David Filkins wrote a story about a man who likes to speed: It's 3 p.m. on a recent Friday and Robinson climbs behind the wheel. He sticks his key in the ignition and fastens his seat belt. Then turns the key.
The starter whirls and the engine, which he's outfitted with $10,000 worth of high-performance parts, begins to roar and rumble. Robinson checks his gauges. Then he steps on the clutch, shifts into gear and takes off toward the road.
Robinson flips on the radio as he pulls out of the parking lot, turns right onto a highway ramp and merges onto four lanes of Northway pavement. He tilts his head back and laughs when Rihanna begins singing "Shut Up and Drive" as he picks up speed.
Some readers of the Albany Times Union are angry the story ran:
I am completely stunned with the article about this guy and his truck doing 160mph on the Northway and his blatant disregard for the law.
Would you have printed it if it if he said he was robbing banks and had no plans to stop? How is this different? They are both crimes where innocent bystanders are the likely victims when things go wrong?
And:
This is the most irresponsible journalism that I have read in the Times Union. I’m all for free press but what does this accomplish?
And here comes the old why-haven't-you-written-about-my-kids-yet?
I couldn’t believe the TU was putting this on the front page. How irresponsible! We have 2 legitimate 2007 NATIONAL CHAMPIONS in this region who went to Kansas this past September to compete in the SCCA National Solo and ProSolo championships (http://www.scca.org/event.aspx?hub=3&event=5632), and the TU hasn’t done any article on them.
There were 97 comments at last count. Most of us have sat back and watched these things unfold. It's a weird feeling, right, watching people -- many who can't spell or punctuate -- frag your story or question the news judgement?
David's story is well done, and the ride-along was a necessary touch (How else do you do that story?). The intersting thing is that many readers directed their anger at David, not his subject.
David says he felt it was his job to present this guy to the public and let them make their own judgements. But he's left with this question: "Is there a place for this kind of story in the newspaper - A nonjudgmental look at someone who lives questionable life?"
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