Support road.cc

Like this site? Help us to make it better.

news

BBC to air helmet cam documentary

Controversial doco is called 'The War on Britain's Roads' - how will cyclists be portrayed?...

The BBC has announced that it will air its one hour special documentary on cyclists and motorists, fueled by helmet cam footage, at 9pm on BBC1 on 5th December.

The documentary has come under fire for appearing to be more than a little confrontational.

The broadcaster describes the programme as “an adrenaline-filled one-off film for BBC One."

They go on to say: “As more and more people take up cycling as a way of beating the traffic or just keeping fit on their commute, the potential for conflict between cyclists and drivers has increased massively,” the BBC said.

“Now cameras installed on bikes and in vehicles will use heart-stopping footage of interactions between road users to reveal a shocking picture of life on Britain’s roads. The film will follow current cases as they go through the courts and revisit the tragic stories of some of those who have lost their lives on Britain’s roads.”

The documentary has been made by Leopard Films, whose Chief Executive Officer, Todd Austin, commented: “This timely documentary highlights a growing issue on Britain’s roads, from the viewpoint of both the motorist and the cyclist. BBC One is the perfect home for this insightful and at times shocking film.

"Viewers are parachuted into the middle of the battle that is raging between two-wheeled road users and their four-wheeled counterparts."

Helmet cams are a mode of documentation, legal protection and downright fun for a growing number of cyclists, but portraying commuting as a 'battle', or 'adrenaline fuelled' goes against the vision the vast majority of riders would wish to see on the roads as more people take to two wheels.

Thomas Stokell, MD of Challenge for Change, which runs workplace cycle projects, told BikeBiz:

"There is clearly a risk here that this documentary will only portray cycling to be a dangerous, tragedy-filled activity. While clashes between people who drive cars and people who ride bikes do occur, it may seem to people who watch this documentary that they happen everyone time you ever ride your bike. This will clearly not be conducive to encouraging more people to take up cycling.

"Personally, I ride everyday, mainly in Bristol, but in cities all over the country as well, and I have hardly ever had a hostile confrontation with someone in a car. Positive interactions with other road users on one ride far far far outweigh any negative incidences.

"I really do hope that the documentary makers plan to show viewers at the beginning and the end of the documentary that hundreds of thousands of people ride everyday in the UK, and the vast majority of them have very pleasant rides. Why would they cycle if it wasn't highly enjoyable to do so?"

Add new comment

41 comments

Avatar
Steven_L replied to jollygoodvelo | 11 years ago
0 likes
Gizmo_ wrote:

...
Note: none of the above forgives SMIDSY or the times when Addison Lee drivers actually try to hit cyclists (there are at least two with dents in their sides put there by me). But as far as I'm concerned every single time a cyclist gets squished by a left-turning truck at a junction, that's because the cyclist shouldn't have been there.

I agree with you here 100%. I get infuriated by idiots out without lights, jumping lights, or generally behaving contrary to Darwinian principles.

Avatar
disco | 11 years ago
0 likes

Cheers BBC and Leopard Films. Let's see what happens the day after.

Avatar
ironbloke | 11 years ago
0 likes

I have decided to watch the film.............................................................................................and then comment.  39

Avatar
Littlesox | 11 years ago
0 likes

Mmmm, can't help but worry that the programme will bring the headcam loonies to a wider audience.

I've seen the stuff on Youtube, and a percentage (not all) of it appears to be generated by people on bikes almost looking for a confrontation.

I agree with Ironbloke above - I'll watch the film, then comment.

Avatar
matthewn5 replied to Ghedebrav | 11 years ago
0 likes

Second that. Mostly uneventful commute, main annoyance is drivers turning left without indicating, but you can avoid that with caution at junctions.

It does make me wonder if the shouty type cyclists are those who pack helmet cams.

Avatar
matthewuniverse replied to jollygoodvelo | 11 years ago
0 likes

" But as far as I'm concerned every single time a cyclist gets squished by a left-turning truck at a junction, that's because the cyclist shouldn't have been there."

Strictly speaking I agree, but it doesn't help when 'cycle lanes' direct the cyclist down the inside of traffic towards a left turning junction. Another reason I don't always use them.

Avatar
a.jumper replied to Littlesox | 11 years ago
0 likes
Littlesox wrote:

Mmmm, can't help but worry that the programme will bring the headcam loonies to a wider audience.

I've seen the stuff on Youtube, and a percentage (not all) of it appears to be generated by people on bikes almost looking for a confrontation.

Publication bias. I've recorded hours of footage of open roads, considerate drivers and so on. You don't upload that to YouTube.

We're not all loonies, but if you reckon on one nutter a week per average commuter cyclist, as well as a few trouble-seekers, there's more than enough footage to spin this any way they like.

Avatar
thereverent replied to jollygoodvelo | 11 years ago
0 likes
Gizmo_ wrote:

But as far as I'm concerned every single time a cyclist gets squished by a left-turning truck at a junction, that's because the cyclist shouldn't have been there.

I've had a few occations where a lorry has overtaken me and immediately turned left across me. I've managed to see it coming and brake/avoid going under the lorry.
It's lazy to say it always it the cyclist at fault.

Avatar
Posh | 11 years ago
0 likes

Drove though central London last week during peak evening traffic. May be due to inexperience of the conditions but quite an eyeopener. Motor traffic generally kept to lanes at a modest pace. Cyclist and motorcycles all over the place weaving in and out of traffic.

It was also clear that those cyclists who were more passive were tempted to follow the practice of the more "assertive" and were clealy uncomfortable in some of the positions they found themselves.

All road users must relise that the roads are not race tracks and need to be shared. Stop jumping lights, stop racing and stop expecting all others to accommodate your bad habits.

Commuting is just that and nothing more. Ride in a manner that is appropriate for the conditions.

The attitudes shown by motorists to cyclist are also the same as those shown by some cyclists to motorists. Get used to sharing this common facility.

RSVP.

Avatar
a.jumper | 11 years ago
0 likes

I think Posh is suffering from observation bias: if you're sat in a stationary car, you only see the cyclists who overtake it, not those who wait in line or who take quieter alternative routes. Of course, some of those who are happy to "mix it" with cars are nuts, while some make mistakes. Likewise, if you're on a bike on a quiet road, you don't see the cars moving at modest speeds in tidy lanes on the main roads - you see the rat runners.

The key things are to share the road, don't sink to the level of the nutters and remember not to overgeneralise about any type of road users.

Pages

Latest Comments