Oct 27, 2012
RAY: A listener sent in a few basic facts for a puzzler.
TOM: And let me guess. You've embellished and obfuscated?
RAY: Of course. He said, "Some years ago, I was in the service stationed overseas. While I was there, I decided it would be fun to buy a motorcycle, the intention being that I would drive it while I was stationed in Europe. When my tour of duty was over, I would ship the bike back to the United States.
"While I'm at the motorcycle shop, the owner, recognizing that I'm a serviceman, says, 'You're going to ship this back to the States when your tour is over?'
"And I say, 'Yeah, as a matter of fact, I am.'
"He says, 'There's something you'll have to change before you can drive this thing in America.'
"I ask him, 'Can I buy this thing from you?'
"He says, 'No, I don't have one -- but you'll certainly have no trouble getting one when you get home.'
"The question is, what did I have to change on this bike before it would be legal to drive in America?"
Think you know? Drop Ray a note!
TOM: And let me guess. You've embellished and obfuscated?
RAY: Of course. He said, "Some years ago, I was in the service stationed overseas. While I was there, I decided it would be fun to buy a motorcycle, the intention being that I would drive it while I was stationed in Europe. When my tour of duty was over, I would ship the bike back to the United States.
"While I'm at the motorcycle shop, the owner, recognizing that I'm a serviceman, says, 'You're going to ship this back to the States when your tour is over?'
"And I say, 'Yeah, as a matter of fact, I am.'
"He says, 'There's something you'll have to change before you can drive this thing in America.'
"I ask him, 'Can I buy this thing from you?'
"He says, 'No, I don't have one -- but you'll certainly have no trouble getting one when you get home.'
"The question is, what did I have to change on this bike before it would be legal to drive in America?"
Think you know? Drop Ray a note!
Answer:
RAY: Here’s how you solve it. A friend of ours, Mark Nichols, has a buddy who's from England and bought his motorcycle there, just like this guy did.
And I asked him, "Did you have to change the headlight?" And he says "Yes, in fact, I did because the Brits drive on the left-hand side of the road, and the reflector in the headlight is aimed to the left."
So that, if you're driving straight down the road, and traffic is coming toward you, and you're driving now straight down the road in America, your headlight will be blinding people as they approach you, because the reflectors in American headlights aim the beam slightly to the right for right-hand driving.
Do we have a winner?
TOM: We do. The winner is Alan Marks from Decatur, Georgia. Congratulations, Alan!
And I asked him, "Did you have to change the headlight?" And he says "Yes, in fact, I did because the Brits drive on the left-hand side of the road, and the reflector in the headlight is aimed to the left."
So that, if you're driving straight down the road, and traffic is coming toward you, and you're driving now straight down the road in America, your headlight will be blinding people as they approach you, because the reflectors in American headlights aim the beam slightly to the right for right-hand driving.
Do we have a winner?
TOM: We do. The winner is Alan Marks from Decatur, Georgia. Congratulations, Alan!
