This letter is in reference to your front page photograph and underlying type regarding the accident involving the Consortium Van and a faculty member's car. It is apparent that neither the Consortium office, the student managers, nor the driver of the van were contacted before this was published. The facts that you have presented are very much in error and need to be corrected. The underlying text read, "A Worcester Consortium Van backed into a faculty members car at a high rate of speed in a parking lot a couple of weeks ago. This incident has raised questions about the safety of the Consortium Vans and their drivers." Almost every aspect of the statement is false. The time frame was in fact just over a week, the previous Monday at 10:10am (11/11/96). More importantly is the way Newspeak portrayed the accident. The faculty members car was not parked and was in fact moving at a fair rate of speed trying to enter a parking space. The vehicle's wheels were turned to the right and this is quite apparent in your photo as well as in the angle of impact, note the driver's side of the grill is badly damaged while the passenger side is basically untouched. You also erred when you said that the van was moving at a high rate of speed, the van was moving at a normal rate of speed for backing out of a parking space.
I request that you investigate this story further and when you find out the truth of what really happened you print an apology to the Consortium and especially to the driver of the van. If you need further information about this incident feel free to contact Lt. Rod Beaton, Campus Police; Barbara Guthrie, Director of the Colleges of Worcester Consortium; or myself.
Sincerly,
Brian S. Wilson
Consortium Shuttle Bus Manager