Further to Charlie Smith’s article on political “spin” [Straight Talk, Jan. 18-25], here’s a whopper. In response to lobbying from some car drivers, Mayor Sam Sullivan and the NPA used the last election to try to halt the environmentally and fiscally sensible trial to reallocate two lanes on the Burrard Bridge for sustainable transportation. That trial would have cost about $2 million.

Now Sullivan touts his plan to spend $20 million to build sidewalk extensions for bike lanes as one of his environmental initiatives. What he doesn’t say is that the extensions will cost considerably more than $20 million and will do nothing to reduce car use or speed on the bridge. Now that’s spin at its finest!

> Barbara Pulling / Vancouver