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| Staff Writer John Cichowski's "road warriors" crawl into the Lincoln Tunnel. |
Editor's note: Errors in the Road Warrior column have been so numerous and so glaring, a concerned reader has actually added up all of the mistakes, omissions and other flaws in the past three months, and sent another e-mail to alert management of The Record and Staff Writer John Cichowski, who apparently has done nothing to repair his reputation or guarantee accuracy in his column.
"Even when presenting his wish list for 2013, the Road Warrior made multiple mistakes.
"The Road Warrior's Sunday column is the 23rd article with problems, starting with his Sept. 12 column, and even though I've notified The Record's management and the Road Warrior himself, I have received no indication of any preventive measures to address these problems and very few published corrections.
"I look forward to an update based on a call from The Record's management today, Dec. 17.
"Knowledgeable readers wish that the Road Warrior would provide more meaningful and accurate information, conclusions and advice about transportation issues.
"John's repeated self-serving, but mistaken, descriptions of himself as a "know-it-all" are most troubling for readers and transportation experts, who know better, in light of the overwhelming evidence below that I have presented to The Record's management and Cichowski about his failed reporting, just since his Sept. 12 column.
"1. Misleading and/or False Statements, which also included false "facts" or incorrect items - 80 times
"It also includes mathematical errors and scientifically foolish "facts," which contradict the laws of nature.
"2. Useless, Impractical, Unsafe, or Misleading Advice - 10 times
"3. Misdirected Readers Due to Key Omissions of Relevant Information that were Paramount to the Topic - 28
times
"4. Not Addressing Readers’ Questions Directly or Correctly - 14 times
"4. Not Addressing Readers’ Questions Directly or Correctly - 14 times
"Many times, a reader's question was also based on misleading or false info, which the Road Warrior didn't correct.
"These specific stories should never have been published. The Road Warrior exhibited empathy for people, who should have known better and exhibited no common sense to easily solve their own problems and/or exacerbated their own problems by making all the wrong decisions about their unsubstantiated claims.
"What is even more troubling is that many mistakes were simply repeated in follow-up columns, even though I pointed out the mistakes and corrections for previous columns.
"The Road Warrior is also plagued by an inability to correctly state and comprehend facts from published studies that should be the easiest type of reporting based on well-presented statements and facts in these studies.
"Let us hope readers can find peace of mind and The Record and Road Warrior can find a way to make it easier for our understanding of relevant transportation issues and needed actions without so many reporting mistakes.
"Highlights of mistakes from the Dec. 16 column are noted below.
1. Misleading statement - "We could do better if we could reduce pedestrian fatalities at least 5 percent instead of gaining at least that much [5%]," said state traffic safety chief Gary Poedubicky."
"CORRECT FACTS - Unfortunately, Road Warrior failed to mention that pedestrian deaths are currently more than 15% higher than they were at this point last year. While wishing for fewer pedestrian fatalities, it is important for the Road Warrior to present relevant facts to readers rather than quoting officials with misleading statements.
2. Misleading statement - "With this year's walking death totals already eclipsing last year's 143, that's a tall order [reducing pedestrian deaths by 5%] because New Jersey pedestrian fatalities are traditionally twice the national average."
"CORRECT FACTS - It is NOT a tall order since in 2 of the 4 years prior to 2011, pedestrian deaths were less than 143, including 3.5% lower in 2008. Better and more enforcement and education of drivers and pedestrians could achieve a 5% reduction.
"Even though I have previously pointed out his mistaken reporting about this issue, the Road Warrior tries to scare and misdirect readers with the same inconsequential facts about pedestrian deaths rather than more relevant facts.
"A key relevant safety fact is that NJ pedestrian fatalities (deaths per 100,000 people) are traditionally only 10 %- 30% higher than the national average. In many NJ counties, it is much lower than the national average, but in some NJ counties it is more than twice the national average. This is what transportation experts, government officials, and the Road Warrior need to focus on.
"The Road Warrior continues to report the inconsequential fact, which should not be cause for concern, that NJ pedestrian fatalities are traditionally twice the national average based on percentage of pedestrian fatalities vs. overall road fatalities. The Road Warrior fails to mention this percentage is artificially higher because NJ has one of the lowest overall road fatality rates of any state. When you divide a somewhat higher number of pedestrian fatalities by the much lower number of overall road fatalities for NJ in comparison to other states, you get a much higher percentage of pedestrian fatalities.
"In addition, a key relevant factor for concern is that pedestrian deaths tend to be relatively higher with more difficult traffic safety solutions due to the fact that NJ is the most congested state in the US.
3. Misleading false statement and fact - "A bill in an Assembly committee would double the $100 fine for steering with one hand while manipulating an electronic device with the other."
"CORRECT FACTS - Updated bill in an Assembly committee would increases the fines up to 8 fold vs. current $100 fine. The proposed fines would be $200 to $400 for a first offense, $400 to $600 for a second offense, and $600 to $800 with 3 driving points for third or subsequent offenses, along with the potential for a 90 day license suspension.
"I pointed out a similar mistake about this issue in a previous Road Warrior column.
4. Misleading statement due to omission of key info -- "Why not require vision testing every 10 years? Actually, the Legislature mandated such tests in 1977, but the law has never been enforced."
"CORRECT FACTS BASED ON KEY OMISSION -- The Road Warrior does NOT need to wish for something that is being made easier to implement. Road Warrior fails to mention anything about MVC vision testing where "The medical community has partnered with the Motor Vehicle Commission on pilot vision program to help ensure that NJ drivers meet the visual acuity standard [at least every 10 years]. Health care providers will send vision screening results to the MVC for those patients who would like to participate in the [voluntary] program." Drivers can find answers to many of their question about this program at http://www.state.nj.us/mvc/Licenses/vision.htm
"Here's hoping for change and better fact-checking, corrections, reviewing (Googling?), and oversight of proper questions and answers to readers' questions by The Record's editors, columnists, & reporters based on more reliable, accurate, and common sense information prior to publication."
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