Hosts of Detroit radio station WCSX’s Deminski and Doyle show have responded to reaction after a show on August 5th where they went on an anger-filled rant about people on bicycles.
Calling the incident “Bike Gate”, a local bike advocate was welcomed onto their show today to talk about the issues brought up by the segment. You can listen to the discussion here.
A reader has also emailed us a response about the incident from the station’s owners. Here’s the response via email from John Gallagher, the market manager of Greater Media Detroit (emphasis mine):
As you know, the WCSX morning show (Deminski and Doyle) aired a segment on Wednesday August 5th, 2009, regarding new laws across the country enacted to protect Bicyclists. The hosts were attempting to point out the absurdity of such legislation, since it should already be illegal to throw any object at another individual with the intent to cause harm. The segment led into a discussion about bicyclists who disregard traffic safety laws, subject matter that is topical and relevant to our listeners.
During the course of the discussion, the hosts voiced their frustration and strong opinions about some of the behavior of cyclists that they have witnessed. However, while I may not agree with everything that was stated during the segment, I do not believe that the hosts advocated or condoned violence against cyclists at any time.
Today, we invited Paul Alman from the Washtenaw Cycling and Walking Coalition to participate in the show. Paul was the individual that initiated the email campaign against the station and actually heard the segment last Wednesday. Paul admitted several times on the air that the hosts did not advocate or condone violence against cyclists. He did not appreciate the tone of their conversation or agree with all of their opinions, but acknowledged that they have every right to voice their opinions.
The conversation today lasted nearly 30 minutes. The outcome was an open dialogue regarding 1) What would help Drivers and Cyclists get along better on the road; 2) The fact that Drivers and Cyclists should respect the others’ right to share the road; and 3) That the small group of individuals that do not obey the rules are not supported by the Cycling community.
The result of this incident has been a better understanding of both sides of this issue. If you have additional concerns, please contact me directly at the number below.
John F. Gallagher
Market Manager
Greater Media Detroit