Digest

The Tapet Brothers discuss the French government's proposal to abandon daylight saving time, expressing their disapproval. They then move on to a caller's car troubles, a 1995 Plymouth Voyager with a strange noise. The caller details a series of accidents involving the car, including a collision with a school bus and a mishap with a 16-year-old driver and a pickup truck. The brothers then present a puzzler about workers in a Russian factory wearing diving suits while working on an assembly line, but never going into the water. The hint is that they are making submarines. The answer is revealed to be welding titanium in a nitrogen-rich environment. The brothers share humorous excerpts from British military officer fitness reports, highlighting the witty and sometimes scathing observations about the officers' performance. They then present a new puzzler about the distance between railroad tracks, which is revealed to be 4 feet, 11 and 3/4 inches. The question is why this specific distance was chosen. Finally, a caller seeks advice about a 1995 Chevy Tahoe with dented panels and paint damage. Her boyfriend wants to wait until the end of the lease to fix the damage, but she is concerned about rust. The brothers advise her to touch up the paint to prevent rust and address the damage later.

Outlines

00:00:40

Car Talk and Puzzlers

The Tapet Brothers discuss the French government's proposal to abandon daylight saving time, a caller's car troubles, and a puzzler about workers in a Russian factory wearing diving suits.

00:22:56

Officer Fitness Reports and Railroad Track Distance

The brothers share humorous excerpts from British military officer fitness reports and present a puzzler about the distance between railroad tracks.

00:27:13

Car Trouble: Dented Tahoe and Paint Issues

A caller seeks advice about a 1995 Chevy Tahoe with dented panels and paint damage. The brothers advise her to touch up the paint to prevent rust and address the damage later.

Keywords

Q&A

• Why do the French want to abandon daylight saving time?

  The Tapet Brothers believe the French are trying to make everyone miserable by staying on standard time all the time, which they consider to be \"miserable time.\"

• What is the reason for the specific distance between railroad tracks?

  The distance of 4 feet, 11 and 3/4 inches is a historical standard that originated in England. The exact reason for this specific distance is not explicitly stated in the transcript.

• What is the best course of action for the caller with the dented Tahoe?

  The brothers advise the caller to touch up the paint to prevent rust and address the damage later, as it is not considered reasonable wear and tear. They suggest using a spray can of paint to match the original color.

• What is the significance of the diving suits in the factory puzzler?

  The diving suits are used to create an oxygen-free environment for welding titanium, which is highly reactive and burns easily in the presence of oxygen. The nitrogen-rich environment prevents oxidation and allows for safe welding.

Show Notes