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#1150: Blinker Transgressions

Dec 10, 2011
This week on Car Talk, Molly's boyfriend gets irate when other drivers fail to use their turn signals. But when Molly caught him committing his own blinker transgression, said boyfriend had a ready explanation, that may send the bogosity meter way into the red. Elsewhere, Terry in New Mexico has a long history of breaking in new cars and wives, both of which are being tested by his new Rav 4; Peter in Brooklyn's good deed went bad, after several gallons of post-Thanksgiving turkey oil spilled in the back of his Passat; and Jill in Wyoming is wondering why the local horses find her Jeep's hood so tasty. All this, plus a new Puzzler from the Road Trip series, and lots more, this week on Car Talk.

Show Open Topic

Ready for some automotive karma? Here's what happens when you try to turn back your odometer.

This Week's Puzzler

What flummoxing state has four letters?

Last Week's Puzzler

Why was the traveling salesman always assigned a second-floor hotel room?

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15 Comments

The salt is not a salt

Out here in the west, they use a liquid magnesium cholride to de-ice the roads. It is not salt granules. But here in Colorado, you can often see big horn sheep licking the shoulders of Interstate 70 near Georgetown. The caller mentioned that this happended after the first cold spell. My money (all ten cents) is on the salt solution de-icer.
Favorite Moment: 
Two car guys and an animal expert not even getting close to the horse chewers.
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Blinker Transgressions

So, no s**t, there I was in Butzbach, Germany back in - oh, it must have been 2001 - at about 0100 pulling away from an ATM. It being the wee hours of the morning and there being no visible moving traffic, I simply pulled out of the bank parking lot and turned without signalling. Well, a Military Police officer pulled me over and gave me a ticket. I argued that the purpose of a turn signal was to SIGNAL other drivers of my intent. If there was no one to signal, then why use the signal? His response was that it was the law in the same manner I wouldn't run a stop sign or red light even though there was no cross-traffic. While I agree that use of the signal may shorten the life of the device, in some places, it's just as illegal as running red lights.
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Horses Cribbing

True about the cribbing, a compulsive behavior exhibited by bored or neurotic horses. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cribbing_(horse) Horses are as smart or smarter than dogs. When they get bored, they may chew on stuff to pass the time, usually fences because they can easily get their teeth around a fence rail or post. It may have taken one to find that your car makes an interesting sound or causes an interesting sensation when they chew on it in the same manner a fidgety person is soothed by squeezing a stress ball or by fingering worry beads or a touch stone. Then, being social animals, an other horse may have ambled over to see what was so cool and before long, you have a herd of horses grinding away on your hood. It's a simple case of cribbing. Unfortunately, the remedy I've used to stop cribbing; spreading creosote on fence rails, isn't really feasible for your car. You may want to park on the other side of the fence.
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Dec_17_2011_Show

I've listened on and off (if near a radio) for years...not at all a car buff...which deflates my husband who loves his SS's Chevelles...and all I want to ride in is the 1956 Studebaker Champion...or my old beat up but wonderfully quiet Lexus...so cars...not a fav...but you are...IN FACT TODAYS SHOW WAS SO GOOD THAT I REALIZED I'D BE A HORRIBLE DAUGHTER IF I DID NOT EDUCATE MY ELDERLY FATHER ABOUT YOUR SHOW. HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
Favorite Moment: 
All of it...but loved your Rx for the guy in Ohio to get some Valium!!!! Good stuff guys!
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Horse gnawing on Jeep hood

The answer is antifreeze. Antifreeze smells and tastes sweet to animals. Hores can smell out sweet things like sugar, mints and carrots. Leave a bucket of antifreeze outside overnight after changing the coolant and you will dispose of a few critters. I would guess she had a coolant leak or recently changed ccolant and residue was on the hood, especially in Montana I beleive.
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Horses

Might be salt on the hood, though the tires might be the better target.
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Horses on (as opposed to under) the hood

Hey, everyone. This is the original chick w/ the horse problem. Road salt: can't be, they don't salt roads here and the truck was squeaky clean. Also, they left rubber and chrome strictly alone. I am wondering about the radiator issue because I did have a problem w/ that just last week. Cribbing might also be a solution. Re. cattle guard, yes, I've seen them jump it, but it's better than nothing, I guess! Thanks, everyone!
Favorite Moment: 
Hearing one's disembodied voice on the radio is surreal.
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Segment 8 Horses and Jeep Liberty

Mr. Ed is correct. Horses do it, goats do it, even big old cows do it. Love their salt. Cows will eat the metal with or without the salt. It is called hardware disease. A "mind-meld " of 2 MIT grads, geologist, and animal expert and you all blew it. I still love you two stooges.
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Horse gnawing on Jeep hood

This Jeep may have a radiator leak. the sweet smell of antifreeze could be attracting them.
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ROAD SALT!

Loved the show, but as the husband of a Horse Veterinarian, the answer to the 2005 Liberty problem is ALMOST definitely Road salt. At least one solution is to make sure the horses at the barn have access to plenty of mineral salt blocks. Licking your own hood in the middle of winter will make this answer pretty obvious. And really, who hasn't done this?
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Peter and the Turkey oil

Peter should try K4 spot remover. I use it on my model airplanes to remove fuel from fuel soaked balsa. It spays on wet, dries sucking up the fuel and then I brush it off. Works great.
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Taking Jeep "Liberties"!

Do they SALT the roads where she lives, Perchance? Road-dust can put minerals on the paint-job too. Horses will seek out salt and minerals where they can find it. Also, when horses are extremely bored, under-exercised, and/or hungry, they can start to "nosh" on non-food items within their reach. Definitely she needs to park outside the fence! (P.S. parking "outside the cattle-guard" as Jill called it, may not work, as horses do not have the vision-problem that cattle have which makes cattle-guards work...on cattle! A mineral-deprived, and determined, horse could decide to jump over the cattle-guard easily!)
Favorite Moment: 
Man, there are too many "moments" to pick a favorite! I find your jocund, MIT-enhanced, repartee often makes micturition importunate! Thanks for all the helpful tips, and the healthful laughs! Keep 'em coming, guys!
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Horses biting on the car.

The horses biting the car has nothing to do with the paint. Horses perform a behavior called "cribbing." The horse will bite a stable object, then inhale. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cribbing_(horse)
Favorite Moment: 
Horses biting the car.
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Why Do Horses Eat Cars?

Salt. I hope this is succinct enough.
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Cheap tires on new cars.

As a retired tire dealer, I get upset when people talk about the cheapest on new cars. These are the highest quality made for that application. When people replace their tires at least 70% replace with an inferior product. Other than that I love the show and their knowledge of cars.
Favorite Moment: 
Deer eating on the hood.
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