So who hacked the poll?

"ncasolowork2" (ncasolowork2)
04/02/2014 at 10:06 • Filed to: None

Every night the W123 got a massive surge of votes. Statistics would tell us that our sample size of ~4,000 votes should stay relatively true for the next 8,000 votes. Things shouldn't deviate significantly. Yet the next 8,000 votes were practically 2-1 in favor of the W123. "because europe" is garbage.

The W123 was losing by a comfortable margin to the E36 yet came out ahead. Both are German cars and the idea that Germans would ALL prefer the W123 over the E36 is garbage. So which one of you rigged the beat-off?

DISCUSSION (35)

crowmolly > ncasolowork2
04/02/2014 at 10:07

I was wondering if somebody would mention the statistical implications of such a big swing. The poll was put up at 12PM EST which would be 5PM in parts of the EU. That's not exactly bedtime.

Brian Silvestro > ncasolowork2
04/02/2014 at 10:08

Because west coast? I don't know. I'm in the same boat as you. The statistics don't make sense.

BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather > Brian Silvestro
04/02/2014 at 10:10

The CRX not winning is what doesn't make sense.

505Turbeaux > ncasolowork2
04/02/2014 at 10:10

Kinja'd!!!

I don't know, the tone of the posts here yesterday certainly preferred the w123. When I left work at 5 EST there was a 100 vote difference over 10K votes total. Maybe 2014 is the year of reliability and not of American pony cars. Woo w123!

Brian Silvestro > BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather
04/02/2014 at 10:11

The E36/Baja Bug not winning is what doesn't make sense!

offroadkarter > ncasolowork2
04/02/2014 at 10:16

I to call malarkey on this ordeal

Dusty Ventures > BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather
04/02/2014 at 10:17

Let it go, man.

Jagvar > ncasolowork2
04/02/2014 at 10:18

While I wouldn't be at all upset to see the W123 win, I'm with you. The repeated last-minute surges seem highly suspect. At least three times, it's been pretty far behind, and then suddenly won by a large margin.

Coty > Brian Silvestro
04/02/2014 at 10:20

BAJA!

duurtlang > crowmolly
04/02/2014 at 10:21

When it was almost midnight here in Europe the Fox was still (marginally) ahead. When it was 9 am here the W123 had a strong lead, so the shift happened when it was night in Europe. Assuming it wasn't rigged the cause of this shift doesn't come from Europe (or Africa, with its similar time zones).

I'm surprised it's even a contest and would assume it's common sense the W123 wins, but that might just be my not-North American perspective.

Dusty Ventures > ncasolowork2
04/02/2014 at 10:22

I was monitoring it a bit and around 11:30 PM (Eastern US) both cars were around 4,500 votes. Suddenly voting surged for the Benz, and by 3 AM it had picked up another 2,000 votes while the Mustang had picked up about 200. For the next hour both sides hardly moved. Definitely suspicious to me. If it's Europe they started seriously early (6 AM). And why would voting abruptly at 9 AM there? If they're the ones doing all the voting shouldn't the trend continue?

mycarneverruns87 > ncasolowork2
04/02/2014 at 10:27

It wasn't me I promise! I had a bad feeling last night that the votes would swing in favor of the Merc and it turned out my suspicions were correct. Sad face....

Your boy, BJR > ncasolowork2
04/02/2014 at 10:28

Kinja'd!!!

This is what 'murica would look like if the W123 voters were around in the '40s.

ncasolowork2 > duurtlang
04/02/2014 at 10:35

As someone else pointed out at midnight eastern it was neck and neck. 3 hours later there was a 10-1 vote ratio over 2000 votes cast. That's poll hacking.

Agrajag > ncasolowork2
04/02/2014 at 10:36

I was certainly one of the W123's biggest adcovates, but I wouldn't want it to win that way. The comeback against the E36 was particularly startling.

Stupidru > ncasolowork2
04/02/2014 at 10:37

Very suspicious. The Stang was up by about 12% yesterday around noon. Around 10pm they were neck and neck.

Does anybody remember the Jalopnik Forza car pack vote? Some guy on the Ford Probe forums hacked the poll and posted something like 20k votes for the Probe

Milky > ncasolowork2
04/02/2014 at 10:39

Kinja'd!!!

ncasolowork2 > Milky
04/02/2014 at 10:54

Not really. I hacked the io9 Star Wars/Lord of the Rings poll sort of... I sent a link to the poll to the @starwars account. Before they tweeted the link it was 50/50. After they tweeted the link the contest was over.

NoahthePorscheGuy > ncasolowork2
04/02/2014 at 11:06

Its not letting me reply directly, but sharing the poll link on Twitter or on forums is hardly hacking. I wouldn't be surprised if this got shared to some Mercedes forum that all voted for the W123. If they wanted a better system they shiuld of had like two comments and most recommended wins because then you need an account.

BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather > Dusty Ventures
04/02/2014 at 11:06

I coulda been a contenda! I coulda been somebody!

CPT Speedbump > ncasolowork2
04/02/2014 at 11:08

I think its all one big April Fools joke, how the Baja bug got beat ? how the Cherokee got so far? the E36 got beat? It all makes no sense

Dusty Ventures > NoahthePorscheGuy
04/02/2014 at 11:22

It's the hours at which the avalanche of votes happened that makes it suspicious.

Stef Schrader > Brian Silvestro
04/02/2014 at 11:22

Ahem. 924. 924 was robbed.

Brian Silvestro > Stef Schrader
04/02/2014 at 11:23

That too! So many better cars

Stef Schrader > Brian Silvestro
04/02/2014 at 11:24

No. One better car than all of them: the 924.

Brian Silvestro > Stef Schrader
04/02/2014 at 11:25

Clearly Imprezas are better

Stef Schrader > ncasolowork2
04/02/2014 at 11:26

The numbers seems suspect, but the Euros wakin' up, having a morning sausage and reading Jalopnik would be my guess. Timing seems about right for that. Numbers are...I can't explain that.

It's not me, otherwise the rightful winner would be in the poll, killin' it: the 924.

Stef Schrader > Brian Silvestro
04/02/2014 at 11:27

Never.

ncasolowork2 > Stef Schrader
04/02/2014 at 11:40

Not Europe. Can't be. The shift happened at 6am according to Dusty Ventures who watched it happen. Plus, like I said, the E36 and W123 had the same thing happen. There's no way ALL the Euros prefer the W123 over the E36.

ncasolowork2 > NoahthePorscheGuy
04/02/2014 at 11:42

Sure maybe it got shared to a Mercedes forum, but at the time of night that it happened they got 2,000 votes when 80% of Jalopnik's unique traffic is asleep.

davedave1111 > ncasolowork2
04/02/2014 at 12:03

"There's no way ALL the Euros prefer the W123 over the E36."

Not at all sure about that. I've been pretty amazed to find out that Americans think the two are comparable. E30 against W123 would be tight, but the E36 isn't in the same class as a piece of machinery - or at least not usually seen as being.

crowmolly > duurtlang
04/02/2014 at 12:08

Having run simultaneous international research studies in the US/EU I can tell you with confidence that it looks fishy. Might be legit but certainly looks fishy. Even with following time zones and work hours. Why would so many people vote before work vs. after work the day prior? My studies always did equally well in the AM and PM.

Stef Schrader > ncasolowork2
04/02/2014 at 14:24

6 AM where, though? 6 AM Central is usually ".de is bored at work and on IRC" time.

Oh, I know some who would be all over that Mustang. It's different. Rarer. Like my need for an RS6 Avant, but backwards because lolwut? Oh yeah, y'all don't see these as often. Yep.

ncasolowork2 > Stef Schrader
04/02/2014 at 14:32

6am in Europe and midnight central.

Stef Schrader > ncasolowork2
04/02/2014 at 15:19

Oh. Weird.