The Metropolitan Police Service is beta-testing a website that will enable cyclists and others to upload video footage of drivers breaking the law.
The website says:
If you’ve been involved in a road traffic collision, or think you might have witnessed an offence on the roads in London, report it here using our simple online tool. Just answer the quick questions below to make sure we give you the right advice and gather all the relevant details.
Uploading video evidence – which must cover a minimum of two minutes before and two minutes after the alleged incident – can be done following a process that police say will take 10 minutes to complete.
As well as the footage itself, other information required – provided it is available – includes:
The date and time of the incident
Details of the other person or people involved
The registration and make of their vehicle
Contact details of any witnesses to the incident
Footage or photos of the offence taking place.
News of the website was tweeted by Sergeant Andy Clarke of Camden police, who described it as “awesome.”
If you have 3rd Party Footage of #closepass or mobile phone use then you can submit it here: https://t.co/mHSm71gTDs
Which is a awesome
— Sgt Clarke (@MPSCamdenTnSgt) November 24, 2016
The officer has attracted a following from cyclists on Twitter after he decided to replicate West Midlands Police’s Close Pass initiative on his own beat.
> Camden drivers caught close passing a cyclist twice in a year could have their car crushed
Many London cyclists who do use helmet cameras have expressed frustration with the force when it has decided to take no action against motorists who have been caught on film breaking the law. Whether the new website signals a change in the police’s approach remains to be seen.
14 thoughts on “Metropolitan Police beta-testing video upload site for close pass and other footage”
If this ever happens where I
If this ever happens where I live I will buy a camera the next day.
Good move.
Good move.
All I need now is for Fly6 to make a sensible front camera/light that’s as good as their rear one, instead of that overspec’ed, overpriced monstrosity that they produced.
Video of someone trundling along the road is the most boring thing in the world; I only ever look at the rear footage from my camera if something happens.
nniff wrote:
Until this happens… http://road.cc/content/news/212242-video-cyclist-appeals-help-track-down-hit-and-run-driver
my Fly6 packed up this week
my Fly6 packed up this week in the cold after 18 months, but I’m glad I got the forward Fly12. Took me a while to get used to it, and the Android software certainly isn’t perfect (they’ve released it in beta, which I think is the right thing to do), but its pretty good. I stopped at a cafe on the way in the morning, and edited and uploaded this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6o5iqwitwc4
and I would certainly dispute it being always boring:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NaVb0j2Y5jk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RLPyF8btvOI
but, usually, yes …
Someone please tell Silvio
Someone please tell Silvio Diego.
It’ll get spammed into
It’ll get spammed into oblivion by idiot drivers posting five minutes of whatever.
An excellent intiative, but
An excellent intiative, but why the two minutes before and after restriction? I can see how it might be useful if there had been a previous incident leading up to the actual one, but the only responsibility of the person reporting the incident is to prove it happened. If there are previous/post incidents, either the cyclist will record and report them. I suppose there could be footage which doesn’t show the cyclist in a good light, but if so, it’s up to the driver to report that, not the cyclist.
Wise to keep the whole video though.
burtthebike wrote:
It probably helps them with prosecution. It’s harder to use a defence that you were provoked if the video footage clearly shows that wasn’t the case. The additional footage will also be helpful in verifying the location, time of day, other vehicles that could be witnesses etc. Seems like good practice and sensible to request this.
burtthebike wrote:
That will be to prove that you have not instigated the incident by some reckless behaviour. In the same way that if you are involved in an accident and have video evidence you would have to provide the full video. They just don’t want an hour of video files for a 2 second incident clogging up their systems.
On a completely separate note….anyone out there got any ideas on a decent mount for a Garmin Virb X. Just got mine, mounted it on the handlebars, and during the first journey with the cam I had to take evasive action to avoid being left hooked by a driver on a roundabout….. and the footage is suffering from vibrations so cant make out number plate
craigstitt wrote:
These are supposed to be good.
http://road.cc/content/review/147606-raceware-direct-garmin-and-gopro-mount
Counting down to reactionary
Counting down to reactionary newspaper hysteria about a war on motorists and how this (and not, say, the new Investigatory Powers Act) is a terrible infringement of people’s privacy, in 3… 2… 1…
Hopefully this is a step in
Hopefully this is a step in the right direction but (call me cynical if you like) the way the police have worded it sounds as if there interested if it was a collision and won’t be bothering with near misses which are still illegal and very fustrating if you are the victim of such below standard driving.
Ace news – if it goes into
Ace news – if it goes into use I’ll be submitting my helmet cam footage. I do see some real nutcases on my commute, but phone use at the wheel is the most common problem.
This will cover all offences
This will cover all offences includinh mobile phone usage.
Great to see it brought in, wish it was national