# 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:** 40
**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:** [July 24, 2017, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/781 "2017-07-24T19:41:42Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Actually, I’m still not sure why this would be reported in newspapers, especially the first time it happened. > 1: Were any of the people wearing the costumes famous prior to the first incident? > 2: Were any of them famous for reasons other than wearing said costumes? > 3: Were any of the people who got showered famous prior to the first incident? > > If yes, then if necessary, we can try to narrow down why they were famous. No to all. ---
**Author:** ![snoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/43a26b/32.png) [@snoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snoe)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2017, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/782 "2017-07-24T19:41:52Z")
> [@snoe](#): > > Yeah, it’s gotta be parades. > > 1. not in the comic/cartoon medium > 2. trademarked characters from different companies without legal issues > 3. people literally got wet (implies outdoors) > 4. repeated incidents 5 years apart > 5. newsworthy > > I’ll make a more specific guess: Macy’s parade. ETA: balloon-related To take it a guess further: people were showered when balloons collapsed, collided, sagged, etc., during rainy weather? (Whether I got it or not, Biotop, this was another niiice creative puzzle :)) ---
**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:** [July 24, 2017, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/783 "2017-07-24T19:42:48Z")
> [@snoe](#): > > WAG: were parades involved? > [@snoe](#): > > Yeah, it’s gotta be parades. > > 1. not in the comic/cartoon medium > 2. trademarked characters from different companies without legal issues > 3. people literally got wet (implies outdoors) > 4. repeated incidents 5 years apart > 5. newsworthy > > I’ll make a more specific guess: Macy’s parade. ETA: balloon-related YES!!! ---
**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:** [July 24, 2017, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/784 "2017-07-24T19:48:51Z")
Bravo **snoe**!! [Check out #2](https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=http://www.phillipslaw.com/top-10-macy-s-thanksgiving-day-parade-balloon-accidents&ved=0ahUKEwj1zqjj1qLVAhWBNz4KHUw6AykQFggdMAA&usg=AFQjCNF015pwW9miyjNkjNRbm-5nbht8gw). 5 year’s afterwards, nearly the same thing happened. This time with a Donald Duck balloon. Both times the problem was with their sailor hats becoming filled with cold rainwater and dumping onto the crowd. ---
**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:** [July 24, 2017, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/785 "2017-07-24T19:52:46Z")
[Here’s another article mentioning both incidents](https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=http://askzephyr.com/helium-balloon-accidents-macys-thanksgiving-day-parade/&ved=0ahUKEwj144We2KLVAhUFjz4KHeWKA0sQFggfMAE&usg=AFQjCNEa1gbJvkEY-ptk34d-rophYd2hfw). I did hint about the hat… ---
**Author:** ![snoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/43a26b/32.png) [@snoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snoe)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2017, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/786 "2017-07-24T19:57:36Z")
A nice “ripped from the headlines” puzz, Biotop. And again not based on the musty tropes of early-20th-century British mystery stories! 🙂 I, for one, hope you’ll keep these coming! ---
**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:** [July 24, 2017, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/787 "2017-07-24T20:01:37Z")
> [@snoe](#): > > A nice “ripped from the headlines” puzz, Biotop. And again not based on the musty tropes of early-20th-century British mystery stories! 🙂 I, for one, hope you’ll keep these coming! It’s hard to come up with these things. You want to be tricky but fair. I hope someone else takes a turn next! ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2017, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/788 "2017-07-24T21:25:06Z")
Jeff had a problem that required he have his car towed to a mechanic’s shop. After he dropped the car off, he walked to a nearby lunch while he waited. While he was at lunch, the mechanic called and said he couldn’t find anything wrong with the car. “I’m not surprised.” replied Jeff and he explained his problem to the mechanic. “I see,” said the mechanic. “Sure, I can fix that for you.” A few hours later, the problem was fixed and Jeff drove his car back home. What was the explanation he gave the mechanic? ---
**Author:** ![snoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/43a26b/32.png) [@snoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snoe)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2017, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/789 "2017-07-24T21:37:39Z")
> [@Inner\_Stickler](#): > > Jeff had a problem that required he have his car towed to a mechanic’s shop. After he dropped the car off, he walked to a nearby lunch while he waited. While he was at lunch, the mechanic called and said he couldn’t find anything wrong with the car. “I’m not surprised.” replied Jeff and he explained his problem to the mechanic. “I see,” said the mechanic. “Sure, I can fix that for you.” A few hours later, the problem was fixed and Jeff drove his car back home. What was the explanation he gave the mechanic? 1. Did the mechanic actually perform any repairs on Jeff’s car? 2. Did the mechanic charge Jeff anything? ---
**Author:** ![Folly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folly/32/3219_2.png) [@Folly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folly)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2017, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/790 "2017-07-24T21:55:53Z")
Is Jeff a penguin? If so, did he have ice cream at lunch? More seriously: Did the problem with the car prevent other people from driving the car, or just Jeff? Is Jeff physically unusual in some way relevant to the solution? ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2017, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/791 "2017-07-24T22:05:14Z")
> [@snoe](#): > > 1. Did the mechanic actually perform any repairs on Jeff’s car? > 2. Did the mechanic charge Jeff anything? 1. No. 2. Yes. > [@Folly](#): > > Is Jeff a penguin? If so, did he have ice cream at lunch? > > More seriously: > Did the problem with the car prevent other people from driving the car, or just Jeff? > Is Jeff physically unusual in some way relevant to the solution? He is not a penguin and what he ate for lunch is not relevant. 😃 The problem would affect any driver. Jeff is not unusual in some way relevant to the solution. ---
**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:** [July 24, 2017, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/792 "2017-07-24T22:05:52Z")
Good puzzle, **Biotop** , but in what sense did the sailor stuff the duck? The duck was stuffed, sure, but I don’t see how Popeye would be involved in that. To **Inner Stickler** : At the time that the car was towed to the shop, was it possible to drive it? Did Jeff anticipate this problem a significant amount of time in advance? Did Jeff anticipate the precise time when this problem would occur? Would it have been possible for the mechanic to find the problem without Jeff’s explanation? ---
**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:** [July 24, 2017, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/793 "2017-07-24T22:07:10Z")
Oh, and is the lunch relevant, beyond providing a reason why Jeff didn’t remain with the car? ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2017, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/794 "2017-07-24T22:08:28Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > At the time that the car was towed to the shop, was it possible to drive it? > Did Jeff anticipate this problem a significant amount of time in advance? > Did Jeff anticipate the precise time when this problem would occur? > Would it have been possible for the mechanic to find the problem without Jeff’s explanation? The car was drivable. I’m not sure exactly what you’re getting at but the problem the mechanic fixed could have been discovered by Jeff a week or an hour before he went to the mechanic. Jeff did not anticipate the time the problem that required a mechanic would occur. Yes. ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2017, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/795 "2017-07-24T22:10:38Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Oh, and is the lunch relevant, beyond providing a reason why Jeff didn’t remain with the car? It’s not relevant. ---
**Author:** ![Knowed\_Out](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/knowed_out/32/7380_2.png) [@Knowed\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knowed_Out)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2017, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/796 "2017-07-24T22:11:12Z")
Is Jeff a snail? ---
**Author:** ![Folly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folly/32/3219_2.png) [@Folly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folly)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2017, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/797 "2017-07-24T22:12:42Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Good puzzle, **Biotop** , but in what sense did the sailor stuff the duck? The duck was stuffed, sure, but I don’t see how Popeye would be involved in that. To be fair, I don’t think it was ever established that ‘he’ referred to Popeye. ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2017, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/798 "2017-07-24T22:13:44Z")
> [@Knowed\_Out](#): > > Is Jeff a snail? Jeff is not a snail. ---
**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:** [July 24, 2017, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/799 "2017-07-24T22:16:54Z")
Probably too obvious, but did the car have an adequate supply of fuel? ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2017, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/800 "2017-07-24T22:18:09Z")
I’m not sure I understand how Popeye stuffed Donald. As for the new set: Is the problem caused by something different between the driver and the mechanic? Is the driver taller than the mechanic? Is the driver heavier than the mechanic? Is the driver bigger (in volume) than the mechanic? Does the driver usually have someone with him when this problem arises? Is that person relevant to why the problem didn’t happen for the mechanic? Height? Weight? Volume? Is someone other than Jeff who actually noticed the problem? Is that person driving the car when the problem happens? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868.md?page=39) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868.md?page=41)