Northern California - Vacaville Reporter - cycling accident related "Humor"

The Vacaville Reporter newspaper apparently finds cyclists getting run over by cars entertaining and funny.

Please see:
http://www.thereporter.com/dannybernardini/ci_8650162

The cycling related paragraph starts with:
"Thou shalt not dress in florescent spandex and bogart the road....."
and ends with:
"I hear they are remaking Sly Stalone's '70s picture "Death Race 2000." Here's hoping they film on the back roads of Solano and Yolo counties."
Apparently, in this movie cyclists get killed.

The whole thing is incredibly moronic and repugnant.
There is an option to leave a comment on the Reporter website.

Too bad being a moron isn't illegal.... at least yet.

I just found the following info on the email list of our bike club.
I believe bike clubs and similar organizations should write the editor and demand an official statement.

>>>>>>>>>>

.......Here's some relevant information from http://www.thereporter.com/staff:

The author of the offensive article is Danny Bernardini. He covers
county government for a newspaper called The Reporter in Vacaville,
California. His email address is dbernardini@thereporter.com.

The article, titled "Speaking of deadly sins ...", appeared on the
Opinion page. The Opinion page editor is Karen Nolan. Her email
address is opinion@thereporter.com.

The editor of The Reporter is Diane Barney. Her email address is
dbarney@thereporter.com.

The Circulation Manager of The Reporter is Jerry Schoenberg. E-mail
him at jschoenberg@thereporter.com.

The Advertising Director is Debi Tavey. E-mail her at
director@thereporter.com.

The Publisher of The Reporter is Gregg McConnell. His e-mail is
gmcconnell@thereporter.com

Our club, the Monticello Cycling Club, is attempting to meet with the guy, so he can't misconstrue our written words. I composed to messages to him before giving up -- my anger was too tangible. But I'm really shocked that he'd write these comments in light of the tragedy at Steven's Creek -- does this guy not read the news? His comments are unconscionable.

You can fix a lot of things, but you can't fix stupid...

My letter to him, and the editor.

In the Danny Bernardini piece "Speaking of deadly sins ..." piece it says:

"I hear they are remaking Sly Stalone's '70s picture "Death Race 2000." Here's hoping they film on the back roads of Solano and Yolo counties. "

I hear they might remake "A Mighty Heart"
Maybe Bernardini should be tapped for the part murdered journalist Danny Pearl.

Now see, that isn't very funny, is it? It's not only disrespectful to Bernardini, but to Mr. Pearl.

When you try to write a humor piece, you take on a an obligation to actually be funny, not just an inane.

Absolutely frightening. May he rest in Hell.
PF

I wrote a little diddly there. Not telling him to rest in hell but pretty close. ;)

"That's not even counting the fact they don't pay any extra taxes to maintain the bike lanes, as car owners do."

This statement proves he is a ******.

Our club, the Monticello Cycling Club, is attempting to meet with the guy, so he can't misconstrue our written words. I composed to messages to him before giving up -- my anger was too tangible. But I'm really shocked that he'd write these comments in light of the tragedy at Steven's Creek -- does this guy not read the news? His comments are unconscionable....

Hello Red Rider,

may you let us know what they have to say at the meeting?

thanks in advance!

Hello Red Rider,

may you let us know what they have to say at the meeting?

thanks in advance!

Absolutely.

I understand there's going to be a response to the many letters received by the Reporter in Wednesday's issue. I'm looking forward to that.

After the Cupertino cycling/sheriff tragic accident the Merc News morphed their really weird story into a more factual accounting.

I see the Reporter has elected to leave their "Death Race 2000" column online, unchanged or edited.
Perhaps management stands behind their reporters right to encourage running down cyclists.

A NOTE ON FREEDOM OF SPEECH:
Our First Amendment gives us the right to be free from government restrictions on free speech. No on is suggesting the government sanction the reporter or newspaper. Pressuring the Reporter to not publish this columnist is an example of us using our freedoms. The Reporter is free to choose who it will and will not publish, we are just helping them make that decision.

Dang some people are too sensitive.

He's an *******. Sending him a letter.. is gunna do what?

Dang some people are too sensitive.

He's an *******. Sending him a letter.. is gunna do what?

It isn't him as much as the newspapers management.
Possible outcomes:
Apology in paper
Series of stories on treating cyclists better
Guy gets grief from managers, fired, forced to on street where only bad things happen to him until he is saved by a cyclist. He is grateful, changes his life, marries, brings up child as a cyclist who goes on to win the TDF, increasing America's interest in cycling and resulting in more bike paths everywhere which stops global warming and saves the planet from doom.

That's what good it's gonna do.

Curtis, did you watch "Run Lola Run" by chance?

Apropos movies, Wikipedia actually has a description of "Death Race 2000", the movie invoked by Bernadini:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_Race_2000
Somewhat stomach turning ideas there; I was not aware that the pedestrian victims in the film were NOT supposed to be accidental.

"It isn't him as much as the newspapers management.
Possible outcomes:
Apology in paper
Series of stories on treating cyclists better
Guy gets grief from managers, fired, forced to on street where only bad things happen to him until he is saved by a cyclist. He is grateful, changes his life, marries, brings up child as a cyclist who goes on to win the TDF, increasing America's interest in cycling and resulting in more bike paths everywhere which stops global warming and saves the planet from doom.

That's what good it's gonna do."


That was beautiful. Had to wipe the tear from my eye ;)

Apropos movies, Wikipedia actually has a description of "Death Race 2000", the movie invoked by Bernadini:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_Race_2000
Somewhat stomach turning ideas there; I was not aware that the pedestrian victims in the film were NOT supposed to be accidental.Death Race 2000 was actually one of the first movies to have an arcade game (kind of) based on it (http://www.klov.com/game_detail.php?game_id=7541). The game was the first really controversial (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_Race) game, and was actually banned. The player drove around in a car, running over "gremlins", who would scream when you did so. Being 1976 and the dawn of video games, the graphics were extremely rudimentary, so there was really nothing pointing to the targets being gremlins instead of humans. :)

As a Vacaville resident - I was disgusted and sent an email to the editor and publisher expressing my feelings. What a complete and utter moron.

It isn't him as much as the newspapers management.
Possible outcomes:
Apology in paper
Series of stories on treating cyclists better
Guy gets grief from managers, fired, forced to on street where only bad things happen to him until he is saved by a cyclist. He is grateful, changes his life, marries, brings up child as a cyclist who goes on to win the TDF, increasing America's interest in cycling and resulting in more bike paths everywhere which stops global warming and saves the planet from doom.

That's what good it's gonna do.

the "apologies and series of stories treating cyclists better" is going to change people's nazi driving how?

what do you expect from a town (vacaville) that when the name is translated into english is actually called cowtown??? I never considered cows among the brightest of animals

The readers have misunderstood the spirit of the column. There were some timing and delivery problems from the auhors side.

This is my short summary of the official reply of the editor, which you can find here:
http://www.thereporter.com/nolan/ci_8702324

"We're sorry the column wasn't received in the spirit it was intended."

That's an apology?:mad:

JB

At least they ran my letter.
Let's invite Danny on a bike ride. He doesn't have to wear the clothes, he just has to ride.

My reply to their editorial:

"We're sorry the column wasn't received in the spirit it was intended."
That isn't exactly the same as "I'm sorry, we were wrong." but I guess it'll have to do.
How about you and Danny go for a bike ride with a local club as part of your apology?

Hey! They ran my wifes letter too!
http://www.thereporter.com/letters/ci_8702370

However, for anyone to believe I would advocate running down a bicyclist is really stretching. A movie is fake, not real."

The complaint is not that anyone thought he was advocating it - the complaint is that he thought the idea was funny.

And it's not that he picked on any one behaviour of cyclists - he did a global hit piece on all cyclists. I often imagine having a bazooka to blow away motorists who pull some dangerous maneuver, or even bike riders who piss me off - but it's the behaviour, not the vehicle.

what do you expect from a town (vacaville) that when the name is translated into english is actually called cowtown??? I never considered cows among the brightest of animals

And cows have to do with Vacaville and the subject column how...?

The Vacaville name obviously has nothing to do with the problem and bringing the name up does certainly nothing to solve it.

In a similar vein: In the eye of the Vacaville Reporter we are a "pack of cyclists" (did they not intend to write "pack of animals"?).

Well, at least I learned the meaning of bogart (http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=bogart).

Letter #1 (to all the Vacaville Reporter e addresses available):

Vacaville Reporter,




Thou shall not generalize harmfully - nay, hurtfully!


Most of ALL people look rediculous! Many of ALL people
routinely ignore traffic laws and common sense.


It is my observation that the MAJORITY of serious
cyclists behave responsively and treat others with
respect and courtesy. Many serious cyclists dress for
comfort and safety.


This excerpt is, in my opinion, in extremely bad taste
at any time, and is especially inappropriate given the
recent tragedies:




• Thou shalt not dress in florescent spandex and
bogart the road.


OK, bicyclists, it's time you all "shared the road"
as well. Besides the
fact that most of these folks look ridiculous, many
routinely ignore
speed limits and stop signs while messing up
traffic.


Followed by an inane reference to murdering cyclists
with motoried vehicles!


Opinion? Irresponsible a-hole! This is not funny.




Without respect for the reporter in question, nor the
editorial policy of your paper,


**************** (my "real" name)

Letter #2:

Hi Karen,

I see that you did print responses from some of my cycling friends here in Antioch, and several others as well.

Thanks for that, and for acknowledging, well, at least suggesting, that a mistake had been made: "Every mistake, big or small, is out there for the entire world..."

In my opinion, it is not enough, but it is something, perhaps a great deal more than other editors would do; thanks for that.

Consider:

Dead baby jokes are never, ever funny (again?) for someone who has lost a baby.

Jokes involving guns are not ever funny for those who have been shot, have seen somone
shot, have lost someone who was shot... I don't know anyone who has been in a bloody
firefight who does paintball; do you?

**** jokes are not funny.

We could go on, however, you either get the theme, or you won't.

It is not a matter of "timing" at all.

It is not a matter of delivery.

Killing cyclists is not funny, never was funny, and never will be funny.

What is the purpose of humour? What is its function? Why is it we laugh so hard when comics dance on the edge of propriety?

Wayne E. Franits makes this simple statement; it's a start:

"Following traditional comic theory, satirical art and literature entertain and instruct..."

Bernardini's piece is not comic, does not entertain, nor instruct. That he may not be "shooting for" art/literature is beside the point.

You and Bernardinini blew it, plain and simple.

By the way, is it not (painfully) obvious that you will "intentionally offend" whenever you so choose?

Regards,

**********(my real name)

...Hey! They ran my wifes letter too!
http://www.thereporter.com/letters/ci_8702370

Your wife is quite the Wordsmith. That's a nice letter!

BR

Spiduhman, Curtis

thanks for the very good letters.

Bravo.