Parking Fees

Question

A certain mayor has proposed a fee of five dollars per day on private vehicles entering the city, claiming that the fee will alleviate the city's traffic congestion. The mayor reasons that, since the fee will exceed the cost of round-trip bus fare from many nearby points, many people will switch from using their cars to using the bus.

Which of the following statements, if true, provides the best evidence that the mayor's reasoning is flawed?

(A) Projected increases in the price of gasoline will increase the cost of taking a private vehicle into the city.
(B) The cost of parking fees already makes it considerably more expensive for most people to take a private vehicle into the city than to take a bus.
(C) Most of the people currently riding the bus do not own private vehicles.
(D) Many commuters opposing the mayor's plan have indicated that they would rather endure traffic congestion than pay a five-dollar-per day fee.
(E) During the average workday, private vehicles owned and operated by people living within the city account for twenty percent of the city's traffic congestion

This paragraph has been posted previously, but I am re-posting it in order to get new responses since It seems I am the only on who has difficulty with it.

I can't see how OA

B is a flaw. It seems to strengthen the argument. Please help.

kaulnikhil · Answer

heshamelaziry wrote:A certain mayor has proposed a fee of five dollars per day on private vehicles entering the city, claiming that the fee will alleviate the city's traffic congestion. The mayor reasons that, since the fee will exceed the cost of round-trip bus fare from many nearby points, many people will switch from using their cars to using the bus.

Which of the following statements, if true, provides the best evidence that the mayor's reasoning is flawed?

(A) Projected increases in the price of gasoline will increase the cost of taking a private vehicle into the city.
(B) The cost of parking fees already makes it considerably more expensive for most people to take a private vehicle into the city than to take a bus.--Shows money is not a condideration for people when they use their Cars . For most of the people driving cars is expensive but still they do so and create congestion. Raising fines wouldn't make sense , as most of these people arnt concerned about hw much they are shelling out
(C) Most of the people currently riding the bus do not own private vehicles.
(D) Many commuters opposing the mayor's plan have indicated that they would rather endure traffic congestion than pay a five-dollar-per day fee.
(E) During the average workday, private vehicles owned and operated by people living within the city account for twenty percent of the city's traffic congestion

This paragraph has been posted previously, but I am re-posting it in order to get new responses since It seems I am the only on who has difficulty with it.

I can't see how OA

B is a flaw. It seems to strengthen the argument. Please help.

sunnyjohn · Answer

Argument :

increased fee will make ppl to switch.

(A) Projected increases in the price of gasoline will increase the cost of taking a private vehicle into the city.
This increase the cost with some other mean. but it has not to do with either Switch or entering fee.
Here, one can argue that this increase may cause ppl to switch not the mayor's plan.
This is trap. we are not given the ppl have already switched. If it were given then it wud have been the best way to weaken the mayor argument.

(B) The cost of parking fees already makes it considerably more expensive for most people to take a private vehicle into the city than to take a bus.

this say, ppl may not choose to switch.

(C) Most of the people currently riding the bus do not own private vehicles.
Irrelevant.

(D) Many commuters opposing the mayor's plan have indicated that they would rather endure traffic congestion than pay a five-dollar-per day fee.
Irrelevant.

(E) During the average workday, private vehicles owned and operated by people living within the city account for twenty percent of the city's traffic congestion
only 20%, so mayor is right in some way for the action taken.
However if it were like city ppl are causing 90% traffic congestion that it might be the answer.

I hope now u know which one is answer.

gmat740 · Answer

Lets be very clear about how to approach a flaw question.
this is a cause effect question,so to weaken(find a flaw) just find an alternate cause.

B does this job well.

Argument says

Increasing Taxes(cause) => reduces traffic

to weaken
The cost of parking fees already makes it considerably more expensive for most people to take a private vehicle

Thus, there has to be some other factors besides Money!so we get an alternate cause(s)

Hope this Helps

tusharkhatri123 · Answer

Although I got my answer correct, but I pre-assumed something different than given in the answer choice. Please check whether my pre-assumptions are also correct:

1. The city has narrow streets which does not allow buses to commute easily. So switching from cars to buses won't be of any use.
2. This city is used as an intermediate city to commute to another place. So, at any cost cars will enter and they can't be replaced with round-trip bus.

Thanks and Regards
Tushar

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