Terrible Journalisim - The Age

nitrous

Join The Bike Nazi Party!

http://www.theage.com.au/news/opini...4562975946.html

As a Jew and a cyclist I was highly offended by Jim Schembri's article about Nazi bike riders. What is the point? What is he trying to say? It is a pathetic, cheap swipe at cyclists, the vast majority being courteous, law abiding citizens, just trying hard to earn some respect and make the road safer for everyone. A useless article like that only serves to galvanise the automobile using population that bikes don't have a place on our roads. Further, the Nazi reference is offensive and conjures racial stereotypes, which serve to further alienate cyclists.

If Mr Schembri has had a bad experience with a cyclist then perhaps he should write about it specifically, and provide some context, not publish this mindless gibberish.

Am I alone? Please send feedback to The Age - feedback@theage.com.au

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The more I think about this, the angrier I get. What about writing about all of the drivers who hit and kill cyclists, or leave them injured on the side of the road in a hit and run?

Surely there are many stereotypes more worthy of his "Nazi Road User" tag than cyclists (with the exception of Critical Mass). Hoons, road ragers, drunk drivers....... don't these groups pose more of a threat to our safety on the road than a group of people who are just trying to get some exercise and at the same time save the planet from a little bit of pollution so our kids have a nice planet after we go?

I'm trying to figure out what this guy is trying to get at!?

artemidorus

One needs to appreciate that this article does get us in a number of Achilles' heels, if I may mangle a metaphor.
Cycle couriers do not seem to be our best ambassadors.
Every time I see an adult riding on the footpath, a place they clearly shouldn't be occupying, I want to give them a good slapping.

scotty72

This kind of article is pretty much par for the course for The Age.

Remember, it was only a month or so ago they publish a letter advocating motorist murder cyclists who dare to occupy the same planet as a motorist.

Scotty

rooman

my response to the (h)A(t)ge:

"This article by Schembri was poor journalism.....and absolutley poor taste on the part of your paper to even consider publishing it on the same day you run a front page story of a murder of a man in Carlton over a bicycle. Also you run it on the last Friday of the month which if memory serves me right is a day that the Age always runs an anti-cycling message to counter the Critical mass rides in cities.

When will your paper face facts that cycling is healthy, and a necessary positive for our population, a better form of inner city transport for many than private cars and an obvious benefit to our community across all ages and socio economic groups.

The sooner you start supporting positive initiatives to encourage society to be healthy and less wastefull, the better.

But then , that would be good news and newspapers can't handle that or the truth, because it spoils your spin .

Get rid of Schembri, or at least encourage him to wake up to himself about healthy activities and timeliness of his bad taste."

roo

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I think..that the greatest benefit to cyclists would ensue if government were to..gradually signify and produce society's view that cycling is a legitimate form of roadway transportation, open to all on an equal basis of proper skills and responsibilities that are easily attained and exercised.(John Forester)

Peka

Don't just complain to The Age, report it to Media Watch

cycleski

Guys I suspect this is a p*ss take and a Jim Schembri journalist attempt at humor using satire. This way almost any cr*p can be written and claim it as a joke the reader failed to comprehend while not revealing their genuine thoughts on the subject and certainly not treating it in a serious way. The columnist can’t loose; in their mind only of course. If any indignant letters are generated then so much the better for the paper, creates a buzz and gets people talking about their work.
Of course the structure of this article and the switch between the worst behavior of a minor segment to stereotype and blacken the reputation of the whole group is lame and nonsense e.g. some bike couriers are bad - all cyclists are bad. When emotional issues are used, family, religion, war heroes, pregnant women, young children, old disabled as Jim has in the argument that the reader can connect to, there is no depth he has not sunk to.
It may convince those that only need an excuse to behave badly to cyclists and not turn normally sane drivers into the bike hating group, most readers would realize its over the top IMHO. Most cyclists have experienced some form of road rage from auto drivers (I have, louts doing it for fun and it felt like my life at the time) He seems to miss the point that in general the cyclist is the victim in any confrontation on the road, however minor.
Noticed that some parks have banned cyclists due to emotional complaints from women with prams being scared by cyclists silently overtaking them and so,permanent ban ( Fitzroy gardens ) game over, go play with the traffic bikers. Also the old lines about exercise , pollution and fuel cost etc.
I view it as a lazy indulgent article without research or valid content, if it is homor it is in poor taste when readers are encouraged to harm or persecute a group within the community. Be carefull out there now.
Cheers

cfsmtb

Schembri gets a kick up the date:

Courtesy of todays Letters to The Age:
http://www.theage.com.au/letters/index.html


'Nazi' is not a word to be used lightly
When I saw Jim Schembri's article "The Bike Nazi Party" in Friday's Age(Metro, 25/8), I read on with concern. I presumed that it would be a discussion of the hitherto undocumented existence of a neo-fascist group of bike riders bent on immortalising the superior genes of the Aryan race, and advocating mass murder and political mayhem.

I was horrified to realise that Schembri had used the term, "Nazi Party" in a light-hearted article discussing the often annoying, but far from homicidal, antics of Melbourne's lycra-clad bike brigade. "We all yearn to be unshackled from convention"? Is that what motivated the Nazis? Boy, did they ever unleash the inner beast. How about "we all wish to herd millions of innocents into gas ovens"?

I am not a reactionary; quite the opposite. However, it seems grossly insensitive and irresponsible to allow the term "Nazi" to formally enter the vernacular as a term of jest.

While Jewish comedians such as Mel Brooks have used comedy to undermine Hitler's legacy very effectively and appropriately, they do so in context and with a sense of history. However, to use the term "Nazi" as Schembri has done removes it from its terrible origins. In an attention-deficient age when history is something that happened last week, respected and skilled writers such as Jim Schembri could use their voices to remind our society what the Nazi Party really stood for, and the terrible legacy it left us.

In a very real sense, Hitler's repulsive campaign directly led to the current wave of terror and fear that is engulfing the world. We should never forget what he did.

Meaghan Wilson-Anastasios, St Kilda East

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Noli nothis permittere te terere

cycleski

CFSmtb not sure if the letter to the Age was in support of cyclists seemed to be in response to an implied reference to the holocaust of WW2. The chances of history forgetting this act, zero IMHO and a good thing to.

As to the use of the term Nazi as a form of jest, cmon -thinking; Sienfield "Soup nazi".

Some speculation on the Schembri article; he may be planning to do a Ann Coulter type book " How to Talk to a Liberal (if you must)". This book was based on provocative and controversial columns she wrote and a selection of reader responses, was a best seller. Easy money for minimum effort as long as the readers play the game unwittingly.

cfsmtb

In context, the letters author was criticising the rather inept use of the word 'nazi'. Any reference to cycling was possibly not the main point the author was attempting to make.

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Noli nothis permittere te terere

cfsmtb

Speaking of 'Soup Nazi's', Jenny Ward, an unfortunately well-known Sydney anti-cyclist nutbag is at it again. An example of Jenny's previous diatribes:
http://www.users.bigpond.net.au/lbug/canetoads.html

From Todays Age (see below) Think Jennys stupidity requires more than writing letters in response, she needs to have her awareness (politely) broadened. Anyone have a contact for her in Sydney & willing to take her out for a spin on Sydneys streets? Again, politely of course.

The Age: send your letters to: letters@theage.com.au
Fax: +61 (0)3 96012414
Snailmail: 250 Spencer Street, Melbourne 3000

Soup and other Nazis (30th August 2005)
http://www.theage.com.au/letters/index.html

MEAGHAN Wilson-Anastasios (Letters, 29/8), have you not seen the "Soup Nazi" episode of Seinfeld? Jim Schembri has made a legitimate, humorous comment on the superior attitude of some cyclists, who consider their needs above those of their fellow users of public spaces.

Obviously, you have never been subjected to the bully-boy tactics of the lycra louts who infest the footpaths and streets. Either you are very fortunate, or you should get out more.

Jenny Ward, Erskineville, NSW

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Noli nothis permittere te terere

artemidorus

Bloody hell, this moron lives in my suburb! I bet I have to look out for a badly-driven 4WD! At least, in my area, she won't be able to get that Landcruiser/Patrol going faster than 30km/h!

Marx SS

Damed if we do, damed if we don’t.

So whats the point in making an effort?
Sure I wouldn’t recommend bowling over old ladies & flipping motorists, but any one of us who spends any amount of time out on the roads knows what happens when we (as cyclists) go about pushing our luck.

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'03 Specialised Stumpjumper 27spd hardtail MTB.
'90 Apollo MTB commuter rigid ss 44/18.
'02 Kinesis Crosslight cyclocross/roadie 27spd.

cfsmtb

Better than eat, shit, die. If they come for me at night, they'll come for you in the morning. And besides, I know where you work now Marx.



So you would rather eat, shit, die than to make any amends about changing the situation? Jenny's probably a reasonable person (possibly), but has anyone ever tried to sit down and talk to her one-to-one?

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Noli nothis permittere te terere

jantar

I was driving out of a service station at an intersection in Prahran a few months ago, as there were a couple of cyclists coming along I stopped on the service station forecourt out of the way. One of the cyclists I'd sat back for used the driveway as a short cut because the lights were turning red, took offence to me being there and spat demeaningly on the bonnet of the car on the way through.

It was very practiced, looked like he did it on a regular basis, he was riding a very nice bike and obviously does a lot of kms the way he rode it.

It took a while to explain to an 8 year old in the car on the way home.

Maybe Jim and Jenny met him recently too?

fwiw