Journalism and Cycling 2: the difficult second album

Harrybelafonte

It’s been bad for weeks. I’ve had to drive about a bit. Absolute crack pot crap going on. No cops anywhere. I see more “on the beat” but most are stopping people re coronavirus and letting them go whilst also doing them for tax. Punishing poor driving seems to be the only way.

If anything, the last few weeks has proven that people aren’t lazy or anti-cycling. They’re just a little too scared to take it up in normal traffic.

Seth Brundle

:rolleyes:
The price of pop-up bike lanes for one city’s cyclists? Compulsory registration, helmets and side mirrors

Type 17

The last sentence of the article sums it up...
They’ll get no traffic on the bike lanes because of the other “requirements”.
It’ll be good to see follow-up articles about the lack of cycling, and the subsequent failure of the cycle lane scheme - be ready to bookmark them for future reference.

magicbastarder

Caution urged as more motorists return to the roads
Motorists are being urged to carry out basic safety checks on their vehicles before getting behind the wheel again after the Covid-19 pandemic.
A new road safety campaign is asking drivers to recognise that road travel has changed, with increased numbers of pedestrians and cyclists.
https://www.rte.ie/news/ireland/2020/0610/1146597-road-safety/

for once, how about 'enforcement urged'?

Mc Love

This is going to end in a lock

https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=113693795#post113693795

buffalo

On topic of RTE and the AA, I know Campbell has been discussed here before:

In a separate complaint rejected by the watchdog, William Campbell asserted that AA Roadwatch providing traffic and travel updates on three RTÉ radio stations allows “a political lobby group” to present material “in a way that allows it to pursue its political agenda”.

...

The BAI rejected the complaint, stating that “there was no evidence in the broadcasts to support the view that the broadcasts are skewing public debate, or that the broadcasts are unfair to rival businesses”.

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/maria-bailey-complaint-over-rt%C3%A9-radio-show-is-rejected-by-bai-1.4275725

It's an odd judgement. The AA's name is mentioned with every bulletin every morning and evening, and the only other entity that gets that treatment on any other show is the sponsor. Perhaps the BAI's perspective is that there are no 'rival businesses' in the traffic reporting field?

Grassey

I think I remember hearing before that introducing "Conor from AA Ireland" is not advertising as its introducing A from B, its not like a sponsored AA Ireland traffic segment, or Bud Light traffic Jam playlist, or whatever...

Despite everyone knowing its just a sneaky way to advertise, without 'sponsoring' ... Semantics eh...

magicbastarder

buffalo wrote: »

On topic of RTE and the AA, I know Campbell has been discussed here before:

i'd be far more worried about the preponderance of car ads/sponsorship, than the AA roadwatch piece, i think.
listening to any sort of morning show on radio, you're bound to be exposed to several ads which question your masculinity/ability to enjoy life, if you're not stuck in the latest all terrain vehicle on the rock road, and those ads are direct money in the bank for the radio stations.

what_traffic

Grassey wrote: »

Despite everyone knowing its just a sneaky way to advertise, without 'sponsoring' ... Semantics eh...

Why the Competition Authority are not tackling this is my query. "The service" that the AA provide should be put out to tender. How much does RTE value this slot? They should be making money off it.

Could easily see a third party setup where they have an agreement with Google for the traffic data and PR agencys for the sponsored ads. Doubt AA can compete with the Sat Nav and Google for the data?

McGrath5

magicbastarder wrote: »

i'd be far more worried about the preponderance of car ads/sponsorship, than the AA roadwatch piece, i think.
listening to any sort of morning show on radio, you're bound to be exposed to several ads which question your masculinity/ability to enjoy life, if you're not stuck in the latest all terrain vehicle on the rock road, and those ads are direct money in the bank for the radio stations.

Radio has long since been lost to the motoring lobby, endless tales of the "hard pressed motorist".

fat bloke

McGrath5 wrote: »

Radio has long since been lost to the motoring lobby, endless tales of the "hard pressed motorist".

It's quite literally their captive audience though innit.

Pretty much the only time I ever listen to the radio is in the car.

cletus

Is it really that radio is Los to the "motorist lobby" or is it a case that the advertisement teams in motor companies realise that a good portion of their target audience listen to the radio, particularly rush hour morning and evening.

It's the same reason why there's so many ads on telly for life assurance/funeral cost cover services etc. The companies that are advertising figure that the demographic they want to catch will be watching day time TV.

If it made sense for bike companies to sponsor and or advertise in these spaces, they would, and you can be guaranteed that 'big radio' would take their money

magicbastarder

cletus wrote: »

It's the same reason why there's so many ads on telly for life assurance/funeral cost cover services etc. The companies that are advertising figure that the demographic they want to catch will be watching day time TV.

it's great watching those.
'did you lose your life in a workplace PPI related accident that wasn't your fault and you were too scabby to pay for your own funeral?'

Mc Love

fat bloke wrote: »

It's quite literally their captive audience though innit.

Pretty much the only time I ever listen to the radio is in the car.

I used to until I got spotify

Hurrache

Not the usual journalistic take that's common on this thread.

https://twitter.com/Inphosports/status/1271009042371170304

Seth Brundle

https://road.cc/content/news/cycling-live-blog-june-11-2020-274419#live-blog-item-16189
Driver writes off Ferrari while overtaking cyclists

A driver wrote off his £400,000 Ferrari 488 Pista after swerving to avoid a cyclist. The motorist was in the process of overtaking a line of three cyclists when one pulled further out.

The driver swerved, hit a kerb, burst a tyre and ploughed into some trees.

The incident occurred on the A25 in Albury, Surrey.

"The Ferrari is a write-off," said a witness. "It’s unbelievable the damage done.

"Half of the front of the car was caved in, with branches protruding into the vehicle. One of sides of the Ferrari came off and there were scratches and dents everywhere."

Our favourite part of the report in the Sun is how the witness has the Ferrari driver down as some sort of hero.

"Suddenly one of the bikes abruptly pulled out with no care and attention to ride alongside the head cyclist," they said.

"The unannounced move came as the Ferrari was overtaking. The Ferrari driver saved the cyclist’s life by diverting his sports car away in a split-second, striking the kerb and then losing control of the vehicle."

"The Ferrari driver saved the cyclist’s life" :rolleyes:

MojoMaker

Notoriously pro-cycling The Sun :rolleyes:

Tenzor07

Those Cyclists are at it again, what do CI have to say about this?


https://www.thejournal.ie/woman-robbed-handbag-merchants-quay-cork-5120538-Jun2020/

Type 17

In fairness, they've been called out on it - almost every comment is about the fact that they called the thief on a bike a cyclist...

Tenzor07

Type 17 wrote: »

In fairness, they've been called out on it - almost every comment is about the fact that they called the thief on a bike a cyclist...

Yea saw that, you never see "Pedestrian robs old lady" or "Long distance runner attacks man"..

Duckjob

McGrath5 wrote: »

Radio has long since been lost to the motoring lobby, endless tales of the "hard pressed motorist".

That phrase is a favourite of Pat Kenny's anytime he's doing a cycling bashing discussion piece as well as in any discussions relating to increasing enforcement on speeding and other toxic behaviours that are perfectly modifiable.

I f**king hate that phrase.

Stark

Tenzor07 wrote: »

Yea saw that, you never see "Pedestrian robs old lady" or "Long distance runner attacks man"..

That's because it's always those fecking sprinters out robbing and attacking people.

AndrewJRenko

McGrath5 wrote: »

Radio has long since been lost to the motoring lobby, endless tales of the "hard pressed motorist".

you're right, though presumably a good section of their audience is on the bus or Luas or train.

what_traffic wrote: »

Why the Competition Authority are not tackling this is my query. "The service" that the AA provide should be put out to tender. How much does RTE value this slot? They should be making money off it.

Could easily see a third party setup where they have an agreement with Google for the traffic data and PR agencys for the sponsored ads. Doubt AA can compete with the Sat Nav and Google for the data?

Is there really any value to the AA service at all? Has anyone actually diverted their journey as a result of their regular reminder that traffic is heavy in the usual places?

Idleater

AndrewJRenko wrote: »

Is there really any value to the AA service at all? Has anyone actually diverted their journey as a result of their regular reminder that traffic is heavy in the usual places?

Years ago when I car-pooled to work (before and during the m50 upgrade works) myself and the other car-pooler would make a point of going whichever way the AA said *not* to go. It was generally so out of date that whatever was there was cleared, and traffic was light because "everyone" avoided the area.

what_traffic

AndrewJRenko wrote: »

Is there really any value to the AA service at all? Has anyone actually diverted their journey as a result of their regular reminder that traffic is heavy in the usual places?

Exactly - they dont have the data, the value of what they are offerring is very limited.
If the purpose of the multiple "AA Advertising Slots" per day on RTE radio stations is to provide a "car traffic" updates - its not fit for purpose.
Smartphone has rendered them useless - but not in RTE's eyes. Wonder why that...... :rolleyes:

Wishbone Ash

AndrewJRenko wrote: »

.... Has anyone actually diverted their journey as a result of their regular reminder that traffic is heavy in the usual places?

You've just reminded me of AA Roadwatch in the 1980's when every report ended with "...and it's bumper to bumber on the Stillorgan dual carriageway" (the country's busiest road for many years).

what_traffic

what_traffic wrote: »

Exactly - they dont have the data, the value of what they are offerring is very limited.

Very limited for the general public - but the value they offer as a Motoring lobby group who are actively lobbying.....

tomasrojo

The whole arrangement is pretty absurd. I guess AA have made plenty of "friendships" in broadcasting over the decades though.

Hurrache

Some went on to have a bit of a broadcasting career after starting on AA road watch, Lorraine Keane, Nuala Carey, Ruth Scott and a few others I can't think of now.

AndrewJRenko

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

You've just reminded me of AA Roadwatch in the 1980's when every report ended with "...and it's bumper to bumber on the Stillorgan dual carriageway" (the country's busiest road for many years).

Until we prioritised the 46A and got people moving.