Running a cycle cam on your handlebars or helmet doesn’t make the roads feel any safer, but you do feel less helpless. In the event of a road traffic incident, video footage goes a long way towards guaranteeing legal redress – it’s a cycle insurance of sorts.
However, for those who can’t afford a camera, there’s an alternative. Pass Pixi is highly visible 12cm square patch worn on clothing or a bag that warns motorists they could be recorded by a GoPro, Cycliq or other devices. According to Surrey Police, Pass Pixi can have a positive effect on driver behaviour…and who’s to say whether there’s a camera on the bike or not?
Win a Pass Pixi
We have a three Pass Pixi patches to give away. If you’d like to be in with a chance of winning one, simply leave us a message at the bottom of this page and we’ll pick winners early next week.
Cycle cameras – a necessary evil?
Cyclists shouldn’t have to film their journeys to protect themselves against bad drivers. However, one of the great frustrations about cycling on British roads is the challenges caused by a lack of infrastructure are compounded by an absence of justice for vulnerable road users. We are one of the only countries in Europe to eschew something known as strict liability – a common sense law that makes motorists automatically liable for injuries caused to pedestrians and cyclists.
The result for us is that court cases rest on one person’s word against another – and given that pedestrians and cyclists are often injured in road traffic collisions, their recollection of events can be affected. And when you consider that legislators, the judiciary and jurors comprise almost exclusively drivers you begin to understand how the the cards are stacked against vulnerable road users.
How does the law regard cycle cam evidence?
Aside from the police portals designed specifically for the purpose, there is no reason why footage cannot be admitted as evidence like CCTV is used. It is likely that a witness statement would have to accompany the cycle camera footage and it would have to be downloaded to a CD with a certificate (countersigned by a solicitor) stating that it had not been altered in any way from its original digital format.
The Metropolitan Police is one of a number of forces that allows road users to upload camera footage when reporting a road traffic incident. The Met has already received tens of thousands of submissions and around two thirds lead to action being taken. Such systems are a game changer for cyclists. Evidence of close passes, abusive drivers and collisions can all be passed to the police with the click of a mouse. One imagines the thousands of drivers who have already received penalty points following an online submission of camera footage will become more considerate and careful road users as a result.
The ethical choice
The ETA was established in 1990 as an ethical provider of green, reliable travel services. Over 30 years on, we continue to offer cycle insurance, breakdown cover and mobility scooter insurance while putting concern for the environment at the heart of all we do.
The Good Shopping Guide judges us to be the UK’s most ethical provider.
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Stephen D.
Sadly, one of these would be very useful, please!
James Turnbull
A great idea.
i`m feed up with cars passing too close.
Andy Brown
Please Pass me a Pixi Patch, on the left hand side..
Jill M
One of these would be really useful for when I’m leading bike rides.
peter f
As someone regularly “beeped” by lorries for having the audacity of cycling along a road rather than in the gutter, I feel that this is a fantastic idea
Rebecca S
We would love one of these, my partner and stepson were involved in a small crash earlier this month. We also had an expensive bike stolen last week so not having much luck 🙁
Bryn Gwyndaf Jones
Every cyclist should have one.
My nephew is Pixi.
Helen
These would be really helpful – cars getting too close is a daily hazard.
Merryn
What a great idea – would love to be considered for one please.
Ema A
Good idea even if it is a shame it needs to be this way
Peter
Reminds me of when I fitted a dummy alarm box to my house because I couldn’t afford an alarm system
Mark B
Wish I didn’t need one but yes please!
Jon PENNYCOOK
I would like one. Unfortunately, in Hampshire, having a highly-visible helmet camera isn’t enough (drivers cannot see my other cameras covering the front and rear)
Keith Reeder
Having recently been knocked off my bike by a car that “just didn’t see me” (despite several bright flashing red lights and hi-viz) anything that helps to get the attention of bike-blind drivers HAS to be a good thing.
Ray Gibson
This would be great on our tandem. We’d feel twice as safe out there
Peter
Brilliant idea. Much needed unfortunately
Craig
Interesting psychological message.
Les Gunbie
Yes please – no poem this time though ….
Brian D
Anything to make drivers think.
wesley
Smile, you’re on camera.
Thomas Lankester
I’ve successfully used camera footage in a police report (resulting in a caution), report to a coach comany (resulting in a driver repremand / training) and a Highway Authority review of a pinch point.
But that is all retrospective. Detering a close pass with one of these patches would be so much better!
Phil
This looks helpful
Gillian
I’d be fascinated about whether one of these helps. 😀
Thankfully, most drivers, on a quiet road, are great. It’s only the very few inconsiderate ones or drivers who misjudge the speed of oncoming traffic, which are dangerous and need to be dealt with.
Alastair
Anything that helps is well worth a try
Ash
What a fab idea! I would love one of these…
robert peel
a very useful itemm to add to my cycling gear
Stephen Gosney
It’s like having a dummy camera to deter dummy drivers!
Martin Broomfield
A counterfeit cam can keep cars afar!
Jon Vamplew
“Smile you are on Candid Camera” – my wife would love to have one of these in our road, with a school nearby it might make people think twice maybe even three times to slow down and take notice of cyclists.
Andrew Richardson
It would be a great deterrent to close passing drivers
Mags
All cyclists need one of these: another weapon in the uneven battle with careless car drivers. I do have a helmet camera but it seems to make little difference.
Colin Davies
I’ve had some horrible experiences with inconsiderate drives over the last year, anything may help would be wonderful please.
Philip Smith
That should make those pesky SUV drivers think twice before cutting me up.
Bazza
Like a dummy alarm box, it might help. A paint gun might be better though!
Trevor Webb
An absolutely superb deterrent in the uneven conflict for safe roadspace.