Cameras serve (2) purposes:

– Deterrence
– Evidential

Cycle cameras are NOT optional; I say that from experience:

Using a rear-facing camera has reduced close-passes now by aggressive drivers to a fraction of what they previously were without that camera. Amazingly, people don’t act like as*holes as much when they realize that they’re being recorded! And a helmet camera will to some degree- not with all motorists– deter violence from (some) motorists who’d be inclined towards assault were they not being video’ed.

And if deterrence hasn’t worked, the camera provides evidence from the careless/aggressive motorist stitching us up with the Police when the assault us or damage our Penny-Farthings.

I was in a situation where a motorist failed to yield right-of-way and struck me. As we waited for the Police, his wife was trying to rewrite the story to stitch me up as causing the accident. But I took a picture of the accident scene with my phone before we moved the mess to the side of the road. I reminded her that I HAD taken a picture and that was sufficient to deter her from lying to the Police. After that, I went out and bought a cycle cam for my helmet.

And Cameras are really good for recording race video!!!!!

Positioning of CycleCams:

Front Camera:

Wear it on the helmet. This way whatever you see, it sees. and if you’re talking to a lunatic motorist you have the interaction evidenced. Also, if you affix it to your Penny-Farthing, you’ll eventually lean it outside a pub having a meal with friends and forget to take it with you. And the camera will of course be stolen. If it’s on your helmet, you can take it in the pub with you.

Rear Camera

I position mine under the saddle and it uses a GoPro style mount, so is easy to remove and restore.