# 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:** 42
**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 25, 2017, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/821 "2017-07-25T14:41:44Z")
Yep! Jeff owns a towing company and the brakelines on his truck fail. The garage is only a few blocks away but without brakes, he can’t drive the truck even that far. So he hooks up the front wheels of his own car to the tow truck and rides in the raised car while his wife carefully drives the tow truck. Whenever they approach a stop sign, Jeff applies the brakes in his car which are in the rear wheels on his car bringing both it and the truck to a stop. Jeff and his wife leave both the car and the tow truck at the mechanic and they go have lunch. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the mechanic is confused about which vehicle needs service but after Jeff explains, the mechanic is able to fix the brakes and Jeff’s wife drives the tow truck home followed by Jeff in his car. ---
**Author:** ![snoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/43a26b/32.png) [@snoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snoe)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2017, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/822 "2017-07-25T20:51:17Z")
> [@Inner\_Stickler](#): > > Yep! Jeff owns a towing company and the brakelines on his truck fail. The garage is only a few blocks away but without brakes, he can’t drive the truck even that far. So he hooks up the front wheels of his own car to the tow truck and rides in the raised car while his wife carefully drives the tow truck. Whenever they approach a stop sign, Jeff applies the brakes in his car which are in the rear wheels on his car bringing both it and the truck to a stop. Jeff and his wife leave both the car and the tow truck at the mechanic and they go have lunch. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the mechanic is confused about which vehicle needs service but after Jeff explains, the mechanic is able to fix the brakes and Jeff’s wife drives the tow truck home followed by Jeff in his car. Nicely done - particularly the misdirection about the car not needing repair 😉 ---
**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 28, 2017, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/823 "2017-07-28T18:36:41Z")
This one’s not that clever, but it’s allegedly true. Jack Daniel, the famous whiskey brewer, died from blood poisoning when he couldn’t access his important papers. How? ---
**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 28, 2017, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/824 "2017-07-28T19:20:56Z")
Were the papers important by virtue of having something written and/or printed on them? Did his blood poisoning have anything to do with alcohol? Was the lack of access to his papers actually in any way causative of his death (as opposed to “when” meaning that they were simply at the same time)? ---
**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 28, 2017, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/825 "2017-07-28T19:55:32Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Were the papers important by virtue of having something written and/or printed on them? > Did his blood poisoning have anything to do with alcohol? > Was the lack of access to his papers actually in any way causative of his death (as opposed to “when” meaning that they were simply at the same time)? Unknown No Yes ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2017, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/826 "2017-07-29T00:24:02Z")
1. Did he injure himself trying to get to the papers? 2. Were the papers in some kind of container? 3. If no to 2, did he do something like drop them down a well hole? 4. Is it probable that modern medicine would have saved him? ---
**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 29, 2017, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/827 "2017-07-29T01:26:32Z")
> [@RivkahChaya](#): > > 1. Did he injure himself trying to get to the papers? > > 2. Were the papers in some kind of container? > > 3. If no to 2, did he do something like drop them down a well hole? > > 4. Is it probable that modern medicine would have saved him? Yes Yes N/A Yes ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2017, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/828 "2017-07-29T04:34:45Z")
1. Was the container bigger than a breadbox? 2. If yes to 1, was the container some kind of building he tried to break into? 3. Was an incendiary device used to get into the container? 4. Did he eventually get in? 5. If no to 4, was it because he was injured too badly? ---
**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 29, 2017, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/829 "2017-07-29T13:09:55Z")
> [@RivkahChaya](#): > > 1. Was the container bigger than a breadbox? > > 2. If yes to 1, was the container some kind of building he tried to break into? > > 3. Was an incendiary device used to get into the container? > > 4. Did he eventually get in? > > 5. If no to 4, was it because he was injured too badly? Yes No No No Yes ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2017, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/830 "2017-07-29T13:37:47Z")
1. Was the container designed to be difficult to get into-- that is, some kind of secure box for important papers, for example. 2. Was it broken in that it should have been easy for him to open, because it was his, but the lock mechanism or whatever, was broken. 3. Was it small enough for him to lift? ---
**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 29, 2017, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/831 "2017-07-29T13:48:39Z")
1. Were the papers in a safe? 2. Did he fall? 3. Would it help us to know anything more about the papers? 4. Did his injury immediately incapacitate him? ---
**Author:** ![Some\_Call\_Me.Tim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@Some\_Call\_Me.Tim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Some_Call_Me.Tim)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2017, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/832 "2017-07-29T14:21:42Z")
1. Were the papers in question to be used as a physical object for a practical purpose? (e.g. to be lit on fire, to wrap something up, etc.) 2. Did he use a substitute for the unavailable papers? 3. Was that substitute poisonous? 4. Were the papers in question newspapers? 5. Was he injured prior to attempting to access the papers? 6. Was he injured while attempting to access the papers? ---
**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 29, 2017, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/833 "2017-07-29T22:34:22Z")
> [@RivkahChaya](#): > > 1. Was the container designed to be difficult to get into-- that is, some kind of secure box for important papers, for example. > > 2. Was it broken in that it should have been easy for him to open, because it was his, but the lock mechanism or whatever, was broken. > > 3. Was it small enough for him to lift? Yes No No ---
**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 29, 2017, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/834 "2017-07-29T22:36:33Z")
> [@Biotop](#): > > 1. Were the papers in a safe? > 2. Did he fall? > 3. Would it help us to know anything more about the papers? > 4. Did his injury immediately incapacitate him? Yes No No Yes ---
**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 29, 2017, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/835 "2017-07-29T22:38:14Z")
> [@Some\_Call\_Me.Tim](#): > > 1. Were the papers in question to be used as a physical object for a practical purpose? (e.g. to be lit on fire, to wrap something up, etc.) > 2. Did he use a substitute for the unavailable papers? > 3. Was that substitute poisonous? > 4. Were the papers in question newspapers? > 5. Was he injured prior to attempting to access the papers? > 6. Was he injured while attempting to access the papers? No No No No No Yes ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2017, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/836 "2017-07-29T23:57:21Z")
1. So, he injured himself trying to get into a safe, in such a was that he developed sepsis. Is that a fair summary? 2. Did he lose the key? 3. If not 2, was it a combination safe, and he forgot the combination? 4. Did he try to open it with an ax or some similar implement and cut himself? 5. If no to 4, since we know no incendiary device was used, did he somehow try to force it open, and injure himself with the safe itself, like 6. trying to smash it against a rock, and getting hit with debris or 7. dropping it on his foot? ---
**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 30, 2017, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/837 "2017-07-30T00:38:42Z")
> [@RivkahChaya](#): > > 1. So, he injured himself trying to get into a safe, in such a was that he developed sepsis. Is that a fair summary? > > 2. Did he lose the key? > > 3. If not 2, was it a combination safe, and he forgot the combination? > > 4. Did he try to open it with an ax or some similar implement and cut himself? > > 5. If no to 4, since we know no incendiary device was used, did he somehow try to force it open, and injure himself with the safe itself, like > > 6. trying to smash it against a rock, and getting hit with debris or > > 7. dropping it on his foot? Yes No No No Yes No No-but the foot part is relevant ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2017, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/838 "2017-07-30T00:45:20Z")
> [@Knowed\_Out](#): > > No-but the foot part is relevant 1)He tried to kick it open? 2)what, with his bare foot? 3)How do you get sepsis doing that? 4)Did a sharp piece break loose and go through his boot? ---
**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 30, 2017, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/839 "2017-07-30T01:34:10Z")
You’ve essentially got it Rivka. Jack Daniel frequently forgot his safe’s combination. One fateful day he forgot again, so he kicked the safe in frustration and broke his toe. Blood poisoning set in and led to his death. ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2017, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/840 "2017-07-30T01:59:24Z")
I just Googled that, and apparently it may be a legend, but it’s a pretty well-spread one. I also noted with interest that JD died on my son’s birthday, which is funny, because my son’s name is John Daniel, and at some point, the other kids are probably going to call him “Jack Daniel.” Right now we call him Johnny, but I’m sure at some point (soon) he’ll want a more grown up name, and in intermediate school, “Jack Daniel” will probably sound cool and even badass to a nice bar mitzvah boy. He’s a very good kid, and I anticipate him going through some very vanilla, his idea of badass, stage. Hi father and I plan to be duly shocked, so he won’t have to do anything really bad-- I mean, if he can eat a pepperoni pizza, call himself “Jack Daniel,” and feel like a badass, I’ve done my job as a parent. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868.md?page=41) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868.md?page=43)