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Mon 10 Mar, 11:07 am UTC

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Headcam cyclists in media spotlight

By Richard Peace

Headcams and cyclists have made a couple of recent media appearances. In the first case a York cyclist has been highlighting how she believes wearing a headcam is an important safety aid for cyclists, whilst the second case involves the first time that 'private' headcam evidence has been used to obtain a criminal conviction – and it happened against a cyclist.

Sue Archer regularly cycles around York with an ATC200 headcam fixed to the top of her helmet (she first heard about the idea on the Cycling Plus forum). Sue appeared on a regional BBC TV report to promote the benefits of the headcam – whilst it has potential use should she be involved in an accident, she feels it is also an important safety aid as it makes motorists think twice about how they drive when around her.

"I use the camera both for fun and as a regular feature of my commute and my day to day riding," she told BikeRadar.

Sue has a couple of options if she records an example of cycle-unfriendly driving: "I either post it on YouTube with captions explaining what the driver did wrong – so at least others can learn from it – or I could present it as evidence to the police."

Fortunately for Sue, she’s never felt the need to do the latter – partly, she says, because of the deterrent effect of her trusty headcam.

"If motorists realise that we aren’t so easily bullied they might get the message and behave more thoughtfully," she said.

Elsewhere, Salford was the scene for the first use of private headcam footage to secure a criminal conviction when cyclist Darren Ingham received a two-year supervision order after pleading guilty to a racially aggravated public order offence at Manchester Crown Court.

The incident involved Mr Ingham cycling up to two privately employed traffic wardens and racially abusing one then threatening the other. One of the wardens was equipped with a headcam and the footage was used by police to trace and convict Mr. Ingham.

User Comments

There are 6 comments on this post

Showing 1 - 6 of 6 comments

  • I don't think it is up to the public to act as "big brother" their are privacy laws protecting us all against snooping on your fellow citizens - I also don't like interfereing people who perhaps have not got a grasp of the realities of everyday travel and frustration or circumstance of a situation they have witnessed - the situation may not be all that it seems (In this case, yes, it was a jerk off nazi tosser!). They may have even caused it themselves innocently.

    I certainly don't think it is also up to the wearer of a headcam to comment on the driving of vehicles on british roads.....thats for the Police and speed cameras/detection devices - after all we pay for this. I am a great advocate of ignore and cycle on - take the frustration out by pushing harder. Everyone sometimes has a dumb day in car or on a bike! Uploading stuff onto youtube is simply dangerous - if I saw my car or motorbike reg up their I would be asking her some awkward questions through my solicitor.

    If this lady is that nervous a cyclist then perhaps she should try walking or maybe not annoying other road users into having to avoid her or wanting to get passed her quickly.

    I regularly watch a lovely lady in my local city rant at anything that passes her on the road - for absolutely no reason other than being nervous herself.

    This sets a dangerous precedent - we will soon all be videoing each other and getting upset over every single niggle.

    Life is not a rose garden, so just get on with it! I will certainly distance myself from this ladies actions as a bicycle commuter, bicycle road racer (well, triathlon!), motorcyclist and car driver. Glad I don't live anywhere near York!

  • well said, "THE BLENDER"!!!!

  • Nothing the Blender said is "well". Except maybe if you add the word ignorant.

  • GTVLUSSO writes of a setting dangerous precedent. I'm sorry, but how precisely is discouraging bad driving and encouraging safer driving, a dangerous precedent? Dangerous to whom?

    I'm sorry, but he's lost me there. Or could he be missing something?

  • i wouldnt hand it over to the policefor simple bad driving but theres at least one occasion where ive been threatened with violence, having a camera record events would have been much better than trying to recall a number plate.

  • I think every cyclist is entitled to point out when other road users are not acting in a safe manner. This is after all a democracy, that means we all have a right to our say, maybe someone will listen. To just cycle on and ignore dangerous road use is to give carte blanche to all those who act aggressively to their more environmentally minded road sharing cousins, in other words it is highly irresponsible and certainly not a higher moral platform. If everyone just ignored the unjust actions of others we would still be living with slavery and branding.

  • 1

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