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MUNDANE MYSTERIES: When Should You Actually Change Your Car’s Oil?

A bodybuilder needs to care of his heart. In the same way, your car can appear pristine on the outside, but it still needs regular oil changes to stay on the road. That oil keeps your engine lubed & cool while you’re driving. Waiting too long to change your oil can absolutely lead to engine damage. But changing it too frequently actually wastes money (and oil). So, how often should you actually change the oil in your vehicle?

Newer cars tell you when it’s time for an oil change, through their built-in “oil-life monitoring systems”. When your motor oil isn’t doing its job anymore, a light or notification comes up on your dashboard (usually in the shape of a dripping oil can). That icon lets you know that it’s time to get your oil changed. Once that gets done, the lube tech should reset your oil-monitoring system, and you’ll be on your way until the next time.

But what about cars without an oil-life monitoring system? The long-standing belief has always been that a vehicle’s oil should be changed every 3000 miles. But that’s actually no longer the case. In most vehicles nowadays, your oil should be good for at least 7500 miles before needing to be changed. Some vehicles, however, have engines designed for anywhere from 10K to 15K mile intervals. Those intervals, however, are based on your driving habits, so they can vary. Extreme cold or heat, heavy hauling, and excessive stop & go driving…all of that can wear out your oil sooner.

The only reason you should get your oil changed before your dashboard light comes on is if you don’t drive the vehicle frequently. Not much driving means it can take a long while for the accepted mileage to accumulate. But even when your engine is off, oil can still age, so you should change it at least once a year.

Got a Mundane Mystery you’d like solved? Send me a message via Twitter (@AndyWebbRadio), or shoot me an email ([email protected]).

BROUGHT TO YOU BY: Berryville Graphics

House of the Week – 5/6/22

This beautiful brick front Colonial makes a great first impression! Situated in a quiet cul-de-sac, tasteful landscaping greets you before you enter the 2-story foyer which is flanked by the dining room and living room. Proceed to what is sure to be the heart of the home- the open concept kitchen, breakfast area and family room. The gourmet kitchen features a large center island with a gas cook top, a wall oven and a pantry while the inviting family room with wall to wall carpeting and a gas fireplace is the perfect place to settle in for a movie night. French doors lead from the family room onto the large deck which overlooks the fenced rear yard. The property backs to mature trees which offers privacy and a great outdoor setting to be enjoyed year round. After a long day, unwind in your master suite which boasts a tray ceiling, spacious walk-in closet and en suite bath with dual sinks, a jacuzzi tub, walk-in shower and water closet. Completing the top floor is a full hall bath and three additional generously sized bedrooms, all with plenty of closet space. More space awaits in the finished lower level where you will find a rec room, a full bath and the laundry/storage area. Additional highlights include the attached 2 car garage with a workbench, a garden shed, whole house humidifier. Updates include a new water heater (2018) HVAC (2013) refinished deck (2020) and a newer roof and gutters (2014). Many community amenities to enjoy from tennis and basketball courts, a pool, community center, playgrounds, walking trails and more!
See the Full Listing

MUNDANE MYSTERIES: Why Is An Unidentified Person Called “John Doe”?

The news is regularly filled with reports of murders & missing persons cases involving unknown person. And that unknown person is usually referred to as “John Doe”. But why? Why do we call unidentified people John Doe until their real identity is established?

This all comes from a weird, no-longer-in-use British legal procedure called an “action of ejectment”. In old English common law, the things landowners could do in court to evict squatters or tenants in default were usually uber-technical & too difficult to be efficiently useful. So instead, landlords would bring an “action of ejectment” on behalf of one made-up tenant against another made-up person who’d allegedly evicted him. To determine what property rights of the made-up persons, the courts then had to establish that the landlord actually owned the property in question. That would have then settled the landlord’s actual issue, without needing more extensive legal maneuvering.

No one knows what case first used the made-up names, nor has anyone ever learned why they chose the names they did. But we do know that landlords would frequently, for whatever reason, name their made-up plaintiff John Doe, and their fictitious defendant Richard Roe. John & Richard don’t seem to have had any special significance; they likely could’ve been picked because they were just two of the most common names at that time. The surnames (Doe & Roe), on the other hand, both related to deer: a “doe” being a female deer, while a “roe” is a common Eurasian deer species in Britain. But who knows…maybe they were also the real names of genuine people some landlord actually knew & decided to use. We really don’t know.

What we do know, though, is that, over time, they became the standard placeholders in court cases for any anonymous, hypothetical, or unidentified persons. And most jurisdictions still use John Doe even now (as well as “Jane Doe”, its female equivalent). Roe is also still utilized, whenever one case has more than one anonymous or unidentified person involved. Even the federal government uses Doe & Roe; most notably (and back in the news recently), think of Roe v. Wade (where Jane Roe turned out to be Norma Leah McCorvey, who chose to reveal her identity following the Supreme Court’s decision).

The goal for everyone, though, is to never have to use (or be given) the pseudonym of John Doe or Richard Roe. Because there’s very little that’s good usually leading up to that point.

Got a Mundane Mystery you’d like solved? Send me a message via Twitter (@AndyWebbRadio), or shoot me an email at [email protected].

BROUGHT TO YOU BY: Berryville Graphics

MUNDANE MYSTERIES: Why Do You Have To Wear Special Shoes To Bowl?

Have you ever wondered why you have to wear special bowling shoes? You know how it is…you get to the bowling alley, wanting to roll a few frames, and then you’re required to swap out your own kicks for a pair of stiff, not quite comfortable (and usually less-than-pleasantly-fragrant) footwear that ultimately make you feel twice as socially awkward as you normally would. Why do you have to wear those special shoes if you want to bowl? Why not your brand new Nike sneakers, instead? What’s the big deal?

There’s a long-running urban legend that bowling shoes enable you to keep traction on the slick bowling lane floors. The problem is that, as with most urban legends, it’s not true. Bowling shoes actually do the opposite: they have slick soles that help you glide across the lane’s surface, giving your body a wider range of motion in the process.

So why wear bowling shoes rather than your own regular shoes? Well, you see…when you wear treaded sneakers & attempt to swing the ball while you’re set in one place, that actually adds more stress to your joints (ankles, knees, wrist, etc.). You really don’t want to stop like that while bowling. Instead, you actually want to slide, and that’s what bowling shoes do (better than regular shoes). They’re not as slippery as some might think, though. Because, while bowling shoes are mostly made out of leather, they do have heels comprised of rubber so that you’ll have some braking power. So, yeah…sliding is big part of wearing bowling shoes, but not as much as it would be with, say, ice skates (or just wearing your socks).

Safety is the main reason you’re required to lace up those beautifully bland bowling shoes. But protection is also high on the list: the bowling shoe system helps protect bowling alley floors in the long run. If everyone were to wear their regular shoes, those polished & varnished bowling floors would, fairly easity & quickly, end up scuffed & dirty. And if/when that happened, everyone’s bowling balls would regularly veer off-course because of the buildup of dirt, as well as small chewing gum pieces & other nastiness that would accumulate. Only allowing folks to wear dedicated bowling shoes while on the lanes within the alley, itself, helps protect the floors from not only grimy buildup, but also from moisture because of rain or snow. Think of it as an anti-contamination system…kind of like a “plastic bubble” situation, only less see-through (and, strangely, less fashionable as well).

So, the next time you have to slip on a pair of bowling shoes, you’ll at least know why & be thankful for what those shoes are & do (or at least not be too perturbed at having to wear them). As a matter of fact, think of it like this: bowling shoes are the great equalizer at bowling alleys. Because we ALL look & feel goofy wearing them. It’s a communal experience, and one that we’re all lucky to have.

Got a Mundane Mystery you’d like solved? Send me a message via Twitter (@AndyWebbRadio), or shoot me an email at [email protected].

BROUGHT TO YOU BY: Berryville Graphics

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