Really sloppy reporting from the Evening News. Just for a change.

[Eccentrica Gallumbits]

   More than 30 cyclists caught drunk behind the handlebars - Edinburgh Evening News

[Jasmine]

What an odd article.  It's not even sloppy reporting, it's deliberately misleading reporting.

The Edinburgh Evening News certainly seems to have a very odd editorial angle on cycling.  I wonder why. 

[Polar Bear]

It's barking.  What's more, as there is no test unlike driving, it is impossible to determine the level of intoxication and thus apparent risk.   

' I think that you are drunk Sir'...   

[blackpuddinonnabike]

Kirst has phoned the journalist and got an odd reply. Kirst?

[Eccentrica Gallumbits]

Anth? Yeah, his argument was they can't keep banging on about drunk drivers cos it's not news and this is a new angle. Perhaps we should all phone him, and then write a letter to the editor.

[blackpuddinonnabike]

Well, I didn't want to steal your thunder pet...

It's absolutely startling. The article mentions over 1400 drink driving convictions in the last year, but the headline is 30 cyclists caught in the last 5 years.

[Jasmine]

Anth? Yeah, his argument was they can't keep banging on about drunk drivers cos it's not news and this is a new angle. Perhaps we should all phone him, and then write a letter to the editor.

 

From your previous links to other Edinburgh Evening news articles, cyclist bashing isn't exactly a new angle.

I wonder if there is some sort of competition there to see which journos can get the highest number of frothing comments on the web-page.

[andygates]

It's barking.  What's more, as there is no test unlike driving, it is impossible to determine the level of intoxication and thus apparent risk.   

Presumably they'd do the standard intoxication test that is currently done for non-testables - walk in a line, touch your nose, and so on.  If you can't do that, you've no business on the roads.

[RichMoss]

Anth? Yeah, his argument was... ...this is a new angle.

... and that new angle is obviously an obtuse (and unprofessional) one - based on misreporting or misrepresentation. I thought a headline was meant to give an brief insight into the story rather than to be inflammatory and misleading.

Hasn't the Evening News heard of the Press Complaints Commission's Code of Practice, of which the first few lines are:
1 Accuracy
 
 i) The Press must take care not to publish inaccurate, misleading or distorted information, including pictures.

ii) A significant inaccuracy, misleading statement or distortion once recognised must be corrected, promptly and with due prominence, and - where appropriate - an apology published.

iii) The Press, whilst free to be partisan, must distinguish clearly between comment, conjecture and fact.

 

[JohnP]

The figures were released following a parliamentary question from Lothians Conservative MSP Gavin Brown to Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill.

I'd quite like to see the actual question and be able to see how the headline fitted .

[RichMoss]

The figures were released following a parliamentary question from Lothians Conservative MSP Gavin Brown to Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill.

I'd quite like to see the actual question and be able to see how the headline fitted .

That was one of the questions asked when I put in my complaint to the Edinburgh News.

From a google search, it could have been this question "To ask the Scottish Executive how many alcohol-related offences there were in the Lothians region in each of the last five years, broken down by local authority area and type of crime or offence".
the figures appear here - scroll down for the most recent numbers.
So over the last 5 years - there have been 35 cyclists convicted of being 'drunk in charge'  compared with 7393 motorist convictions.

[Eccentrica Gallumbits]

Anth and I have both written letters to the editor stating our feelings about the article and the general tone the EN takes towards cyclists. Coincidentally, we both suggested their reporters should spend some time cycling around Edinburgh, and that they should have a regular cycling column. It's like one mind! 

[mattc]

Are YACF members allowed to have 2 logins?

[Pancho]

It's barking.  What's more, as there is no test unlike driving, it is impossible to determine the level of intoxication and thus apparent risk.   

Presumably they'd do the standard intoxication test that is currently done for non-testables - walk in a line, touch your nose, and so on.  If you can't do that, you've no business on the roads.

Bollocks.

No business controlling a motor vehicle, I'll grant you. But I reserve my legal right to walk to walk steamingly drunk along the street. And, I'll ride pissed as well[1].

[1] But, if I'm caught, I won't whinge or join the Association of British Cyclists. I'll just pay my fine.

[David Martin]

It's barking.  What's more, as there is no test unlike driving, it is impossible to determine the level of intoxication and thus apparent risk.   

Presumably they'd do the standard intoxication test that is currently done for non-testables - walk in a line, touch your nose, and so on.  If you can't do that, you've no business on the roads.

Bollocks.

No business controlling a motor vehicle, I'll grant you. But I reserve my legal right to walk to walk steamingly drunk along the street. And, I'll ride pissed as well[1].

[1] But, if I'm caught, I won't whinge or join the Association of British Cyclists. I'll just pay my fine.

Not sure you can be done for being drunk in public. Drunk and disorderly, yes, but drunk, no. Drunk in charge, yes.

[Charlotte]

But I reserve my legal right to walk to walk steamingly drunk along the street. And, I'll ride pissed as well[1].

[1] But, if I'm caught, I won't whinge or join the Association of British Cyclists. I'll just pay my fine.

Being drunk in public is enough to get you nicked.  You don't have to be disorderly.

Similarly, you can be nicked for being drunk in charge of a pedal cycle.

[andygates]

No business controlling a motor vehicle, I'll grant you. But I reserve my legal right to walk to walk steamingly drunk along the street. And, I'll ride pissed as well[1].

Well, you're a cock.

But at least you'll probably only hurt yourself.  I was a cock like that until I rode steamingly drunk into some very naughty tarmac. 

[blackpuddinonnabike]

Well well, an email waiting for me tonight from the editor. Apparently he's a daily cycle commuter who doesn't have a car! Naturally he doesn't think that the headline was irresponsible, nor that a regular cycling column would be sustainable, but has invited me to write an article...

[Wowbagger]

This is a turn of events. He seems to have an agenda but for the life of me I cannot understand it.

Why not invite him for a bike ride?

[blackpuddinonnabike]

This is a turn of events. He seems to have an agenda but for the life of me I cannot understand it.

Why not invite him for a bike ride?

My letter did that - the reply was that it wasn't necessary because he already does cycle every day. He's mentioned that the paper doesn't have an agenda, but if there's a perception that it is anti-cycling then that's a problem for them...