More unreliable statistics

Published: Monday, 20 May 2019

AT LAST we have a reliable counting device, writes Bill Ridgeway.

Replacing the CaRT method of thinking of a figure, doubling it, multiplying that by the price of petrol at the local petrol station and dividing that by the cost of a litre of milk and adding the number of days elapsed in the year—or so you would think!

Cycle counter

When was the device installed? If it was not on 1st January 2019 the total count for the year is NOT valid. Both the counts are of the number of objects which the device deems to be a cycle which pass that point so, anyone cycling to and from work, school etc may be correctly counted but the sleight-of-hand is the presentation of that figure as the total number of cyclists NOT the total number of individual cyclists.

I fear CaRT is at it againbolstering figures to give misleading statistics.

There is also, of course the concern at mixing (irresponsible) cyclist with boaters and walkers mentioned in the report.