Jaywalkers, Photocopiers and Other Mysteries

THRILLERS AND DETECTIVE SHOWS are all the rage on television, yet the real mysteries of life go unsolved.

- Richard Glover

It may be time to put a modern-day Sherlock Holmes or Hercule Poirot on these real-world cold cases.

Why is hotel plumbing so bad?

The woman in Room 4 turns on the shower, diverting hot water from the man showering in Room 5. As he furiously turns the taps, the water fluctuates between boiling and freezing. This is a nightmare for the honeymooning couple in Room 6, who now have burns over 20 per cent of their bodies because they were, ahem, not close to the taps when the water went thermo-nuclear. Some hotels manage to provide consistent water temperatures; why can't the rest of them? Any theories, Sherlock?

Why don't change-rooms have flattering lighting?

Okay, I understand that fluorescent lights are cheaper, but when your business relies on convincing people to spend $120 on a garment that costs $2 to make, maybe you could spend an extra few cents so customers don't frighten themselves.

Why have pedestrians lost the will to live?