# Without saying your age, what's something from your childhood that a younger person wouldn't understand? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 25, 2021, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-saying-your-age-whats-something-from-your-childhood-that-a-younger-person-wouldnt-understand/953138 "2021-10-25T01:08:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 13
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2021, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-saying-your-age-whats-something-from-your-childhood-that-a-younger-person-wouldnt-understand/953138/242 "2021-10-26T23:59:53Z")
> [@OttoDaFe](#): > > If he hadn’t used a second phone, or had disabled its ringer, he might have gotten away with it. That would have defeated the purpose, though: he wanted to be able to hear it ring when he was outside. (And it had to be a second phone, because there was no way to unplug the first one to move it.) > [@OttoDaFe](#): > > Back in the Good Old Days when all (legitimate US) phones came from Western Electric, [TPC](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_President's_Analyst) could tell how many phones were ringing by the amount of current on the line; my understanding is that they ran periodic tests to see if anyone was using more instruments than they were paying for. That may well have been how they caught on; I doubt he would have known that, though I was about 10 at the time and I’m not clear on all the details. – for one, it occurs to me that I have no idea where he got the second phone. ---
**Author:** ![Tibby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tibby/32/17030_2.png) [@Tibby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tibby)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2021, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-saying-your-age-whats-something-from-your-childhood-that-a-younger-person-wouldnt-understand/953138/243 "2021-10-27T00:15:01Z")
> [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](#): > > “Fill ‘er up!” And, don’t forget to ask the attendant for a free road-map. Google Maps may make a mistake every once in a while, but it sure beats having an unfolded road-map nearly obliterating your view of the windshield, while you try to figure out where the hell you are. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2021, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-saying-your-age-whats-something-from-your-childhood-that-a-younger-person-wouldnt-understand/953138/244 "2021-10-27T00:17:34Z")
> [@Tibby](#): > > Google Maps may make a mistake every once in a while, but it sure beats having an unfolded road-map nearly obliterating your view of the windshield, while you try to figure out where the hell you are. Which reminds me of another thing which seems to no longer be much of a thing, but certainly was when I was a kid: stopping at a gas station (or when you see a local out in their yard) to ask for directions. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2021, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-saying-your-age-whats-something-from-your-childhood-that-a-younger-person-wouldnt-understand/953138/245 "2021-10-27T00:24:55Z")
> [@enipla](#): > > I started my career in 1980 hand painting geomorphic maps. Oil on canvas. Brush size 0 (1/32"). Very, very detailed paint by number basically. I remember watching a science show that showed someone making a map using a very complicated looking machine where they were tracing contours or roads using crank handles for each axis, looking through a lens, and basically tracing over aerial photographs, presumably through a prism mirror. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2021, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-saying-your-age-whats-something-from-your-childhood-that-a-younger-person-wouldnt-understand/953138/246 "2021-10-27T00:40:58Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > Portable transistor radios. They still make them. [https://www.amazon.com/dp/B012F0DGYE/ref=cm\_sw\_r\_apan\_glt\_fabc\_B9PM8J9YR3Z4T430ZWTM](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B012F0DGYE/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_fabc_B9PM8J9YR3Z4T430ZWTM) [https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07JPWYXVT/ref=cm\_sw\_r\_apan\_glt\_fabc\_NAY5JG84YMBTSM6CZYD1](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07JPWYXVT/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_fabc_NAY5JG84YMBTSM6CZYD1) Although younger people probably won’t recognize them, being used to listening to Pandora or Spotify on their smartphones. ---
**Author:** ![jaycat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jaycat/32/3015_2.png) [@jaycat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jaycat)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2021, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-saying-your-age-whats-something-from-your-childhood-that-a-younger-person-wouldnt-understand/953138/247 "2021-10-27T00:42:35Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > Which reminds me of another thing which seems to no longer be much of a thing, but certainly was when I was a kid: stopping at a gas station (or when you see a local out in their yard) to ask for directions. I still do this pretty frequently. Most recently when we were looking for a lake in Hiram, Maine, and the GPS kept taking us higher and higher up a hill. ---
**Author:** ![pmwgreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@pmwgreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pmwgreen)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2021, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-saying-your-age-whats-something-from-your-childhood-that-a-younger-person-wouldnt-understand/953138/248 "2021-10-27T00:45:05Z")
Offtopic, I remember a game like that from about 50 years ago. I was surpised to find a version on Steam a while back. [Vectors on Steam](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1516550/Vectors/) ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2021, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-saying-your-age-whats-something-from-your-childhood-that-a-younger-person-wouldnt-understand/953138/249 "2021-10-27T00:47:42Z")
Buying an encyclopedia at the grocery store, one volume at a time. Now, kids have this thing on their phones called a “Wikkypedia”, or somesuch. ---
**Author:** ![pmwgreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@pmwgreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pmwgreen)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2021, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-saying-your-age-whats-something-from-your-childhood-that-a-younger-person-wouldnt-understand/953138/250 "2021-10-27T00:51:43Z")
When you had a can of HiC, you needed a separate tool called a “can opener” to make a hole in the top to pour it out. Also, please explain “Hawaiian Punch”. ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2021, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-saying-your-age-whats-something-from-your-childhood-that-a-younger-person-wouldnt-understand/953138/251 "2021-10-27T00:52:38Z")
> [@Tibby](#): > > Google Maps may make a mistake every once in a while, but it sure beats having an unfolded road-map nearly obliterating your view of the windshield, while you try to figure out where the hell you are. You’re not supposed to read the map while you’re driving. And at least on a paper map all the road names don’t disappear when you try to see more than a square mile or so at a time. ETA: Google maps are good for zooming in for details, or for satellite or street view. But I find paper maps much better for general orientation. And the connection never goes down. ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2021, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-saying-your-age-whats-something-from-your-childhood-that-a-younger-person-wouldnt-understand/953138/252 "2021-10-27T00:58:37Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > Portable transistor radios Yes. Falling asleep with the radio under the pillow, listening to KOMA or WLS. ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2021, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-saying-your-age-whats-something-from-your-childhood-that-a-younger-person-wouldnt-understand/953138/253 "2021-10-27T01:22:41Z")
Some kind of pantograph? [pantograph - Google Search](https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-1-d&q=pantograph) > [@thorny\_locust](#): > > You’re not supposed to read the map while you’re driving. But people did. ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2021, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-saying-your-age-whats-something-from-your-childhood-that-a-younger-person-wouldnt-understand/953138/254 "2021-10-27T01:24:35Z")
They browse the net and answer texts and so on while they’re driving, too. It’s not a problem unique to old technology. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2021, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-saying-your-age-whats-something-from-your-childhood-that-a-younger-person-wouldnt-understand/953138/255 "2021-10-27T01:36:11Z")
Remember [these bastards](https://www.ebay.com/itm/274587974214?chn=ps&norover=1&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-117182-37290-0&mkcid=2&itemid=274587974214&targetid=1263104805286&device=c&mktype=pla&googleloc=9012345&poi=&campaignid=14866892363&mkgroupid=129483442273&rlsatarget=pla-1263104805286&abcId=9300677&merchantid=114684954&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI1ODStLnp8wIVD0qGCh32ggoHEAQYDSABEgIH2_D_BwE) when you needed to put oil in your car? ---
**Author:** ![Tibby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tibby/32/17030_2.png) [@Tibby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tibby)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2021, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-saying-your-age-whats-something-from-your-childhood-that-a-younger-person-wouldnt-understand/953138/256 "2021-10-27T01:37:31Z")
> [@thorny\_locust](#): > > You’re not supposed to read the map while you’re driving. Hmm, now I’m thinking this may be the reason for my inordinate number of accidents, and $25k monthly auto insurance premiums… Kidding. I’ve always been a safe driver. Road-maps are awkward, however. > [@cochrane](#): > > Buying an encyclopedia at the grocery store, one volume at a time. My parents purchased quite a few grocery store books when I was a kid. Loved them! My favorite was a science & technology encyclopedia, whose name eludes me. I’d read each volume cover to cover, then eagerly await the next volume. I still own quite a few encyclopedias, including Funk & Wagnalls (of Laugh-in notoriety), but haven’t picked one up in decades. Dr. Seuss books were also purchased on timed subscription. Just another thing I wish kids today could experience. ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2021, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-saying-your-age-whats-something-from-your-childhood-that-a-younger-person-wouldnt-understand/953138/257 "2021-10-27T01:39:13Z")
Better Pantograph link [Pantograph - Wikipedia](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pantograph) ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2021, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-saying-your-age-whats-something-from-your-childhood-that-a-younger-person-wouldnt-understand/953138/258 "2021-10-27T01:40:24Z")
Agreed. But the guy looking at the map while driving was a cliché of the era, just like the texter of today ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2021, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-saying-your-age-whats-something-from-your-childhood-that-a-younger-person-wouldnt-understand/953138/259 "2021-10-27T01:42:11Z")
> [@Tibby](#): > > Google Maps may make a mistake every once in a while, but it sure beats having an unfolded road-map nearly obliterating your view of the windshield, while you try to figure out where the hell you are. That’s why you go to AAA and get a trip-tik ---
**Author:** ![doreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/858c86/32.png) [@doreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doreen)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2021, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-saying-your-age-whats-something-from-your-childhood-that-a-younger-person-wouldnt-understand/953138/260 "2021-10-27T02:00:26Z")
It may have depended on where you were- but I know there were 3 phones all with the same number in the house I grew up in in the '60’s and two of the phones had been there since the fifties. The phone company knew about the two phones that were on the first floor and the basement in the fifties - they didn’t know about the one in my parents bathroom that was in the bathroom because that was where they were able to run the line from my grandparent’s phone on the first floor. I had strict instructions to never disclose that there were three phones in the house because the phone company only knew about two . ( I always laugh when I think of how these people who installed an illegal phone and pulled collect call shenanigans to avoid paying for long distance calls were renting a phone from the phone company until the mid-ninetes) ---
**Author:** ![Tibby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tibby/32/17030_2.png) [@Tibby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tibby)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2021, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-saying-your-age-whats-something-from-your-childhood-that-a-younger-person-wouldnt-understand/953138/261 "2021-10-27T02:03:32Z")
> [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > That’s why you go to AAA and get a trip-tik Trip-tik? Sorry, but I have no desire to engage in any sort of mind-bending, LSD Timothy Leary type trip, driving in my Honda! Kidding. I’ve used AAA TripTik. They’re OK. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-saying-your-age-whats-something-from-your-childhood-that-a-younger-person-wouldnt-understand/953138.md?page=12) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-saying-your-age-whats-something-from-your-childhood-that-a-younger-person-wouldnt-understand/953138.md?page=14)