Samsung SCX105L

I need to get myself a video camera, somehow, so that I can document the stupidity that are some drivers. My goal would be to put put it out there on the internet, raw and unedited. Everything from the incident to the drivers reaction when confronted on it. Think of it as the ultimate direct action; let the viewer decide.

This desire has been building for a while. Its not the first time I have thought of this, but it was hit home for me again the other day when I was riding out to the Big Bad MR the with Ian the other day. It is a decent ride so we got chatting and he told me a funny story of a run in he had with this speeding cellphone using lady on the bike route.

He was riding along when she cut him tight doing 100km/hr in a 50km/hr zone. He figured he wouldn't make any extra effort, but if he caught her he would speak her mind. Sure enough he caught her [Funny Ian how you can always do that... to bad you were not that fast when it counts ;-) ] and told her the bike route wasn't her personal race track and she may want to revise her driving habits.

As expected she was blabbin' on the phone, only pausing long enough to turned and yell "fuck off." Not being one to back off, Ian leaned over and horked a big juicy fat one on her passenger window. Apparently, this took her so off guard that as he rode away he could hear cars honking at her to get moving.

What happens next is all to familiar to any cycling vigilantes. You wait for ensuing temper tantrum to erupt from the driver. The archetype of thoughts that go through their head are rather typical I suspect. First they probably shake their head at the fact that we dare protect your space and our lives. Next they get even more riled up over the fact you said they did something wrong. Then they decide they need to take all their anger out in life on you since you have done them wrong by pointing out their wrong against you.

Usually, the enraged driver decides how they are going to kill you with their car... but wait a second murder is llegal. If it wasn't all cyclists would be all dead in North America. In Ian's case she charged him with her car, burning the clutch, revving the engine, while deciding whether she wants to spend the next 20 years in jail living with a big burly butch who just happens to take a shine to her.

Ian knew this and stood there waiting for what her finally decision would be. In this case she got out (still on the phone), threatened him then threw some juice at him. He told her if she was going be that way he will spit on the hood next. This really enraged her as she finally got in her car and sped off.

Just after Ian finished the story, we were almost run into the side walk by a car that suddenly decided to start driving in the lane were were currently occupying. We had had this lane for quite a while too, as we rode along side the long line of cars stuck in rush hour traffic. I suspect the lady didn't shoulder check when she suddenly into our lane without any notice, or signal. As I slammed on the breaks I screamed bloody murder, while Ian darted to the right side of her and pounded on the window. She quickly turned and stopped the car in the middle of the lay while we had already made a left for our route. No further confrontation this time as the traffic was too thick for the driver to get a second chance to finish the job.

Documenting it for all

This is why I want a video camera. These stories are almost a daily occurrence for anyone who commutes. I don't write about them anymore because I just want forget about them rather than hash them over. I saw that there are a new line of video cameras that have and extra lens on a cord that plugs into the camera and mounts on your helmet.

I figured this would be perfect. I would turn it on and ride with it every day I commute or ride near traffic. I would simply write over the videos until something interesting happens. If possible I would confront the drivers on their dangerous behaviour, getting the whole thing on film/tape/compact flash - what ever they use now-a-day's.

Afterwards I would edit it down then put it on the internet for all to see and judge. How do you like them apples? You want to drive like an ass in public, endangering lives, well I think you should be made a public spectacle. I think video also presents situation as true as possible. Here it is, as it happened, all of it, you decide what you want to make of it. Should we have not retaliated... or do you see how your lives are being endangered for no good reason.

Hell we got sites for bad daters why not ones for bad drivers? Now I just gotta figure out how to raise the cash.