Dangerous and Illegal Helmet Cam

[PDoz]

So if the camera is illegal, than the footage shot with one of some bozo causing a wreck is inadmissible in court?

I think that would depend on if you were chasing a criminal or civil case, but that'd presumably be up to the lawyers to negotiate?

 

[Nova Haibike]

Legalities aside, I worry that a helmet cam or light may compromise the safety of a helmet. I do not think I have ever seen a test demonstrating the effectiveness of a helmet with such accessories added to it.

 

[PDoz]

Legalities aside, I worry that a helmet cam or light may compromise the safety of a helmet. I do not think I have ever seen a test demonstrating the effectiveness of a helmet with such accessories added to it.

nb - read between the lines, they are not saying cams are safe - just not dangerous enough to breach standards

Safety of Helmet-cams

Have you ever mounted a mini-camera (e.g. GoPro) onto the climbing helmet of your presenter or contributor and wondered if it was safe to do so?

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[Mr. Coffee]

nb - read between the lines, they are not saying cams are safe - just not dangerous enough to breach standards

Safety of Helmet-cams

Have you ever mounted a mini-camera (e.g. GoPro) onto the climbing helmet of your presenter or contributor and wondered if it was safe to do so?

www.bbc.co.uk

If your helmet has an integrated camera mount (that you can also use for a light) those mounts are all designed to break away in an impact. My own experience has been that if you are in an eggbeater the camera is long gone before it could be a major issue. Though you might get smacked in the face with it as it breaks away.

It just seems very unlikely with either a breakaway helmet mount or a sticky tape mount that the camera is going to compromise the safety of the helmet. And like I said the physics of most accidents is such that the camera will likely be far away from you by the time your head and the helmet greets the concrete.

All bets are off if you modify the helmet in some way. Some of the more spectacular accidents have involved people drilling holes in a helmet to mount the camera on an aluminum bracket. That is so wrong for so many reasons, including having a mounting bracket that is stronger than the helmet or your bones, or compromising the structural integrity of your helmet by drilling a bleeding hole in it.

There is also a huge variance with respect to what activity you are doing that doesn't even get represented in that article. Almost no climbing helmets have a GoPro mount and they obviously aren't designed to have one on the helmet.

 

[Browneye]

There was a really creative guy on advrider that carried a drone on his backpack, on his bike. He made some of THE MOST AWESOME vids I have ever seen.
In fact, drone footage has a surrealistic feel to it that has not been captured well until their advent.

So here's a good example of well-done footage, likely several hours of filming, cut down to 12 minutes, with a good flow and sound track. THESE are worth watching. If you're not going to invest in the time and and effort to make it really interesting, just give it up and enjoy your ride. Maybe take a few snaps. I've done semi-professional photography for my entire life. An RX100 digicam takes amazing pics. You just have to carry it with you. The adventure bike guys put them on a zinger on their saftey vest, so they are ready access. The go-pro mount is one of it's best features - first place imagery.

Even so, I found myself fast-forwarding. LOL

 

[Taylor57]

But @Browneye ,you're the only one on this page that has their own face as an avatar.

Unless that's what @Art Deco looks like in real life. Dude.

Hey I'm right there with Brownie. Well, me and my GD....

 

[6zfshdb]

Just what is it that makes a helmet camera illegal? As long as the attachment doesn't affect the structural integrity of the helmet, what's the problem? Sure, they look silly but so do a lot of other decorative helmets.

 

[WattsUpDude]

Just what is it that makes a helmet camera illegal? As long as the attachment doesn't affect the structural integrity of the helmet, what's the problem? Sure, they look silly but so do a lot of other decorative helmets.

There are jurisdictions that don’t allow cameras running in public. In California, you’re allowed to use cameras in public since there is no “reasonable expectation of privacy”. As long as you’re not a creeper pointing cameras at kids or into windows, you’ll be fine.

 

[WattsUpDude]

Hey I'm right there with Brownie. Well, me and my GD....

Was just joking a bit at @Browneye since he mentioned narcissism. I personally have no opinion on the practice. And hey, that’s a nice moment with your GD.

 

[FlatSix911]

There was a really creative guy on advrider that carried a drone on his backpack, on his bike. He made some of THE MOST AWESOME vids I have ever seen.
In fact, drone footage has a surrealistic feel to it that has not been captured well until their advent.

So here's a good example of well-done footage, likely several hours of filming, cut down to 12 minutes, with a good flow and sound track. THESE are worth watching. If you're not going to invest in the time and and effort to make it really interesting, just give it up and enjoy your ride. Maybe take a few snaps. I've done semi-professional photography for my entire life. An RX100 digicam takes amazing pics. You just have to carry it with you. The adventure bike guys put them on a zinger on their saftey vest, so they are ready access. The go-pro mount is one of it's best features - first place imagery.

Even so, I found myself fast-forwarding. LOL

Cool video... thanks for sharing.

Take a look at this skiing drone video... the camera auto follows the skier via Bluetooth.

 

[Ebiker01]

360degrees cameras -2 of them, f/r ! Too many angles are missed with a regular camera .