Digest

This episode of Car Talk features a diverse range of listener inquiries. The Tapet Brothers first delve into the best way to navigate a washboard road, exploring various theories from listeners and physicists. They ultimately conclude that avoiding such roads is the most sensible approach. Next, they present a puzzler about two girls born to the same parents in Boston, one a US citizen and the other not. The answer lies in the timing of their births, one before and one after the US became a country. A caller from Mississippi seeks help with a persistent knocking noise in his girlfriend's 1995 Mazda Protegé brakes. The brothers diagnose the problem as warped brake disks and advise the caller to insist on their replacement. The episode concludes with humorous anecdotes from listeners and a new puzzler about Crusty the mechanic's attempt to improve his generator's performance by replacing the pulley. Finally, a caller from Berkeley, California, describes her three-year-old son's tendency to vomit during her drives but not her husband's. The Tapet Brothers attribute this to her driving style, suggesting she drive more smoothly and avoid sudden changes in speed and direction.

Outlines

00:00:40

Washboard Road Physics and Puzzler: The Boston Citizen

The Tapet Brothers discuss the best way to drive over a washboard road, receiving a variety of responses from listeners, including physicists. They explore different theories, from driving at high speed to becoming one with the road, ultimately concluding that the best advice is to avoid washboard roads altogether. They then present a puzzler about two girls born to the same parents in Boston, one a US citizen and the other not. The answer lies in the fact that one girl was born before the US was a country, while the other was born after its formation.

00:16:40

Car Talk: 1995 Mazda Protegé Brakes and Thoughts and a New Puzzler

A caller from Mississippi describes a knocking noise in his girlfriend's 1995 Mazda Protegé brakes that persists despite multiple attempts by mechanics to fix it. The Tapet Brothers diagnose the problem as warped brake disks and advise the caller to insist on their replacement. The Tapet Brothers share humorous thoughts from listeners, including a Dave Barry quote about women's priorities and a Mark Twain joke about Congress. They then present a new puzzler about Crusty the mechanic and his attempt to improve his generator's performance by replacing the pulley.

00:29:10

Car Talk: Motion Sickness in the Backseat

A caller from Berkeley, California, describes a problem with her three-year-old son who vomits every time she drives, but not when her husband drives. The Tapet Brothers attribute the problem to the caller's driving style, suggesting she drive more smoothly and avoid sudden changes in speed and direction.

Keywords

Q&A

• What are some common theories about how to drive over a washboard road?

  Some theories include driving at high speed to glide over the ripples, driving slowly to ride the ripples, and becoming one with the road by adjusting speed based on the rattling of your bones.

• What is the solution to the caller's problem with his girlfriend's Mazda Protegé brakes?

  The problem is likely warped brake disks, which need to be replaced. The caller should insist on this solution, as machining the disks only provides a temporary fix.

• Why does the caller's son vomit when she drives but not when her husband drives?

  The caller's driving style is likely the culprit. She may be driving too aggressively, with sudden changes in speed and direction, which can cause motion sickness in the backseat.

• What is the new puzzler about Crusty the mechanic?

  Crusty replaced the pulley on his generator with a smaller one to improve charging at low speeds. However, this change has an unexpected consequence that the listeners must figure out.

Show Notes