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Tea Stop

How can I report camera footage?

by PonteD
Wed, Aug 06, 2014 21:50
9

I promise, I'm not trolling when I ask this, but after trying (unsuccesfully) for the best part of a week to hand over a few clips to the police for their perusal, how on earth am I supposed to report road numpties in a manner that doesn't totally inconvenience myself.

So far the only advice I've had from the police is that they can't view YouTube clips, so I need to take a hard copy down to the police station 6 miles away and hand it over. I wouldn't mind doing this if it wasn't for the fact I would likely then have to sit around for 5 hours in a police station waiting for someone who was free to come and have a chat, then have to make a statement (basically describe everything that is in the damn YouTube clip).

Don't the Police have a forum for this sort of thing? If I try and incite racial violence on YouTube I'm sure the police would come around straight away, but posting video of people dangerously overtaking and jumping red lights, they just somehow can't access those clips (even when I tell them where they are).

Other than CTC (which I've done, and expect very little action TBH), how can I get the Police to listen? 14

If you're new please join in and if you have questions pop them below and the forum regulars will answer as best we can.

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9 comments

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Suffolk Cycling | 10 years ago
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A strongly-worded letter from PC Plod should be enough to make most drivers think twice about their driving. Those who ignore the letter are likely the type who wouldn't care about a few penalty points or fine anyway.

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userfriendly | 10 years ago
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Share as much as you can be bothered to. The more the better, IMHO. Some people find it annoying, but the issue needs to be pressed. Only if and when people get vocal about something will anything be done about it.

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PonteD | 10 years ago
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Just got a phone call this evening from the local Police after deciding to see if pasting a link to YouTube for a guy jumping a red light on Sunday would elicit a response.

the good news is that they actually do have computers that are capable of viewing YouTube clips. However, even though the guy can be clearly seen jumping a red light the Traffic Police are powerless to do anything about it other than send the man a strongly worded letter as they cannot use the footage I have sent them to prosecute.

So a small victory, I would have liked to see a public flogging, but at least someone is listening. I wonder at what point the Police will start to take positive action though, will it be once I start sending them daily digests, tonight's was a young lad parked in the bicycle only area at a junction. Not hurting anyone, but annoying nonetheless.

I will now start posting them video of every infraction I see, whether by bike or by car.

One question is, does this give me the green light to share everything? seeing as no prosecution has taken place, I can only assume that there is no harm in sharing these incidents openly.

Another question is, should I start to consider following this up with my local MP (Yvette Cooper)? Seeing as cycle safety is a bit of a political hot potato, will she make inroads to start to do something about this, especially in her own constituency. I think all this ties nicely into the Chris Boardmann statements made recently.

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bigshape | 10 years ago
0 likes

post a link to the vid then 3

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PonteD | 10 years ago
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I thought of posting in their facebook stream in the comments for their posts, but not sure how well it would go down.

The video is already on YouTube BTW, but when I used the 101 online chat, they refused to entertain the idea of allowing me to give them links to the clips.

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userfriendly replied to PonteD | 10 years ago
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dazwan wrote:

the only advice I've had from the police is that they can't view YouTube clips

Maybe they're less technologically advanced South of the border, but when I emailed Fife Police with the link to a Youtube video asking what they would advise me to do in the case of someone driving like the muppet I had caught on camera that day, I got an email back straight away asking me to provide them with my address and a phone number.

The same evening I got a phone call from a friendly police officer telling me they had watched the video, agreed that such behaviour was unacceptable, and asked when I would be at home so they could send someone round to take a statement. Next day, two officers turned up at my flat at the agreed time, we had a bit of a chat, and a week later I get another phone call informing me that they had identified and spoken to the driver, reminding him to behave better next time.

I guess it always depends on who you're to talking there and whether or not they can be bothered to do their job. Regarding this case, and another case shortly after, I can only speak very highly of my local police force.

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pablo | 10 years ago
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Post it on youtube and then find the twitter account for your local Plod & newspaper. Plod seems keen on social media these days especially f they get some heat from the media. They may even come to you but i doubt it.

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PonteD | 10 years ago
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Ignore that last post, I worked out how to do it myself (didn't see the edit box at the top!)

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PonteD | 10 years ago
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Is this in the right area BTW? I wasn't sure if it should be here or in the "Tea Stop" area. Are there any nice mods who could move it for me (I can't see any options to move from where I'm sat)

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