Can I get a permit to break the road traffic act?

Hi all,

It's looking like I'll be involved in doing a bit of video work for a local volunteer organisation. Video isn't exactly my forté, but I reckon I could do a decent job of what they want (or I'd run a mile).

Footage will involve a rather fancy vehicle driving along a road, and I'm trying to think of different ways to do this and make it look good (will obviously do it more than once, for different angles, etc.).


An obvious idea is to point the camera backwards from a car that's in front of my intended target. Which is fine and will do the job.

However, I want to try my luck with an ariel-style of angle (looking downward on the vehicle as it drives). I was thinking a good/easy way of doing this would be to stand on the back of a flatbed jeep, put the camera on a sturdy tripod, extend the tripod legs, and hold it up overhead to film down on the road.

Now, I'm fairly sure if the local Gardaí seen this they'd either not care or be irate (I doubt I'd get a middle-of-the-road reaction), so I'm looking to see what the proper route of doing this is. I'm sure it's common enough to do (as such footage isn't exactly hard to come by) but without the necessary car rigs (and I ain't spending thousands upon thousands of euro for 10 seconds of footage!) or something like a fire truck to hang out of, this seems to be the only real way I can think of that'd work for this.

(I realise I could ask the local Fire Station, and I'm sure they'd be supportive and happy to help out with the voluntary organisation, but I can't see them loaning me a tender for half an hour to film from, no matter how much they might like the voluntary organisation. I also get on quite well with the local fire station, so I'd hate to sully a good relationship with them by asking so much and knowing they'll say no).


I know most people would just do it and not say anything, and there'd be a fairly good chance of getting away with it, but as I'll be doing it on a somewhat busy road, there's every chance of bumping into AGS on their rounds, and I don't want to have that conversation (especially after the recent McAuliffe Trucking stuff that's been on the web/Youtube).



So I'm just wondering what the general way of working this is? Anyone know? I'm gonna ring the local station, but considering the absurdity of the question, I doubt I'll get much help.

Victor

Can we see your safety statement?

If you don't have the equipment to do it safely, don't do it.

Dr Turk Turkelton

Victor wrote: »

Can we see your safety statement?

If you don't have the equipment to do it safely, don't do it.

At a guess I'd say the risk would be medium!!!

But thats going in Mr mcAuliffes safety statement.

Victor

Victor wrote: »

Can we see your safety statement?

If you don't have the equipment to do it safely, don't do it.

The worst case scenario that I can see, is the camera/tripod slipping and falling. This would be the end of the camera and whatever lens is attached at the time. Tripod probably wouldn't survive either.

Nobody can drive over the camera or such, as the car that'd be behind me is the one I'd be filming (and would be advised to keep a distance, in advance).

I'm not exactly Evil Knievel - I'm not going to do anything that could risk damage to camera equipment for a few seconds of video footage.


It's more the issue of getting the appropriate permission.

Victor

Deleted User wrote: »

The worst case scenario that I can see, is the camera/tripod slipping and falling.

Or the vehicle you are on hits a pothole and lurches or manoeuvres to avoid another vehicle, you fall off the back and are run over by the second vehicle.

How will you explain this to your insurers?

Victor

Victor wrote: »

Or the vehicle you are on hits a pothole and lurches or manoeuvres to avoid another vehicle, you fall off the back and are run over by the second vehicle.

How will you explain this to your insurers?

Why, from the comfort of my hospital bed, of course.

I'm not filming a high-speed pursuit. I know the roads and traffic I'm dealing with, and I know the drivers of the vehicles. There'll be no oncoming traffic.

I'm really more/only concerned with the Garda side of things.

bravestar

Deleted User wrote: »

Why, from the comfort of my hospital bed, of course.

I'm not filming a high-speed pursuit. I know the roads and traffic I'm dealing with, and I know the drivers of the vehicles. There'll be no oncoming traffic.

I'm really more/only concerned with the Garda side of things.

You do not have the proper safety gear or training to do this. So the answer is simple. Don't do it.

You said that it is going to take place on a somewhat busy road. It's one thing causing damage to your gear/yourself, it's an entirely different matter putting other innocent road users at risk with your reckless behavior.

Collisions resulting in serious injury or death can occur quite easily in circumstances most people would be baffled by.

So while your comfortable in your hospital bed chatting to your insurance company, spare a thought for the poor Garda who had to knock on a door and tell someone they were never going to see their mother/father/son/daughter again.

cormie

What about renting some professional equipment from the likes of http://www.cine-electric.ie/ and look into having the road closed or get in touch with the local garda/council as to how to go about the safety/legal side of things?

ratracer

This sounds like a pretty nuts idea, and although I have no doubt your doing it for the right reasons and the vol org think do to, I'm very surprised that they would let such a risky idea happen.
I've read I've the OP a fee times before posting this reply and it still sounds nuts. You want to stand in the back of a flat bed jeep, while driving down an open road and film a vehicle behind you, (is this going to be under blues at the time?). Do you not think this sounds crazy? While the jeep is moving and your camera is rolling, I presume all your focus (pardon the pun) will be on what's happening behind you, so you will have no awareness of anything that may be happening in front of you.
I'm not trying to be dismissive of your excellent work and fair play to you giving up your time for this idea, but please think of the safety aspect of it a lot more before going ahead with it.
Also remember that by posting on a public forum, opinions posted may be used in the event of any accident.

Bosh

Maybe not quite what you had in mind, but perhaps film from an overpass?

Bosh

It's like after hours in here. All I wanted was an answer to a question, but instead I've already got Gardaí knocking doors to inform families of deaths? :rolleyes:

If anything went wrong, it would be a write-off of thousands of Euro of camera equipment, which is not something I'd even consider risking (maybe I've described my plan poorly above?).


The journey would take all of about 20 seconds, obviously not at a high speed, on a familiar road, with no oncoming traffic.


(Also, just as an aside, there'll be no 'blues' involved )

Bosh wrote: »

Maybe not quite what you had in mind, but perhaps film from an overpass?

Ah, it wouldn't quite work, or be the same at all, unfortunately. I want to be closer to the car I'm filming. If I did it from an overpass it wouldn't make sense among the rest of the footage, either



Anyway, cheers for the replies, but I'll have a think and figure it out myself.

msg11

Never heard of someone getting a permit to break the rules of the road.

The only real option available here to you is to get the road closed, insurance for the filming and away you go.

Mikros

To answer you question you would have to go to the local authority and ask to have the road closed for the duration of the filming. You would likely need to show a safety statement/risk assessment of the planned activity and demonstrate you have an adequate number of marshals / first aid / crew etc. You may also have to indemnify the council against any claim. Every local authority is likely to have a different procedure.

Once the road was closed the Road Traffic Act would no longer apply as it would not be a public place.

mcgarrett

Deleted User wrote: »

It's like after hours in here.

probably because it's the kind of question you would normally see in after hours

stoneill

I'm sure TV and Film companies do this all the time - do you have any contacts in the business that may be able to point you in the right direction?

paraletic

I don't want to completly dismiss your idea, I've seen some of your pictures and you do some lovely work.
.....but, it does sound crazy. Although you say it isnt high risk, you probably wont get much encouragement here!!
However, have you thought of doing this work on a private road or track? I dont know about the legal issues, but just a thought!!
Be careful.

kub

Do you have to do it off a flat bed trailer? Just thinking, what if you got a camera with a cable running from it to a little monitor and remote control, that way you could safely be seated within the lead vehicle and could be controlling the camera at the same time.

dilallio

OP - You can rent out a bi-pod / tripod which fastens to the car being filmed using suction cups. you can mount the camera on a pole which is attached to the bi-pod / tripod. This pole can be rented in different lengths to achieve the required shot distance.
It's the best and safest solution.

carav10

Find someone with a GoPro camera. The video footage is excellent & you can attach it to the back of a truck with the various attachments that come with it...all safe, job done

This is the video I was working on. It's nothing great (and I'm no videographer) but it worked for what it was (the Boyne Fishermen were doing a 'full monty' event, and they were coming out to the song in the video. The video played just before they came out, so it was as though they were supposed to be leaving their boathouse and going to the venue in real time - which is why the video ends as the music picks up (they came into the room at that point)).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7_0yTtK0s8U

Suffers a bit towards the end (when I slipped walking up a step and accidentally cut the heads off two of the guys walking past) but all in all it came as I'd expected it would.