The following appeared in a letter to the editor of the Balmer Island Gazette. "On Balmer Island, where mopeds serve as a popular form of transportation, the population increases to 100,000 during the summer months. To reduce the number of accidents invol

In this argument, the author of the argument sites that moped is a popular form of transportation and during summer months the population increases by 1,00,000. So to reduce the number of accidents between the mopeds and pedestrians, the council should reduce the number of rentals and they would achieve 50% reduction in accidents as it was achieved in the neighbouring island of Seaville. I find the author is lacking at various points in valiating his assumption of reduction in accidents.

Firstly, the author states that the population increases by 100,000 which he finds to be a big number. also we donot know the town's current population. He also a asserts that moped is a popular mode of transportation but we donot know what percent of population uses that mode of transportation as a means to communicate. It might be the case that the island is so small that it can be travelled with the feet in a short time. So it may be the reason why people find it easy to communicate the island by walking and for others who don't wish to walk they might drive on moped which may be the other alternative. Also the means of communication to reach other places is not mentioned.

Secondly, it may be the case that pedestrians who communicate by walking may not be following any traffic laws and want the moped users to stop and alllow them to pass which may be the reason why there are higher number of accidents involving mopeds and pedestrians. Else other reason why there is higher rate of accidents is the road may be too narrow or there is no traffic sense among the residents of island which may be the case of accidents when population increases in summer months.

Also the town council of Balmer Island has come to conclusion that reducing the number of rentals of moped from 50 to 25 during summer season will reduce the accident rate. There are no records stating that the accident frequency is high when there are more visitors. Also there is no indication of visitors opting to travel on mopeds.

The town council directly jumps to the conclusion that they will achieve the same results as the neighbouring island of Seaville achieved by enforcing the limits on moped rentals. We do not what population used to drive the moped in the neighbouring island and what was the cause of accident over there . also we have no what was the population of that island and what was the accident rate. If the number of accidents on that island was less and by further restricting the moped rentals it came down by 50% , that is not the reason why he should believe that same will be their case.

Thus based on the above flaws, I would conclude that there are several points the authority has missed and the author of the argument has jumped to incorrect conclusions.