Most of us have made it to this forum because we are fans of the wonderful show Cartalk. I have listened to Cartalk for roughly 25 years and I have had alot of wonderful memories listening to Cartalk and I would like to share a few here.
I ask you as well, do you have any fond memories where you were listening to Cartalk at the time? Or maybe just some calls on the show you will never forget.
Back in 1996 I went with my dad on a Saturday morning to go by a older ford ranger pickup. It was roughly an hours ride and we listened to cartalk on the ride there. It sort of defined the day in my mind, spending time with my father, cartalk, the truck, it all sort of meshed together.
My second best memory was back in 2000 or 2001 my girlfriend who is now my wife were on a camping trip in southern Illinois and we were driving from Harrisburg to Marion or Carbondale on 13 ( I think). Cartalk was on and it was the episode where Tom and Ray had Martha Stewart on (before her legal issues). It was a perfect day and a perfect weekend, one I will never forget. The sun was shining, temperature was perfect, It was sunny but not too sunny, and we were both carefree and in love. If I got to chose a day in my life i could relive that day would be near the top of the list.
My best memory involving Cartalk was in 2013 two days after my daughter was born. She was born on a Friday and went home on Sunday. The weather was horrible that Friday but by Sunday it cleared up. It was getting near the time to go home so I needed to go install the car seat base. I was a new parent, I was excited,scared,anxious and feeling Joy to a level I never have had in my life prior.
It was around 11 or so and I turned on the radio and sure enough Cartalk was on. It didnât take very long, but it had warmed up considerably, the sun was shining and it felt great. So for 10 minutes or so I listened to Cartalk while installing the base and then I sat in the drivers seat when I was done for a moment feeling the warm (for February) breeze blow in my face and the sun shine down.
That February day in 2013 was a day I will never forget and I am glad that Tom And Ray were a part of it.
No. No, I am ok. There is just some dust in my eyesâŠ
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Someone from Australia called in about their carâs annoying âthe door is a jarâ audio. I was running thru Busse Woods at the time looking at the Thermos office building and thought to myself âthe car is a thermosâ and cracked myself up.
The caller who called in and complained about chocolate kiss wrappers shooting out of the vents when they turned on the fan or heat made me laugh.
I thought about it more and the original question of the caller was about disconnecting his automatic door locks which prompted me to think about the âdoor is a jarâ audio and think about the âcar is a thermosâ joke.
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I donât remember the date of the show but it was the infamous âcattle trailerâ call. That was the call where the caller recounted that the electrical trailer brakes would apply when the hazard lights were âONâ. All through that call I could visualize exactly what the solution to the problem would probably be. I kept kibitizing âlook for an open groundâ. But, to no avail as the brothers were not on the same mental wave length.
Ever since I have wondered how that problem was finally resolved. I sure wish I had been on the trouble shooting end of that situation.
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My favorite call was re-broadcast recently on Best of Car Talk, a lady from San Francisco wanting to know if it is possible to install a good AC and heating system in her 60âs VW Beetle. Tommyâs reply? " You live in San Francisco? Smoke a joint and forget about it!"
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When Tom and Ray were talking about a guy who was in a bad car accident and may have been knocked unconscious. When he woke up he was OK, except he had a strong French accent (and never had one before). They started to laugh about the absurdity of the situation and got completely out of control. That got me going and pretty soon I realized I was laughing out loud while I was working out at my gym. Just chuckling and snorting along with them. Iâll thank them forever for that moment.
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I remember Max, and the miniature schnauzer. Iâll never forget that story.
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My memory is soooo bad but the only one that comes to mind are the recurring episodes with the brat-girl Melissa.
I know there were more than that. Like Tom and the previous weekâs Puzzler, I just canât remember them.
As far as an experience listening to Car Talk, would have to be the many times Iâd choose to be raking leaves or gardening in our then-Georgia place in the woods. Not a soul in sight. Just the voices of wisdom, humor and information coming into my earpieces.
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I love their endless sarcastic barbs to each other.
My brother and I are like that.