Fucking media. "Off-duty cop collides with car"

[jasonu]

I'm with you HDC. A tv news report last night on the Ferguson drama in the US referred to the police officer as the "killer". A gratuitously emotive label after he had been absolved by a Grand Jury.

Pretty much all the USA press are 'poking the racial bear' with this one. You won't see a headline like 'Police officer shoots large menacing black man, who just robbed and bashed a store owner, after he was instructed several times by the officer with a drawn gun to stand down which he failed to do'.

[Gremlin]

BTW stitches and bruising later, she's at home recovering. Thank God.

That's the most important thing... bikes/scooters can be replaced.

[Banditbandit]

Utterly wrong when the common usage is to always state that the motorcycle collided with something else. 98% of two or more vehicle accidents involving a motorcycle state that the motorcycle collided with the van, car, bus, cyclist, pedestrian, etc. I sick of pointing that out. I also didn't need the lecture about libel. I was pointing out a completely different issue and I understand the mechanism behind the phrasing to avoid libel issues, however the mechanism has been perverted to consistently paint motorcyclists as implicitly at fault in all collisions they are involved in.

The correct usage in your example is a "Motorcyle and a Car collided". Not "a motorcycle collided with". It is not splitting hairs. It is a clear breach of journalistic principles. For instance my motorcycle did not collide with a sheep. I did. It was still reported as "Motorcycle collides with sheep". The sheep didn't touch the fucking bike. The bike fell over after the rider had been removed from the bike by a sheep that was at least a metre and half in the air.

Yeah - I get what you are saying ... and yes it should be "motorcycle and car collide .." And yes, I get that it highights the motorcycle - in the active position ...

The sheep was a metre and a half in the air ?? That sounds like a good story ...

[willytheekid]

Worry not Citizen. The charges are being considered.

BTW stitches and bruising later, she's at home recovering. Thank God.

Great to hear mate

..certainly hope that charges will be laid Rastuscat...failing to giveway causing injury is not a "minor incident" when a bike or scooter etc is involved...and failing to render assistance is also bloody low! (regardless of shock...you get the fuck out of your car and "try" to help...not sit there watch and make a phone call to say "sorry im gonna be late")

Please send her all our best wishes

[TheDemonLord]

The person who did it is just Mrs Average. Most crashes are not caused by gang members, boy racers or hoodie wearers. Most crashes are just caused by a fundamental human error by Mr or Mrs Average.

As in this case.

Trouble is, how do we get Mr and Mrs Average to realize that is us who are the problem?

If Mr and Mrs Average would just increase their awareness, so much fecking pain and suffering would be avoided.

Still, that's a big mountain to climb.

I had an interesting discussion with someone - they were a new mother and admitted that they had driven numerous times when they were completely tired (due to baby related sleep deprivation) - yet when I pointed out that driving tired is just as bad as driving drunk - they justified their decision to drive by saying they had to drive somewhere, yet when asked if they would ever drive drunk with their child in the car - they were shocked.

The reason I mention this is it seems to show the indifference that someone people have about the potential consequences of driving, driving in states where they shouldn't drive and doing things while attempting to drive that they can't do.

I often wonder what the public reaction would be if (as a social experiment) one was to claim that a company had produced a system for motorcyclists that would detect when a car had made an illegal move that would cause an accident and deploy an explosive device to remove the hazard from the motorcyclists path, at the expense of the Driver who made the illegal move. I suspect the public outrage would be wide and highly vocal.

[HenryDorsetCase]

Yeah - I get what you are saying ... and yes it should be "motorcycle and car collide .." And yes, I get that it highights the motorcycle - in the active position ...

The sheep was a metre and a half in the air ?? That sounds like a good story ...

they're scared of heights and tend to buck out of the gumboots. Hilarity ensues. You're OK as long as your velcro gloves keep gripping.

[Murray]

if the car was on the green as reported in the link then yes...........the bike collided with the car...........so henry....are you privey to some other info to the contrary?......or just chasing ambulances.........

I read it as confusing and the bike was going straight through and the car was doing a right hand turn across the lane the bike was in thereby colliding with the bike. Rastu seems to think the cars fault but???

[Edbear]

Exactly.

The news is not littered with 'off duty plumbers/council workers/ACC workers' etc being involved in minor crashes.

The media are bastards, frequently emotive inacurrate bastards....

Im surprised that anyone still gets upset when the media are shown for what they are, a pack of lying scum suckers. Tis a funny old world.



Stupid humans.

Truth and facts along with impartiality were long ago sacrificed on the alter of ratings.

[mada]

Truth and facts along with impartiality were long ago sacrificed on the alter of ratings.

Yep, the worst headline that I have read was around the Ashburton shooting. That was disgraceful.

Our media are just interested in click bait rather than reporting actually news.

[R650R]

Where the hell in the original story is any blame apportioned???
You should be thankful they didn't publish your letter.

Newspaper headlines are always an abomination of the English language, their purpose is to grab attention not to accurately portray the whole story.
Eg if a headline says American forces attack Iraq it doesn't mean they just commited an international war crime (although some might say they did). In the space for those four words you cant convey all the previous political manoevering to get to that point.
Yes they do get it wrong in headlines sometimes but theres nothing to argue in the original one.
I would have thought with the peculiarities of legalese you'd at least have a full understanding of English grammar as a base.

[mashman]

Mum never told me that cluedo could be so much fun.

[Banditbandit]

[rastuscat]

Completely agree

...and I would put money on this driver walking away scot free!..."its was just an accident"

ITS SUCH BULLSHIT!

The fact is, the Driver didn't LOOK and ensure the way was clear before crossing the flow of traffic...but Oh well, just panel damage for HER to worry about, and insurance will sort it all out...lala...just continue to drive like a blind arse till next time!..aye(Till they KILL another road user)

It MUST! therefore, be the bike riders fault for not taking EVERY fucking precaution (such as Getting off and pushing her scooter through the intersection!) all to allow for ANOTHER dipshit driver who can't master the art of fucking LOOKING!...and GIVING WAY!!

Im all for defensive riding and training as Katman etc preach(And for good cause!...it DOES save lives)...but to be charged EXTRA rego costs due to slanted stats from these sort of BS accidents?...and THEN, having to repeatedly watch the offending drivers just walk away with panel damage and no charges laid??(while the effected rider gets screwed by ACC, loss of income and months of painful recovery)

...are we just fucking expendable??, not worth the "hassel" of laying charges because its "our own fault for riding"???


WELL FUCK THAT!...the bitch failed to LOOK!, failed to GIVEWAY!...and worst of all...Failed to render assistance to HER victim (She sat in the car and watched)

...again...I fucking BET YOU!...no charges will be laid


Its just Bullshit!


Ride Safe KBers

again...thoughts to the rider, family & friends (Rastuscat will no doubt pass on all our messages of support)

Right you are.

Your rants are sure getting colourful Wheelie

[scumdog]

Pretty much all the USA press are 'poking the racial bear' with this one. You won't see a headline like 'Police officer shoots large menacing black man, who just robbed and bashed a store owner, after he was instructed several times by the officer with a drawn gun to stand down which he failed to do'.

And why, oh why do 'they' keep posting the pic of the dead guy where he looks like Arnold out of the Diffr'nt Strokes series, all angelic-like and about ten+ years younger than he really was at the time of his demise?

[haydes55]

Trouble is, how do we get Mr and Mrs Average to realize that is us who are the problem?





.

Reduce the speed limit!

How about ticketing people for activities which cause crashes. Treat people who indicate wrong worse than a speeding vehicle. I drive for my job, at least 5 times a day I have to give way to casper or pull out in front of cars which decide to turn into my path.