helmet mounted camera for safety when riding -- anyone?

[OakLeaf]

+1 on the weight, the balance shift, and the obstruction on your helmet in case of a crash.

RebeccaC, I have the opposite question: where do you live that motorist harassment is not an everyday occurrence??

I would pay the extra money for one of those remote cameras, so only the Sharpie-sized camera is on the helmet (so it looks wherever you look) and the guts of the camera are on your body. Like cops wear, or like they mount on racebikes. That's the only way I'd consider it. You'd have to get used to unplugging the cable when you take your helmet off, but that's no different from, say, electric gloves or hardwired electric vest or the like.

[Aromig]

I've ridden with a go pro -- because I happen to own a go pro for another hobby and I thought it was cool to put on my helmet. I've only ridden with it a few times -- because I had HOURS of boring footage so it didn't seem worth it to charge the camera just for rides. The camera didn't bother my head/balance, etc. at all, but then again I'm used to wearing pretty heavy skydiving helmets so the camera plus my bike helmet feel like nothing. My understanding is that in a crash, the mount breaks off pretty easily (i.e. give is at the camera connection point) but I'm not positive about that. My only concern would be how long you ride -- the batteries for the go pros are made for pretty active (but short) sports. Mine never lasted more than a few hours at most. I also have a contour camera -- it would mount on the side of the helmet and doesn't protrude like a go pro. I've never used it on a bike. Again, its a pretty light camera, but the battery won't last for an entire long ride either.

Amy

[rebeccaC]

Popular opinion is that cyclists are arrogant and unreliable.

some are....just like some car drivers are. More people should see there isn't any learning in that kind of blame generalization.

personally i've never had a problem with cars that I've let bother me enough to lead to anger, even here in a metropolitan area with a population of around 13 million....but then i try my best not to be 'arrogant and unreliable' or angry when driving or riding.

[lph]

some are....just like some car drivers are. More people should see there isn't any learning in that kind of blame generalization.

Oh, I know. Problem is, we have a host of mechanisms working against our favour. 1. "Drivers are everybody, cyclists are a special outsider group (that think and behave the same)". Even though everybody owns a bike, few actually use a bike out in traffic regularly and understand how it works. 2. Arrogant and unreliable cyclists are the visible and memorable ones. All the others patiently waiting their turn, or even cycling somewhere completely different to stay out of traffic are of course invisible and quickly forgotten. 3. Drivers don't realize that cyclists don't and can't behave exactly like drivers. We see and hear things drivers can't, we're a lot less visible, we can fit in small spaces. 4. The gorilla effect. You see what you expect to see.

I know I'm preaching to the choir here :-) just wanted to get it off my chest.

[colorisnt]

I've been downright endangered in the past year a couple of times by drivers. I am very vigilant and very good at obeying traffic rules and keeping myself safe but sometimes it happens. I've just never been bothered to hook up a camera based on my experiences. The 1-2 times it's been an issue in the past few months don't negate the 90+ times I've been out.

[rebeccaC]

Oh, I know. Problem is, we have a host of mechanisms working against our favour. 1. "Drivers are everybody, cyclists are a special outsider group (that think and behave the same)". Even though everybody owns a bike, few actually use a bike out in traffic regularly and understand how it works. 2. Arrogant and unreliable cyclists are the visible and memorable ones. All the others patiently waiting their turn, or even cycling somewhere completely different to stay out of traffic are of course invisible and quickly forgotten. 3. Drivers don't realize that cyclists don't and can't behave exactly like drivers. We see and hear things drivers can't, we're a lot less visible, we can fit in small spaces. 4. The gorilla effect. You see what you expect to see.

I know I'm preaching to the choir here :-) just wanted to get it off my chest.

Yeah, we can’t construct a sensible narrative for everyone who hasn’t got one about bicyclists. Sometimes we can only control our own reactions to a negative narrative and be a positive example to counter it....at least that works for me

[OakLeaf]

That's a good approach in general, but it doesn't help identify the driver who hits a cyclist (intentionally or not) and skips. The point of video is to have evidence. I read recently that the majority of drivers who seriously injure or kill a cyclist or pedestrian don't stop.

[colorisnt]

I feel like bike and pedestrian use of roads should be covered in drivers ed and driving written exams. I learned nothing about either. Everything I learned about cyclists I learned from my cyclist parents who are pretty decent drivers. Not everyone is blessed with this knowledge and ignorance is NOT bliss.