venta: (Default)
venta ([personal profile] venta) wrote2004-11-26 10:34 am

Just last week I changed the oil

On the way into work this morning, I drew [livejournal.com profile] zandev's attention to the fact that the vast majority of cars seem to have their petrol filler caps on the right hand side. He pointed out that that was silly, and that there should be an even distribution.

We tried to count filler caps on cars going past, but ran into a problem: seeing one means the cap is on the right. Not seeing one means the cap is on the left or you just missed it. Plus there were issues with cars going past too quickly, sun in eyes, etc.

So, I think a little scientific rigour is needed. And what could be more scientifically rigorous than an LJ poll ?


[Poll #391837]

[identity profile] venta.livejournal.com 2004-11-26 03:10 am (UTC)(link)
What happens if the respondant is knowledgable about more than one car?

It's not relevant.

I want to know about numbers of cars on the road - which means I want each person in my statistical sample to answer once, and if I get 15 answers about Vauxhall Vectras, then that will reflect the distribution of cars on the road.

Anyone with more than one car should answer about the car they drive most often, or if no such car exists, choose randomly.

[identity profile] wimble.livejournal.com 2004-11-26 03:16 am (UTC)(link)
Ok, updated appropriately.

[identity profile] venta.livejournal.com 2004-11-26 03:21 am (UTC)(link)
So, the first time you filled it in, when it said "my car is a..." you filled in what someone else's car was :)

[identity profile] wimble.livejournal.com 2004-11-26 03:26 am (UTC)(link)
No, I filled it in for my old car as well.

Duuuhh!

[identity profile] venta.livejournal.com 2004-11-26 03:30 am (UTC)(link)
?? "as well" ??

Is it possible to fill in an LJ poll twice ?

[identity profile] wimble.livejournal.com 2004-11-26 03:34 am (UTC)(link)
No, it's not possible to fill it in twice, which is why I asked in the first place.

I'd put Renault 19 / Renault Laguna .

[identity profile] venta.livejournal.com 2004-11-26 03:38 am (UTC)(link)
Aha. All becomes clear :)