Tuesday, June 13, 2006

Big Ben and the New Yorker

Yes, I'm talking about the motorcycle-automobile collision involving Ben Roethlisberger. I get very angry at the way the media (and from callers to radio stations, the general public agrees) reports any accident involving a two-wheel vehicle. Of course, the magical helmet gets brought up immediately, followed by speculation about everything that the rider/cyclist could possibly have done wrong:was he speeding; changing lanes; outside the crosswalk (for bicycles-you do know that is where they belong, don't you). The fact that the automobile driver violated LAW is mitigated by the fact that the two wheeled vehiclist is a poopy head and shouldn't have been on the street in the first place, being a nuisance to good tax payers.
But the facts (from the newspaper, I haven't seen this on TV or heard it on radio) is that the woman turned left in front of Roethlisberger.
From the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
Martha Fleishman, 62, of Squirrel Hill, was driving the car west on Second Avenue and turning left onto the 10th Street Bridge when Roethlisberger's Suzuki Hayabusa, which was heading east on Second Avenue, struck the car.

A witness said Roethlisberger didn't appear to be speeding in the 35 mph zone, and Fleishman had slowed to make the turn. Both drivers had a green light, the witness said.


Had she done this in front of an SUV (or another Chrysler New Yorker) there would have been little to talk about, probably no injuries, no news. I am sure that she "feels really bad" but the facts are that she caused the collision, and everyone is piling on Roethlisberger.
Yellow flag. Fifteen yards on everybody for Roughing the Passer.
I hope Ben recovers completely. I also hope he continues to exercise his freedom. I hope little women in big cars start looking where they are going.