In the United Kingdom, figures like cyclist Mike van Erp (Cycling Mikey) use cameras to document drivers using their phones or driving dangerously. Since 2019, his reports and those of other citizens have flooded platforms like Operation Snap. In 2025, the Metropolitan Police in London received nearly 23,000 reports, with common offenses including careless driving and mobile phone use. Of the resolved cases, 14.3% were warnings, 10.1% were fines, and 8.9% were training courses.
Personal cameras as a tool for citizen oversight 🚴♂️
The Operation Snap system allows any citizen to send videos of traffic violations directly to the police. The files are analyzed to verify the evidence and classify the severity. Sports cameras or dashcams, with stabilization and night vision, are the most commonly used. The police process the reports with software that extracts license plates and incident details. Although not all cases result in a penalty, the awareness of being recorded by anyone deters dangerous drivers, according to authorities.
The public eye that doesn't need a battery to judge 😅
That a cyclist with a 100-euro camera has more reporting power than a fixed speed camera is something that should worry drivers. Now, every pedestrian with a mobile phone is a potential traffic agent. The police say this saves lives, but surely more than one person has stopped texting while driving for fear of being recorded by the neighbor on a bicycle. Good thing only 14% receive a warning letter, because otherwise, driving schools would be bankrupt.