North Gateway - Biased advert NZ Herald (16 November)

**paddy** · 16th November 2009, 18:36

An except from an approximately 7" x 5" advert on page A18 of today's (16th November) New Zealand Herald:

"The NZ Transport Agency wants to hear your views on whether motorcyclists should pay a tool to use the toll road, just like every other motorist."

The advert goes on to state how to make a submission (www.nzta.govt.nz/consultation or call 0800 40 20 20 by Friday 27th November). The advert contains the NZTA logo and the "NewZealand Government Logo".

Now I don't want to get into a big fight about whether motorcycles should pay the toll or not - I think that making it free is a good way of encouraging motorcycling as a practical means of transport which has benefits to all. I also believe that the toll would need to be less that then $2 required to be paid by a car (to reflect the lower level or wear and tear a motorcycle will cause to the road surface). To my mind, this would mean the toll would cost considerably more to collect than the benefits it would provide. HOWEVER, I don't for a second take the view that it is my RIGHT to use the toll road without paying and if a toll is levied then I will pay it (or more likely, ride up the other way).

What I do take issue with though, is the extremely biased wording in the advert. It is clearly designed to be emotive and leading. The timing lines up very well with ACCs campaign to paint motorcycles in a bad light.

I would encourage you all to make submissions. I would also encourage you to write to the Advertising Standards Agency and the New Zealand Herald and complain about the leading an biased nature of the advert.

**pzkpfw** · 17th November 2009, 07:19

That's not a nice way to describe the poor bugger in the toll booth.

**Crisis management** · 17th November 2009, 11:45

Done, thanks paddy.

Iain

**vifferman** · 17th November 2009, 12:05

Originally Posted by paddy

"The NZ Transport Agency wants to hear your views on whether motorcyclists should pay a tool to use the toll road, just like every other motorist."

Yeah, I'd be up to pay a tool (Craver? Slidewonder?) just like every other motorist, to use the toll road.
Here's my 10 cents in advance.

**k2w3** · 17th November 2009, 12:47

Done........

**R6_kid:Me** · 17th November 2009, 12:56

The same advert was posted in my local newspaper. Truth is it's simple statistical tricks to get the answer it would seem they want - it comes under the term 'question effects' where the way the question is worded is likely to persuade the person answering to do so in a way that would otherwise not be their normal answer.

The question is "Should motorcyclists pay a toll to use the toll road?" - presenting it any other way is only going to lead to bias.

Either way, it's not hard to block your number plate temporarily if you didn't want to pay...

**vifferman** · 17th November 2009, 13:05

Originally Posted by R6_kid

The question is "Should motorcyclists pay a toll to use the toll road?" - presenting it any other way is only going to lead to bias.

Even that could potentially introduce a bias from pro-biker respondents and anti-biker ones.
The question would really have to be something that didn't mention a particular group at all, along the lines of, "Should all who use the toll road have to pay the toll?".
Don't forget that rental cars are also currently not paying.

**rphenix** · 17th November 2009, 13:07

Complained to ASA

& Put a submission in.

**Max Headroom** · 17th November 2009, 14:21

The online survey asks the question: "Do you think motorcyclists benefit from using the safer, quicker route of the Northern Gasteway toll road?"

My reply: "All traffic benefits from the safer, quicker route. This question is redundant, and is an insult to the public’s intelligence."

**EnzoYug** · 17th November 2009, 14:45

added my 2c to the Advertising Standards boys. Online form is super easy to fill in. That's nice

The main tag-line of the advert: "The NZ Transport Agency wants to hear your views on whether motorcyclists should pay a tool to use the toll road, just like every other motorist." is biased and anti-motorcycle.

It uses a leading question which, through use of the phrase 'like every other motorist' implies that motorcyclists are currently the only group that does not pay to use the toll road, and that they are the same as those that do.

This is misleading to two ways:
1. All vehicles are different and the groups that use them have varying effects on the road. Motorcycles will have a different effect than heavy trucks for example. Motorcyclists therefore are not 'every other motorist'.

2. There are several groups of motorist that do not pay, including those driving rental vehicles or police / ambulance / fire etc. Therefore the advert is misleading in that 'every other motorist' does not pay to use the road.

Lastly this advert is anti-motorcycle and lacks impartiality, a key component of the consultation process. It will likely generate an artificially large amount of anti-motorcycle submissions through use of such questionable language.

**ukusa** · 17th November 2009, 16:05

I sees another protest ride, lets clog the toll road with bikes

**MarkH** · 18th November 2009, 14:07

I filled in the form - I said that yes motorcyclists benefit (when they choose to use it). I said NO to being tolled like other motorists on the grounds that they are smaller and lighter - if they pay a toll then it should be less like 50c or $1 at most.

Of course if they tried to impose a $1 toll on motorcyclists then we can easily complain about them being pathetically petty - it would cost most or all (or even more) of the $1 to collect it.

Do all motorists other than bikes pay the same amount? Maybe cars should pay the same toll as trucks - if we are all keen on everyone being treated the same.

**AllanB** · 18th November 2009, 14:50

No reason at all why motorcycles should not pay - after all it is a TOLL road. You can debate the amount you have to pay (2 wheels half the car payment?) but the argument of inconvenience due to gear is irrelevant as you may prepay or pay online in arrears. And don't start the bikes are better for the environment crap - when is the last time you ever heard someone purchase a motorcycle for that reason?

Don't lets get too precious now, although some believe God rides a Harley, Joe Public will quickly drop any anti ACC support they have for us if we start expecting special treatment.

The only valid argument for not paying will be next year if the ACC increase on rego goes through that we are genuinely skint!

**MarkH** · 18th November 2009, 15:24

Originally Posted by AllanB

The only valid argument for not paying will be next year if the ACC increase on rego goes through that we are genuinely skint!

That isn't true at all! If it costs 67c to collect a toll (that is what it is SUPPOSED to cost, never mind the actual cost being much higher in the first year) and if a motorcyclist is asked to pay $1 then very little money is being collected for the actual road costs, most is being collected to pay for the cost of collecting it!
That is a VERY valid argument against bikers not paying a toll - it would cost too much to collect the toll and it isn't worth the trouble to charge a biker.

If the admin costs were under 10c per toll collected then I would have no problem with the idea of asking motorcyclists to pay $1 to use the toll road - we always have the option of going a different way.

**Crisis management** · 19th November 2009, 06:33

I'm with MarkH on this, I have no problem paying my share, I suggested 50c, on the proviso that they sort their collection costs so the money actually goes to paying for the debt, not supporting the collection agency.
My arguement was that we reduced congestion and road wear in the same way that car pooling does and suggested both forms (bikes & car pooling) be at a concession rate to promote their use.