Journalism and cycling

AndrewJRenko

Jep Gambardella wrote: »

I think it's intended to be neutral. Every accident is described in almost exactly the same way, with the same order of information. Personally, as a cyclist, I've never read those reports and assumed they were inferring a cyclist (or indeed a motorist) was to blame for an accident.

It may well be intended to be neutral, but it's not neutral. It may be just a habit or convention - but it needs to be changed. They managed to change from RTA to RTC in recent years, so they will manage to change this.

tomasrojo

"A car and a bike collided" does seem the most direct way to say it. Even if the other ways don't exculpate/inculpate inappropriately, they're really rather roundabout or weird.

I love Sean nos

Jep Gambardella wrote: »

I think it's intended to be neutral. Every accident is described in almost exactly the same way, with the same order of information. Personally, as a cyclist, I've never read those reports and assumed they were inferring a cyclist (or indeed a motorist) was to blame for an accident.

I wonder does this "neutrality" effort by the media carry over into other incidents. If I search for "independent.ie car knocked down pedestrian", I should see reports of a whole bunch of pedestrians colliding with cars, right? I'm choosing the Independent as it seems a common source here.

Pedestrian seriously injured after being struck by car
http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/pedestrian-seriously-injured-after-being-struck-by-car-35672075.html

That's the first result and it doesn't mention a pedestrian colliding with a car. I'll discount that one as it's obviously a fluke.

Man dies after being knocked down by car
http://www.independent.ie/breaking-news/irish-news/man-dies-after-being-knocked-down-by-car-34430712.html

Strange. Again, no problem with implying blame here.

Four killed as man drives car into crowd of pedestrians in Melbourne
http://www.independent.ie/world-news/four-killed-as-man-drives-car-into-crowd-of-pedestrians-in-melbourne-35382854.html

Surely this should be a crowd of pedestrians colliding with the car. Although at least here we have a mention of agency and it's not another seemingly unremarkable example of Herbie once again going ****ing bananas.

Elderly man rushed to hospital after being hit by car
http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/elderly-man-rushed-to-hospital-after-being-hit-by-car-35668784.html

The hospital didn't rush to the man either.

Man dies and woman injured after being struck by SUV in Dublin
http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/news/man-dies-and-woman-injured-after-being-struck-by-suv-in-dublin-35376428.html

Again, very straightforward about what happened.

I'm confused. The first five results returned take a similar approach. It would appear that the same concern for neutrality doesn't exist when it's pedestrians being hit by cars.

Anyone care to explain why this might be?

Chuchote

A sad but generous statement by the husband of Jane Theiler, who died in a cycling accident in Kerry:

https://www.thesun.ie/news/1136624/heartbroken-husband-of-us-woman-who-died-while-cycling-in-kerry-pays-tribute-to-gardai-and-locals/

A HEARTBROKEN American tourist whose wife died while cycling in Ireland has paid tribute to gardai and the locals who helped him after the accident.

Jane Theiler, who was in her 6os, passed away when her bike collided with a truck in Dunloe Gap near Killarney, Co Kerry, on May 30.

(In this sad case, the woman on the bike came around a corner and ran into a trailer of lambs pulled by a truck.)

HivemindXX

Apparently, but unsurprisingly, there are people claiming that London's cycle lanes are causing congestion and pollution.

This article in The Guardian argues against that.

https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2017/jun/16/myth-bike-lanes-congestion-pollution-debunked

Chuchote

http://www.independent.ie/opinion/comment/to-best-serve-his-early-risers-new-taoiseach-must-wake-up-to-public-transport-needs-35835760.html

First thing that jumps out of the data is our car addiction.

The overall number of people commuting to work increased from 1.7 million in 2011 to 1.88 million in 2016, an increase of 10.7pc. This is a huge increase as the recovery seeped out from Dublin.

The number of people driving to work increased by 85,180 to 1,152,631 and was the largest increase of all categories. We tend to drive alone because although commuting passengers increased to 77,335 in 2016 from 69,164 in 2011, it is still a tiny fraction of those in cars every day.

We are using public transport more, but not enough.

The number of us commuting by public transport has increased by 30,144 persons over the five years, bringing the total to 174,569. This still represents a European low of only 9.3pc of all working commuters.

Cycling has exploded but this is mainly a city affair. In the 2011 census, 39,803 people cycled to work; now it is 56,837 and rising. That's a huge 42.8pc over the five years.

Chuchote

Letter to The Irish Times from Brendan Grimes of Skerries

http://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/letters/wheelfolk-and-bounders-1.3122811

It would seem that the cyclist-driver war has been going on for well over 100 years, if a report in The Irish Times of July 10th, 1897, is anything to go by. The writer notes that hardly a day goes by in Dublin without a cyclist getting badly injured. He acknowledges that some of the accidents are “caused through reckless or unskilful riding on the part of wheelfolk”. He has no hesitation, however, in saying “that the vast majority of accidents to cyclists are caused through the reckless driving of jarveys and other vehicle drivers. We have repeatedly seen cyclists worried, run down, and treated in a scandalous manner by drivers, and jarveys in particular”. The writer expresses the hope that the Commissioners of Police would direct constables on traffic duty “to keep a sharp look out for furious drivers”. He thinks that the “appearance of a few of these bounders in the Police Court would have a good effect on the others”. Perhaps this is good advice for today.

Corca Baiscinn

Great piece yest on Drivetime's review of weekly papers, quoted lengthy excerpt from Tuam Herald's Editorial re cycling plus covered Kerry eye's 1.5 initiative. Could someone post it as I'm in a Rura BB Backwater at the minute? It's at approx 16 47.

nilhg

Corca Baiscinn wrote: »

Great piece yest on Drivetime's review of weekly papers, quoted lengthy excerpt from Tuam Herald's Editorial re cycling plus covered Kerry eye's 1.5 initiative. Could someone post it as I'm in a Rura BB Backwater at the minute? It's at approx 16 47.

http://www.rte.ie/radio/utils/radioplayer/rteradioweb.html#!rii=b9%5F10737011%5F83%5F16%2D06%2D2017%5F

The section referred to above starts at 18:25 in

Doc07

'Pedestrian dies after being struck by car in Galway'
From RTE website this morning

RIP poor man and his family.

The headline does however powerfully illustrate the differences in reporting of pedestrian and cycling road traffic related deaths. Some recent examples from the same RTE news website below.

'A cyclist has died following a collision with a lorry in Dublin.'

'A cyclist in his 30s has died following a collision in Cork.'

RIP to all victims and I hope this does not cause any offence but I think the differences should be highlighted.

I love Sean nos

Young lad must have ridden into the jeep. Probably on his way to specsavers. :rolleyes:

Teenage cyclist (14) serious injured after collision with 4x4

http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/news/teenage-cyclist-14-serious-injured-after-collision-with-4x4-35827940.html

But it's not all bad news:

The driver, a man aged in his 30s, was uninjured in the incident.

Quelle surprise.

meeeeh

Would you be happier if driver was also injured or dead?

I love Sean nos

meeeeh wrote: »

Would you be happier if driver was also injured or dead?

No. I just find it strange that they report on the status of the driver of a 2 tonne vehicle who collided with a 14 year old.

Chips Lovell

I love Sean nos wrote: »

No. I just find it strange that they report on the status of the driver of a 2 tonne vehicle who collided with a 14 year old.

As discussed earlier, its standard practice to report on the condition of the other person/people involved.

Chuchote

Jep Gambardella wrote: »

As discussed earlier, its standard practice to report on the condition of the other person/people involved.

It's not, though. I've never seen this sentence in a report of a car hitting a pedestrian. It's only used when a car hits a cyclist.

Chuchote

The director of Business Development of Waterways Ireland, John Boyle, sheds light on the controversy in a letter to The Irish Times

http://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/letters/towpaths-and-greenways-1.3125614

Olivia O’Leary made some points with which I agree (June 15th).

(snip)

The Deise Greenway is laid in “very nice tarmac” but it is important to point out there are no such plans to provide such a surface on the Barrow towpath.
Waterways Ireland does not propose to lay down a hard surface for cyclists. It is planned to upgrade 85 per cent of the Barrow towpath with compacted, unbound stone and dust, actually replacing what is currently there on a like-for-like basis. It must be noted that when the towpath was originally constructed for horses to pull the canal barges, it was constructed using unbound stone and dust. Some 8 per cent of the towpath will be upgraded with tarmac at approaches to road crossings. Some 6 per cent of the towpath will be upgraded with bound surface dressing – again replacing existing surfaces on a like-for-like basis. Some 1 per cent of the towpath will be upgraded with a concrete surface. This section is planned for the tidal flooding section at St Mullins so as to provide a robust surface for users and future sustainability.

(snip)

I love Sean nos

Jep Gambardella wrote: »

As discussed earlier, its standard practice to report on the condition of the other person/people involved.

It's standard? Okay, let's take a look back at post 2014 and validate that.

1st link - no mention of anyone driving the car at all.

2nd - the driver was unhurt.

3rd - Driver mentioned. Shot by police.

4th - Again, no mention of a driver at all. The car was driving to the city, apparently on its own. How this hasn't made the 9 o'clock news is beyond me.

5th - Another rogue, driverless car.

Not much of a standard.

Chips Lovell

Chuchote wrote: »

It's not, though. I've never seen this sentence in a report of a car hitting a pedestrian. It's only used when a car hits a cyclist.

Really? It's a common way of wording stories about road accidents, e.g.

Meanwhile in Navan a 33-year-old male pedestrian is in a serious condition in hospital after he was struck by a car on the Kentstown Road.

The driver of the car was uninjured in the incident, which happened at 4.35am on Saturday.

Or:

Earlier on Monday, a pedestrian was killed when struck by a car in Arklow, Co Wicklow. The man, believed to be in his 40s, was pronounced dead at the scene. The pedestrian was killed when struck by a car at Coolgreany Road in Arklow, Co Wicklow at about 2.20am. His body was removed to St Columcille?s Hospital, Loughlinstown, for a postmortem.

The driver of the car was not injured in the collision.

Or:

A woman in her 70s was injured after she was hit by a car in Dublin on Sunday morning.
Garda? are investigating the incident, which happened on Sundrive Road near Sundrive Park at about 7.15am.

The woman was crossing the road when she was struck by the vehicle. She was taken to St James?s Hospital with serious injuries.

The driver of the car was uninjured

Or

A male pedestrian has died after he was struck by a car in the early hours of Sunday morning in Donnybrook, Dublin.

The incident happened at 12.25am on Shelbourne Road. The 47-year-old man was treated by emergency services personnel but was pronounced dead at the scene a short time later. The driver of the car was uninjured.

I love Sean nos

All the links I posted were from the Indo. All of yours are from the IT.

Does that tell us anything?

Chips Lovell

I love Sean nos wrote: »

All the links I posted were from the Indo. All of yours are from the IT.

Does that tell us anything?

That I read the Times and you read the Indo? Here's one from the Indo for you:

In Dublin, a male pedestrian was killed in the early hours of Saturday after he was struck by a car on James Street in the city centre shortly after 2.30am.

The driver of the car was hospitalised with minor injuries.

mcgratheoin

I love Sean nos wrote: »

It's standard? Okay, let's take a look back at post 2014 and validate that.

Standard for vehicular collisions maybe? Whether that's an appropriate approach is another question.

HivemindXX

The bizarre fact that the driver was injured is worth reporting so I don't really think that counts.

I don't see a single instance of "a pedestrian collided with a car" though, seems like "pedestrian struck by car" is the more usual.

The perpetual mentioning of the status of the drivers of cars that hit cyclists (and the odd time pedestrians) does seem like reporting that water is wet.

Anyway, since it is always the car that is in collision and not the motorist would it not be more appropriate to tell us how badly damaged the poor car was.

Chuchote

It's an odd approach. Perhaps the only case in which negative news reports a non-happening.

(When a driver is injured by his car hitting a pedestrian or cyclist, it's usually that the body of the person hit comes through the windscreen.)

Chips Lovell

Chuchote wrote: »

(When a driver is injured by his car hitting a pedestrian or cyclist, it's usually that the body of the person hit comes through the windscreen.)

Or its the result of an attempt to take evasive action. You also hear occasions where the driver was being treated for shock

mr spuckler

more on the clear the footpaths thing that's come up over the last few days here.

basically they're saying they may dump bikes that are locked on footpaths and causing an obstruction.

Pinch Flat

mr spuckler wrote: »

more on the clear the footpaths thing that's come up over the last few days here.

basically they're saying they may dump bikes that are locked on footpaths and causing an obstruction.

Good. I look forward to the local council clearing the footpaths of parked cars around my estate. Complete pain in the a$$ for anyone with kids, using a pram or in a wheelchair.

Chuchote

mr spuckler wrote: »

more on the clear the footpaths thing that's come up over the last few days here.

basically they're saying they may dump bikes that are locked on footpaths and causing an obstruction.

And vans? And trucks? And cars?

tomasrojo

The mayor strains at a gnat, and swallows a camel.

Actually, I'd pay good money to see that.

I love Sean nos

Pinch Flat wrote: »

the local council clearing the footpaths of parked cars around my estate.

Don't kid yourself. That won't be happening.

It should. But it won't.

Moflojo

Could your average forklift truck comfortably lift an average saloon car?

Say pick it up a few inches off the ground and move it 2-3 metres to the side?

Asking for a friend.