Balanced reporting?

[Ulsterkiwi]

You obviously know more- give us the details?

actually I don't, I read the article which used emotive phrases like 'As the men descended the hill, they had four near-misses with speeding motorcyclists on "high-powered performance bikes". '
I pause when I see people describe things they may not be qualified to. Its like those who get upset about hunters using "high powered performance rifles" perhaps they would be happier if hunters used low powered under performing rifles?

I wondered how balanced the report was and asked if anyone else had seen it. Otherwise I would have said something like: 'I know much more about this, let me explain to you what really happened.'

[nerrrd]

Unless the road had a pot hole, or gravel, or diesel, or animal excrement, or any other slippery substance(s). The rider could also have swerved to avoid foreign objects on the road.

Or the car that was overtaking me on a blind corner a while back only to find a truck coming the other way, then happily pushed me out of the way getting back on the right side of the road. If I hadn't managed to stand the bike up and stay wide I guess I would have "failed to take the corner."

Point taken about speculation.

[Paul in NZ]

Um... It does not say he was a truck driver but rather that he was towing a car trailer with a workmate... Personally I really dislike car trailers as they can be all over the show...

A group of 60 Bikes trying to get through traffic on that road is a memorable event... Even if its just 10 of the 60...

End of the day if we as a group are defined as 'motorcyclists' (ie people that regularly ride motorcycles) and that group has an accident rate of X then at some point one of us is going to pay the ultimate price regardless of blame. Given that within the motorcyclists group, some people regularly reside at the percieved 'risky' end of the spectrum the amazing thing is in fact that this sort of thing does not happen more often. Perhaps something that simply looks risky is not actually as risky as it looks??

However - my only comment is that on the times I've been over the hill lately - while the road is getting safer on the Wellington side, there are less places to pass legally, there seems to be a lot more traffic to pass and I am beginning to dislike travelling over it. If Vicki and I are in the car or two up on a bike we always leave room for others to pass should they desire but I have simply lost count of the number of times we have had to take active intervention to avoid an accident from behind or in front and always within our safety zone... It makes me nervous going over there...

End of the day. its a terribly bad thing at any time of the year but especially so around Christmas. RIP.

[Paul in NZ]

actually I don't, I read the article which used emotive phrases like 'As the men descended the hill, they had four near-misses with speeding motorcyclists on "high-powered performance bikes". '
I pause when I see people describe things they may not be qualified to. Its like those who get upset about hunters using "high powered performance rifles" perhaps they would be happier if hunters used low powered under performing rifles?

I wondered how balanced the report was and asked if anyone else had seen it. Otherwise I would have said something like: 'I know much more about this, let me explain to you what really happened.'

Since they were there - I'd suggest that they were in some part qualified to talk about near misses bit which really is the important part.

[Ulsterkiwi]

Since they were there - I'd suggesat that they were in some part qualified to talk about near misses bit which really is the important part.

I agree, an important part is these guys reported near misses prior to the actual accident, the difficulty is what actually gets attention is the "high-powered performance bikes" part of the quote, in my opinion this was placed in quotes to emphasize and comment more than anything else. Craftily by using a quote they get to comment. At the end of the day what difference does it make if the guy was on an Hyabusa or a GN125? Either he made a mistake or he didn't.

I have no clue what happened, I wasn't there, but interestingly the guys in their truck and trailer did not actually witness the accident either yet their story is the basis of the article. I have to declare a sensitivity to the gap-filling journalists do, having seen this done to myself and my family in previous times. In my line of work I cannot make statements or claims without solid evidence to substantiate them, speculation is not tolerated, journalists are not subject to those constraints and that irks me.

Anyway, the article appears to be commenting in places rather than reporting, that is questionable, what is actually important is that a man is dead and that, is a tragedy.

[Paul in NZ]

Anyway, the article appears to be commenting in places rather than reporting, that is questionable, what is actually important is that a man is dead and that, is a tragedy.

I dont think they were in a truck... Yes - commentry in places but its to provide context. It makes a difference if they were on high powered sports bikes because you cannot indulge in certain behaviours on a GN250 and its likely that these guys actually got a really close look at the bikes.. Again they are probably qualified to comment...

Whats important is that there was a death. And as always these events affect a wide circle. Its a terrible terrible thing to witness and I really feel for those that were there. All I can say is please take care out there..

[Ulsterkiwi]

.... because you cannot indulge in certain behaviours on a GN250...

I think the article was inferring this unfortunate guy was "indulging in certain behaviours" and it got him killed. Perhaps we need to be careful how we express these things.

[imdying]

Seemed ok... the gist was some cocksucker riding like a cocksucker wrote himself off, thankfully not taking out somebody else in the process.

[PrincessBandit]

Seemed ok... the gist was some cocksucker riding like a cocksucker wrote himself off, thankfully not taking out somebody else in the process.

I'll assume your tongue is in your (butt)cheek there.
The fact is he might not have been riding like a cock. Who knows - maybe he had to alter his line due to the actions of another bike in the group?

Only those who were there will really know, and sometimes these things happen so quickly that even those present might not all agree on what actually went down. If there was any degree of stupidity occurring leading up to the event then it's no wonder we, as a road using group, are not viewed kindly or sympathetically.

[imdying]

Nup, no tongue in cheek. We all know what goes on, group rides and sports bikes are nothing new. That article did not seem unbalanced.

[jellywrestler]

Doesn't sound like a very suitable road to be treating as a racetrack then.

so you're saying there are some? Shit that goes against your usual mandate.

[jellywrestler]

For a truck driver to comment on motorcyclists riding dangerously on the Rimutukas is of the highest level of hypocrisy imaginable. If it were not for the economic benefits of allowing trucks on that road, they would be banned. Trucks are more responsible for death, suffering, and damage to property on that road by a factor of ten than other motorists are, and I include motorcyclists.

the simple fact is some of these clowns treat the rimutakas and other roads on their regular rides like they're races with often complete disregard to other road users. i've been riding for years and are still amazed with the standards these people think are acceptable.
Truckies are doing there job and often the road is too large to accomadate them so one always has to ride the hill knowing theree could be one around the corner, or a queue of cars getting held up by one, that's the way it is.
Tough someone getting wiped out, i'm surprised we dont have more.
Oh, and is it compulsary to remove all your indicator bulbs when you go on these rides?

[Katman]

so you're saying there are some? Shit that goes against your usual mandate.

Come on Spyda - surely you can recognise the facetious nature of my comment.

[James Deuce]

But I stand by the fact you wouldn't have not wanted him to ever take up motorcycling.

No, and that was definitely a positive about the last 10 years.

[Paul in NZ]

I think the article was inferring this unfortunate guy was "indulging in certain behaviours" and it got him killed. Perhaps we need to be careful how we express these things.

Possibly true - we also need to be careful how we ride... The world is generally an unforgiving place...

End of the day, while it was an unkind (to motorcyclists) article someone died. And that is very sad.... I also feel for the others involved. A horrific experience.