The incident
In this short video, a cyclist in London was wearing a Techalogic helmet safety camera when he encountered a motorist in a BMW who pulled out in front of him in heavy traffic. The driver had his mobile phone held to his ear and when the cyclist pulled up beside him and asked him why he was on the phone while driving, the driver immediately became aggressive and assaulted the cyclist.
The angry driver then assaulted the cyclist a 2nd time by driving into him, injuring the cyclist and causing damage to his bicycle. The driver then left the scene at high speed without giving way to the pedestrians crossing on the zebra crossing immediately in front of him. This meant that the episode was classed as a hit-and-run event.
The consequences
The cyclist suffered bruising to his left ankle caused by the car's impact and the damage to the bicycle amounted to £455 in repairs. The dangerous driver was sentenced at Westminster
Magistrates Court after pleading guilty to the following charges:
Common assault.
Using threatening, abusive, insulting words and behaviour with intent to cause fear of / provoke unlawful violence.
Criminal damage to property valued under £5000.
Driving a mechanically propelled vehicle on a road / in a public place without due care and attention.
Assault by beating.
The driver was sentenced by the judge to the following:
5 penalty points were added to his driving licence.
Fined £2,000.
To pay costs of £620 to the Crown Prosecution Service.
To pay a surcharge to fund victim services of £200.
To pay compensation of £500 to the victim.
The importance of helmet safety cameras for cyclists
The driver's guilty plea was taken into account during sentencing. But would the driver have pleaded guilty had there not been this damning video footage from the cyclist's helmet safety camera? It's possible that without this footage, the driver may have denied the charges and the case could have gone to trial. In this case, the helmet safety camera served as crucial evidence in the prosecution of the dangerous driver.
This incident highlights the importance of helmet safety cameras for cyclists. In the event of an accident they serve as evidence in the event of a collision or altercation with a motorist. With a helmet safety camera, cyclists can have peace of mind knowing that they have a record of any incidents that may occur.
In addition to providing evidence, a helmet safety camera can also act as a deterrent for dangerous drivers. If they know that their actions are being recorded, they may be less likely to engage in dangerous or reckless behaviour.
