My husband and I could not believe our eyes when we saw the KING 5 story, “Ferry Worker’s Pastry Road Rage Caught on Tape.” Like many commuters, ferry riders often get impatient when the boats are late or we want to be loaded in a certain way to unload first. If we miss a boat, we are quick to blame the ferry service. Ferry workers are in a highly visible profession that takes a considerable amount of abuse every day.

We have seen this courteous, quiet man direct commuters on the ferries in Tahlequah and Vashon for years. He is an exemplary employee, unfailingly polite and attentive to his responsibilities. It is possible that he was speeding: Between 5 and 5:30 a.m., a large percentage of Vashon commuters do speed to the boat; there is always a car ahead and a car behind. We still don’t know what caused this normally unflappable man to lose his temper.

Although this might seem like a minor incident — and apparently the King County Sheriff’s Office did not take the report — KING 5 jumped on the ferry worker connection and ran with it, broadcasting the clip over prime time network news. Now the film clip has been picked up by other media, and the story has gone viral. This is highly irresponsible and damaging to someone who has had a long and successful career.

Some might feel the fact that the person who lost his temper was a ferry worker makes it funny and newsworthy as the media continues to spin the story. It is a sad commentary that instead of ending up as another clip on YouTube, network television found this newsworthy as well.

There are other ways to address speeding. This individual does not deserve to be tried and found guilty by a television news station and assorted bloggers. 

— Linda Bonazza