# 53 bicycles: A lateral thinking puzzle **URL:** \ **Category:** Thread Games\ **Created:** [July 9, 2017, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868 "2017-07-09T19:51:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 144
**Author:** ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2018, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/2862 "2018-04-28T16:18:24Z")
Are the various objects memorializing the named individuals each fixed at one side of a pedestrian crossing? Are the objects in the middle of the road/crossing? Are the objects traffic lights? ---
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2018, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/2863 "2018-04-28T16:25:10Z")
**reply to SpoilerVirgin** Are the various objects memorializing the named individuals each fixed at one side of a pedestrian crossing? **Yes** Are the objects in the middle of the road/crossing? **No** Are the objects traffic lights? **Close** ---
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2018, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/2864 "2018-04-28T16:40:12Z")
I think **SpoilerVirgin** pretty much got it with the last one. Well done! [Story here](https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/karl-marx-traffic-lights) So what do you get when you cross a zebra with a pelican and Karl Marx? You get safely across the street in Trier, Germany. ---
**Author:** ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2018, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/2865 "2018-04-28T16:57:23Z")
Good puzzle! I had not heard of this before. Here’s a cool picture of the [Beethoven traffic lights](https://www.flickr.com/photos/21446550@N02/31148243884/). ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2018, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/2866 "2018-04-28T21:29:33Z")
To which I can only say, “Bwuh?”. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2018, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/2867 "2018-05-06T19:30:42Z")
**A 15 year-old boy appeared in a trauma center in with ulcers on his forearm. Turned out to be a pretty unusual situation. What had happened and why?** ---
**Author:** ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2018, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/2868 "2018-05-06T19:59:23Z")
Were the ulcers the result of illness? Were the ulcers the result of injury? Were the ulcers self-inflicted? ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2018, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/2869 "2018-05-06T22:12:21Z")
> [@SpoilerVirgin](#): > > Were the ulcers the result of illness? No. > > Were the ulcers the result of injury? Kind of. > > Were the ulcers self-inflicted? Yes. KK ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2018, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/2870 "2018-05-06T22:20:54Z")
Is religion relevant to the situation? Specifically, is the resemblance of the ulcers to crucifixion wounds relevant? Were the ulcers inflicted deliberately? Were the ulcers inflicted mechanically (e.g., by abrasion)? Were they inflicted chemically? Were they inflicted through biological means? ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2018, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/2871 "2018-05-06T23:33:23Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Is religion relevant to the situation? NO > > Specifically, is the resemblance of the ulcers to crucifixion wounds relevant? NO > > Were the ulcers inflicted deliberately? NO > > Were the ulcers inflicted mechanically (e.g., by abrasion)? NO > > Were they inflicted chemically? YES > > Were they inflicted through biological means? NO(as I understand your Q) KK ---
**Author:** ![j666](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de0a6/32.png) [@j666](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/j666)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2018, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/2872 "2018-05-07T01:04:10Z")
Is it integral that he went to a trauma center rather than a doctor’s office? Was the chemical a standard household product? ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2018, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/2873 "2018-05-07T02:44:45Z")
> [@j666](#): > > Is it integral that he went to a trauma center rather than a doctor’s office? NO > > Was the chemical a standard household product? I DON’T THINK SO I’m giving my opinion on what “standard household product” is and say NO. ---
**Author:** ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2018, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/2874 "2018-05-07T04:27:00Z")
Was it the boy’s intention to create some sort of pattern or writing on his arm? Did the boy believe that he would gain some benefit by putting his arm in contact with the chemical? Was the boy trying to cure some illness or injury by putting his arm in contact with the chemical? ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2018, 11:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/2875 "2018-05-07T11:41:10Z")
Were the ulcers caused by a radioactive substance? ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2018, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/2876 "2018-05-07T13:56:15Z")
> [@SpoilerVirgin](#): > > Was it the boy’s intention to create some sort of pattern or writing on his arm? NO > > Did the boy believe that he would gain some benefit by putting his arm in contact with the chemical? YES > > Was the boy trying to cure some illness or injury by putting his arm in contact with the chemical? NO > [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > Were the ulcers caused by a radioactive substance? IRRELEVANT I don’t think any potential radioactivity is part of the puzzle, if it exists. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2018, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/2877 "2018-05-07T14:10:19Z")
Was the boy trying to gain superpowers? ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2018, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/2878 "2018-05-08T01:05:07Z")
> [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > Was the boy trying to gain superpowers? Yes. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2018, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/2879 "2018-05-08T02:40:29Z")
Was he trying to emulate the Flash’s origin story? ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2018, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/2880 "2018-05-08T03:17:45Z")
> [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > Was he trying to emulate the Flash’s origin story? No. ---
**Author:** ![Walken\_After\_Midnight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b487fb/32.png) [@Walken\_After\_Midnight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walken_After_Midnight)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2018, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/2881 "2018-05-08T20:37:23Z")
Was the chemical: - naturally occurring in nature? or - artificial, made by humans? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868.md?page=143) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868.md?page=145)