Bike Camera Advice (GoPro Hero 7 White) & Filming Methods

[Heltor Chasca]

I never thought I would be posting about this subject. One reason is that I have been derogatory in the past about civvie-pseudo-cops. Well, you grow up; traffic police numbers have been drastically cut and driving seems to have got worse. On average twice EVERY week on the school run, my daughter and I have vehicles bowling through the red light, pedestrian crossing on our route.

We had a result a couple of weeks ago when a double decker bus went through red on the way home while we were crossing. The driver was disciplined internally (we are told) but the police advised we need 2 minutes either side of the offence to process a more serious outcome.

I have made a camera purchase so I don’t need further advice on that front. I have bought a GoPro Hero 7 White. Yes I know the Black is the perfect choice, but needs must and all that. I figured as a budget camera it does what I need and more. The supporting apps are pretty good too. The camera isn’t all for gloomy purposes though. We will use it for school projects, my work and holiday/leisure stuff too. I hope to get some fun out of it.

My open question and search for knowledge is how do you record footage? Where do you mount the camera? Do you just record continuously? Then delete on a daily basis? Do you record only in black spots? Time lapse? Real time? SLO mo? What? How? When? Etc etc etc. Any links?

I live under the Avon and Somerset jurisdiction: What link do I use to upload cycling specific offences to? I believe parking offences etc is a 101 call. I am keeping clear of that swamp.

Your ideas and experience would be very helpful. Thank you.

A friend @Arjimlad is pretty active in this type of thing so here’s a public announcement for him to come to the customer services desk.

 

[Arjimlad]

https://www.avonandsomerset.police.uk/accidents/#/

https://www.youtube.com/user/TheJimvt/videos?view=0&sort=dd&shelf_id=0&view_as=subscriber

I set mine to 3 minute loops - it records 3 minute videos and then will overwrite the oldest. Reporting link is above. When mounted on the bars the camera will show close passes very well but not mobile phone addicts or tailgating. If I am on a longer ride I will only record bits, usually off the bars, for making a video later for my personal record/enjoyment. Commuting when I know I'm more likely to encounter cockwombles is when I have it on the helmet.

Police results are patchy - you don't get informed of the outcomes of the NIPS or anything at the moment. But something has to be better than nothing and I will be very pushy about the most recent nastiness.

I use Microsoft Photos app on my PC to edit, or VidTrim on the phone, or Hyperlapse app to smooth out the footage as my camera doesn't have stabilisation. Any questions drop me a PM or whatever. Hopefully you will record some fun riding and have no idiot drivers to report !

 

[classic33]

I've have mine fill the card then overwrite. Looking at them only when something has happened, or if there was something on the ride I wanted to see again.

Check PCWorld for various mounts. The local ones are selling off old stock.

 

[steve292]

@Arjimlad
What helmet camera do you have?

 

[Arjimlad]

@Arjimlad
What helmet camera do you have?

Drift Stealth 2.

 

[hillrep]

I have my camera (GoPro Hero 4 Session) mounted on the handlebars. I'm using it for a commute, so less than 30 minutes each way. I record at full speed. I recharge the camera at work and download the files at the same time. The vast majority of the videos are immediately binned. Occasionally I'll have a look at an incident and even less frequently save a clip.

 

[icowden]

I didn't set up a loop - just empty the card every few weeks. I wear mine on a clipmount attached centrally to the chest strap on my rucksack which seems to work well.

 

[glasgowcyclist]

the police advised we need 2 minutes either side of the offence to process a more serious outcome.

This doesn't make sense to me.

I know they want to see if there's been any provocation on the complainer's part but the absence wouldn't preclude them from prosecuting.

 

[Arjimlad]

What if something happens 30 seconds after leaving home ?! I never let the 2 minutes thing bother me, although if I do report something, I will keep the footage from that ride on my PC until I hear from the police.

 

[Heltor Chasca]

This doesn't make sense to me.

I know they want to see if there's been any provocation on the complainer's part but the absence wouldn't preclude them from prosecuting.

What if something happens 30 seconds after leaving home ?! I never let the 2 minutes thing bother me, although if I do report something, I will keep the footage from that ride on my PC until I hear from the police.

Confucius reigns. So you can file a report but as per the online form it says this:

 

[Arjimlad]

Just say yes?

 

[Mile195]

I record my commutes in full at full speed (75 minutes each way). When the card fills up I format it. I do run it in low-quality mode though to make the battery last a full return trip and to fill the card more slowly (I use a contour roam 2 which is very old now, but the battery still goes and goes).

I have it front mounted which is probably less use since anything that hits you is going to come from behind, as is any intimidating behaviour. I did have a cheap one on the back once, but it was more effort than it was worth to charge two cameras every night. That I had hanging from the underside of the saddle off the rails which seemed to be perfectly adequate. There was no purpose-made mount for that, so I bodged something together using standard fixing plates from a hardware shop.

All this said, in probably 4 years of using cameras, I've fortunately had very little cause to review the footage for official purposes though. It gets used more often to show my other half any particularly cute dogs I've seen en-route...

 

[DSK]

I have a few action camera (Garmin Virb / YI / Drift Ghost).

I try and record in 5 minute segments as its easier to find the clips you want later.

As for mounting, it depends on your preference but, on the motorbike and cycle, I use the Garmin Virb/ Drift helmet mounted. This is because the forward view is captured, the image is less impacted by vehicle lights and all the little things, like a glance you take to the side, helps paint 'show the true story'. E.g. a bar mounted camera would not show what I see in the mirrors or to the side when I take a glance or do a shoulder check.

At the rear, I have them mounted in a fixed solid position (rear tail piece (motorcycle) / upper part of the right rear leg fork (bike), or right hand rear leg and prefer to use something less discreet such as a YI (Go-pro style) as its more obvious and it does help, in my experience to just make people behind think twice and just chill out for a moment.

 

[Heltor Chasca]

I have really enjoyed my GoPro Hero 7 White. It really is easy to use and for my purposes ticks most boxes. Part of the reason was so that I could make short general cycling/outdoor and Audax films. Some I have posted on CC for your viewing pleasure.

The other reason was as a safety bike-cam. It feels safer but I feel quite sad these are the lengths people have to go to. One observation boils my blood since running this bike camera: At a double pedestrian crossing (opposite Bike It in Radstock) where we used to get jumped on red lights, without fail, twice every week I have been visibly displaying the fact I am recording drivers. Now the red light jumpers have all stopped. On a couple of occasions drivers have made emergency stops at the crossing. On one hand this is great. On the other hand it shows you just how low some people's ethics are to think, ‘If I’m not going to get caught, I’ll break the law and endanger someone’s life. It’ll be ok.’

I’ll carry on chipping away.

 

[Arjimlad]

@Heltor Chasca how do you visibly display recording them ? Do you hold the camera & point it ?

I remember traffic lights used to have enforcement cameras of their own. The fact that some drivers take note of those which have them, or a person filming, and jump lights elsewhere is very sad.