Media Watch

Like New York and dozens of other American cities, Minneapolis is facing the prospect of higher transit fares and less service amid the economic downturn. To impress upon state lawmakers that their constituents depend on transit to meet basic needs, the St. Stephen's Human Rights Campaign compiled this video of testimonials from bus riders (hat tip to Twin Cities Streets for People; see all the testimonials here). They asked a simple question: What do you use the bus for?

The Times has come out in favor of the upcoming Broadway public space reclamation, recognizing the need for safety improvements along one of New York's most contested thoroughfares.

For today's analysis of the city's plan to pedestrianize Broadway at Times Square, the Daily News enlisted such experts as "an upper West Side attorney who thinks the diversion will be 'too overwhelming'" and "a Long Island resident who often drives to the area [and] considers the change 'a nightmare' that will 'make traffic worse.'" Fortunately, they also called on the Naked Cowboy:

Looks like there's at least one bubble that has yet to burst: David Brooks' unyielding enthusiasm for exurbs and car dependence. In today's Times, the nation's most famous sprawl apologist cites a recent Pew study to argue his case:

Whatever your stance on the Ravitch Commission's MTA rescue plan, the broad inequities of allowing New York transit service to deteriorate while fares rise 23 percent are stunning. The doomsday budget passed earlier this week would affect vastly more New Yorkers than bridge tolls or congestion pricing, burdening those who can least afford the added delay and expense.

Sean Sweeney, the one-man show known as the Soho Alliance, has been sending this video around to the media, continuing his quest to preserve Soho streets for the convenience of motorists. What we basically have here is a careless truck driver butting grilles with a sociopath behind the wheel of an SUV. Sweeney's conclusion: Give these vehicles more street space and forget about providing cyclists with a basic safety amenity.

A Hunter College study on cyclist behavior is making the rounds today, getting a long post on City Room. The data measure the extent to which cyclists take safety precautions and follow traffic laws. Helpful stuff to know, except that the findings are presented in a way that feeds into the worst stereotypes about cyclists and a blame-the-victim mentality toward traffic injuries and deaths.

Step aside Steve Cuozzo, the team at Fox 5 (yeah, them again) has scapegoated the Grand Street bike lane in even more outlandish fashion. This "report" manages to blame the brand new cycle track for traffic congestion, slumping dumpling sales, and a disabled man getting hit by a car. We kid you not. Needless to say, the distortions go above and beyond the usual windshield perspective quotes.