This Just In ...
Kevin Fischer is a veteran broadcaster, the recipient of over 150 major journalism awards from the Milwaukee Press Club, the Wisconsin Associated Press, the Northwest Broadcast News Association, the Wisconsin Bar Association, and others. He has been seen and heard on Milwaukee TV and radio stations for over three decades. A longtime aide to state Senate Republicans in the Wisconsin Legislature, Kevin can be seen offering his views on the news on the public affairs program, "InterCHANGE," on Milwaukee Public Television Channel 10, and heard filling in on Newstalk 1130 WISN. He lives with his wife, Jennifer, and their lovely baby daughter, Kyla Audrey, in Franklin.
Why the focus on the motorcycle helmet?
There’s a sentence that should be banned from use by all journalists:
“The motorcyclist was not wearing a helmet at the time.”
It’s normally one of the last sentences in a story about an accident involving a motorcycle.
The morning’s paper has the tragic story of a Harley rider who was killed Friday afternoon by a female drunken driver. Reporter Jesse Garza ends her story about the rider who was killed with this:
“Police said the man was not wearing a helmet.”
What the hell does that have to do with anything? Was the lack of a helmet responsible for the drinking the 61-year old woman did Friday? Was the lack of a helmet the reason the woman made an incredibly bad turn? Was the lack of a helmet the reason she hit a curb? Was the lack of a helmet the reason she hit a motorcycle rider?
Using this flawed logic would mean Milwaukee streets should be littered these past few days with the carnage of dead motorcyclists. After all, literally thousands of bikers are not wearing helmets. And yet, they’re not getting into accidents. They’re not striking anyone. Yes, there was this isolated, unfortunate fatal accident. But that was the result of the worst judgment and horrible driving of another individual, not the motorcyclist’s decision to go sans helmet.
I also blogged about this subject last fall.
Meanwhile, we have thousands of visiting bikers and riders here from all over the world. Take a few moments to read Senator Lazich’s blog. Please, no more accidents during the Harley festivities.
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