# What Could This Accessory Be On A Bike Helmet? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 8, 2012, 9:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-could-this-accessory-be-on-a-bike-helmet/624479 "2012-06-08T09:11:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2012, 9:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-could-this-accessory-be-on-a-bike-helmet/624479/1 "2012-06-08T09:11:38Z")
I was behind a motor bike at the lights and the rider had the normal helmet but mounted on a short stalk was an accessory of some sort. It was about two inches square, silver and seemed to have some dark patch like a read out in the middle (I was a bit far to get a great look). It seemed like it may have been a camera but when he turned sideways it seemed pretty flat- there was no obvious lens extending out. Anyone got any idea what it could be? I’m curious now. ---
**Author:** ![Antigen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/848f3c/32.png) [@Antigen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antigen)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2012, 9:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-could-this-accessory-be-on-a-bike-helmet/624479/2 "2012-06-08T09:45:19Z")
Are you sure it wasn’t just a rearview mirror? ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2012, 10:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-could-this-accessory-be-on-a-bike-helmet/624479/3 "2012-06-08T10:04:30Z")
Like [this](http://www.bugeyes.com/)? ---
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2012, 10:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-could-this-accessory-be-on-a-bike-helmet/624479/4 "2012-06-08T10:12:47Z")
**Antigen** and **TD** , no not a rear view mirror. This was mounted directly above his head- no way could he see it from his helmet. I am now wondering whether it may have been some sort of radar detector. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2012, 11:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-could-this-accessory-be-on-a-bike-helmet/624479/5 "2012-06-08T11:02:23Z")
A [GoPro camera](http://gopro.com/cameras/hd-motorsports-hero-camera/) perhaps? ---
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2012, 11:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-could-this-accessory-be-on-a-bike-helmet/624479/6 "2012-06-08T11:21:05Z")
Telemark, thanks for the answer. It could be that type of thing but just looking at that one it seems rather too big. One thing I did notice about the bike itself was that the rear tyre was really wide- more like you’d see on a sedan. I don’t know if there is a clue in there (I am no biker as you can tell). ---
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2012, 11:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-could-this-accessory-be-on-a-bike-helmet/624479/7 "2012-06-08T11:28:20Z")
Just one thing also- the mounting for that camera is a lot more substantial than that I saw. As I mentioned, it was more or less mounted on a stalk thing. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2012, 12:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-could-this-accessory-be-on-a-bike-helmet/624479/8 "2012-06-08T12:06:45Z")
> [@Cicero](#): > > Just one thing also- the mounting for that camera is a lot more substantial than that I saw. As I mentioned, it was more or less mounted on a stalk thing. There are many different cameras and many different mounts, GoPro just happens to be one of the most popular models. A lot of folks take helmet videos, I’m still guessing it’s one version of that.