Time for a helmet camera?

[sneggysteve]

Going around roundabout today in Pontypridd. Car approaches on left on a slip road from the A470 where it's 70 mph. He seemed to slow down and I merrily carried on. Next thing he is on my inside doing about 40 mph and passes me about 6" from my pedal.

Had he hit me, I would have needed a halo not a camera. Really shook me up and had to sit on a bench for 10 mins to recover.

I think I will look for a camera, only need daytime use.

 

[WheezyRider]

Going around roundabout today in Pontypridd. Car approaches on left on a slip road from the A470 where it's 70 mph. He seemed to slow down and I merrily carried on. Next thing he is on my inside doing about 40 mph and passes me about 6" from my pedal.

Had he hit me, I would have needed a halo not a camera. Really shook me up and had to sit on a bench for 10 mins to recover.

I think I will look for a camera, only need daytime use.

Yep, sadly got to run a camera at all times in this country. You really need to have two, one rear and one front facing. Hope you are ok.

 

[FastFreddy2]

Going around roundabout today in Pontypridd. Car approaches on left on a slip road from the A470 where it's 70 mph. He seemed to slow down and I merrily carried on. Next thing he is on my inside doing about 40 mph and passes me about 6" from my pedal.

Had he hit me, I would have needed a halo not a camera. Really shook me up and had to sit on a bench for 10 mins to recover.

I think I will look for a camera, only need daytime use.

Most of us on two wheels are also car drivers too, so I'm aware of the 'pot and kettle' situation.

I won't ride a bicycle on roads for this /\ very reason. During my time as a motorcyclist, I had car drivers pull out in front of me a few times, was once overtaken on a blind hill and nearly forced off the road (so the car driver could avoid crossing a solid white line). Not that being forced off the road was unique to me as a motorbike rider, I once had that happen as a car driver, with the police involved.

Even as a car driver myself, I frequently see red lights being jumped and completely dangerous merging manoeuvres on motorway slip roads. I am not a great driver, but generally speaking, I'm a safe one, and my own personal experience has taught me to be ever vigilant of folk on 2 or 3 wheels.

My m/o is to ride on pavements, or offroad. This crimps my opportunities for riding between towns, unless I have access to a canal track (for example). While I live in a suburban environment with plenty of off-road tracks, if I need to travel along a road between tracks, I do it on the pavement at a reasonable (slow) speed. There is nothing that would persuade me to ride a bicycle on a main road. Even reading up on the possibility of buying/making what would legally be an electric moped, has me wondering why anyone would choose to do that. I wouldn't ride a motorbike that has less than a 250cc engine and be motorway legal, so I could at least match the speed of other traffic. Those who have no personal experience of two wheeled travel, are not likely to be so aware of the dangers from motorised traffic, as those who have experience of it. I often wonder, if riding two wheels in traffic ought to be part of the training/test procedure of the UK driving test.

While those who commute by car in metropolitan towns like London probably wouldn't agree, I don't think cars and bicycles should share the same road space. Car drivers are often, 'blind' to anything other than vehicles with 4 wheels, and even then, they are not always as careful as they should be with those.

 

[Az.]

I am afraid camera won't help to change drivers attitude.

 

[Oldie]

The only roads that I'm happy on are rural single track (of which we have a fair amount) as drivers are used to anticipating danger on blind bends, either from oncoming vehicles or an assortment of animals. Still doesn't mean that there aren't "moments" as it's also a tourist area and single track roads are a new concept to many.

 

[WheezyRider]

I am afraid camera won't help to change drivers attitude.

It can do if they know it's there, so put signs on the bike to show people are on camera. There is something you can buy called a "Pass Pixie", which is a fluorescent camera sign with a magnetic fitting. Or you can make your own with a printer and a laminator. I have found that signs don't stop all stupidity, but most drivers are lot more careful when they know their behaviour is being monitored.

 

[guerney]

It can do if they know it's there, so put signs on the bike to show people are on camera. There is something you can buy called a "Pass Pixie", which is a fluorescent camera sign with a magnetic fitting. Or you can make your own with a printer and a laminator. I have found that signs don't stop all stupidity, but most drivers are lot more careful when they know their behaviour is being monitored.

The Pass Pixie had no effect whatsoever, nothing (including an Oxford flip out safety arm on the back) but the Oxford on the right hand side handlebar, plus this rear light does:

 

[guerney]

I never ride without my GoPro Hero 7 Black, it's on the jawguard of my helmet. I've made room for a rear facing camera on the seatpost, but I'm unsure if I want the pfaff of preparing, maintaining and operating two cameras.

 

[WheezyRider]

I never ride without the GoPro Hero 7 Black, it's on the jawguard of my helmet. I've made room for a rear facing camera on the seatpost, but I'm unsure if I want the pfaff of preparing, maintaining and operating two cameras.

It is a faff, but often it's extremely useful to see what sort of nonsense is going on behind you, that you are completely unaware of most of the time. You will see people tailgating, driving inches from your back wheel etc etc.

It also helps show the closeness of passes, which often seem not so bad when recorded by a helmet cam.

 

[guerney]

It also helps show the closeness of passes, which often seem not so bad when recorded by a helmet cam.

I haven't had a close pass since.

 

[guerney]

This sort of thing doesn't happen to me anymore.

 

[WheezyRider]

I haven't had a close pass since.

With camera signs, I found close passes reduced notably, with drivers often coming up behind fast, seeing the sign, then dropping back and waiting. However, as you found, they didn't reduce to almost zero until I fitted a traffic boom, to physically add distance. There are still some ar$eholes out there who will try and get as close as they can, but having that extra 39 cm gives some space to escape, rather than being an inch or two away. You also have to watch people cutting in as soon as they are past the boom, or even brake checking you once they are past. I've even had some dirty diesels rev their engine after they pass to smoother me in their smog. Or once, I had a guy over take me, then drive at 10 mph in front, while vaping something disgusting, so clouds of it came my way every time they took a puff. Some people are just sick.

 

[StuartsProjects]

but most drivers are lot more careful when they know their behaviour is being monitored.

+1

And if you want further evidence of this, just watch all the brake lights come on as cars\vehicles approach a speed camera.

 

[Ocsid]

Away from the bargain basement action cameras, into the better quality performance stuff, the asking prices go exponential; it seems a minefield.

Focused on getting a forward facing camera, only really needed for day light, one & half hour rides, but wanting a pretty high quality of resolution video [at least registration plate read at circa 10>15 metre], what recommendations, please?

Edit: Anybody tried using a decent quality car dashcam, coupled to a power bank, in this cycling role? These cameras seem more competitively priced, like resolution to resolution.

 

[guerney]

With camera signs, I found close passes reduced notably, with drivers often coming up behind fast, seeing the sign, then dropping back and waiting.

I'm glad they had that effect for you, sadly my experience has been that the Pass Pixie made no difference whatsoever to driver behaviour. I was thinking of removing it, but decided to leave it on my bike for it's virtue of being a vi-viz element near eye level (for car drivers).

+1

And if you want further evidence of this, just watch all the brake lights come on as cars\vehicles approach a speed camera.

Speed cameras = fines. There is no disincentive or negative reinforcement to dissuade close passing bicycles. IMHE Pass Pixies on bicycles have no effect.

However, as you found, they didn't reduce to almost zero until I fitted a traffic boom, to physically add distance.

I had difficulty believing your 3D printed boom arm was so effective. As you know, after a long meander I used GoPro adapters and an Oxford safety arm. Anyone can do the same. There is quite a large variety of GoPro adapters and mounts to choose from and combine. These really do work and every cyclist should use one.

https://www.pedelecs.co.uk/forum/threads/hoping-to-increase-driver-passing-distance-at-night-ive-glued-front-and-rear-reflectors-to-my-wing-mirrors.44501/

You also have to watch people cutting in as soon as they are past the boom, or even brake checking you once they are past.

I haven't experienced that - on narrow roads I fold it in or out a bit, so that it doesn't stick out as far, which could help avoid what you've described?

There are still some ar$eholes out there who will try and get as close as they can, but having that extra 39 cm gives some space to escape, rather than being an inch or two away.

It's the inch it would have been, but 39.9cm further away!

 

[guerney]

Away from the bargain basement action cameras, into the better quality performance stuff, the asking prices go exponential; it seems a minefield.

Focused on getting a forward facing camera, only really needed for day light, one & half hour rides, but wanting a pretty high quality of resolution video [at least registration plate read at circa 10>15 metre], what recommendations, please?

Edit: Anybody tried using a decent quality car dashcam, coupled to a power bank, in this cycling role? These cameras seem more competitively priced, like resolution to resolution.

Dashcams aren't waterproof.

IMHO The GoPro Hero 7 Black is the minimum spec, and only on manual settings (actually semi-manual) can it capture close passing plates both day and night. Dashcams and cycling cams don't give you as much control over ISO and shutter speed, which is particularly crucial at night.

https://www.pedelecs.co.uk/forum/threads/gopro-7-hero-black-best-low-light-night-settings-for-video-capture-of-number-plates-while-cycling.44739/


I bought mine from here.

CeX Buy & Sell Games, Phones, DVDs, Blu-ray, Electronics, Computing, Vision & CDs

uk.webuy.com

You'll need to buy brand new batteries, preferably originals (ebay) especially if you want to shoot 4k for some reason - cheap copies fail to provide high enough current for 4k.

@matthewslack's GoPro 10 is connected to a power bank, IIRC.

 

[StuartsProjects]

Speed cameras = fines. There is no disincentive or negative reinforcement to dissuade close passing bicycles. IMHE Pass Pixies on bicycles have no effect.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-61815609

The more fines the more the detterent effect.

 

[Az.]

The more fines the more the detterent effect.

Cyclists beware when I drive around speed cameras as for sure my eyes are not on the road.
On a positive note you will be hit by a medium size car driving below speed limit

 

[matthewslack]

I thoroughly recommend cameras, not just for reporting the 'worst offenders' but for seeing the prevalence or lack of it if you are lucky of bad driving.

And some images you'll not capture any other way, which in housebound years to come might brighten the odd winter evening!

It is a chunk of money, but I do not regret going the GoPro route for the quality, ease of use and very useful Quik app, which means getting a clip or still can be done at the roadside just using your phone.

I have developed a new interest in video outside of cycling, and a deeper interest in cycling road safety. I don't report many drivers to the police, but I do report regularly commercial drivers to their employers. I have several thousand miles of footage now, so I can send a good example along with a report of a bad incident to show the employer what they need to get across to their drivers.

The Hero 10 Black was a big step forward, and now the 11 is out, a bit cheaper than it was. I'd start there, and add multiple extra batteries and a two battery charger. If you sign up for a subscription for a year, often it's cost is recouped in discount on the initial purchase, and ongoing discount as you add accessories.

Buy good quality micro SD cards, and not too small! I started with 128GB, but quickly moved on to 256, then 512, and next arrival is 1TB.

I use WD My Passport 5TB external USB hard drives for long term backup, one tenth of the cost per GB compared to micro SD cards.

If you only keep clips, one will last for ages. I'm on my third, but I keep two copies of the best stuff.

Edit: I record at 1080p, 24fps to keep file size down, and use 'narrow' lens.

@sneggysteve, In Wales you have Operation SNAP, which I have used once, long winded but no need to visit police station to report incidents. Just the 2 minutes of video to upload...

Operation SNAP

gosafesnap.wales

 

[FastFreddy2]

This sort of thing doesn't happen to me anymore.

I hope that incident was reported. The registration number of the Black Berlingo was plainly visible [LK63 WSO] and that driver made an extremely unsafe manoeuvre.

As to cameras, I would have thought having one back and front was a minimum. Dashcams are notoriously useless, and why wouldn't they be for the money? I've bought a DJI Osmo 3 for forward facing video of me cycling on trails, and only using it during daylight, so far.

I would have thought drivers would have to be uber stupid to ignore the florescent PassPixi sign if visible on the back of a cycle or trike.



That said, the person who ignored an offer of a driver awareness course, or FPN, and insisting on a day in court ....

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-61815609

certainly showed signs of that level of stupidity, several times. £4000+ when an £80/£100 driver awareness course was effectively a 'free pass' from a well deserved driving conviction. There was no way he could argue with video evidence, why even try? Because he was a self-righteous car driver....