Local members of The Fourth Estate are airing a piece tonight about cyclists who break the law. There's a preview on their webpage, and the full thing will air tonight at 10:00 locally on channel 5. It looks like the station is taking some major flack over the piece. From their website:
The story hasn't even aired yet on 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS, but from the stream of e-mails we've received, it's clear the issue of cyclists and motorists sharing the road is a hot button topic.
Duh. Way to be part of the problem rather than part of the solution, KSTP. Tip o' the hat to Bill for the head's up on the story and also the email he sent to the station.
Date: April 26
Mileage: 5
Ride type/Bike: Errand/Suburban
April mileage: 377
Year to date mileage: 1256
Date: April 28
Mileage: 18
Ride type/Bike: Commute/Kuwahara
April mileage: 395
Year to date mileage: 1274
Date: April 29
Mileage: 26
Ride type/Bike: Commute/Kuwahara
April mileage: 421
Year to date mileage: 1300
Posts
5 comments:
I'm a proud member of the email stream. The responses on the KSTP website are fascinating. Mostly fascinating in how badly most drivers understand the rules of the road and how they are entitled to drive at least the speed limit at all times.
Pete-
Exactly the reason I got out of the news racket. Crap stories and finger pointing like this.
Check out my picture blog.
-Aaron
Forgot to put the www down
http://the-key-of-see.blogspot.com/
We've fought the same thing here in the 'Ville. One of the locals did a multi-episode expose of those dang law-breakin' bikers, especially during the 'Tuesday Night Worlds' ride, which is easily the biggest weekly ride in town. Strangely, the talking head pushing this is a triathlete. I guess he prefers solitary training. Most of my riding anymore is in urban core, so I don't have too many fights with soccer moms and their SUVs.
I wholeheartedly agree that cyclists should obey the law, but their story put the sole onus of obeying the law on cyclists. The story should have been that use of the public roadways is be a function of mutual respect.
Most news directors probably don't think that it would benefit their ratings, but why not explore the causes of the half of fatal bicycle crashes that are caused by motorists? Perhaps they could cite the sections of Minnesota law pertaining to speeding and inattentive driving? Until that happens, Channel 5 can suck it.
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