Sacramento Drivers Record Driving Experiences

Since 2011, Sacramento drivers have had the right to record all of their driving experiences. Using a high-definition recording device, drivers can record front and rear end views of their driving activity. This can come in handy in the cases of car accidents, road rage and aggressive driving accusations. It is a chance to dispute serious issues that was never before possible.

While drivers often use this technique to prove negligent drivers responsible is in criminal and personal injury lawsuits, another type of motorist is jumping aboard the recording train. Bicyclists in Sacramento in biking communities nationwide have strapped on recording devices throughout their commutes. 

Skiers, skydivers and thrill seekers have employed the use of tiny cameras for years. Urban bicyclists sharing the roads with aggressive drivers are now strapping on the cameras in increasing numbers in an effort to stay safe. It doesn’t just help the rider but the community as well. There are several cases of the footage from a cyclist showing license numbers of hit-and-run drivers. It also serves as a deterrent to surrounding drivers.

Cyclists site their own safety as their motivating factors. Financial reasons are high on the motivation list as well. Bicycles can cost thousands of dollars. Being able to prove who caused the property damage is a huge factor in getting properly reimbursed. It’s also a good way to protect such a large investment. 

When a cyclist is involved in an accident with a motorist it can be devastating. More often than not, a cyclists will be knocked off the bike and possibly unconscious. It is virtually impossible in either situation to witness or remember details of an accident. 

The cycling climate in Sacramento is notoriously precarious. Motorists often accuse cyclists of aggressive road behavior and exempting themselves from traffic laws. Cameras can solve these issues with heretofore unheard of swiftness. 

Cameras essentially serve as a cyclist’s black box in an accident situation. Recording the commute from point A to point B allows details of the accident to emerge that otherwise could not. Recording the environment as well as the immediate circumstances gives the whole picture of the accident. 

 Sacramento cyclist Gary Souza started wearing a helmet camera after he bought a $7000 recumbent bicycle. “Even though it’s insured, if anything happens I figured I wanted to get it on camera,” said Souza. 

These types of tiny helmet cameras were mainly used for thrill-sports enthusiasts but GoPro model makers say sales to bike stores have doubled in the past year. Bob Mionske, former Olympic cyclist and current lawyer is now representing bicyclists in Portland, Oregon says, “If motorists start to hear about bikes having cameras, they’re going to think twice about running you off the road.”

Whether they are used to deter aggressive drivers, prove accident details or serve insurance purposes, these little black boxes of the cycling world can do a lot of good work. Safety advocates claim that while the price is near $200 currently, rising awareness will soon have them down to less than $100.