
The problem is that anyone with a helmet cam is immediately potentially under suspicion of being a shouty YouTube knob out to create or at best fail to deal with an easily avoided situation.
I have no information to say the % of helmet cam users fall into the shouty YouTube knob category. Based on so many other facets of modern life wouldn't be in the slightest surprised if it's the case of a few idiots spoiling it for the many.
I have no information to say the % of helmet cam users fall into the shouty YouTube knob category. Based on so many other facets of modern life wouldn't be in the slightest surprised if it's the case of a few idiots spoiling it for the many.
It's funny. Someone says "all cyclists break laws all the time" with no evidence and nothing happens. Someone posts evidence of a motorist breaking a law and actively endangering someone as a result and they're shouted at. It's almost as though PH didn't want fairness at all.
That said, a lot of the youtube cammers do seem to behave like twunts a lot of the time - as others have mentioned, actively making situations a lot more dangerous than they need to be.
That said again, as far as personal use goes, from what I've seen in both cycling and other incidents where cameras have and haven't been involved - all parties behave a LOT better in the former. So no, on an individual level I'd expect them to defuse tension.
That said, a lot of the youtube cammers do seem to behave like twunts a lot of the time - as others have mentioned, actively making situations a lot more dangerous than they need to be.
That said again, as far as personal use goes, from what I've seen in both cycling and other incidents where cameras have and haven't been involved - all parties behave a LOT better in the former. So no, on an individual level I'd expect them to defuse tension.
Batfink said:
Theres a difference between people using cameras to help should they have an accident and the type of person who makes a lot of noise posting on the internet for a bit of attention.
I agree 100%, I have a camera mounted to my helmet and I switch on when I remember, usually on commute when roads are busy and people are in a hurry. I use on my pushbike and also motorbike.Ive no interest whatsoever posting to youtube etc. but if someone takes me out its there for proof of what happened.
paranoid airbag said:
It's funny. Someone says "all cyclists break laws all the time" with no evidence and nothing happens. Someone posts evidence of a motorist breaking a law and actively endangering someone as a result and they're shouted at. It's almost as though PH didn't want fairness at all.
That said, a lot of the youtube cammers do seem to behave like twunts a lot of the time - as others have mentioned, actively making situations a lot more dangerous than they need to be.
That said again, as far as personal use goes, from what I've seen in both cycling and other incidents where cameras have and haven't been involved - all parties behave a LOT better in the former. So no, on an individual level I'd expect them to defuse tension.
I don't see that happening with everybody, some people just do not like being in front of a lens, and value their privacy. If someone said to me that they were filming our discussion and it is going on youtube tonight I would take steps to ensure it wouldn't happen, whether I had something to hide or not. Helmet cams raise the temperature of any situation just by being there.That said, a lot of the youtube cammers do seem to behave like twunts a lot of the time - as others have mentioned, actively making situations a lot more dangerous than they need to be.
That said again, as far as personal use goes, from what I've seen in both cycling and other incidents where cameras have and haven't been involved - all parties behave a LOT better in the former. So no, on an individual level I'd expect them to defuse tension.
We are entering a strange new world though aren't we? with the introduction of wearable technology like Google Glass and doubtless the myriad of competitors to it, we are at the cusp of an era of personal surveillance and recording and we have no idea of the psychological impact it will have on the general population.
Still, the lawyers will be happy.
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