“Problems With Precision and Judgment, but Not Integrity” →
The headline is a great summary. Margaret Sullivan, Public Editor of the New York Times, responds to the Tesla dispute:
I do not believe Mr. Broder hoped the drive would end badly. I am convinced that he took on the test drive in good faith, and told the story as he experienced it.
Did he use good judgment along the way? Not especially. In particular, decisions he made at a crucial juncture – when he recharged the Model S in Norwich, Conn., a stop forced by the unexpected loss of charge overnight – were certainly instrumental in this saga’s high-drama ending.
In addition, Mr. Broder left himself open to valid criticism by taking what seem to be casual and imprecise notes along the journey, unaware that his every move was being monitored.
No surprises here, although I think she’s taking it too easy on Tesla by not mentioning their inconsistent tech-support people: some of Broder’s poor judgment was following the Tesla reps’ ineffective and counterproductive instructions to maximize range (see footnote here).