The fat commuter wrote:But it doesn't! It makes some cyclists into aggressive maniacs - not all of them. The problem being is that as more and more videos make their way into the public domain where a motorist has made a mistake and a cyclist goes out of their way to belittle them then the public will start t think that all helmet cam cyclists act that way, and then that all cyclists act that way.
Cameras have their use. Someone does something dangerous and the evidence can be supplied to the police and some form of education can be given and maybe some punishment. Whether this happens, we are not to know - I've heard some people say that it has happened and some say it hasn't.
However, what I see on the majority of these videos is a cyclist going out of their way to say that they are better than someone else. Yes, the driver made a mistake but is there a need to chase them down, wind them up to a state that they start making fools of themselves and then put that online? The 'Clown takes a pratfall' video comes to mind a lot in this mindset of winding up motorists. Yes, that fella in the Peugeot was a first class idiot but the cyclist knew after he had his first verbal encounter with him that the motorist was not going to back down. Why not be a bigger man and just forget about it there and then - you've made your point but it hasn't sunk in. Is there a need to goad the man so that he makes a fool of himself and then let the whole world see? What if that man had some past that the press got hold of that they turned against the holder of the video camera? Suppose the press make out he was a war hero from the first Iraq war who had suffered from psychological issues and anger problems - but had got over these through therapy and then this cyclist comes along and winds him up. It doesn't even have to be that true - once the press get hold of a tiny smell of a better story that will sell their papers then they will and mud will stick.
I get some close passes occasionally. I get motorists cutting in on me - usually I make a type of gesture of "astonishing was that all about?" Not any aggression towards the other driver. Sometimes after doing this the next driver that passes me will make a gesture at me in the tone of "Blummin' heck, that was close". In my mind, whilst the first motorist got away with it - but maybe he saw my gesture, the second motorist thought about things and he/she will give just that little bit extra thought around cyclists. Cloud cuckoo land - maybe. But going out of one's way to humiliate people or have heated arguments is bad for cyclists in general.
I totally agree,there are an element of camera wind up merchants,however as with bad/intimidatory drivers they tend to be in the minority,it's Youtube that's providing the stage.
*Story alert*
Last Friday within a mile of home toward the end of a hard ride,into a stiff headwind and slight uphill riding slowly at about 12mph.
Out of nowhere a blaring horn, I did a mirror check a Megan is closing me down fast at about 40mph and still leaning on the horn,then hits the brakes and overtakes with less than 30cm,nearer 20cm,I fend off the car with my right hand,more of a reaction than anything,he then drives past maybe 5m and slows right down to my speed,then slower.I'm not 'falling' for the brake jab trick and keep my distance.
By this time I'm blazing and flick him the fingers.I see two faces peering out of the rear window,the front passenger,a woman in her late 'teens early twenties and a similar aged male.
I continue to ride at a safe distance,he tries the brake jab trick but I'm to far from him for it to work.Another car approaches from behind and he boots it away.
Unfortunately I was so focused on staying safe I didn't get all the reg plate SH04B** Black Renault Megane.
Video footage may stop this moronic goon from doing it again,if the police were to 'have a word'.
Last year whilst riding in a cycle lane 50 to100m from a red TL,a White LWB Merc Sprinter cut me up clipping my right shoulder with his rear nearside corner and swerving into the cycle lane to do it,even though he had plenty of room to stay in his own lane.
I approached his nearside cab window(ehich was going down as got to it) and said(quite calmly)'what was all that about'.
His response was "I'M GOING TO F***ING KILL YOU WITH THIS VAN",whilst bouncing up and down in his driving seat,I invited him to do it without the van but he declined.
There then followed a tirade of abuse toward me so loud it attracted attention from other vehicles,he was third inline to the TL,I rode to the front of the queue and when the lights changed I sprinted across the junction to the safety of the opposite curb,which has 1m high bollards on the radius which carry on 20m up the road,so I knew I was safe.
I thought he'd drive off but no,he stopped and the tirade began again with threats to kill me.
I was stumped for a second or two then I said "you're on camera and I'm phoning the police",which I did,I had full vehicle details and driver description.
When I was phoned back the police said they'd interview him,they did but of course he told a pack of lies.
I still don't know what I did to provoke these incidents but I do know camera footage would've been irrefutable evidence of drivers deliberately using their vehicles as weapons and in the second incident verbal abuse that was very frightening at the time however hollow it's intent.
These are not isolated incidents in fact similar,though not as frightening,incidents happen quite regularly,I'm bewildered as to why and cannot begin to think how I cause them other than being a convenient whipping boy to bully.
(contains strong language)
