Finally - the media gets it right...

Chris Schafer · 10-08-2007, 11:07 PM

Channel 6 orlando is one media outlet that recognizes the difference between street racing and drag racing.

http://www.local6.com/news/14288876/detail.html

To bad innocent people lost their life to such a reckless action.

Angela Macy · 10-09-2007, 09:03 AM

You're right - Finally! I'm glad they seemed to have done some research first.

The Saturday night we were at MIR for the National event we were going back to the hotel when two guys came FLYING past us on crotch rockets. We were doing 60 - and we estimate they were doing double our speed. They were a decent distance in front of us when we heard a pop and then saw one of their tail lights start wiggling, he rode it out as long as he could before we watched him crash. The bike went and hit an embankment and dirt and smoke went flying up in the air - probably 30 feet or move (that's how fast he had been going). There was bike parts all over the road as we come up on this scene, I'm calling 911 and trying my best to tell them where we were, and I see something in the road that looks like his helmet. It scared me - but as we passed Scott saw that it was the seat of the bike crumbled up. Other people have stopped behind us and we can see them with flash lights trying to find where he has ended up. Within a matter of minutes the EMS have arrived.

They ended up finding him about 80 feet behind where the bike had landed in a ditch. I went back and found an officer and gave my statement. He told me the guy had a pulse, but it didn't look promising. The bike was completely distroyed, the front forks and tire were missing, all of the skin was on the bike was gone, the tank and seat were gone - it was like a ball of metal. They couldn't even take the license plate and figure out who he was because it had been riped into several different parts and throw. I didn't want to get too close to see him, but I could see him laying in the ditch. I've never seen or dealt with anything like that - it was very eerie - but it left me with a whole new respect with how precious life is, and how cautious we all need to be.

When we got back to North Carolina, I tried to do online research to see if I could find out whether he made it or not. I found this area doesn't really have a daily newspaper, but I found an online newspaper. I sent them an email, told them what we had witnessed, and asked if they had any information on this wreck. Before I knew it, they had found out all the details, and put it on their web page. The title? "Drag Racer Rushed to his Death". Boy was I pissed off!! I sent them an email back and explained the difference between drag racing and street racing. They changed the title to "Crotch Rocketeer rushed to his Death" but still called it drag racing in their article. They didn't reply to my email either.

FED 387 · 10-09-2007, 09:05 AM

Great story----They hi-lighted all of the illegal aspects of "street" racing the consequences, penalties etc.... Very well done now only 350 more news stations to reach!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!--I have been fighting a loosing battle with the newspaper in my area . It is the 3rd largest paper in Illinois and I have tried to even invite the Sports Editor at my expense to the National & Divisional races at Joliet for 3 years now can't even get him to acknowledge I exist-- Still keep plugging along tho---They are into bowling and golf cuz they sponsor some big tournaments so no/very little car racing reports of any kind--However every Fri they have 2 pages on Nascar that Nascar composes and PAYS to have run ---like a giant ad---otherwise no auto racing stories or results either----- Comp 387

Angela Macy · 10-09-2007, 09:09 AM

Fed - I have noticed that too - every paper I have ever read will have NASCAR coverage, but never any NHRA or IHRA coverage. Unless someone dies, then they will cover it. Why is this?!

Myron Piatek · 10-09-2007, 11:30 AM

I have been watching the news reports on the Orlando crash on Channel 2 here and I was very happy to see that through several days of reporting, they did not say "drag" racing, but street racing. I emailed WESH Chanel 2 either earlier this year or last year about another such incident which they did call drag racing. While I wasn't rude, I wasn't exactly polite either. I'd like to think that it had some. I need to remember to email them again and thank them for proper reporting in this case!

10-08-2007, 11:07 PM	#1
Chris Schafer Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Lansing, MI Posts: 4 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Finally - the media gets it right... Channel 6 orlando is one media outlet that recognizes the difference between street racing and drag racing. http://www.local6.com/news/14288876/detail.html To bad innocent people lost their life to such a reckless action.

10-09-2007, 09:03 AM	#2
Angela Macy Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Randleman, NC Posts: 301 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Finally - the media gets it right... You're right - Finally! I'm glad they seemed to have done some research first. The Saturday night we were at MIR for the National event we were going back to the hotel when two guys came FLYING past us on crotch rockets. We were doing 60 - and we estimate they were doing double our speed. They were a decent distance in front of us when we heard a pop and then saw one of their tail lights start wiggling, he rode it out as long as he could before we watched him crash. The bike went and hit an embankment and dirt and smoke went flying up in the air - probably 30 feet or move (that's how fast he had been going). There was bike parts all over the road as we come up on this scene, I'm calling 911 and trying my best to tell them where we were, and I see something in the road that looks like his helmet. It scared me - but as we passed Scott saw that it was the seat of the bike crumbled up. Other people have stopped behind us and we can see them with flash lights trying to find where he has ended up. Within a matter of minutes the EMS have arrived. They ended up finding him about 80 feet behind where the bike had landed in a ditch. I went back and found an officer and gave my statement. He told me the guy had a pulse, but it didn't look promising. The bike was completely distroyed, the front forks and tire were missing, all of the skin was on the bike was gone, the tank and seat were gone - it was like a ball of metal. They couldn't even take the license plate and figure out who he was because it had been riped into several different parts and throw. I didn't want to get too close to see him, but I could see him laying in the ditch. I've never seen or dealt with anything like that - it was very eerie - but it left me with a whole new respect with how precious life is, and how cautious we all need to be. When we got back to North Carolina, I tried to do online research to see if I could find out whether he made it or not. I found this area doesn't really have a daily newspaper, but I found an online newspaper. I sent them an email, told them what we had witnessed, and asked if they had any information on this wreck. Before I knew it, they had found out all the details, and put it on their web page. The title? "Drag Racer Rushed to his Death". Boy was I pissed off!! I sent them an email back and explained the difference between drag racing and street racing. They changed the title to "Crotch Rocketeer rushed to his Death" but still called it drag racing in their article. They didn't reply to my email either.

10-09-2007, 09:05 AM	#3
FED 387 VIP Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 3,422 Likes: 532 Liked 333 Times in 180 Posts	Re: Finally - the media gets it right... Great story----They hi-lighted all of the illegal aspects of "street" racing the consequences, penalties etc.... Very well done now only 350 more news stations to reach!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!--I have been fighting a loosing battle with the newspaper in my area . It is the 3rd largest paper in Illinois and I have tried to even invite the Sports Editor at my expense to the National & Divisional races at Joliet for 3 years now can't even get him to acknowledge I exist-- Still keep plugging along tho---They are into bowling and golf cuz they sponsor some big tournaments so no/very little car racing reports of any kind--However every Fri they have 2 pages on Nascar that Nascar composes and PAYS to have run ---like a giant ad---otherwise no auto racing stories or results either----- Comp 387

10-09-2007, 09:09 AM	#4
Angela Macy Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Randleman, NC Posts: 301 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Finally - the media gets it right... Fed - I have noticed that too - every paper I have ever read will have NASCAR coverage, but never any NHRA or IHRA coverage. Unless someone dies, then they will cover it. Why is this?!

10-09-2007, 11:30 AM	#5
Myron Piatek VIP Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Florida Posts: 1,542 Likes: 34 Liked 138 Times in 51 Posts	Re: Finally - the media gets it right... I have been watching the news reports on the Orlando crash on Channel 2 here and I was very happy to see that through several days of reporting, they did not say "drag" racing, but street racing. I emailed WESH Chanel 2 either earlier this year or last year about another such incident which they did call drag racing. While I wasn't rude, I wasn't exactly polite either. I'd like to think that it had some. I need to remember to email them again and thank them for proper reporting in this case! __________________ LOCOMOTION Racing