Helmet camera yes or no??

leemolyneux

Obviously us cyclists are not liked by those anti cyclists car drivers, had a few incidents lately nothing major as of yet, but getting more and more anxious about road rage car drivers. Do many of you use a helmet camera? If so are they any good? Thoughts on a body camera instead??
Just don't know whats the best idea.
Cheers! Lee 🚲 📷

david37

yes wear a body cam, and a helmet. especially a helmet then you'll be invincible.

obviously some cyclists aren't liked by other road users or probably anyone at all. it might be lack of nuts. But a head cam won't make you look like a tool at all.

veronese68

I know how you feel, got knocked off last May and camera footage would have been useful. I am more nervous now and have started to use one mounted on the bars. I wouldn't have a helmet camera as the mount and additional weight may compromise the helmet if the worst came to pass. I'm using a Veho Muvi because we had one kicking around, I'm not particularly impressed but have nothing to compare it to.
Saying all that I don't like using one and resent the fact I feel I should. I don't review the footage unless something interesting happened. I don't want to relive and dwell upon what might have been. Once I get my confidence back I might stop using it, I really don't know.

ballysmate

If you feel a cam would be of use, crack on.
But don't be the bellend who posts every 'near miss' on YouTube.

womack

Wasn't it a head cam that did for Michael Schumacher?

elbowloh

womack said:

Wasn't it a head cam that did for Michael Schumacher?

Possibly, yes. Helmets aren't really designed to have things attached to them.

I have a front and rear camera, Cycliq ones so they're built into the lights.

wongataa

I use a camera attached to my bike. I once tried attaching it to my helmet but I found it really uncomfortable having that weight on my head.

ibr17xvii

I have a GoPro mounted underneath my Wahoo on the front of the bike which although doesn't capture everything does get the numerous close passes I seem to attract.

TBH though I don't know why I bother cos my local Constabulary aren't interested despite my best efforts.

I'd probably get a rear camera as well but I run a Garmin Varia & usually another standalone rear light in the winter so not really got the room.

At the end of the day it makes me feel safer & that's good enough for me.

photonic69

I use one and have uploaded two incidents where the police were involved and contacted the driver. I’m unaware if it went any further. I have a Chili Tech bullet cam. It’s ok. Not the best but in that price range it seems the best. Made of metal it has withstood a fall from the handlebars at speed.

First.Aspect

I briefly (and I mean for a few days) used one, after <===

Its just one more thing to charge. And I found it kept me wound up.

davep1

First.Aspect said:

I briefly (and I mean for a few days) used one, after <===

Its just one more thing to charge. And I found it kept me wound up. </p>

+1. Got forced off a narrow country road by an oncoming car that gave me no room, crashed and hurt myself, and got a puncture The bastard in the car stopped about 50 yds up the road but as soon as I stood up he drove off.

Got a cheap camera after that, mounted to the bars. The battery only lasts an hour, and most of my rides are 90 minutes, so what section of the ride do you record? I ride to and from work a few times a week, so had to remember to charge it at work and then when I got home. Plus the memory card only stored two rides worth, so you had to delete the saved files as well as keep on top of the charging. And the quality was a bit shaky, couldn't always make out the reg of cars, and it was useless in the dark.

Most of my issues could be resolved with buying a better camera and memory card, but it is just too much effort for me, I want to enjoy riding my bike, and the camera added nothing to that.

ballysmate

ibr17xvii said:

I have a GoPro mounted underneath my Wahoo on the front of the bike which although doesn't capture everything does get the numerous close passes I seem to attract.

TBH though I don't know why I bother cos my local Constabulary aren't interested despite my best efforts.

I'd probably get a rear camera as well but I run a Garmin Varia & usually another standalone rear light in the winter so not really got the room.

At the end of the day it makes me feel safer & that's good enough for me.

Can't see how a camera can make you feel safer. They don't prevent you being hit and are only of use after any incident, when they may be invaluable in any insurance claim/prosecution.

veronese68

ballysmate said:

ibr17xvii said:

I have a GoPro mounted underneath my Wahoo on the front of the bike which although doesn't capture everything does get the numerous close passes I seem to attract.

TBH though I don't know why I bother cos my local Constabulary aren't interested despite my best efforts.

I'd probably get a rear camera as well but I run a Garmin Varia & usually another standalone rear light in the winter so not really got the room.

At the end of the day it makes me feel safer & that's good enough for me.

Can't see how a camera can make you feel safer. They don't prevent you being hit and are only of use after any incident, when they may be invaluable in any insurance claim/prosecution.

Indeed. Had I had one it would have been immediately obvious in mmy case, as it is I have finally had an admission of liability from the driver's insurers but only after much toing and froing. I basically had to prove that the guy couldn't have not known I was there so either did it on purpose or didn't look at all. Part of my evidence was dashcam footage from a mate driving a car along the same route so camera footage did help in the end.
I know it won't keep me any safer but as I said my confidence has taken a knock this time and I find having a camera a little reassuring. I know the last bit is completely irrational

leemolyneux

oxoman said:

Personally I dont use a camera, although if I commuted in a city I would be tempted.

I ride to work and back daily, not far at all but busy city roads. Its tempting after this last week!!

leemolyneux

davep1 said:

First.Aspect said:

I briefly (and I mean for a few days) used one, after <===

Its just one more thing to charge. And I found it kept me wound up. </p>

+1. Got forced off a narrow country road by an oncoming car that gave me no room, crashed and hurt myself, and got a puncture The censored in the car stopped about 50 yds up the road but as soon as I stood up he drove off.

Got a cheap camera after that, mounted to the bars. The battery only lasts an hour, and most of my rides are 90 minutes, so what section of the ride do you record? I ride to and from work a few times a week, so had to remember to charge it at work and then when I got home. Plus the memory card only stored two rides worth, so you had to delete the saved files as well as keep on top of the charging. And the quality was a bit shaky, couldn't always make out the reg of cars, and it was useless in the dark.

Most of my issues could be resolved with buying a better camera and memory card, but it is just too much effort for me, I want to enjoy riding my bike, and the camera added nothing to that.

Thats my only problem is keeping up with the charging and the hassle, I can barely remember to charge my lights half the time!! Think I've got to spend a fortune or just roll without!!

leemolyneux

elbowloh said:

womack said:

Wasn't it a head cam that did for Michael Schumacher?

Possibly, yes. Helmets aren't really designed to have things attached to them.

I have a front and rear camera, Cycliq ones so they're built into the lights.

Had a look at them Cycliq cam/lights they look great, do you recommend them? Don't want to fork out if they are not that great!

elbowloh

They're ok yeah and work for me. I don't have anything to compare them to though as I never had cameras before.

The mount for the front light is terrible though I broke 2 of the standard ones (the second one cycliq sent me for free). I've since replaced with metal outfront mount that also houses my Garmin.

I think there might be a bit of a wait for them though at the moment.

rick_chasey

Really don’t attach it to your helmet.

They don’t work if they’re used to hold something hard millimetres away from your head.

N0bodyOfTheGoat

Attaching cameras/lights etc. to helmet sounds a bad idea to me, attaching one facing forward and backwards on the bike would be agro regards charging and I expect I'd be obsessing over footage most days.

Started to think about them last year when we introduced later 0830 starts at work instead of 0600-0700, but then a bus lane was created on the A3024, making the route in feel much safer.

kingstongraham

Neither of the times I've been hit by a car would a camera have prevented it.

ibr17xvii

ballysmate said:

ibr17xvii said:

I have a GoPro mounted underneath my Wahoo on the front of the bike which although doesn't capture everything does get the numerous close passes I seem to attract.

TBH though I don't know why I bother cos my local Constabulary aren't interested despite my best efforts.

I'd probably get a rear camera as well but I run a Garmin Varia & usually another standalone rear light in the winter so not really got the room.

At the end of the day it makes me feel safer & that's good enough for me.

Can't see how a camera can make you feel safer. They don't prevent you being hit and are only of use after any incident, when they may be invaluable in any insurance claim/prosecution.

Difficult to quantify I agree.

As we all do I get my fair share of close passes, cars pulling out in front of you, car doors being opened, folk on the wrong side of the road etc etc & the camera will capture this if something occurs.

Without riding with a camera pointed at every angle it's difficult but for me at least a forward facing camera is better than nothing.

Selvacyclingconsultancy

The Cycliq products look decent and I've considered these as an option in the past, (shame to read the bracket is a bit pants). I'd probably not go for the helmet cam myself but can see why people do. It's like the wild west out there on UK roads.

exlaser

If you want to go the camera route , that’s fine , but please don’t mount it on your helmet. It’s so dangerous. Would you cycle along with a large nail sticking out of your helmet ready to impale your brain when you fall off ?