[Bibendum90949]

I just came across this news that camera mounted helmets are illegal, says Kerala's Transport Commissioner. They'll have the driving license of such offenders revoked. The rational they give for such a measure is that riders tend to get distracted since they want to film the journey and become conscious about the footage that can endanger other motorists and pedestrians alike.

https://www.mathrubhumi.com/auto/new...ders-1.5903060


https://janayugomonline.com/camera-i...a-bike-riders/

A quick google search is showing that there's nothing illegal about it. There was an old video that was doing the rounds earlier about a biker in Kerala fined for the same reason.

https://www.cartoq.com/gopro-on-helm...uke-390-rider/

Would like to know from bhpians and experts alike if it's indeed illegal.

[clevermax]

Amidst the infamous "Ebulljet" issue, Kerala MVD is trying to tarnish their reputation by declaring such Utopian rules. The reason stated is that a helmet mounted camera would make the rider do dangerous stunts for filming purpose - his/her concentration will be on filming than on riding. I am sure they are trying to give yet another blow to the stupid Ebulljet youtubers and the 10-12 year old kids who are claiming that they will burn down Kerala if MVD is not releasing the contraption called Napoleon.

I would be curious to know their stand on dash-cameras fitted in cars.

[Samurai]

Originally Posted by Bibendum90949

I just came across this news that camera mounted helmets are illegal, says Kerala's Transport Commissioner. They'll have the driving license of such offenders revoked.

Next they will come after dashcams on the cars. What is Kerala RTO thinking?

[sanjaykk]

I think this is the result of the earlier accident where a youth died in a bike accident and the police recovered a helmet mounted camera that was filming his bike speed which was in excess of 140kmph if I remember correctly.

[am1m]

Have the Kerala cops successfully controlled the really serious road offenses like drunken driving and dangerous driving (especially by the State Transport buses on their narrow roads!) that they need to focus on these things?!

Amazing.

Bangalore police must be rubbing their hands in glee, an idea for another source of income without having to do any real police work!

[Jaguar]

The reason being given seems illogical. There are n different ways to film without mounting the camera on the helmet. Had the reason been something like it affects the safety properties of the helmet and can lead to more severe injury, it would have made more sense.

Originally Posted by am1m

Have the Kerala cops successfully controlled the really serious road offenses like drunken driving and dangerous driving (especially by the State Transport buses on their narrow roads!) that they need to focus on these things?!

I don't agree with this logic, that only after solving all the existing issues, one should focus on newer issues. Some of these YouTubers have no common sense and need to be contained. The helmet cam rule is not the way to restrict them though.

[Turbohead]

Logical for the MVD but a nightmare for the bikers.

Now you won't be able to fight against the cops incase they charge you for some random offence which you wouldn't have done since there is no evidence to back up. This is just another way to rake in more revenue.

In fact Kerala MVD is an extension of the state treasury. All rules, speed limits etc are framed with the one purpose of bringing in more revenue.

I hate the Kerala MVD from the bottom of my heart thanks to their speciality in framing rules which are simply painful to follow.

[am1m]

Originally Posted by Jaguar

I don't agree with this logic, that only after solving all the existing issues, one should focus on newer issues.

You're right of course, i was just being sarcastic, this issue seems trivial compared to the serious offenses we see everyday on our roads. And if the traffic police in our cities are really overworked (which they certainly are) does it make sense to focus on something like this, that's the point I was making. They're going after the soft targets, as usual, instead of tackling the really serious offenses on a wider scale.

[joethomasv]

This is like the old rule to stick black spots on headlights. Some states insisted on painting the entire top half of the headlights black.
For the Kerala MVD, it was either the speedometer or the camera. They took the tough call and decided to ban the camera.

[SmartCat]

Makes perfect sense from their point of view. Because camera mounted on helmet makes it tough for officials/cops to take bribes from bikers.

[R2_d2]

This rule is strange and even stranger that penalty is not a fine but revoking of the license.
Does this rule mean that people would start wearing a chest mounted camera as the rule is specific to helmet mounted cams and not any driving camera?

[srishiva]

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[tharian]

From the looks of it, it seems the MVD is after YouTubers and youngsters in specific.

I remember watching few videos of vloggers who have a GoPro on their helmet and in one such video, this guy was stopped by a cop who said he's not allowed to shoot the road or the surroundings. I was shocked when I heard that and the vlogger to avoid anymore issues said that the camera was off. So what about a family member sitting pillion recording on a phone?

I understand in some cases these famous vloggers in Kerala have celebrity status among the youth and they create a ruckus when they are on the road because of the crowd that is ahead and following them and blocking roads. Maybe the MVD is trying to nip the bud by bring out this enforcement.

Wonder why they still haven't done anything about the infamous Kerala buses that use the roads as their racetrack. Maybe the bus owners are much richer and influential than a famous Youtuber.

[SPIKE ARRESTOR]

High time someone files a petition in the court, asking for reliefs from abuse of laws by people in power, some of these officials behave as goons and enforce rules according to their whims and fancies. I don't understand the logic how a GoPro mounted on the helmet endangers road users! Did they do any study? Any data to support their claim?

Are these officials blind to the mods done on tires/wheels, lights, horns, color, body etc. of vehicles? Kerala MVD seriously needs to introspect on what they are up to. So many good things could be done, and they are behaving like cry babies.

Disappointed.

Spike

[ninjatalli]

Has anyone been fined yet for that particular offense? This could be just a case of noise and no action to deter potential riders who are doing this on the streets of Kerala. Let’s not make a mountain out of a molehill.