motorcycle helmet camera debate making riders’ heads hurt

they're two rapid growing developments — riding motorbikes and videoing with small motion cameras.

but now a high-level criminal battle is looming over the right of motorcycle and scooter users to mix the two via video recording their trips for leisure and protection.

at the coronary heart of the issue — affecting seven hundred,000 licensed two-wheeled riders — is Australian protection standards that have now not saved tempo with technological changes.

The spark for the fireplace become a Justice of the Peace’s decision this week to ban the use of cameras on helmets for protection motives.

however the case might be taken to the ideally suited courtroom.

On Wednesday biker Max Lichenbaum became fined $one hundred fifty by a magistrate in Frankston, Victoria, for carrying an motion digital camera on his helmet.

No conviction changed into recorded but the magistrate had first considered a great of $289.

Mr Lichenbaum, a center-aged rider, is considering taking the case to the Victorian ultimate court docket and has the backing of the impartial Riders’ institution (IRG).

The offence noted in the Magistrates court changed into a breach of Victorian helmet requirements, but IRG spokesman Damien Codognotto said today “helmet standards are a large number in this united states of america”.

And Mr Lichenbaum’s felony crew have informed him they could not get public get admission to to the ones standards set by VicRoads.

“The (Australian design Rule) has been a actual mess in recent years,” Mr Codognotto advised information.com.au nowadays.

“And the reason for this is the forms cannot hold up.”

Helmet-mounted video cameras are utilized by bike police in Queensland and Western Australia and for many personal riders they're a supply of entertainment and legal self safety.

The problem is that whilst they is probably allowed in many states, they won't be prison, and the concern is court motion might be needed to remedy the issue.

The recordings may be used ought to a rider be hit by means of a motorist in what are referred to as instances of SMIDSY — Sorry Mate I Didn’t See You.

“At a time whilst motorbike helmet standards are again under evaluate, we discover that no longer only are our helmets illegal as we trip from country to kingdom ... however it seems that during Victoria as a minimum, it's also unlawful to apply an resource that may substantially assist in ‘witnessing’ traffic incidents related to other vehicles, especially when a solo rider,” said an IRG member and blogger Cate.

She wrote: “there's overwhelming evidence, specifically remote places, and anecdotally in Australia, of the blessings of riders of bikes, scooters, and bicycles, carrying helmet camera’s, as now not only documentary evidence of incidents regarding different vehicles, however as a deterrent of victimisation from different car drivers.”