Cycling and helmet-cams have made headlines in recent weeks after it was revealed that the footage of one bike commuter had been used by police and councils in London to secure a number of convictions against fellow road users for driving offences.

Dr Dave Brennan is a Scottish cycle campaigner and regularly uses a helmet-cam to record his daily cycle journey. Here shares his experiences - good, bad and ugly - on his commute from Torrance, East Dunbartonshire to the Glasgow hospital where he works in clinical physics.

How many miles do you cycle each week?

Usually I do between 100 and 120 miles a week. I have some route options that I vary depending on the weather, how busy the traffic is and how late I am.

When did you start using a helmet-cam?

I began using a helmet camera in early 2007, although I had dabbled with filming my cycle commute in 2006 using my mobile phone strapped to my rucksack straps. My first camera was an ATC-2000 which was pretty heavy and very low quality. The technology has moved on considerably and I'm hoping to receive a 360-degree camera soon.

Why did you decide to use one?

I started cycling to work in 2005. At that time hardly anyone cycled in Glasgow and I could quite easily cycle for a week or two without seeing another cyclist. I quickly realised that being such an oddity on the roads meant that drivers often didn't know how to behave around me. I suffered quite a few close passes and my fair share of abuse.

In 2006 I came across a few other cyclists online who were discussing using helmet cameras to film their commutes. I thought this was a good idea and would help demonstrate to others the type of driving that I encountered, so I decided to give it a go. I've been filming almost all of my cycle commutes ever since and now also have a rear facing camera attached to my bike.

Describe some of the behaviour you have encountered and captured on film?

When you cycle more than 100 miles a week on a mixture of rural and urban roads it's amazing what you come across. I've had abuse hurled at me on many occasions, been spat at by drivers travelling the other way, shot at with an air pistol and driven at intentionally.

I've had a few very close misses with HGVs which were particularly scary. The most common behaviour, though, is where drivers feel that they must get in front, or MGIF. This often happens on approach to traffic lights or in a very long queue where the driver cuts in forcing me to brake or take avoiding action.

Incidents are only part of the story, though. Overall I really enjoy cycling to work. I've got many videos of beautiful frosty mornings, encounters with interesting people, me singing (not my most popular) and of my visit to cycling heaven, Amsterdam.

One of my most popular videos is where I filter past about three miles of stationary dual carriageway traffic on my way towards the Clyde Tunnel. That traffic is there most mornings. If it felt safer, I'm sure more of the drivers in that queue would cycle.

What kind of reaction does it get from other road users?

I've had quite a few drivers stop and ask me: "Is that a camera on your helmet?" The vast majority of the time they are supportive and understand why I chose to wear it. Usually when I point out the camera to someone who has driven poorly around me, the reaction is very different, although it tends to temper any aggression rather than exacerbate it.

Has the footage you gather been used to secure convictions for driving offences?

Yes. The police have chatted to drivers on a number of occasions and in two specific cases my footage has led to convictions.

One was for a driver of a van with a trailer which overtook me and then squeezed me off the side of the road. The driver claimed I filtered up the left of him but the footage backed up my version of events. He was convicted of careless driving, given five points on his licence and a fine.

A second driver, who didn't like me reacting to his close pass, slowed and slammed on his brakes twice. It turned out that, as well as driving dangerously, he was already serving a driving ban.

He was convicted of dangerous driving, driving while banned, driving with no licence and breach of the peace. He received community service, a fine and a further ban.

Would you encourage other cyclists to use a helmet-cam?

I'm torn on this one. Cycling should just be about cycling. No-one should have to wear a camera and I look forward to the day when I feel that I can go camera-free. That's why I helped set up Pedal on Parliament in 2012. Through that campaign we are putting pressure on the government and councils to invest in safer infrastructure for cyclists and pedestrians.

However, as things stand at the moment, I wouldn't go without my cameras and it is certainly something people should consider if they are cycling on the roads on a regular basis. A camera won't stop an incident happening but it at least means you can prove what happened after the event.

Dr Dave Brennan is one of the organisers of Pedal on Parliament. The next event takes place in Edinburgh on April 25. For more information, visit pedalonparliament.org. You can follow Dave's daily adventures on his blog, The Mind of a Helmet Camera Cyclist, at magnatom.net