# Who was the first to do it? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 6, 2005, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-the-first-to-do-it/302722 "2005-05-06T18:10:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2005, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-the-first-to-do-it/302722/61 "2005-05-08T15:52:40Z")
> [@Mr. Blue Sky](#): > > Also, I’ve yet to have the desire to own a cell phone. Same here. Last year, a coworker asked for my cell phone number. I told him I didn’t have a cell phone. He looked at me as if I were from Mars. :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2005, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-the-first-to-do-it/302722/62 "2005-05-08T16:13:04Z")
> [@Electronic Chaos](#): > > You wish. I did that in 1984. When I was a year old. For twenty minutes. ---
**Author:** ![ccwaterback](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@ccwaterback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ccwaterback)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2005, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-the-first-to-do-it/302722/63 "2005-05-08T19:35:15Z")
I drove a car when I was 10 years old. I got a severe ass whoopin for that stunt. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2005, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-the-first-to-do-it/302722/64 "2005-05-08T19:38:36Z")
> [@Otto](#): > > I’m reasonably confident that I am the first Doper to tour the Tower of London while dressed as Dee Snider from Twisted Sister, done in 1986. I’m sure I’ve done that in a previous life. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2005, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-the-first-to-do-it/302722/65 "2005-05-08T19:45:29Z")
> [@ccwaterback](#): > > I drove a car when I was 10 years old. I got a severe ass whoopin for that stunt. I also first drove a car at age ten. But in my case, i had an adult actually teaching me. We were on deserted, backcountry roads, and good friend of my aunt’s decided to give me some driving lessons. I had a lesson a day for the next week or so, and the next time we went to my aunts i also got some lessons from my stepfather. Once i got to Grade 7 (high school in Australia), a lot of my friends came from farms, and most of them knew how to drive. Whenever i went to their proprties during the summer vacations, i usually got a chance to practice my driving. ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2005, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-the-first-to-do-it/302722/66 "2005-05-09T14:42:30Z")
> [@Genghis Bob](#): > > I’m getting cable tv installed \*next \* Friday. > > What do I win? I _STILL_ do not have cable TV or satellite in my house. What do I win? ---
**Author:** ![Dunderman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecb155/32.png) [@Dunderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dunderman)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2005, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-the-first-to-do-it/302722/67 "2005-05-09T15:06:04Z")
> [@fishbicycle](#): > > Was there a manual typewriter that _did_ have a 1 key? I don’t recall ever seeing one - not to say that there wasn’t, I’ve just not seen one. I’ve owned at least three of them, so yes, there were. I didn’t own a DVD player (not counting the one that came with the computer) until I got one for my birthday last year (and I only wanted that because they wouldn’t release seasons three and four of _Futurama_ on VHS). I still don’t own a CD player (not counting the ones that have come with my computers). I still own a rotary phone. Now that I’m going to be living alone, I’m going to use it too! ---
**Author:** ![Ilisidi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/db5fbb/32.png) [@Ilisidi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ilisidi)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2005, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-the-first-to-do-it/302722/68 "2005-05-09T22:40:53Z")
This thread makes me feel like de-lurking. Hello, all you nice people. At 59, I still do not drive a car or ride a bike and never will. I just acquired my first DVD player in January. I never leave my cellphone on, I only use it for emergency calling out. However, I’ve used computers for all my legal drafting since the original IBM PC came out (1982, I think) and I got my first CD player in 1985. The explanation, I guess, is that I’m basically a total klutz and old-fashioned but influenced from time to time by an early adopter brother. P.S. I just bought an IPod, so I have finally crossed the bridge to the 21st century. But I bought it to listen to books, not music and you know what, it’s really hard to use. Especially that wheel thing. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2005, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-the-first-to-do-it/302722/69 "2005-05-09T22:46:20Z")
Welcome into the open, **Ilisidi**. Nice to see you start posting. ---
**Author:** ![Bren\_Cameron\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@Bren\_Cameron\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bren_Cameron_1)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2005, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-the-first-to-do-it/302722/70 "2005-05-10T00:08:51Z")
Sidi-ji!!! _bows_ > [@nivlac](#): > > In days of yore before PCs and affordable wordprocessing programs, if you want to type a document with special symbols, you’d use a typewriter with changeable keys. To type a special character like the Greek alpha, I had to open the top cover of my trusty Smith Corona, remove the type on the end of one of the two special keys, snap in the special character I wanted, type the key, open the cover, reverse the process (or put in another key), etc. That was in the mid-70’s. I got one of those bad boys for my high school graduation, in the mid eighties. Used it two or three times, but I never used the replaceable keys. A year into college I went high tech and started using WordStar, on a five inch floppy, in one of the computer labs. I have never had cable. Other than that, I’m pretty average–got a cell phone, CD player, DVD, etc, right about when everyone else got one. ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2005, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-the-first-to-do-it/302722/71 "2005-05-10T00:26:07Z")
Let’s see… First Video Game System: Oddyssey (parents bought it, I was 5 or 6) Circa 1972 First computer: 1980 (Commodor Pet) First CD player: 1984 (I was the second person that I knew to get one) First Cell Phone: Roughly the same time - maybe 1985 First foray on-line: 1987 or 1988 First DVD player: 1997 or 1998 (I don’t remember for sure) I am a new world man. ---
**Author:** ![Fern\_Forest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/71c47a/32.png) [@Fern\_Forest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fern_Forest)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2005, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-the-first-to-do-it/302722/72 "2005-05-10T03:15:34Z")
> [@Tristan](#): > > I first got high, as near as I’ve been able to remember, at about age 6. > > Needless to say, in many ways my childhood left a lot to be desired. Well I can beat that. Rolled my first joint at 3. Quit at 4 so it wouldn’t effect my grades at kindergarten. Was I the last born at home? 1974. Ok, I imagine I can be beaten by others in the world but I how about for US dopers? ---
**Author:** ![MidnightRadio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecd19e/32.png) [@MidnightRadio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MidnightRadio)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2005, 10:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-the-first-to-do-it/302722/73 "2005-05-10T10:27:08Z")
> [@nivlac](#): > > Prior to the S-C, my dad picked up a used manual typewriter that did not even have the number 1 on a separate key. You had to use the lower case character for L. That was in the mid-60’s. I have an old typewriter in the garage that I’d like to get cleaned up someday so I can use it and it has no “1” key. I knew about usting the lowercase “L” to make a 1, but how do you make an exclamation mark? ---
**Author:** ![Dunderman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecb155/32.png) [@Dunderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dunderman)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2005, 11:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-the-first-to-do-it/302722/74 "2005-05-10T11:43:55Z")
> [@MidnightRadio](#): > > I have an old typewriter in the garage that I’d like to get cleaned up someday so I can use it and it has no “1” key. I knew about usting the lowercase “L” to make a 1, but how do you make an exclamation mark? Apostrophe + full stop. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2005, 12:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-the-first-to-do-it/302722/75 "2005-05-10T12:43:20Z")
I taught myself to touch type on a manual typewriter at age 14. Which means I’ve been touch typing for 36 years! I learned to read English at age 4, French at age 8, but didn’t learn basic writing until age 8. I still have problems with writing, which explains my hurry to learn how to type. In this age of computers, it’s the smartest thing I ever did. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-the-first-to-do-it/302722.md?page=3)