I have a camera on my handlebars and another behind the saddle of my bicycle which continuously record as I cycle to and from work and other short trips. I sometimes post some of the footage on my Twitter account and I also occasionally make reports to the Gardaí based on the videos.

I cycle or use an electric bicycle because it is the most efficient way for me to get to and from work, and suits my particular needs. To a certain extent, I have chosen where I live and work based on a consideration of being able to avoid using a car. This has been my approach mostly since I moved back to Dublin in 2001.

My bicycle became my main means of travel to work in 2018, as before that I took a train and a bike daily. I had a commuting distance of 8km each way at the time, which seems like the perfect distance: just short enough not to need a shower after the trip.

I noticed that not all drivers in the city were appreciating the fact that many cyclists mean less cars on our congested roads, and found that they were frequently trying to brush through me as if I wasn’t on the roads at all. I learned to cycle assertively, taking the lane where necessary and always being visible and predictable in the presence of traffic. At the same time, I tend to obey traffic rules, even when they are intended to manage the hazard of larger more dangerous road users rather than cyclists.

I provided information to an Garda Suiochana a few times when I felt that my life had been endangered by motorists. In addition to that, a motorist drive into me while I was on a bike lane on one occasion and on another occasion a different motorist ran into the back of my bicycle while I tried to negotiate a bus that was parked on the bike lane, opposite Kilmainham Jail.

I finally made the decision to put cameras on my bicycle in Summer 2019 after a motorist stopped to verbally abuse and threaten me for being in front of him at a traffic light and waiting for the green signal to turn right. On that occasion, the Gardai took over an hour to respond, and the investigation led nowhere despite the fact that there was a Luas Stop nearby with CCTV of the incident. I later learned that the incident took place on the border between 2 Garda Divisions: despite giving a statement I was never given a Pulse Number or a victims letter.

Having a camera on the bicycle generates a significant amount of footage, and given the amount of poor driving behaviour on our roads it can be a not insignificant task to decide whether or not to make a report or to share the videos on social media to raise awareness.

Initially, I was sharing the videos to help people understand the perspective of cyclists, and a certain number of people did engage positively. However, as the algorithms on Twitter and social media in general have developed, a different sort of reaction started, and to protect the thousands of followers I already had, I had to restrict replies to accounts that I already followed. This did not stop some accounts from quote tweeting my videos, with some bizarre conclusions, but in most cases these were already accounts with questionable ethics.

Transferring the footage from the camera to a format for sharing on social media or providing to the authorities is cumbersome. The device needs to be connected to a PC/laptop by cable, and the videos copied and pasted of the camera’s HD card and onto the laptop. This is a slow process for a number of reasons: I only occasionally have time to get the laptop out in the evenings, and the transfer of the 5 minute video files takes a few minutes each. It also takes time to sort through the previous few days of footage to identify any noteworthy incidents. It is then ofter necessary to repeat the process for the rear-facing footage.

For the videos to be shareable, they then need to be uploaded to my iCloud. This also takes time, sometimes up to an hour for the 2-3 videos to upload and become available for sharing. This is before I shorten them to ensure that the appropriate segment is shown.

If I wanted to report to the Gardai before last month I had to telephone the Garda Traffic Watch number. It could take 20-30 minutes on hold to reach a person who would then take the details. They refused to take more than one report at the same time, which meant that I couldn’t be efficient and group my reports together.

It can also be difficult to decide what to spend time on reporting. Sometimes, if it is clearcut that something is illegal, like a car breaking a red light or parking on a cycle lane, it is easier to get action by the Gardai than in the case of a close pass, left hook, or an overtake at a pinch point, which are generally much more dangerous for the cyclist.

This has now been replaced by a more efficient portal, https://www.garda.ie/en/roads-policing/road-safety/traffic-watch.html where you can enter the details online, in your own words, and do not have to wait for a person to answer the phone. You then receive an e-mail with a reference number.

The incidents are then allocated to the roads policing department in the Garda Division in which the incident occurred. You then receive a telephone call or an e-mail from that Garda, and you can arrange to send them the video footage. Generally, it is not possible to e-mail the footage, as in most cases even the shortened video files are too large for the Garda firewall, or even for gmail.

In some cases I have transferred the footage to a memory stick and then brought it to the Garda station so that the Garda can view it. It is not necessary to make a statement unless the incident needs to go to court, but in many cases the Garda may ask for a statement. This can take time. Even getting the footage to the Garda takes time, as coordinating a time to visit a specific Garda station, particularly one which is not my local Garda station, at a time when the correct Garda is on duty, can be problematic. You can also be left waiting for a significant period of time to make the statement.

I some cases the Garda makes a caution, or recommends a Fixed Penalty, and the matter is over and done with soon. However, in other cases the Garda attempts to argue with you and takes no action, or simply ignores the report and stops replying to calls or e-mails. There is a process for having this reviewed by a superintendent, but it is again time consuming, and you can also be ghosted by the superintendent.

I still think it is worthwhile making reports. The more reports that are made, the greater chance that careless road users will realise that the public can and will report them, and that there will be a higher chance of them being prosecuted. This will change the culture of carelessness on our roads, and dispel the idea that nobody is ever prosecuted.

However, for it to work, it needs more people reporting. The portal for uploading videos needs to happen sooner rather than later, and the Garda Divisions that are lagging behind in prosecutions need to be tackled by Garda management.