1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:02,640 Speaker 1: Let me ask you this question. If a council gives 2 00:00:02,680 --> 00:00:05,440 Speaker 1: a media outlet some numbers and the media outlet simply 3 00:00:05,440 --> 00:00:08,760 Speaker 1: reposts those numbers, is that reportage or is that propaganda? 4 00:00:09,119 --> 00:00:12,880 Speaker 1: So the headline was more cyclists get on their bikes, 5 00:00:13,320 --> 00:00:15,760 Speaker 1: which is true, But at no point in my reading 6 00:00:15,840 --> 00:00:18,400 Speaker 1: of the cycle ways of the nation's major cities was 7 00:00:18,480 --> 00:00:21,560 Speaker 1: any definitive analysis done as to whether the cost of 8 00:00:21,560 --> 00:00:24,319 Speaker 1: the infrastructure to get people on their bikes was worth it. 9 00:00:24,720 --> 00:00:28,560 Speaker 1: In christ Church, some popular routes clocked two thousand trips 10 00:00:28,560 --> 00:00:31,159 Speaker 1: a day. Now is that a lot? Well, remember to 11 00:00:31,240 --> 00:00:33,479 Speaker 1: harve that number because trips are reachway, so it's one 12 00:00:33,479 --> 00:00:35,400 Speaker 1: thousand going to and from something. And this is in 13 00:00:35,479 --> 00:00:39,080 Speaker 1: a city of four one hundred thousand people. Wellington four 14 00:00:39,159 --> 00:00:42,000 Speaker 1: key corridors racked up eighty seven thousand in a month. 15 00:00:42,320 --> 00:00:44,320 Speaker 1: So you have the eighty seven, you get about forty three. 16 00:00:44,400 --> 00:00:47,080 Speaker 1: Divide it by four for the corridors four corridors are 17 00:00:47,120 --> 00:00:50,000 Speaker 1: you have ten, Divide it by thirty for the days 18 00:00:50,000 --> 00:00:51,680 Speaker 1: of the month. You've got three hundred and thirty three 19 00:00:51,720 --> 00:00:53,800 Speaker 1: a day. Three hundred and thirty three a day, not 20 00:00:53,840 --> 00:00:55,680 Speaker 1: a lot of people for cycle ways that would have 21 00:00:55,720 --> 00:00:58,640 Speaker 1: cost many, many millions of dollars. In christ Church they 22 00:00:58,680 --> 00:01:01,920 Speaker 1: were claiming a forty percent increase in usage, except that 23 00:01:02,040 --> 00:01:05,880 Speaker 1: was from twenty seventeen, so over eight years, so about 24 00:01:05,920 --> 00:01:08,480 Speaker 1: five percent a year. Not really a booming number. Newtown 25 00:01:08,520 --> 00:01:11,479 Speaker 1: in Wellington is one of their most popular routes. Apparently 26 00:01:11,760 --> 00:01:14,639 Speaker 1: they do. They claim between eight to twelve thousand trips 27 00:01:14,640 --> 00:01:17,600 Speaker 1: a month, so let's average that. It's ten thousand divided 28 00:01:17,600 --> 00:01:19,840 Speaker 1: by two, so we're down to five divided by thirty. 29 00:01:19,880 --> 00:01:22,399 Speaker 1: We end up with one hundred and sixty six a 30 00:01:22,520 --> 00:01:25,040 Speaker 1: day for one of the most popular roots. So a 31 00:01:25,120 --> 00:01:28,440 Speaker 1: cycling booming or has the Council pr department cobbled together 32 00:01:28,480 --> 00:01:31,160 Speaker 1: their best numbers, passed it off in press release, formed 33 00:01:31,160 --> 00:01:32,959 Speaker 1: to a gallible newsroom and the hope no one has 34 00:01:32,959 --> 00:01:35,319 Speaker 1: a calculator. They't get me wrong, nothing wrong with cycling. 35 00:01:35,360 --> 00:01:37,200 Speaker 1: Cycling's fun and good for you. But when you add 36 00:01:37,200 --> 00:01:39,920 Speaker 1: the cost of the specialist's infrastructure and do the math, 37 00:01:40,160 --> 00:01:42,840 Speaker 1: it's got a very ev type vibe about it, doesn't 38 00:01:42,880 --> 00:01:45,000 Speaker 1: It a lot of hype that is never quite matched 39 00:01:45,040 --> 00:01:48,440 Speaker 1: by the reality. Numbers and percentages are easily messed with, 40 00:01:48,440 --> 00:01:50,120 Speaker 1: of course, to paint the sort of picture you want. 41 00:01:50,160 --> 00:01:53,440 Speaker 1: The favorite is the huge percentage increase, but you're not 42 00:01:53,440 --> 00:01:56,760 Speaker 1: supposed to ask from what to what? I mean, one 43 00:01:56,800 --> 00:01:59,040 Speaker 1: to two is one hundred percent, but still only two. 44 00:01:59,160 --> 00:02:01,559 Speaker 1: But where the band were? Wagon? And the machine normally 45 00:02:01,680 --> 00:02:04,400 Speaker 1: tax or ratepayer funded. Of course, that pushes the stuff 46 00:02:04,400 --> 00:02:07,960 Speaker 1: and sadly the media who peddles it no pun intended. 47 00:02:08,639 --> 00:02:11,560 Speaker 1: For more from the Mic Asking Breakfast, listen live to 48 00:02:11,680 --> 00:02:14,720 Speaker 1: News Talks at B from six am weekdays, or follow 49 00:02:14,760 --> 00:02:16,359 Speaker 1: the podcast on iHeartRadio.