Reacting to tragedy
10:46am Saturday 17th May 2008
I followed the development of the story of the announcement of Ruby Milnes's name quite closely on Monday on the Press website (Cyclist tragedy: inquest opens, The Press, May 13). I didn't know Ruby personally, but heard through a friend on Friday morning what had happened, as she was a good buddy of my friend's daughter.
So all of Friday I was feeling low about the needless loss of a young cyclist in a place where she should have been safe. Then, when I told another of my friends, he realised that he was friends with Ruby's family, and that saddened me still further. So I felt slightly involved, and very interested in the story.
I am impressed how the website team dealt with the story and the comments as they came in. Firstly the webpage was reorganised to allow the whole article to be read, by removal of an advert which had obscured some of the text, then removal of a crass comment by an idiot reader.
I posted a comment to tell the idiot what I thought of their behaviour, and was pleased to see that when I logged on later in the evening, my reference to that stupidity plus the offending comment had been removed.
I now realise what a responsible and quick-acting job you've got, and wanted to thank you, whoever was keeping on top of what was happening on Monday, for doing what you do. I visit the Press website sporadically, but got an insight into how you have to manage it.
I will probably never be a daily visitor to the website as I much prefer the printed version, which I have delivered. However, I am happy that it is there, as it allows interaction and "instant" reader comments, as well as searches for previous stories.
John Cossham, Hull Road, York.