Return to List

Jan 20, 2010
Analysis

Survey Says . . .

Post by admin

It took me a while, but I’ve finally compiled all the comments left online to the Toronto Star article that appeared last month. Here, in a completely unscientific study, I present the results.

Most of the comments left could be categorized in one of four ways:

  1. This is the worst idea I have ever heard of in my life.
  2. This is a good idea that is worthy of further investigation.
  3. Whether it is a good idea or a bad one, the real problem is with our current transit planning regime.
  4. Steven Dale is a complete idiot who should learn to shut his mouth.

Here are the percentages of comments that fell within those categories:

  1. (36.73%)  This is the worst idea I have ever heard of in my life.
  2. (33.67%)  This is a good idea that is worthy of further investigation.
  3. (22.45%)  Whether it is a good idea or a bad one is irrelevant. The real problem is our current transit planning regime.
  4. (7.14%)  Steven Dale is a complete idiot who should learn to shut his mouth.

In order to dig a little deeper, however, I also compiled the percentage of people within the “thumbs-up-thumbs-down” crowd who agreed with the consensus in each category. Those results are rather striking:

  1. 71.62% of people within the thumbs-up-thumbs-down crowd agreed that cable transit is a good idea that is worthy of further investigation.
  2. 68.60% of people within the thumbs-up-thumbs-down crowd agreed that whether cable transit is a good idea or a bad one is irrelevant. The real problem is our current transit planning regime.
  3. 51.92% of people within the thumbs-up-thumbs-down crowd agreed that cable transit is the worst idea they had ever heard of in their life.
  4. 41.48% of people within the thumbs-up-thumbs-down crowd agreed that Steven is a complete idiot who should learn to shut his mouth.

I’ve gotta’ say, considering the knee-jerk, reactionary nature of online comments . . . those aren’t bad numbers no matter how completely unscientific they are.

Share:

You may also like