Reporting mobile use while driving

[gaz]

I don't condone driving and using a mobile in any way whatsoever, but do feel that this forum is becoming heavily populated by camera weilding cyclists who see it as their duty to go round and film every incident, be it a close pass, a lorry jumping a red light, someone not seeing a cyclist etc etc etc.......leave it to the police guys else we cyclists are going to become even less popular. As has been posted elsewhere, we are not law enforcement officers, if you want to be one then join up as a special!
How long before the BMW and Audi drivers start installing forward facing cameras on their dash to record cyclists jumping red lights, riding on pavements etc!

You perceive that people go around filming every incident. Where as you have no idea what kind of distance they are traveling. How many vehicles are passing them, what they let go and what they deem to be worthy of uploading and reporting.

Why do you think some of us have cameras?
Is it because the police don't take any action if it's just your word against someone else's?
Is it because some people put us in danger?

Why would any of us have a problem with other road users filming us? After all, it is cyclists who make Silly Cyclists.

 

[BSRU]

leave it to the police guys

In the more than 100 hours of commuting so far this year, during the morning/afternoon rush hour, I have seen one traffic police vehicle, just the once.
I'm all for other road users installing camera's, even just to protect themselves from loosing their no claims, especially these days as many insurance companies are very quick to go for a 50/50 settlement.

 

[steveinnorthants]

Fair enough guys, perhaps you can get some t shirts printed too - the cycling militia..... Why stop at cycling issues, you could ride round trying to film thieves and muggers too! Just hope none of you come up against some real thug who doesn't give a shoot about your camera or whether they cut you up in their uninsured and untaxed car.....there are a few videos of that sort of confrontation too on the net....just hope you don't end up in casualty!

 

[gaz]

perhaps you can get some t shirts printed too - the cycling militia.

A t-shirt? pffft... we all have tattoos with that on.

 

[steveinnorthants]

Sums up the holier than thou attitude methinks!

 

[gaz]

 

[BSRU]

you could ride round trying to film thieves and muggers too!

Unfortunately that is not an unreasonable idea as I have had at least two friends who each were mugged in the town centre in the past couple of years but the police were not interested in investigating as there was no cctv footage available.

 

[RedRider]

You perceive that people go around filming every incident. Where as you have no idea what kind of distance they are traveling. How many vehicles are passing them, what they let go and what they deem to be worthy of uploading and reporting.

Why do you think some of us have cameras?
Is it because the police don't take any action if it's just your word against someone else's?
Is it because some people put us in danger?

Why would any of us have a problem with other road users filming us? After all, it is cyclists who make Silly Cyclists.

I would say it's about the attitude we take to life and our approach to negotiating relationships.

 

[Vikeonabike]

Why stop at cycling issues, you could ride round trying to film thieves and muggers too!

Actually we (the Police) rely heavily on Private CCTV footage (including headcam footage) for just that reason. (It is also why most police officers now wear head or body cams. The more cams out there the more chance of being able to identify a miscreant for a robbery or burglary.
And if you are unlucky enough to get the crap kicked out of you, then you have helmet cam footage of the offender. Even better, if you have footage of you defending yourself because some errant numpty in his Penis extension is trying to impress his much younger girlfriend complains to the Police you have the evidence to keep yourself out of court! I have only sought to prosecute one driver in the videos I have taken. 99% of incidents don't even make it onto you tube. Believe me. I'm more likely to make a complaint because of what I do for a living.
As for the camera issue, if every motor vehcicle was fitted with a camera and black box data recorder, I bet driving standards would improve and insurance costs would come down.
So in essence, we should all, in these days of litigation and compensation should be videoing our journeys whether on a bike, Motorbike Car bus or HGV.

 

[BentMikey]

at Steve. Sometimes I really struggle to understand how such skewed and wildly weird viewpoints exist.

I think it must be alibi-in-advance searching to try to reduce the chances of having their own possible misbehaviour filmed?

 

[steveinnorthants]

Not at all, just don't like wannabe do gooders thinking they suddenly become quasi law enforcers as soon as a camera is strapped to their head!

 

[growingvegetables]

just don't like wannabe do gooders

There speaks a very comfortable, laid back guy ........ who has never felt seriously threatened, neither personally, nor through his family.

An ignorant, complacent idiot.

 

[rollinstok]

As for the camera issue, perhaps we all should be plastic.
Laws are made to protect the wealthy.. show me otherwise

 

[rollinstok]

And the constable is only there to protect the wealthy mans interest.. please show me otherwise

 

[steveinnorthants]

growing vegetables said: ↑
just don't like wannabe do gooders
There speaks a very comfortable, laid back guy ........ who has never felt seriously threatened, neither personally, nor through his family.

An ignorant, complacent idiot.

Thanks for that n o b head, go back and do what you do best, grow veg in your allotment. Oh, hope that someone confronts you if you have a camera filming them for some minor misdemeanour , perhaps straying over a white line in their car......a baseball bat over the head may well render your "evidence" pretty useless and leave your camera in bits on the pavement! My whole point was that people should be careful about the use of cameras as it will piss some aggressors off.