Blogger faces backlash over 'staged' photos taken during motorbike accident

A blogger has come under fire for her decision to share what many believe are staged photos from a recent motorcycle accident.

Tiffany Mitchell caused the commotion after sharing professional photos taken after she crashed her motorbike during an afternoon ride with friends.

The photo series, taken by photographer Lindsey Grace Whiddon, began with a smiling, carefree Tiffany leaning and laughing against her bike before showing the fallen rider being tended to on the side of the road by a male friend.

Nashville-based Tiffany, who has more than 210,000 Instagram followers, wrote a lengthy caption describing the “scary, magical series of events” that left her without serious injuries and only minor cuts burns.

“I had my helmet on so my head was fine, but I scraped up my left side. I was in absolute shock laying on the side of the road,” she told followers.

“Scroll through the pics to see how much of it Lindsey captured! Unreal. I was scared, and relieved, and so thankful I could move all my joints and that I never lost consciousness.”

The post quickly drew criticism with many questioning whether Tiffany and her friends staged the accident or had the post sponsored by Smartwater, since the brand’s bottle was featured in one of the photos.

Tiffany’s photo and caption was shared in a Reddit group, with many calling into question the authenticity of the entire post.

“Genuinely I am perplexed by the idea of a friend snapping angles right next to your head post-motorcycle crash…,” one user wrote.

“This girl is extremely dumb and lucky for not having serious road rash on account of her lack of interest in wearing a jacket or a good helmet, because sparkly fashion helmets and on trend overalls are more aesthetically pleasing than lifesaving motorcycle gear.

“I’m assuming this is a post-accident staged photoshoot,” another added, while others called it ‘the tackiest thin [they’ve] seen this month.”

In an interview with BuzzFeed News Tiffany shot down allegations of the incident being staged, claiming she ‘would never turn a very important personal story like this into a brand campaign’.

Tiffany, an avid rider, said she practices road safety and never rides without pants, boots and a helmet.

“If you’re going to get your motorcycle licence take the safety course first,” she advised followers. “They teach you how to ride safely and fall safely.”

The attention regarding the post has upset Tiffany, who assured her followers that there was never any intention to incite negativity.

“I archived the post because if there is a lot of attention brought to my feed because of that, I don’t want to leave that really vulnerable thing that I shared open to any kind of hatred. I want to protect that…,” she explained of her decision to remove the post.

“If you’re following my Instagram I’m assuming it’s because you want to see my thoughts about my life.. It was just one of those honest moments that I was putting out there because it’s all been this wonderful practice of vulnerability and openness.”

Additional reporting by Elizabeth Di Filippo.

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