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Has it come to this?

22 years of riding bikes and just getting on with it and I buy one of these as an 'insurance' against crap drivers.

/content/review/10959-veho-muvi-micro-dv-camcorder

What's changed? Me or the world?

Is it really more dangerous out there or am I over reacting?

If you're new please join in and if you have questions pop them below and the forum regulars will answer as best we can.

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13 comments

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foxyloxy | 10 years ago
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Funny int it,not long ago I had a close one and said in the Forum that any serious cyclist that rode wearing ear phones was a pratt,and got vilified by those I wont name,but they know who they are.You need your wits about you when riding anywhere,especially on the roads,if I hear a vehicle coming from behind I turn my head to the right,so that if the driver is concentrating he/she will know that I have heard them coming,I also use my rear KNOG boomer at all times,and especially when time trialing.57 yrs of cycling,and had a few near ones,just make sure that you are a member of British Cycling,or CTC,or have some other insurance.

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mattbibbings | 10 years ago
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It will never be my intention to be one of those weirdos who film every single HWC infringement and.post it on line. They indeed do nothing for the overall image of cyclists.

I am only concerned about the situation where a drivers actions cause me injury or loss and It is my word against theirs.

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700c | 10 years ago
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I don't think it does the perception of cyclists much good if we all go around filming car drivers and then shaming them on YouTube.

I find people who tend to do this a bit self righteous and antagonistic, they may even cause more confrontation than they prevent..

But if they're used sensibly, I guess it could be a good idea in certain situations

then again I might be more pro-camera if I'd been a victim of a hit and run or something though!

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notfastenough | 10 years ago
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Unfortunately, I'm thinking of one too. After looking around, I'm thinking of the Contour Roam 2. Seems like a good blend of functionality, weatherproof, cost and doesn't give me the appearance of a tellytubby when mounted on the helmet (ahem - Gopro - ahem).

I do figure that in the event of an incident, the driver will have their version of events, possibly backed up a biased passenger, and I will have video footage and GPS data.

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jollygoodvelo | 10 years ago
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Oddly I find riding in the city safer than in the countryside. In town, you're more or less the same speed as other traffic. In the country people blaze past and perhaps don't expect to see you (no excuse, of course).

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don simon fbpe | 10 years ago
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Quote:

On almost every ride of 20+ miles you can expect a near death experience, or a cataclysmic moment of mental madness from someone in a vehicle.

Agreed, I generally feel that it's been a successful ride when I haven't had a serious moment and that the worst that has happened has been a large number of cars passing me too closely.

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PJ McNally replied to don simon fbpe | 10 years ago
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don simon wrote:
Quote:

On almost every ride of 20+ miles you can expect a near death experience, or a cataclysmic moment of mental madness from someone in a vehicle.

Agreed, I generally feel that it's been a successful ride when I haven't had a serious moment and that the worst that has happened has been a large number of cars passing me too closely.

Agreed here too. I've taken to riding out the NCN to get out of the city, some of the time, when i don't feel up to sharing the road. Me! SPDs, drop bars etc!

And I gave in and bought a helmet camera this spring, too.

The final straw was, when out with my wife and child, an audi driver allowed his passenger to wave the passenger door at us. Repeatedly. He should be banned for life, if not prison.

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TheHatter | 10 years ago
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I figure its just a matter of time before I'm taken out - depressing but geniunely think that given the number of near misses (just this week had a driver pull out of a side turning without seeing my forcing me onto the other side of the road).

I accept the risk but its frustrating that the driver will likely get away with it if there are no witnesses so I've also been thinking of getting one of these.

However the crash I fear is the 'big one' when I won't be able to turn off the camera so won't it just carry on recording and overwrite whats on there?

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Myriadgreen | 10 years ago
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Hey Comm88, thanks for the total 'women driver' sterotype... next you'll be saying all cyclists run red lights and ride on the pavements. Hug and girly kisses... I'm off to do my hair and blog about my period.  6

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mattyb95 | 10 years ago
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Didn't a guy on a bike get hit by a train on an unprotected crossing because he had headphones on and didn't hear it coming?

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arfa | 10 years ago
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Afraid I disagree on headphones. On several occasions I have been overtaken after looking, signalling and manoeuvring for a right turn . Being able to hear rising revs early is probably the reason I am still here.

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northstar | 10 years ago
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Headphones is perfectly safe, it's a complete myth otherwise, why people keep saying that it isn't god only knows.

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comm88 | 10 years ago
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Nope. Not over reacting. It is decidedly more dangerous out there and when you are being targeted by space heads in silver BMWs and totally idiotic young girls in cars it often takes courage to even get out on yer bike!!

For me, there has been an inexorable rise in the "couldn't care less for any other road user" and "fk you, you're a cyclist" mentality of so many motorists - certainly over the past 5 years or so. You're cut up, overtaken on blind bends, passed way too close, shouted and sworn at more than I've experienced before and I've been riding seriously for almost 40 years.

On almost every ride of 20+ miles you can expect a near death experience, or a cataclysmic moment of mental madness from someone in a vehicle. You have to stay extra alert - even when you're very tired - and listen hard to what the traffic is doing behind you and on every blind bend. Or you're dead.

And the very worst offenders? Invariably, BMW drivers and women!!!!

Stay safe and ride smart. That means no headphones, no cellphones and no music that can distract you, or stop you hearing what's going on around you.

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