Spin Control

It’s interesting to see how some of New York’s local media have chosen to represent a survey that, to any reasonable person, should but the nail in the coffin of any “debate” over the Prospect Park Bike Lane.  Over 3,000 bike lane fans can’t be wrong, or so you’d think.

• The Brooklyn Paper: Survey Says! Prospect Park West bike lane is a hit!
• WNYC.org: Survey Shows Support for Park Slope Bike Lane
• The New York Times City Room: Survey Finds Support, but Debate Continues

Thanks, New York Times, for a headline that does not represent the overwhelming support for the bike lane.  The debate could one day be held only between one Prospect Park West resident and his cat, but as long as it’s online–or as long as the person talking to his cat is a former deputy mayor–the media can claim that the debate “continues.”

The debate is over.  The bike lane is here to stay.  Only fine tuning remains.