Camilla Tominey - Lycraman must stop saddling us with blame

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  • mybreakfastconsisted
    mybreakfastconsisted Posts: 1,018
    "Pouring" and she's a journalist!
  • tailwindhome
    tailwindhome Posts: 19,313
    You all take this shit too seriously.
    “New York has the haircuts, London has the trousers, but Belfast has the reason!
  • asprilla
    asprilla Posts: 8,440
    mybreakfastconsisted wrote:
    "Pouring" and she's a journalist!

    TBH spelling and grammar are the responsibility of the sub editor. Most journalists can't actually write prose for toffee.
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  • mybreakfastconsisted
    mybreakfastconsisted Posts: 1,018
    I was quoting her email, where she threatens libel actions if anyone says she hates Jews,which is a bizarre misunderstanding. ETA I'm surprised The Express are leaving the comments:
    The Express and all it stands for can suck my balls
  • nweststeyn
    nweststeyn Posts: 1,574
    I'm enjoying this! I like the idea that she is sitting responding to emails rather than do her actual job (whatever that may be)...
    Original Message
    From: Nico Weststeyn
    Sent: Mon 11/26/2012 10:33
    To: Camilla Tominey
    Subject: enquiry

    Hello,

    It's another one of those pesky cyclists again!

    I'm driven (ha) to write this because, this morning, I had a car pointed at me on an otherwise empty road. The end result was only some cuts and bruises to me and some £400 damage to my vehicle but I found myself wondering why someone would find it okay to risk the life of someone else just because they were on the road. I can almost guarantee that the driver of the car wouldn't approach me on the street and try to stab me... so what's different?

    It was at this point of reflection that somebody sent me in the direction of your Express article on November the 11th. Now of course, emotions run high but even taking a step back from my own experiences, your 'opinion' piece does nothing but stir up hatred for a vulnerable group of road users. I'm sure you would not agree that your opinion piece should be taken for anything other than what it is, but as a 'journalist' (I use the term loosely as I would not consider your childish scribblings as journalism) you should have a sense of social responsibility. This would extend to not stirring up hatred towards members of society who have, in legal terms, done nothing wrong.

    That is all I wanted to highlight, I would offer you the best of luck in your journalism career but I won't - as I don't mean it.

    Regards,

    Mr. Nico Weststeyn

    I'm sorry for your experience but I'd suggest you direct your anger towards the driver, rather than me.
    There's really no need to make unpleasant remarks about my journalism just because you don't agree with me. "Childish scribblings"? Re-read the last line of your email and take a long hard look at yourself. Funnily enough my entire journalistic output isn't confined to one opinion piece you don't agree with.
    On the subject of which, opinion pieces are just that - opinions. We still have a free press, last time I checked.
    I'm sorry for your experience - like cyclists, there are some good drivers and some bad ones.

    Regards,

    Camilla

    Thank you for your reply Camilla. Again there are a few issues I would highlight.

    First of all, the scenario described with me and the driver was actually entirely fictitious but I felt that would be appropriate as your piece in the Express shows no evidence that it is based on fact either.

    I can read the last line of my e-mail countless times and feel no shame because, unlike you, I am not employed as a professional writer. I don't expect you to be well trained in the skills of my profession either so I'm not particularly worried if my e-mail is 'childish' to you, as it is not a piece which has been published in a large national publication (although I am led to believe your article featured only on the Express website and not in the actual newspaper - perhaps since it only exists to drive traffic to the site in a deliberate attempt to upset people).

    Your 'opinion piece' makes a strong insinuation that cyclists who are killed in traffic accidents are most likely responsible for their own death. I won't insult you by quoting from your own article, but I'm sure you understand which paragraph I am referring to. In my opinion, this is CLEARLY a socially irresponsible thing to say and on a more personal level it is deeply hurtful to families who have been affected by the loss of loved ones in such accidents.

    As your area of expertise is the Royal Family, it is astonishing that you would put your name to an article like this and whilst you must enjoy the attention brought to you by upsetting people, I would urge you to reflect on your motives.

    I would like to clarify, just so there is no doubt, that my lack of respect for you is very true and I really do hope that you are never in a position to have a piece like this published again. Our whole society would be safer if you were stacking shelves in Tesco (other supermarkets are available).

    Sincerely,


    Nico Weststeyn
  • tailwindhome
    tailwindhome Posts: 19,313
    Yeah. You showed her.
    “New York has the haircuts, London has the trousers, but Belfast has the reason!
  • Kieran_Burns
    Kieran_Burns Posts: 9,757
    It would be wonderful that people who bleat on about freedom of speech realise the responsibility it places upon us as individuals to exercise it.

    Just because you CAN say a thing, does not mean you SHOULD.
    Chunky Cyclists need your love too! :-)
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  • nweststeyn
    nweststeyn Posts: 1,574
    TailWindHome wrote:
    Yeah. You showed her.

    I'm not showing her anything. The fact that she is responding to the emails of a nobody like me says enough.
  • mybreakfastconsisted
    mybreakfastconsisted Posts: 1,018
    She's getting awfully defensive, you can't really say "Dead cyclists only have themselves to blame" and then justify it by saying "It's my opinion". Back it up or have the sense to withdraw and apologise.
  • notsoblue
    notsoblue Posts: 5,756
    mybreakfastconsisted wrote:
    She's getting awfully defensive, you can't really say "Dead cyclists only have themselves to blame" and then justify it by saying "It's my opinion". Back it up or have the sense to withdraw and apologise.
    Did she ever explicitly say that?
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  • rjsterry
    rjsterry Posts: 29,336
    notsoblue wrote:
    mybreakfastconsisted wrote:
    She's getting awfully defensive, you can't really say "Dead cyclists only have themselves to blame" and then justify it by saying "It's my opinion". Back it up or have the sense to withdraw and apologise.
    Did she ever explicitly say that?

    No, she's not *that* daft. Standard sh!tstirring procedure though: drop enough hints and cues without actually spelling it out, and everyone knows what you mean, while you can still claim "I never said X! You are taking my comments out of context."
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  • mybreakfastconsisted
    mybreakfastconsisted Posts: 1,018
    notsoblue wrote:
    mybreakfastconsisted wrote:
    She's getting awfully defensive, you can't really say "Dead cyclists only have themselves to blame" and then justify it by saying "It's my opinion". Back it up or have the sense to withdraw and apologise.
    Did she ever explicitly say that?

    When it comes to road safety, it is not drivers who must change gear but cyclists.

    Catriona Patel's relatives would be, at best, bemused by that remark, since the driver that killed her was drunk and chatting on a mobile.

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