Re: RC: Cause and Effect

[Nat & Richard <trailride@foothill.net>]

Karen Chaton wrote,

> I'm not saying that Inlinemom isn't telling the truth, just that she took an
> incident that she saw and made it a statement of fact.   I felt that as an 
> official representative of the WST (Tev Sweep rider) that this was not 
> appropriate for her to discuss such a serious issue in a public forum like 
> Ridecamp.  As a licensed EMT I also did not think it very ethical (or legal?) 
> for the name of the injured party and info on her injuries to be announced 
> publicly either.  This is a pretty serious incident, and I feel it's not
> something that should be discussed on Ridecamp.   If some of you feel 
> differently, then go for it.

I agree that there are ethical issues involved when it comes to spreading news
of a serious rider injury in a mass media environment such as Ridecamp.  

As webmaster for the Tevis99 Webcast, the issue became real first thing on Ride
morning when someone not connected with the Ride organization who was monitoring
the HAM radio channel used for Tevis communications broke the news on Ridecamp
that a rider had been injured.  The dilemma presented at that point was that
everyone on Ridecamp who knows anyone that was doing the Ride, including myself,
was instantly concerned as to the identity and condition of the injured rider.

Fortunately, qualified medical help (another rider) was there at once and the
medevac by helicopter to Reno was successful.  I confess that I received the
identity of the injured rider but withheld it for about another hour until we
had the rescue information to put with it.  No information as to her condition
was released until it was clear that contact had been made with her husband, who
had by then reached Deadwood and was on the cellphone with Washoe Medical
Center.

It is unfortunate that the news was broken to "the press" in such a piecemeal
fashion and without the opportunity for Ride Management to verify accuracy or
notify family members ahead of time.  To that extent, the initial public report
that set the demand for even more information in motion was very unwelcome.  So
far as I know, however, there are no "legal issues" at stake here.  We are all
at liberty to publish such news so long as there is no slander or malice
involved.

/richard

-- 
    Natalie's Barn & Breakfast -- a B&B for Horses ...and their Riders
    http://www.natbarn.com  (530) 637-4644  or tollfree 1-877-NATBARN


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