I sent an e-mail to the station after listening to the audio feed and reading the whole of the threads on
https://suzuki.bayarearidersforum.com, including the BS e-mail response form teh DJ in question. Needless to say, I'm pissed off by what I heard and read. Comments can be submitted to
https://www.live105.com. Here's mine:
As you are aware, the morning program on January 12, 2006 has garnered a great deal of attention on the net. In my opinion, that attention is well deserved, and caused me to listen to the streaming audio.
Most of us who ride motorcycles are responsible adults, and many of us are both educated and possess common sense; for example, I am a California attorney. Unfortunately, your morning hosts seem neither to be educated nor in possession of much common sense.
Your hosts quite clearly stated that "nothing would make me happier than to watch somebody, and I've actually seen this one time, somebody open a door and take you out if you're trying to squeeze through people who have been sitting in traffic for 45 minutes."
The other host then stated that "if it didn't rip my door off, I'd probably do it." Notwithstanding the subsequent "I don't want to see anybody get hurt, honestly, but you get so mad and so frustrated that you get like you know what . . . I hope you crash . . . ", these were highly irresponsible, negligent and possibly criminal statements.
In making the statement, your host even acknowledged that he'd seen this happen before, so it is obvious that he knows that there are people for whom such a suggestion might result in exactly such action. Lack of attentiveness by a large proportion of automobile drivers is a large enough problem without having radio personalities inciting drivers to assault, batter, maim or kill the most vulnerable of all lawful users of the highway: motorcyclists.
If a motorcyclist is injured by the very action your host suggests, a criminal action he admits he has seen occur, and if the person opening his door or swerving to injure that motorcyclist acted on your hosts’ comments, you can be sure that your radio station, parent company and irresponsible hosts will be sued. If it is demonstrated that you in any way contributed to inciting the unlawful action, I’d be confident that it would support punitive damages even under the stringent requirements of California Civil Code section 3294.
Your hosts' backpedaling and misdirection with subsequent callers, and in Woody's e-mail response claiming he didn't really say what he said only shows him and anyone who had actual oversight of his actions to be terribly irresponsible, duplicitous and cowardly.
Should any of you attempt to hide behind the First Amendment, you should know its limitations, as enunciated in the oft referenced Ku Klux Klan cases decided by the U.S. Supreme Court. You cannot shout "fire" in a crowded theater, nor can you use language that is inciteful of violence to a group of people you know have the propensity to act on it. Like the Klansmen inciting lynchings in those cases, Woody KNEW (he had seen it) that some drivers open doors or swerve into motorcycle riders lawfully lane sharing. That practice is legal on California Highways, but swerving or opening the door into such a rider is most definitely NOT legal in California, nor even in any state where lane sharing is not permitted. In my opinion, such irresponsible comments should be considered by the local District Attorneys offices, the California Attorney General's office and the FCC.
If your ***** hosts are outraged about traffic, perhaps they should consider the real source of the problem: too many single occupant vehicles on the road, guzzling gas and taking up space. Put half of those drivers on motorcycles and see how quickly gridlock conditions and exorbitant expenses for fuel and infrastructure are mitigated. Moreover, in the aggregate, motorcyclists are better drivers in their automobiles than those that do not ride -- ask the insurance industry. Most of us take the task seriously, employ situational awareness and ride responsibly. Every group has its irresponsible members, and I'd submit that many more idiots drive cars than ride motorcycles, if for no other reason than numbers.
How about doing your job regarding the elimination of idiots who increase the risks of others on the road and firing the whole crew of the morning show?
