Fox News sensationalizes Peter Lenz death

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Peter-Lenz-Fox-News1

Responding to Peter Lenz’s death at the Indianapolis Grand Prix yesterday, America’s fair and balanced news source has rolled out a hateful talking head to condemn his parents and suggest that social services should investigate his family for neglect.


Wendy Murphy, a former lawyer, apparently has a hatred for motorcycles only matched by her love of straightening irons. Not only does she compare motorcycle racing to “going fast in a car” but she utterly dismisses the notion that racing small-capacity motorcycles in a controlled environment should be compared to popular children’s sports like football and snowboarding.

No statistics are available for the number of motorcycle racers killed annually, but it must pale in comparison to the numbers killed during recreational swimming or while snowboarding, activities Murphy refuses to discuss in relation motorcycle racing.

We understand that the image of motorcycling and its relative inaccessibility to stay-at-home moms make it seem sensationally dangerous, but the fact is, it isn’t. Racer’s deaths are rare enough that each and every one is a major news item and organizing bodies inevitably enact new regulations and safeguards in response. The last and only MotoGP racer to ever be killed in a crash was Daijiro Kato, who collided with a wall a Suzuka in 2003, a circuit that was immediately struck from the MotoGP calendar due to resulting safety concerns.

Lenz’s was the first GPRU death in nine years.

A quick Google News search for “beach drowning” reveals a 26-year old Georgia man who drowned on Saturday off Panama City Beach, the third drowning there in a four day period. Add “child” to that search term and you’ll find the story of a 12-year old who drowned in a shallow pond near Boston yesterday. Would Fox News have us stop our children from going to the beach or swimming in ponds?

Fox actually interviewed me for a related article, here’s the portion of the quote they used:

“Despite the high speeds, motorcycle racing is actually less dangerous than it looks. Statistically, people are far more likely to be killed while swimming (2,900 deaths in 2004), snowboarding (45 deaths in 2004) and participating in most other sports than they are while lapping a racetrack on two wheels.

“It was a freak accident. Peter was riding a motorcycle with limited performance and crashed during a warmup lap while riding relatively slowly.”

But reason hasn’t stopped Fox from running a reader poll with a leading question: “Should Kids Be Allowed to Participate In High-Speed Extreme Sports?”

So far, 49.6 percent of 2,539 respondents have answered “no.” Let’s see if we can strike a blow for freedom and shift the balance back to “yes” by voting here.

  • Sally

    I dunno… Giving these idiots real estate on this website just further promotes their sensationalism. Flip over to CNN and I am sure Nancy Grace will be spouting similar crap.

  • 6mt

    what a way to make a sad day even more depressing. really shitty for FOX news to report the news this way. real fucking shitty.

  • mluddyjr

    To be totally fair, the progressives at The Huffington Post seem to share Fox’s sentiment: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/08/29/peter-lenz-dies-at-indy-t_n_698514.html

    • http://hellforleathermagazine.com Wes Siler

      Wait, HuffPo is progressive?! I didn’t realize ripping off other people’s content was left-leaning.

    • evild

      HuffPost content was taken directly from AP Newswire.

      • mluddyjr

        Which further demonstrates my point.

        Most news organizations are treating this story the same way, and based on the comments on other news sites most people think it’s a legit approach. For HFL to pretend this is a Fox News problem is just as sensational as the Fox News piece.

        • http://www.thisblueheaven.com Mark D

          But only Fox trotted out a bleached and blow-dried talking head to basically spout off about irresponsible parenting. At least the AP report has quotes from actual racers.

          • mluddyjr

            Fox might be the worst of them, but the fact remains that nearly all of the news outlets are playing the ‘motorcycles-are-dangerous’ card. Pretending this is a Fox problem is misleading and only serves to drum up ‘Fox-is-dangerous’ type comments. See this thread for examples.

        • http://hellforleathermagazine.com Wes Siler

          In my defense, Fox is the only outlet I was aware of (other than AP, which was reasonable at least) and only then because they’d called me for comment. No secret agenda here.

  • http://www.thisblueheaven.com Mark D

    Wait, Fox news over-simplifying things, ignoring facts, and instilling panic for shock value? To paraphrase Capt. Renault, “I’m shocked, SHOCKED to discover shoddy journalism going on here!”

  • jwinter

    As much as I hate Fox, there is a similar article on Huffington Post. The comments are just as stupid as anything out there.
    Maybe we can just ban freak accidents altogether.

  • mchale2020

    Fox is totally dis-respecting the family of Lenz by degrading a tragedy into an online poll and giving some misinformed talking head like Wendy Murphy air time. Their’s nothing to discuss here. A talented child is no longer with us because of a freak accident and this is how Fox handles it?

  • richard gozinya

    While Fox isn’t the only one sensationalizing this tragedy, they do lead the way on sensationalism disguised as journalism. As always, the lovers of the nanny state, conservative and liberal alike, eat this shit up. An excuse to be outraged about something, children to protect from loud scary machines. The only thing missing is a pretty blonde girl.

    I’m just waiting for the inevitable politicians, climbing over each other to be the first to denounce motorcycle racing, and demand a ban on motorcycles altogether.

  • IBMcpa

    Busybodies make me lose confidence in my fellow man. Wendy, crawl back under whatever rock you inhabit and stay out of things you aren’t capable of understanding.

  • Core

    Well, I voted for “freedom”.

    You know, it breaks my heart to see someone doing something they love and get killed in it.

    But at the same time, I’d rather die while doing what I love, than die doing something I was hating with a passion. See when you die while doing something you hate its like a double whammy.

  • robotribe

    This is just noise; sadly, at the expense of the family who lost a son. Motorcycles, just like guns, air travel, surfing, snowboarding and full-contact high school football, aren’t going away because of this tragedy.

    Relax, everybody. Give it a week and we’ll be back to business as usual: talking heads claiming Obama is Muslim, is the anti-christ or is going to steal your ammo and eat your babies!

  • sanjuro

    Hey, motorcycle racing is going to have to deal with this tragedy.

    You mention beach swimming as a comparison of fatality. What about competitive swimming deaths? Is zero the number?

    Or google motorcycle fatalities in general and see how many stories come up then. The Black Hills news was keeping an ER count for the latest Sturgis rally.

    As someone who coaching high school mountain biking and has gone to the hospital with one of his kids after a race, it was the worst feeling in the world.

    I know Fox is just playing this up, but motorcycling is going to have to deal with the flak because a 12 year old was killed.

  • jaybe

    Grew up riding (age 8 – 50cc honda yah!) Fox sucks and these parents and kids should get to decide what risks they are willing to take. But…

    It’s just wrong to say that swimming and snowboarding is more dangerous than racing. Everybody swims every summer and a handful of them die. Tons of people ride snowboards every winter and there are a few accidents. Very few people ride motorcycles and a handful of them die. Per man-hour spent on a bike.. severe accidents are pretty common.

    • http://www.thisblueheaven.com Mark D

      That is true, but clearly there is something about motorcycling that elicits a more visceral response. Horseback riding is more dangerous on a per-mile basis, but there is never any huge public outcry about horseback riding! In fact, per “Super-freakonomics”, drunk walking is more dangerous on a per-mile basis than drunk driving.

  • jcgoodlett2

    Would have been much smarter for this FOX show (and its sister media company, WSJ, which had an article of recent) to have been more fact based instead of posing leading questions without reference to the rest of the story and the life in the surround!

    FACT:
    1.) Peter Lenz was a highly accomplished rider winning many medals, making many podium finishes, and acclaiming many a race championships including being crowned CMA Canadian National Open Pocketbike Champion & the Canadian Junior National Pocketbike Champion, OMRRA Junior Overall Pocketbike Champion, and CMA Canadian National Formula Thunder Champion.

    2.) Peter Lenz was the youngest licensed Expert racer in AFM (American Federation of Motorcyclists) history and the youngest licensed Expert racer in CCS (Championship Cup Series) history because he had incredible skills and had racked up necessary point wins to move ahead.

    3.) Peter Lenz was coached by some of the best in the business that emphasize both skill and safety – folks like Keith Code and Misti Hurst of the California Superbike School.

    4.) Peter Lenz riding and racing career was already a relatively long one compared to most, extending 8 years from ages of 5 through 13…in all, he was a seasoned veteran in sport that showed the risks in nearly ever race he would have participated in.

    5.) As a discuss of other two wheeled sports with serious injury or death, 716 bicyclists died on US roads in 2008 (698 in 2007, 1,003 in 1975)…Bicyclist deaths represented 2 percent of all 2008 traffic fatalities…One-seventh of the cyclists killed were between 5 and 15 years old…and bicyclists 15 and under that had been injured requiring medical attention was 13,000 in same year.

    6.) Thirteen boys died playing Little League baseball between 1987 and 1996, a new University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill study shows. During that decade, officials recorded 29,038 injuries and 1.69 injuries per 1,000 participants per season — an injury rate revealing the sport is safe, researchers say. Ball-related mishaps totaled 15,266, and batters suffered most of those, the researchers found. Face and teeth injuries, mostly to fielders, accounted for 12,306 incidents. Sliding was associated with 60 percent of accidents among base runners, and about 25 percent of injuries were considered serious such as broken arms or legs.

    7.) The death of Peter Lenz was a tragic loss any way it is sliced…

    8.) My heartfelt sorrow goes out to his family and friends who now have a huge hole that will never be filled!

    9.) RIP Peter Lenz

    10.) Shame on the WSJ, Jonathan Welsh, and the talking heads at FOX for being long on hype (or conjecture to cause a stir that might drive traffic to the WEBsite) and short on real details, facts, and statistics to add balance to the discussion!

  • pplassm

    This story is being discussed everywhere, not just Fox.

    BTW, could they have picked a more hideous looking talking head?

  • pplassm

    Good points, JC. Lots of kids die playing football, too.

  • joneez

    What miss Murphy and Fox seem to miss here is this kid got to spend some quality time with his apparently loving, supportive and enthusiastic family, which many kids these days could do with alot more of. Some of the tightest families I’ve met were heavily into motorsports of all kinds.
    My Dad and I spend alot of time together watching races, driving dune buggies, riding motorcycles and building cars. When the day comes and he is gone I will have all those memories and no regrets. Trust me, it’s well worth the risk.

  • g.r.b

    he could have been the next rossi, then would they be complaining or just be proud his american?

    valentino rossi got into moto gp (the peak of motorcycle racing) at the age of 20, how did you think that happened?

    rassi started racing motorcycles (as many other kids and most top bike racers) at the age of 11, yet he started racing karts at the age of 5

    this is living, this is life, are they all saying they should encourage kids to stay home and play video games and dream they are champions instead of going out there and living their dreams?

    if your alive then inherently your in the risk of dying, but if you stay in your home “save” then your not living and thus your already dead.

    this is B.S. this kid should be an example to other kids to get of their but, turn of the tv’s and go out there and risk everything to live their lives and dreams, its the only way you can make it

    i can assure you this kid’s life tho short was worth more then some people’s that life to be old but never risked anything. Yes he didnt get to be a moto gp champ, but thats not the point, as soon as you start doing what you love you have succeeded. “there is no way to happiness, happiness is the way” he was happy, he had 13 years of happiness and true life, others spent 80 dead.

  • gregorbean

    fuck that rotten bitch. saying the family should be investigated, what a horrible thing to say. let the family mourn in peace, they let their child pursue his dream and he died doing it, bless them all (and i’m not a very religious person). the blond at the end seems like she knows what’s up.

  • roccopeterbilt

    Anyone find it ironic that she is said to be a child rights activist? Sounds like she’d like to remove children’s rights and the rights of there parents to decide how to raise them.

    What a terrible loss for the sport.

  • CG

    I watched this live in a state of horror. Yeah, I watch Fox, sorry, I started reading National Review in 1968 in the 8th grade, so I am hopeless. Can we just all like bikes without the political name-calling? Fox is on in my son’s room while I work with him every morning, he had a serious TBI while doing what he loved, it involved the US Army, but hey the alternative is a lot worse. The heartbreak is immense. I presume this lady either has no kids or wraps them in bubble wrap all day long. She is one of those know-it-alls that are staunch card carrying members of the no fun allowed crowd. It crosses party lines and is seemingly immune to the ideas of freedom of choice and human nature. To be quite honest most males between the ages of 12 and 25 tend to view themselves as immortal anyway, just some of us get luckier than others. I wish that kind of person would learn something like that. I just stared at the tv and told the lady to go fuck herself. Alas, I don’t think she heard me.

    • g.r.b

      CG, with all respect sir, we are talking about your sun’s right to do and pursue what he likes, that doesnt apply if your sun likes to kill people or rob them, you have the right to do what you want as long as it does not conflict with the rights of other people.
      your sun likes to go to war?…. you go to war not because you like it! but because your defending your rights and you have no other alternative, you should not let your sun go into another country, into someone else’s home with a rifle in his hand to rob them! and kill them!! thats just not right sir.

      help him and the rest of the world and get him into something positive, a sport perhaps…

  • KingCast

    Hey Wendy,

    I’m a former State Attorney next door to you and was a reporter for the Indianapolis Star of all ironies and I started riding motorcycles at 7 years of age, made it through just fine.

    You dodge the question about comparatives to downhill skiing when in point of fact this type of racing is statistically safer than those activities for critical injury.

    This accident is a tragic accident, but it does not give you the journalistic license to start condemning parents and bringing out Child Protective Services.

    Later hater.
    http://KingCast.net — Reel News for Real People