A few weeks ago i was walking my dog around 11pm, and a driver jokingly did a brake torque as we were crossing the street. He was maybe 3 feet away from us.
After yelling at each other, he threatened to kill me and my dog the next time he saw us. As I pulled my camera he peeled out and hurled a racial comment my way. Sadly, there was so much movement i couldnt get the plate, and i didnt get anything that happened before that on camera.
So I got a body cam to wear for all my walks. Unfortunately, this is not the only time people have been racist and threatened my life so I’m just tired of it and hoping it might encourage people to behave. Feels lame, but it does provide some comfort. Does anyone else do the same?
Wear*
Don’t downvote someone correcting spelling. They did it with no apparent snark.
On the other hand, there’s probably also almost no reason to upvote it. OP will see it, there’s no need for it to be the top comment.
It’s completely unnecessary. It’s clear what OP meant, the typo doesn’t change anything so pointing it out is simply petty pedantree.
Querying or correcting errors is only worth doing when the error causes uncertainty, such when there’s reason to believe they’ve missed a “not”.
Pedantry*
I appreciate when people correct me or point out a mistake. I then edit my post to reflect the update, noting that an edit has occurred. If you’re too fragile to accept well-intended feedback, that’s a you thing.
No, as that would be illegal in many situations in my country. I also don’t want cameras pointed at me constantly, so I don’t do that to other people either.
Can you not have dash cams?
Dashcams are legally controversial in Germany. Generally the common opinion is that they’re only allowed if they quickly delete all recorded data and only save it if there was an actual accident.
The problem with a bodycam is that while it’s allowed to film in public, it’s not allowed to film specific people without their permission. So it would be fine to film a busy street without focusing on any people in particular, but going into a store with your bodycam where it would film your interaction with the cashier would be illegal.
What about a 360deg camera, where the target person is yourself, and anyone else captured is merely incidental/background?
Sort of. I wear a camera while cycling because there are a lot of angry people in cars that have some weird hatred towards people using a bicycle.
Actually, this is sorta what motivated me. Since I watch those angry driver youtube videos, I often see the need for cyclist/bikers.
This is crazy - where does this happen that it sounds so normalized? How terrible it must be to live in an environment that allows this
My wife isn’t white. She gets slurs thrown at her all the time just out of the blue.
Crazy, sorry to hear about that.
I think humans do have a tendency to stereotype people but how does that evolve into a full blow hate is just beyond me. I imagine it’s an equivalent of losing your mind to a overly packed mushroom shake because you really have to be demented to fall into such behavior.
This latest incident happened in middle america. But it’s happened to me on the coasts as well.
Midwest US was going to be my first guess. Not uncommon behavior around here.
Thanks for all the responses! It is a lame feeling as I do see it from others side (those that aren’t being potentially violent assholes), but the cost of any one person having serious intent is too high now, especially since i’ve never had anyone say anything against the asshole’s behavior.
With that said, having a camera has taken the edge off for me so I don’t feel as confrontational, and I can just post them on the neighborhood app after walking away. But on the flip side, I now live in middle america…
Keep using it. 99% of the time, people won’t even notice or know what it is. Those that do may actually behave better knowing it’s there. Nothing wrong with being prepared. Do you have a car dashcams? Same idea, better to have it ready the time comes.
Mine has saved me twice in the 6 years I’ve had it, first thing I did was buy the fiance at the time the same model, knowing it worked well for our needs.
I have honestly been considering this but less for protection but more for preservation. I feel like the best way to capture what its like to live in the world of today is to just walk around and start recording mundane things. Sure this is much more prevalent than it used to be but oftentimes I find myself wishing I just had more photos of the places I used to frequent that are simply no longer in existance.
In addition to the camera (of which I would recommend one of those camera glasses, so it’s always pointing where you’re looking), start carrying a visible brick, too. While crossing the street, make it SUPER visible that you have one. It’s not illegal to carry a brick, but it informs wanker motorists that you can, and will, use it. I have a mate in New York that does this, and taxis stopped cutting him off while he was crossing the street. He still gets slurs thrown his way, but sticks and stones and all that.
lmao, idk if I’m going to go that far. But given that in my encounters no one stops to either help or stick around for the cops to help confirm the circumstances…
It doesn’t help you since I wasn’t there (sorry about that, mate), but, I would stick around (or give you my number for them to ring me, if I was late for work). This wanker’s behavior is deplorable, and I won’t stand for it. But, yeah lol a brick might be overkill. I was angry when I made the suggestion.
That sucks that it’s got to the point you feel like you need it but to be honest even just as a deterrent (even if you or others think it looks goofy to wear one) would be WELL worth it to wear one. I don’t think it requires outside validation for that.
Yea, I’m not super young but definitely not old, but this makes probably the 15th or 16th time I’ve dealt with such incidences. If people were more likely to be vocal about it and reprimand their behavior publicly, I’d feel safer. But no one ever has. And many of those incidences have involved stated death threats. This doesn’t include aggressions when I’m in a group of peers either. Of course when I’m with them, they all have my back. But alone? Nah.
I wish i could say this was all just my time in the bible belt, but this has happened in large, blue cities where I’d hoped I’d have more community support. This last incident was one of those cities.
What’s a brake torque?
To answer your question, if this is a regular thing for you I’d say it was worth it. Although if you’re in the USA it’s probably just gonna lead to you getting shot.
A brake torque is something you can do while driving a car. You keep one foot on the brake, hit the gas with the other foot, and take your foot off the brake. Oftentimes, this results in propelling your car forward while squealing your tires.
A kind person would refrain from doing these at night or near neighborhoods.
Us olds call this a burnout.
If it’s not an obvious camera then a driver probably wouldn’t notice it
Yeah, that’s a fair point. I dont know much about body cams.
Maybe you could try those glasses that have a camera
No, but then I haven’t had the kinds of experiences you’ve had.
no but I could see having something if I had control of it (run on free software and hardware) that was like ar with that as part of it.
Most are, just small clip on cameras like dashcams, USB connect, minimal tracking on most models. Coworker used to have one when he was commuting on public transportation. This was 2015ish, been around a while.
I can kind of understand, but I’m utterly disgusted of people who record public spaces like random streets. let us have some privacy!
at the same time it’s sad that this is needed
… You’re upset that someone is recording a public space. Public. You want privacy in public. Do you not see the disconnect?
no, I do not see what does not exist. people are not going to public spaces because they want to be recorded, but because you simply just can’t avoid going to public spaces when conducting daily life. you cannot just teleport to apersonal store, you need to get to a public shop through public streets.
when something is public it does not mean you can do anything there. you can’t harm or rob people either.
and don’t get me wrong. I don’t care that neighbors may see me going to the shop, because they don’t care to do that. even if they did, what could they do with that information.
but I do care when all my activities are recorded, be it a neighbors amazon doorbell or whatever else, because that very much changes these 2 points.
You’re expecting privacy in a public space?!
obviously, yes. see my other response
Like I said, it feels lame, but in all the incidences that I’ve been in (whether or not I’ve responded), no one in the community ever reprimands the other or even stays to confirm the circumstances to the cops. Their lack of action just serves as motivation for these guys to continue b/c no one will call them out for their behavior.
So there’s this, or something even more extreme, which I’m not ruling out at this point. I live in america after all.
A camera’s cool, but you should probably also carry a weapon. Yes, even when you’re just walking the dog. What starts as a threat today can become an attack tomorrow.
Carrying a gun increases your own chance of getting shot.
Doesn’t have to be a gun.
What, carry a knife do you can stab a car?
Knife, pepper spray, taser, air gun, brass knuckles, monkey fist… There’s lots of options if you can’t or don’t want to carry a gun. But you unless you can fight, you shouldn’t go unarmed.
This is assuming OP is in the US. Right now they should be taking any racially-charged threats very seriously, as fascists are becoming more and more emboldened. If OP’s aggressor decides to escalate things and get physical, camera isn’t going to do much when the police and the courts are on the other side, anyway. Other than make for a really depressing snuff film.
Unless OP lives in a civilized country. In which case, maybe keep a really good flashlight with you on your walks, too.
til what a monkey fist is
And thanks, i’ve dealt with this my entire life watching others just walk by and say nothing. So, at this point, it’s just getting tiresome.
If the police and courts are stacked against you having a weapon is just going to increase your jail sentence.
Ask any minority in the US about that.
True. But it’s either that, or whatever the racist yokel intercepting you on your next walk has in store for you.
With one option, you get a public defender, at the very least. The other option, your next of kin gets a really somber phone call. Damned if you do, damned if you don’t.
I’m thinking of doing so concealed and only drawing it in self-defense. So they wouldn’t know I had one until they demonstrated lethal aggression first…for which the camera will provide evidence.
But tbh, even having the camera sort of takes me off edge so I don’t feel as argumentative. I’ll just post the video to the neighborhood app after walking away.
I think CCW is a pretty good idea if this is already a reoccurring problem. Definitely don’t plan on brandishing it, but the way you will feel while some asshole tries to degrade you is a special one. You also need to practice, regularly.
Not sure I would call it a weapon, but I carry pepper spray when I take my dog on walks. It’s mainly in case any other dogs decide to mess with us, but it’s something.
