HERE's how a bike accident story should be reported!

"Papa Tom" wrote in message
...
At least acknowledge the loss while you're bemoaning the bias.

Having read all the posts and understanding from the very first post by Tom,
that the subject matter was media reporting, not how Tom feels about the
particular incident, I'm baffled as to the idiocy at jumping on the OP for
seemingly not caring about the particular rider that was killed.

THAT'S NOT THE SUBJECT !. And one would assume that anyone caring enough
to want to bring the media to task for biased reporting, has as a basis, an
outrage for the death to have occured in the first place. That's a given
and no apology from Tom is required.

As a fellow Long Islander, and as someone who knows you and your commitment
to a better community for cyclists, I too have been saddened by the
acceptance of the local reporting, that "The motorist did nothing wrong".
This is an assumption that both the Nassau County and Suffolk County police
departments share as well, as I can not recall a time when a motorist was
charged with any crime for killing a cyclists in collision. All too often
that news report state's "After a safety check, no charges were filed", and
that's the end of it.

So rant on, Tom, your thoughts and anger is shared.

Steve B.

Thanks for posting this, Mike. I did not catch it until a few days later.

Great article. I clicked on one of the links (I will get to all of them,
eventually) and found this...

"The man was flung from the bicycle and was not wearing a helmet."

If the driver had somehow been killed in this accident, I wonder if the
reporter would have mentioned that he was not wearing his seatbelt or that
his airbags did not deploy. Possibly, but probably not.

Another example of fair reporting, from today's Newsday. Hammer away at me
as much as you want to, but I think my letters to this paper have made a
difference in the way they report these accidents.



A 14-year-old was taken to the hospital after a Dodge Durango collided
with his bicycle in Manorville earlier Thursday night. The teen
suffered non-life threatening injuries. The driver of the Durango was
arrested for DWI.

On Jul 2, 10:22*pm, "Papa Tom" wrote:
Another example of fair reporting, from today's Newsday. *Hammer away at me
as much as you want to, but I think my letters to this paper have made a
difference in the way they report these accidents.

No one questioned your concern with the seemingly biased reporting in
the press. What I questioned was your post lacking empathy for a
cycling death - you seemed more concerned with commenting on the
biased reporting then the loss of life.

If you can take people to task for what you consider to be biased
reporting, you should have no issues with other people doing the same
to you. It keeps everyone honest, right?

You had asked a question in an earlier post if the paper would have
mentioned whether the driver was wearing a seatbelt if they died in an
accident. I do not know if it is always reported, but I have seen
that numerous times.

Editors do listen. If you write to an editor and point out errors,
they listen. If you point out a bias they might not be aware of, they
will become more aware. So keep up the good work. I do appreciate
your efforts in this regard.

R

More of the article was published online this morning...

Andresen was driving a 2005 Dodge Durango eastbound on Clancy Road in
Manorville at 6:36 p.m., as was the bicyclist, when the crash occurred
near the intersection of Hilltop Lane, police said.

How cool is that? In the past, this article would probably have read:
"Andreson was driving a 2005 Dodge Durango eastbound on Clancy Road in
Manorville at 6:36 p.m when he hit the bicyclist, who was riding on the side
of the roadway. "

On Jul 3, 7:47*am, "Papa Tom" wrote:
More of the article was published online this morning...

Andresen was driving a 2005 Dodge Durango eastbound on Clancy Road in
Manorville at 6:36 p.m., as was the bicyclist, when the crash occurred
near the intersection of Hilltop Lane, police said.

How cool is that? *In the past, this article would probably have read:
"Andreson was driving a 2005 Dodge Durango eastbound on Clancy Road in
Manorville at 6:36 p.m when he hit the bicyclist, who was riding on the side
of the roadway. "

Now you are just being a dick, sorry, but it's true. All you care
about is the fookin' verbiage and not what happened. Apply for a job
as a proofreader, for crying out loud!

You don't mention what happened to the cyclist, you don't mention
whether he was hurt or killed and you don't mention the condition of
the driver, which are all VERY pertinent and all included in the
article.

http://www.newsday.com/news/local/su...4616317..story

You are now more officially biased than the media, and not in a good
way. Congratulations.

R

"RicodJour" wrote in message
...


Now you are just being a dick, sorry, but it's true. All you care
about is the fookin' verbiage and not what happened. Apply for a job
as a proofreader, for crying out loud!

Now it is you, RicodJour, whose being the dick.

As I had previously posted:

Having read all the posts and understanding from the very first post by Tom,
that the subject matter was media reporting, not how Tom feels about the
particular incident, I'm baffled as to the idiocy at jumping on the OP for
seemingly not caring about the particular rider that was killed.

THAT'S NOT THE SUBJECT !. And one would assume that anyone caring enough
to want to bring the media to task for biased reporting, has as a basis, an
outrage for the death to have occured in the first place. That's a given
and no apology from Tom is required.

As a fellow Long Islander, and as someone who knows you (Tom) and your
commitment
to a better community for cyclists, I too have been saddened by the
acceptance of the local reporting, that "The motorist did nothing wrong".
This is an assumption that both the Nassau County and Suffolk County police
departments share as well, as I can not recall a time when a motorist was
charged with any crime for killing a cyclists in collision. All too often
that news report state's "After a safety check, no charges were filed", and
that's the end of it.

So rant on, Tom, your thoughts and anger is shared.

Steve B.

In this case, and as a long time Newsday subscriber and reader of this paper
on the web, it's a fact that Newsday changes the story as the day
progresses, adding information to the story as they get it. I read Tom's
post as a being partial quote, not as the entire article.

Why is this so difficult ?.

Steve B.

On Jul 3, 4:55*pm, "SB" wrote:
"RicodJour" wrote in message

Now you are just being a dick, sorry, but it's true. *All you care
about is the fookin' verbiage and not what happened. *Apply for a job
as a proofreader, for crying out loud!

Now it is you, RicodJour, whose being the dick.

As I had previously posted:

Having read all the posts and understanding from the very first post by Tom,
that the subject matter was media reporting, not how Tom feels about the
particular incident, I'm baffled as to the idiocy at jumping on the OP for
seemingly not caring about the particular rider that was killed.

THAT'S NOT THE SUBJECT !. * And one would assume that anyone caring enough
to want to bring the media to task for biased reporting, has as a basis, an
outrage for the death to have occured in the first place. *That's a given
and no apology from Tom is required.

As a fellow Long Islander, and as someone who knows you (Tom) and your
commitment
to a better community for cyclists, I too have been saddened by the
acceptance of the local reporting, that "The motorist did nothing wrong".
This is an assumption that both the Nassau County and Suffolk County police
departments share as well, as I can not recall a time when a motorist was
charged with any crime for killing a cyclists in collision. *All too often
that news report state's "After a safety check, no charges were filed", and
that's the end of it.

So rant on, Tom, your thoughts and anger is shared.

Steve B.

In this case, and as a long time Newsday subscriber and reader of this paper
on the web, it's a fact that Newsday changes the story as the day
progresses, adding information to the story as they get it. *I read Tom's
post as a being partial quote, not as the entire article.

Why is this so difficult ?.

Steve B.

Any time you gloss over or simply omit the PERSON that was injured/
killed as you're more interested in the fookin' writing, yep, you're
being a dick.

Newsday is a rag. It's turned into a tabloid little better than the
Post. Ya see, I too live on the Island and read the same articles.
Tom wants to get his panties in a twist due to biased reporting? I
have no problem with that, and I appreciate his efforts to straighten
out the bias. I do have a problem with neglecting the PERSON for the
WORDS. That's just stupid.

You seem to be saying that Tom is too busy to write a few words about
what happened to the cyclist. Is he running out of words? Fingers
stiffening up with rigor mortis? Or is it just he isn't seeing the
forest for the trees in his own writing?

The person (cyclist) IS the subject. Would Tom be writing any of this
if someone was bashing mailboxes with a baseball bat or stealing
bicycles? Tom seems to sometimes forget that, and I don't have a
problem pointing out his bias in pointing out other people's biases.

R

Steve B.

Thanks for your words of reason, but I'd leave this alone now. I know
I'M done with it.

TM

As another sad follow-up, a 16 year old from Rocky Point was killed on
Sunday when he was struck on his bicycle by a minivan on Rt 25A in
East Shoreham. The details of the story can be found at
http://www.newsday.com/news/local/ny...tory?track=rss
..

Draw your own conclusions and pounce on me if you need to, but I have
a feeling that my constant "calling out" of Newsday reporters on their
reporting habits has resulted in less biased reporting that protects
the honor of the cyclists/victims. That's all I ever wanted.