OK, so I finally got to read this story. The executive summary is that it's awful. The writer, the editor, the headline writer, social team, the outlet—the whole crew at the Chronicle is out of their depth covering a very basic tragedy. https://www.sfchronicle.com/local/article/After-legendary-Bay-Area-bicyclist-dies-in-car-16136865.php

Look how the story is sold on their homepage. A local legend was tragically killed by a driver. Putting aside journalistic blunders about calling it an accident and the lack of human agency, what does motorists' feelings about cyclists have to do with this story. Hint: Nothing.

I used to live in SF and read Stienstra's hiking content. I have nothing against him but this lede is awful, framing the tragic death of a beloved community member as some sort of both-sides conflict. Imagine introducing this BS in a story about a victim who died any other way.

The story doesn't even attempt to recap or advance reporting on how Shami was killed—it seems very safe to say he got rear-ended by someone driving an SUV in a roundabout with sharrows. But in the fifth paragraph, Stienstra is ready to dish out some weird victim scolding. WTAF.

In a story about an veteran rider who got hit/killed riding on a road where a cyclist's right to exist is painted on the pavement why does he raise the idea of folks riding on paths or cyclists being smarter? Imagine such logic being applied in 2021 to a story on a sexual assault

Honestly, it just keeps getting worse. Check out this segue. Record number of bike riders are getting killed (in accidents, shoot me now), and instead of discussing speeding, poor infrastructure or distracted driving, Stienstra suggests that maybe folks should ride on bike paths.

Here's more victim scolding advise from Stienstra. Innocent people are getting killed doing something legal so they should use lights & mirrors and try to wrap things up before driver folks start getting impatient doing their critical busywork. The lack of perspective is galling

The story just completely misses the ACTUAL story. A local legend is killed and the riding community is devastated & scared. The roads are dangerous. Drivers are often reckless. The laws & policing suck. Everyone who rides fears that what happened to Shami could happen to them.

Think about how hugely out of touch Stienstra & his editors must be on the topic of road violence for this to be published. It's hard to express how bad it is journalistically. The notion of introducing that motorists have anger toward cyclists (for what? existing?) is pathetic.

In the end, the story insults the life and death of Joe Shami. He died because someone hit him. He died because the roads and legal protections are inadequate. Telling people to go on paths and install mirrors and be done by 10am is insulting the unmitigated tragedy of his death.