Recently I've been doing a couple of helmet camera videos with my bike, and posting them on youtube. For one of my videos, another biker in the uk who has also been doing filming with his bike posted a comment asking if I knew where something like this would stand with regards to laws on filming public places.. This isn't even something that occured to me personally though I am interested to see if there is anything we should look our for..

So does anyone know anything on this? Are there some obscure laws that we should think about and could they really affect us..? Considering these videos are being posted for any member of the public to see on the internet..

EDIT: Also google came up with no answers

I know a professional photographer and he was telling me he is buggered now due to this law (he used to photograph hotels and holiday resorts for brochures and things). Something to do with people's rights to their own image, so you need a person's permission before you can photograph them (and video I assume). I don't know the details I'm afraid, but imagine there would be little point in someone moaning unless you used the image for commercial gain - in which case they may have a claim on royalties. If you think about it though - you constantly see members of the public wandering around in the background on TV news reports etc (think of the "looters" on Branscombe Beach at the moment) so my guess is that it's the "commercial gain" bit that's relevant.

I dont know if it has changed but it certainly used to be so long as its a public place, the person filming has rights to the image.

However be careful on the definition of "public place", it would include a public road, but not a private road, or a tesco's car park for instance (I believe)

If that is the case, it's totally ignored by the "proffessionals".

I really value my privacy. I understand that these people have a job to do and mortgages to pay, but they don't respect anyone else.

I really hate having a camera stuffed in my face and them just starting an interview, no permission asked and certainly none given.

Last summer I had a Sky crew do exactly this to me at a public event. I did what I always do: said nothing and turned my back on the camera crew. My mate went one better: he did a fine impression of the disturbed young lady in "The Exorcist". The Sky lady said to us "So I guess you guys don't want to be on television, then?"

What really bugs me is that they produced a short documentary and despite making it abundantly clear that I wanted no part of it, footage of me features prominantly within it. I wasn't doing anything wrong, they had no right to film me, I can't see that they have the right to make money from it either.

That film will be dragged out whenever Sky feel like it and they'll make money from it. It just doesn't seem right to me.

Such is life, I guess.

Well there you go. You had the choice and chose not to!

it used to be years ago, that if you took someones pic in a public place then you had to get them to sign a release form so you could use their image or images, never came accross anything to do with public places like hotels, shops, monuments or the like...but we now live in an age, thanks to the sick members of our planet, that we cant film our kids in a school play, or take action pic's of the kids kicking a ball on the streets..dont know where the law stands on helmet cam's but if it were me, then i would keep on doing it untill someone in authority said otherwise.

Ran cameras on various bikes over the last few years and have never had a problem but I accept that it may work the same as cctv footage, from a Data Protection or Freedom of Information angle, that people captured on film could make a claim to have a copy it (not the rights to it)

I really wouldnt worry about it. If it were the case then all video camers would come with a legal warning that you should gain EVEVYBODIES consent before filming.

So your on holidays filming your family on the beach. NOPE go get those consent forms signed by everyone in the background.

Your at a wedding.....consent please.

Oh all these picks of bike meets and shows.....I'm sure I signed a consent somewhere for that.

As long as your not looking at the skirt walking down the street as you ride/film I'm sure your fine, anyhows your eye should be on the road!

I was wondering this too as a few weeks ago I had my helmet cam on and was really nervous about the cop car behind me. If you were to be "making progress" and got stopped, would they be able to use the film you made against you in court for speeding?

I am pretty sure the answer is yes, I am sure I have heard of a couple of cases where it happened, I know there was definately at least one in france and in the US, but I think there has also been one here.

Although I think all those cases the video coul;d see the bike's speedo, I doubt they could do anything with it if it didnt.

I may be wrong (usually am)
but unless your speedo is calibrated surely they cannnot get
you on video footage as there's so many things that can affect
its accuracy (changing sprockets etc.)
my car reads 78 when satnav says 70

yeah but if the speedo needle hits 100+ whilst "making progress" then its not going to be a calibration issue

The cases I had heard of were instances where the figures were well in excess of the speed limit so thats not going to be an issue (Eg 60,70+ in a 30, or 100+ in a 70)

However if they really wanted to then i guess it would entirely possible they could verify the speedo reading "after the fact". I mean once they have arrested you and impounded the bike it wouldnt be difficult to stick the bike on a dyno and verify the speedo!

Data Protection and Freedom of Information etc are the law of the land and therefore we have to grudgingly accept those restrictions, but to stop that would be against our Human Rights!!!

So how do paparazzi scum get away with snapping celebrities on beaches or flying kites with their kids in the park or going to Teco's on a Sunday morning? They're taking their photo without their consent or even without them being aware of it. These photos appear everywhere and it's obviously not illegal otherwise all the photographers would have been arrested by now.

So I think you filming yourself on your bike and unwary people accidentally getting in the background should be ok...

I really don't think any of it matters to this. If you want to make videos of yourself using your bike then that's your business, I've never heard of any law that makes simply using a camera in a public place an offence - maybe in China! Sure there are laws for voyeurism and invading a person's privacy but all of this requires someone bothered enough about what you were doing to want to get your details and prosecute. Whereas random strangers just happening to be in the frame can't be considered the same thing.

News crews and public information videos do not need a written concent form from anyone.

but if your doing a video for public use then yes you do need written permition from anyone appering in the video.

or blot out faces and cars plates

Also never EVER film children, they are protected by a number of laws. and you will need permmition to show that no matter how innocent.

so bottom line adults just blot out the faces and your safe.

and i hope you never use any dialoge that is another area