Irresponsible News Reporting?

[pzarquon]

Re: Irresponsible News Reporting?

Ye gads, another MySpace assault on the eyes. In any case, here's his non-reaction:

KHNL News 8 reported this story on March 6, 2007 concerning one of the videos I posted on YouTube. There are thousands of other "high-speed motorcycle run" videos on YouTube, several of which also take place in Hawaii at speeds greater than the one I posted as well as others containing "dangerous" stunts. News 8, however, chose to make an example the one I posted and cited my supposed military service as the reason. I liked the "bikers" that were interviewed in connection with this story. Why weren't any sport bike riders interviewed as they are the subset News 8 was targetting with their story?

I like the "supposed military service" line. At MySpace, "Coob" has also blogged about working as an "email monkey" in Iraq, and declares himself a 2001 graduate from Clyde A Erwin High in Asheville, North Carolina.

In addition to the video that made the news, he's also posted several more videos here. Here's the commentary for the now infamous clip, though:

This is my R6, when it only had a slip-on, exiting MCBH Kaneohe Bay Hawaii aka the Marine Corps Base in Hawaii. I always got pulled over coming onto the base and get the 100 questions about whether or not I was the one that hauled ass off base. Screw those damn MP's aka the “I wish was a real cop” losers. Remember this is without speedo correction (aka 183=153), so don't think that this R6 is crazy fast at this point.

Oh, and for his third "speed test," there's this gem:

This is my R6, when it only had a slip-on, riding on H3 and slowing down just before I came up on some police bike cops. Let's just say they have tried to do something to the R6 before, and they failed. Maybe they should ride sport bikes to keep up with us. Oh well, less tickets for us.

A real piece of work.

[memorylane]

Re: Irresponsible News Reporting?

I've had idiots like that come from wherever and pass me up.......scares the shit outta of me and then makes me wish a brick wall would drop down outta the sky in front of them.

[Random]

Re: Irresponsible News Reporting?

Is it just me, or was it patently irresponsible for KHNL to air YouTube footage of some hairbrained twit doing 180mph on his motorcycle on H-3 Fwy? All it did was give this guy the attention he was looking for when he posted the video of himself (it was shot from the motorcycle). Where is the news here? Is this not sensationalism? With the epidemic of excessive speeding, street racing and pedestrian fatalities in our state, how can airing this bit of amateur video be justified? Don't get me wrong, I can certainly rationalize it, being the devil's advocate that I am, but it just doesn't seem right.

Is it right to air surveillance video of an armed robbery that may end in murder? Somebody could recognize the perps, convict them, and put them where the Hawaiian sun won't shine.

That's the risk you take.

[Composite 2992]

Re: Irresponsible News Reporting?

At least now we know how some of these motorcyclists end up with their bikes in pieces and their bodies turned into hamburger. At least they're wearing helmets, and that improves their chances of an open-casket funeral.

If they mash themselves that's one thing. But bikes like these travelling at those speeds can take out a car, too.

As someone pointed out, they're going up to 90 over the speed limit. Rear-ending someone while going that fast would be like hitting a parked vehicle at 90.

Driving like that on any public road should be a felony on the first offense. Not the third. It's about as reckless as shooting a gun in a residential neighborhood.

[craigwatanabe]

Re: Irresponsible News Reporting?

As someone pointed out, they're going up to 90 over the speed limit. Rear-ending someone while going that fast would be like hitting a parked vehicle at 90.

Well actually it depends. If the car is going 55-MPH and the motorcyclist is at 90-MPH on impact the net effect is a 40-MPH impact into a parked car.

Still fatal though!

[Leo Lakio]

Re: Irresponsible News Reporting?

As someone pointed out, they're going up to 90 over the speed limit. Rear-ending someone while going that fast would be like hitting a parked vehicle at 90.

Well actually it depends. If the car is going 55-MPH and the motorcyclist is at 90-MPH on impact the net effect is a 40-MPH impact into a parked car.

Composite2992's point was that the bike was going "up to 90 over the speed limit," not at 90 - more like 130, in the case discussed above. So the net effect initially described was correct.

[TuNnL]

Re: Irresponsible News Reporting?

Composite2992's point was that the bike was going "up to 90 over the speed limit," not at 90 - more like 130, in the case discussed above.

I love it how it seems here in the Hawai‘i Media section, there’s always a debate about numbers and stats. Could it be because media professionals stereotypically major in journalism or communications because they suck at math?

[lavagal]

Re: Irresponsible News Reporting?

I love it how it seems here in the Hawai‘i Media section, there’s always a debate about numbers and stats. Could it be because media professionals stereotypically major in journalism or communications because they suck at math?

YES! Then I found myself a business reporter and I've since written two annual reports. But yes, you think in journalism you'd avoid stats and figures and it's impossible. Embrace the numerical beast, quote the experts and be sure the message is accurate.

[Leo Lakio]

Re: Irresponsible News Reporting?

I love it how it seems here in the Hawai‘i Media section, there’s always a debate about numbers and stats. Could it be because media professionals stereotypically major in journalism or communications because they suck at math?

Except that this was an error in semantics, not mathematics.

[Composite 2992]

Re: Irresponsible News Reporting?

Well, here's some math from someone with a journalism background.

Energy equals one-half mass times velocity squared.

The motorcycle in question is about 360 pounds, not including rider, or about 163 kilograms. At 155 mph he's moving 69.285 meters per second.

Think about it. If you've ever attended a UH game, in just over a half second he could cross from one sideline to the next. He's moving about as fast as an arrow from a bow. Faster than what you'd shoot from any slingshot!

Based on the above formula, the amount of kinetic energy unleashed by his bike (assuming he's gonna get sheared off immediately on impact) is 391,177.04 joules, or 288,532 foot-pounds of energy.

This is equal to just under a quarter-stick of dynamite. Or if you fired a .44 mag 240 times. Is unloading almost five boxes of pistol ammo on the freeway a felony? Is there a difference between that and what this guy did with his bike? Review the numbers and make a decision based on science and engineering.

At 90 miles per hour the bike unleashes 131,903.9 joules of energy. You can do the math.

Note how an increase in speed equals a very disproportionate increase in kinetic energy. Chart this out and you'll see that if you double your speed you'll need FOUR times more space to come to a stop. Or another way of looking at it, if you double your speed, there's four times more energy imparted into your target.

In other words, speed does, in fact kill.

I thought about it and if this guy is a Marine who went through a tour in Iraq, and experienced combat conditions, he may be suffering from a type of stress disorder. Reckless driving is a reactive form of expression. Too bad it's much more destructive than taking up painting, ceramics or creative writing. He needs to blow off some steam. I just wish he wouldn't do it where it would endanger my family and friends.

[foolish heart]

Re: Irresponsible News Reporting?



................