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GoPro HD Hero2 helmet mounted10 tips for submitting good quality camera evidence to police
Many of us who use the roads see poor driving on a fairly regular basis, and many choose to carry cameras as a result. As more drivers, cyclists and motorcyclists use cameras on their day to day journeys, submission of video evidence to police is skyrocketing.
7 of the best action cameras for 2020
Across the UK a growing number of police forces have introduced online portals for members of the public to submit footage of bad driving, whether cyclists and motorcyclists with helmet cams, or drivers with dash cams. Theoretically, if you have a camera, reporting poor driving is becoming ever easier.
But how do you ensure the evidence you're submitting is good enough?
Although forces’ submission portals differ, what they need evidentially varies very little – such as footage that is submitted quickly, with enough information to bring the worst driving to book.
West Midlands Police is expecting 3,000 camera footage submissions this year via their online portal. What started as a trickle became a tidal wave. However, the proportion of cases in which no further action is taken is still fairly high (between 25% and more than 50%), either because evidence wasn't good enough or it was submitted too late.
West Midlands Police Traffic Investigation Unit Manager, Stuart Baker, has given us some tips for submitting evidence.
1. You’ll need good enough footage.
Police don’t specify video quality for submission but in any incident the vehicle number plate needs to be clear. Check your camera can pick up moving number plates. In the case of close passes, the most effective setup is one camera on the front, one on the rear of the bike. It’s worth noting cameras mounted to helmets make it trickier, but not impossible, for police to tell how close drivers are when overtaking.
2. Ensure the time and date are correct on your camera.
This can be resolved later, usually with a statement from the user, but it’s easier for police if it’s right in the first place.
3. Capture video footage of the incident and the vehicle as best you can.
Capturing not only the incident and the vehicle, but images of the driver, too will help police identify them later on. More tips on mobile phones, below.
4. Try to stay as calm as possible during any incident
Keep cool during the incident, and above all, don’t put yourself in danger. Baker recommends you don’t enter into discussions or engage with the offending driver to point out what they have done and what you intend to do; obtain the footage and carry on your journey. Remember, it’s up to police to deal with bad driving, and camera evidence helps them do that. Police will assess both your riding and a driver’s driving later.
5. Submit footage early – worry about details later.
Police need to send a notice of intended prosecution to vehicle owners within 14 days of the incident, so if you’ve caught something on camera there isn’t a day to waste. As Baker puts it: “We can get further details at a later date, we just need footage of the incident to make sure we’re happy something has occurred”. It goes without saying the person reporting needs to keep the full footage in case it’s needed later.
6. Write a good statement with your camera footage
Your statement is submitted at the same time as the footage. Keep to the facts, rather than opinion. Your statement needs to cover the following:
a. What the driver did
b. Whether they were moving/stationary at the time
c. If they were in traffic
d. Whether it was at a junction
e. What the road conditions were
7. Mobile phone offences need more detail of the driver and what they're doing
For mobile phone offences try to capture:
a. The device screen, if it is illuminated
b. If the device is being held to the driver’s face and they can be seen talking
c. Texting/fingers or thumb moving across the screen
d. Looking down at the device, rather than the road ahead – whether stationary or moving
e. The length of time the driver is using the device
8. Keep all of the footage you have of the incident.
Once submitted, police will consider the manner of driving and cycling of ALL involved in the incident, and may ask you for the full footage, should the matter proceed to court. They usually need the incident itself, and a minute of footage either side.
9. You may not hear back straight away
You may not receive a response from police saying what action is being taken. That doesn’t mean they aren’t doing anything. West Midlands Police say while they review all footage, they don’t respond to all submissions, choosing to focus resources on reviewing and investigation of incidents. They will generally only make contact if the matter goes to court.
10. Above all, enjoy the ride.
To make it a neat ten, but also for perspective. We take up cycling because it’s convenient, fun, healthy and saves us money. Most drivers want to do the right thing and drive safely. Don’t let a few bad eggs ruin your rides.
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32 comments
I would add. 11. Get some basic familiarity with video editing software on the device of your choice. Im a mac user and have dabbled with iMovie before discovering Photos is massively less complex and unless you want to do Picture in Picture is perfectly up to the job.
Any Windows/IOS/Android/Web recommendations?
I use OpenShot - it's cross-platform (Linux, Mac and Windows) and open source (so free as in freedom and as in free beer). I only use it for joining and splicing segments, but it looks like it does loads more if you know what you're doing.
Dont you have to be slightly wary of editing the footage for submission though ?
What would be a great set of tips is if you know how football on tv gets ex refs to review all those replays now.
Cant we find an ex traffic cop to review a couple or three example videos of various degrees and then theyd explain the kind of thing theyd have submitted for prosecution, warning letter or sweet NFA ?
I agree, the police site I submit to specifically states video should not be edited, no need to join and splice, if you need more than one segment just send them both in
11. live in the Lincolnshire where that Supt from London is moving to.
Here's a really good tip.
Don't get a FLY6CE, charge it up and then try to update the firmware upon first use only for the update to fail resulting in the unit being totalled bricked... like I did yesterday. Device now not recognised by laptop, won't switch on and won't even charge!
Now, do I attempt the same with my also brand new FLY12CE ??
I'm thinking of getting a camera (or two) in time for when I start commuting again (currently WFH). I really like the idea of Cycliq 6 & 12, but so, so many reports of them failing and customer service being terrible is putting me off.
I wish another company would steal their idea but do it better.
Agreed - I like the idea of them, but the reports on reliability are dire and I've got a mild aversion to having the camera and light together.
I've got 2 separate cameras, one on a bar mount and the other will be on a saddle rail mount when I can get the bracket to fit the camera.
Seriously, take a look at this camera, will be available soon, I had the previous model and it is half the size of the Fly6, battery life is 7 hours without light and 4.5 with flashing and writes over itself, quality is good. A front camera is due later. Top tip though, the UK importer is Chilli Technology and they have awful customer service, if you buy then buy direct until a new UK distributor is sorted https://www.facebook.com/TOOO-Cycling-105347488077019
One thing that has been expressed to myself in the past by the Police is to not place any footage you send to the Police on a video sharing or social media websites.
Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) advice is that your footage should not be in the public domain as this may adversely affect any subsequent proceedings.
Here is a portal offered by a leading dash cam manufacturer which i've used in the past.
https://www.nextbase.com/en-gb/national-dash-cam-safety-portal/
Seems to cover a number of Police forces as well. Although I've submitted footage to Warwickshire Police, I've heard nothing back (although that was the same with going to Northamptonshire Police directly).
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/DRIFT-GHOST-X-HD-ACTION-HELMET-CAMERA-1080P-M...
i could have submitted this to dorset police but they are woeful- so i send my footage to the dashcam channels. I prefer it to get seen by hundreds of thousands of people instead.
https://rate-driver.co.uk/FE53ODY
1080p drift ghost x, if anybody likes the quality.
The premise behind this item is that the limitation in prosecuting drivers is the quality of the evidence and the persuasiveness of the report. This is not the case, at least not in Lancashire. These cases are not intellectually difficult: it is an offence to cross thoose unbroken white lines, to use that handheld mobile phone and to cross those traffic lights at red- the close-passing is more difficult, but I only submit the cases where there is absolutely no doubt.The police do not like perfect reports with indispuable evidence because they have no defence beyond their usual course of action which is ignoring them. The limiting factor is whether the police can be bothered- mostly, they can't.
Disagree strongly with the second part of this. If you have been endangered, write clearly and directly about how you felt - if you were scared, or intimidated. Your immediate feelings are something that will not be captured by the footage, and will be difficult to recall accurately months down the line.
If a case goes to court, it's extremely important - the driver will undoubtedly claim that they did nothing wrong, and caused no problem to anyone - and camera positioning (e.g. centre of the bike) often gives an overly flattering impression even if the vehicle was extremely close to you. If it is not clearly set out in your statement, nobody will understand or appreciate from the video just how terrifying the experience was. I say this from experience in a magistrates court, where the magistrate acquitted the driver on the basis that because I had continued on my journey it meant that I was not "inconvenienced" by his cutting in on me with centimetres to spare, and therefore it did not meet the standard of careless driving.
Likewise, if you had to brake or take evasive action to avoid collision, you MUST state this - heavy braking in particular isn't always obvious in a video.
I would also add - don't include too much extraneous footage - just send the relevant clip and maybe 10 seconds before/after. Keep footage of at least 2 mins before and after and advise that it is available if needed. As the number of reports increases, police admin time in assessing each report will be increasingly important - don't make them waste it sitting through empty time. Also, whatever you submit will not be edited if it is shown in court - and long lead in times to the actual incident just get the magistrate irritated and bored. Sadly these thing do have an impact on the likelihood of an outcome that reflects the offence.
I don't think they mean that you should not state how you feel, rather avoid "the driver must have been on the phone or on drugs or drunk to have done X". Or "they were driving like a lunatic"
The amount of footage before and after depends on the force you submit to. It seems a few require 2 minutes before and after.
I think 6 is the most important one. I seem to get better results now I am more detailed about it all. Spell out what happened even if you think it is obvious.
Looking for other offences too, particularly how oncoming traffic reacts to a close pass ie did they have to swerve or deviate and brake?
I did a caravan one recently and after a few views I noticed the car mirrors did not look good enough. Used slow motion to get to a good shot of the rear and no sign at all of mirrors.
Also make clear what you had to do - "I had to brake and change direction to avoid a collision".
Just a thought....
Bearing in mind how Michael Schumacher received his life changing injuries, is it wise to have a camera fixed to your cycling helmet?
I think you're very brave if you do
The risk is surely near zero though, requiring a precise combination of events, each of which has a very low probability.
is it wise to have a camera fixed to your cycling helmet?
This question is barmy! The essential question behind this is: "Is it wise to take the risk of cycling on public roads, given the number of 'I could knock 20 seconds off the journey time, knock that hospital down' BMW drivers around, and the attitude of the law to those BMW drivers who kill cyclists"
The 'risk' of a helmet mounted camera is minuscule in comparison, and vastly outweighed by the benefit (if you're prepared to 'keep going' over harassing the police, that is).
There is no evidence that Michael Schumacher's injuries were related to the camera. He fell and hit his head on a rock.
My wife fell in the garden and hit her head on a plant pot - I can assure you that no camera is needed in order to sustain a serious injury in this way. Fortunately she was lucky and sustained only a minor skull fracture. Unfortunately Schummacher was unlucky and suffered a much more serious injury. That's all there is to it.
Camera on helmet is a massive fail for the reason that the helmet is designed, built and tested with no such attachment. Specifically the axial rotation of the neck and potential brain stem rotation are two well known modes of severe injury or death. By all means use a camera that can be integrated into the helmet because it is very small but never attach anything to the exterior of the helmet.
Even a pencil camera is not safe to put in the ventilation channels of the helmet as that space is designed to be empty.
Simply not worth the risk of head injury - cameras on the bike.
I Have had one court appearance. The driver hooted at me at a junction to 'get out of the way' and then came along side me as we were moving, window down and started to remonstrate. In court he said it was because he was worried 'for my safety'. He got 3 points, £300 fine and £300 costs. I laughed - £600 for hooting at a cyclist at a junction. What an idiot - suck that up! To be honest it was just 'another day' for cycle related harassment, not really that scary. The driver was a sad, fat little fuck in court and I almost felt sorry for him. Another time a van side bashed me at a road narrowing, and by doing so came into the cycle lane, brake checked me, and then started screaming at me to 'get out the effing road etc', as I cycled past, then tail gated me, engine revving until he was forced to stop by the road filter (this was all on a cycle superhighway) I sent that to the police and their reply was that there was not 'enough evidence for a prosecution'. - even though you could see the empty road, the cycle lane, the impact, the brake check, the tail gate, the driver's face, the swearing . . . . .
It's all a bid random I feel.
Worse thing is two City Suits on Santander Bikes, who saw it all, offered to act as witnesses and to give me their contact details. I replied thanks but don't worry I have it all on camera. So if you have a witness take their details.
Sounds like the Met. Utterly, utterly useless. Anyone any idea why they are there?
To protect rich people's property and make sure that the under-class is kept in their place.
Found it now.
https://www.west-midlands.police.uk/your-options/close-pass-cycling
"Please note, we cannot take any reports without independent evidence."
Unfortunately, this steps up the chances of being able to do anything about a close pass to another level. Is another cyclist 'independent'?
Another cyclist is independent - we're not Borg you know (or are we?).
Also, I'd consider camera footage to be independent as well.
Their guidance at the address Rose on a Rose cites does seem to suggest that you need both "video footage" and "indpendent witnesses or evidence", but I can't believe that's actually the case given West Mids excellent reputation on this issue. If you click through to the submission form, there is no separate field (required or otherwise) to provide independent evidence or name a witness, only a video uploader.
As I posted on the close pass thread, that page states "Have independent witnesses or evidence of the alleged offence" so if you've got camera footage that shows the number plate then you should be fine. You'd be needing an independent witness if you haven't got footage of the incident.
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