h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Relax, get into the zone, and get ready to answer.

Of all the shops in the country selling them, one shop selling exhaust silencers goes under. Why does the loss of one shop lead such an increase in engine noise?

What uncommon precautions in the scrap metal industry were taken following the increase in noise, and why?

There are klaxons.

Hmmm, interesting. My first thoughts are that the shop sold silencers for a particular type of vehicle. Are we talking road vehicles, my guess would be lorries, or is it to do with trains or planes?

Did the scrap metallists label exhausts by model to ensure that buyers fitted the exhausts to the right engine?

Van (waiting for klaxons)

the removal of expensive metals that are used in catalitic converters would have been a factor for the scrap metal industry

Was the shop that went under one of the nations biggest wholesalers, trading to many local / independent garages?

Is this to do with motorbikes?

Unusual precautions - hmm. Stumped there.

I should know but i'm floating in a sea of uncertainty.

I think I need a clue, a bit more direction...

's

Did the engine noise/ squishing scrap metal sound like calling queens?!

Hi Van: The silencers were for cars, although that's not *that* important. Creative thinking though!

Taff: DGI for removal of metals, but not for the reason you gave.

Deadangel: It had a couple of branches or franchises, but I don't think it would have been a massive wholesaler.

Teasswill: Close to a , but I think I'll let you pass - very close, though!

I will risk a klaxon here!

Would some of the metals be mildly radioactive??




GT

was asbestos involved

Nope, and nope.

Don't forget to be Quite Interesting - it's QI, not 20 Questions.

Did the increased engine noise set off something else?

Barking dogs? Protesting ex-workers?

Was recycling of old mufflers, catalytic converters, etc, more strictly regulated to prevent people stealing them off cars to sell for scrap metal?

"Protesting ex-workers" is probably worth a DGI point.

Perhaps we need to find out in which country this occurred.....




GT

are we in mexico city and are the cars in question VW beetles

nearly all the cabs in mexico city are VW beetles, made under licence in mexico, the only place to carry on making them after VW pulled the plug on production, if the shop was the only one carrying the silencer for the beetle, all the taxis in one of the biggest citys in the world would have no supplyer of silencers

I think Taff may be close, KB...

Well???




GT

No, but he does earn a klaxon.

The extra noise was not caused by cars not being equipped with silencers.

The additional noise did involve engine noise, but not in such a straightforward way.

The shop was torn down, so it no longer blocks noise from the motorway?