# 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:** 155
**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:** [June 4, 2018, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3082 "2018-06-04T21:44:15Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > The profession is not amusing. - Anything to do with bodily waste, including the collection of urine or sewerage? - Anything to do with dead things, animal or human? - Were the workers doing a job considered by the society of the time to be taboo, unclean, impure or very low-status? ---
**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:** [June 4, 2018, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3083 "2018-06-04T22:05:55Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > Lysistrata - sex strike. Ah, no. > [@Walken\_After\_Midnight](#): > > - Anything to do with bodily waste, including the collection of urine or sewerage? NO > - Anything to do with dead things, animal or human? NO > - Were the workers doing a job considered by the society of the time to be taboo, unclean, impure or very low-status? NO KK ---
**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:** [June 4, 2018, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3084 "2018-06-04T22:36:20Z")
Were the workers : - all male ? - all female ? - a mixture ? Were the workers : - children ? - adults ? - a mixture ? ---
**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:** [June 4, 2018, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3085 "2018-06-04T23:00:59Z")
> [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > Were the workers : > > - all male ? > - all female ? > - a mixture ? > > Were the workers : > > - children ? > - adults ? > - a mixture ? Male and female adults. ---
**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:** [June 4, 2018, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3086 "2018-06-04T23:07:00Z")
Was the number of striking workers less than 10? less than 50? less than 100? less than 1000? Were the workers government employees? ---
**Author:** ![MonkeyMensch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@MonkeyMensch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MonkeyMensch)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2018, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3087 "2018-06-05T01:28:06Z")
Was it a union strike or was it a wildcat strike? ---
**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:** [June 5, 2018, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3088 "2018-06-05T01:50:44Z")
Did this take place: - in the New World ? - in Britain ? - in the rest of Europe? - somewhere else? ---
**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:** [June 5, 2018, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3089 "2018-06-05T01:58:43Z")
> [@Biotop](#): > > Was the number of striking workers > > less than 10? > less than 50? > less than 100? > less than 1000? > > Were the workers government employees? Government employees? Yes. I don’t know the number, though. > [@MonkeyMensch](#): > > Was it a union strike > > or was it a wildcat strike? I don’t know. > [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > Did this take place: > > - in the New World ? > - in Britain ? > - in the rest of Europe? > - somewhere else? Rest of Europe. ---
**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:** [June 5, 2018, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3090 "2018-06-05T02:10:10Z")
Is the particular country in Europe relevant? Is the thing the workers did still being done today? ---
**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:** [June 5, 2018, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3091 "2018-06-05T02:23:56Z")
> [@Biotop](#): > > Is the particular country in Europe relevant? \*\*Nope. It’s France if anyone cares. > \*\* > Is the thing the workers did still being done today? YES KK ---
**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:** [June 5, 2018, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3092 "2018-06-05T02:33:03Z")
Is the answer to the “where am I” part of the riddle meant to be more specific than 1700’s France? If so, would the specific answer to the “where am I” part make it easier to figure out the reason for the strike? ---
**Author:** ![MonkeyMensch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@MonkeyMensch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MonkeyMensch)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2018, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3093 "2018-06-05T03:11:04Z")
Did thir work have to do with transportation? ---
**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:** [June 5, 2018, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3094 "2018-06-05T13:53:59Z")
> [@Biotop](#): > > Is the answer to the “where am I” part of the riddle meant to be more specific than 1700’s France? If so, would the specific answer to the “where am I” part make it easier to figure out the reason for the strike? I just meant what kind of work is it. > [@MonkeyMensch](#): > > Did thir work have to do with transportation? Nope. ---
**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:** [June 5, 2018, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3095 "2018-06-05T14:07:26Z")
Did the workers strike for any kind of medical coverage? Did the workers strike for improved non-work conditions from the government? Did the workers strike for benefits of any kind? Did the workers strike for reasons related to their type of work? Did the workers strike over a human rights issue? Did the workers strike over a superstition? ---
**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:** [June 5, 2018, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3096 "2018-06-05T16:17:43Z")
> [@Biotop](#): > > Did the workers strike for any kind of medical coverage? NO > Did the workers strike for improved non-work conditions from the government? NO > Did the workers strike for benefits of any kind? NO(I assume you mean health benefits) > Did the workers strike for reasons related to their type of work? I don’t get this one. I’ll say “NO” as I understand your Q. > Did the workers strike over a human rights issue? NO > Did the workers strike over a superstition? NO KK ---
**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:** [June 5, 2018, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3097 "2018-06-05T17:15:55Z")
Were the things being made: - Anything to do with food? - Anything to do with clothing? - Something that might be found in a domestic household of the time? Does this profession still exist today: - in the Western world? - somewhere else in the world? ---
**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:** [June 5, 2018, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3098 "2018-06-05T20:09:39Z")
> [@Walken\_After\_Midnight](#): > > Were the things being made: > > - Anything to do with food? NO > - Anything to do with clothing? NO > - Something that might be found in a domestic household of the time? YES > > Does this profession still exist today: > > - in the Western world? YES > - somewhere else in the world? YES KK ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2018, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3099 "2018-06-05T20:27:16Z")
Did the workers work with wood? Did they make furniture? ---
**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:** [June 5, 2018, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3100 "2018-06-05T23:23:23Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > Did the workers work with wood? Did they make furniture? No to both. ---
**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:** [June 5, 2018, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3101 "2018-06-05T23:37:27Z")
did they work with : - metal ? - glass ? - cloth ? - paper ? - parts of animals ? - parts of plants ? Did the job require skilled craftsmen? Was it something that anyone could do? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868.md?page=154) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868.md?page=156)