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Metropolitan Police beta-testing video upload site for close pass and other footageMetropolitan Police.jpg

Metropolitan Police beta-testing video upload site for close pass and other footage

Force makes it easier to provide third-party footage as evidence
by Simon_MacMichael
Fri, Nov 25, 2016 10:42
14

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.”

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.

Metropolitan Police
helmetcam
Simon MacMichael

Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.

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14 comments

Avatar
gunswick | 7 years ago
0 likes

This will cover all offences includinh mobile phone usage.

Great to see it brought in, wish it was national

Avatar
OldRidgeback | 7 years ago
0 likes

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.

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Bob's Bikes | 7 years ago
0 likes

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.

Avatar
handlebarcam | 7 years ago
1 like

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...

Avatar
burtthebike | 7 years ago
2 likes

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.

Avatar
danthomascyclist replied to burtthebike | 7 years ago
1 like
burtthebike wrote:

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.

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.

Avatar
TriTaxMan replied to burtthebike | 7 years ago
1 like
burtthebike wrote:

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.

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 surprise

Avatar
LarryDavidJr replied to TriTaxMan | 7 years ago
0 likes
craigstitt wrote:

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 surprise

These are supposed to be good.

http://road.cc/content/review/147606-raceware-direct-garmin-and-gopro-mount

Avatar
vonhelmet | 7 years ago
1 like

It'll get spammed into oblivion by idiot drivers posting five minutes of whatever.

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Dnnnnnn | 7 years ago
2 likes

Someone please tell Silvio Diego.

Avatar
riotgibbon | 7 years ago
1 like

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 ...

Avatar
nniff | 7 years ago
0 likes

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.

Avatar
kitkat replied to nniff | 7 years ago
1 like
nniff wrote:

Video of someone trundling along the road is the most boring thing in the world

Until this happens... http://road.cc/content/news/212242-video-cyclist-appeals-help-track-down-hit-and-run-driver

Avatar
cdamian | 7 years ago
4 likes

If this ever happens where I live I will buy a camera the next day.

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