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re: What did people use before cell phones?
Posted on 10/14/19 at 9:58 am to reggieray420
Posted on 10/14/19 at 9:58 am to reggieray420
We also had FM two way radios in our trucks and cars for work. For long distance calls I would call our dispatcher on the 1-800 number and have her patch me over a WATS line. On the water and at the hunting camp you could use your VHF radio to patch through the Marine Operator. Sometimes at work using the FM you would relay through three or four radios Ex Houma to A tug in Four League Bay to Intracoastal City to Cameron to Sabine Pass.
0
Posted on 10/14/19 at 9:59 am to RealityTiger
quote:I miss stuff sometimes because I put my phone on silent and forgot to turn it back on. I won’t notice the call until I look at my phone myself. And if I’m busy, it could be a little while before I just happen to look at my phone and notice a missed call or text.
"oh I didn't see that you called, must have missed it." Yeah, right.
It happens.
Or sometimes I might have my phone charging and I’ve left the room for a bit and didn’t realize a call came in while I stepped out.
This post was edited on 10/14/19 at 10:00 am
Posted on 10/14/19 at 9:59 am to tuptiger
Buddy of mine had a pager which helped back then. I remember if I was riding around and wanted to meet up with him. I’d go to a pay phone and call his pager. Then stand there and hoped nobody else needed the pay phone while waiting for him to call the pay phone back once he found a phone. Then we’d discuss where to meet at 
Posted on 10/14/19 at 10:00 am to tuptiger
quote:
What did people use before cell phones?
we had patience and planned ahead.
Posted on 10/14/19 at 10:04 am to tuptiger
We lived our lives! And it was incredible! People actually talked to each other face to face. We dated women and talked to them and ...
Nobody knew where you were. Things moved at a slower pace. It was a great time to be alive!
Nobody knew where you were. Things moved at a slower pace. It was a great time to be alive!
Posted on 10/14/19 at 10:06 am to 2geaux
You actually had to knock on the door to let someone know you’re here.
Or blow your car horn and let the whole street know you’ve arrived.
Or blow your car horn and let the whole street know you’ve arrived.
Posted on 10/14/19 at 10:06 am to tuptiger
quote:
What did people use before cell phones?
Playboy and VHS
Posted on 10/14/19 at 10:07 am to tuptiger
Back in around 04/05 I still didn’t have a cell phone, most by then did albeit just flip phones. I was living on my own way out in the country. Only way to get to me was call me at work if I was there. One morning I had to be at work and truck was dead, closest neighbor was almost a mile away. I had to run to his house and ask them to come jump me off. I got in trouble at first from work but they were understanding after I explained what happened. After that I finally got a cell phone but for probably 2 years only kept it at the house
The incident happened actually spring of 07 b/c that was when I finally got a phone at 25 y/o. I moved out there end of 04
The incident happened actually spring of 07 b/c that was when I finally got a phone at 25 y/o. I moved out there end of 04
This post was edited on 10/14/19 at 10:10 am
Posted on 10/14/19 at 10:07 am to Bigfishchoupique
quote:
. I remember when they went from a nickel to a dime
That reminded me of this movie scene -
Here's a dime....
If a professor did that today, the whole class would sit there totally confused wondering what in the hell is the dime for.
This post was edited on 10/14/19 at 10:11 am
Posted on 10/14/19 at 10:11 am to tuptiger
Sucked when you didn't have any quarters for the pay-phone...then you figured out the best thing ever.
1) Call collect
2) when prompted for name, leave your message (Meet at bowling ally 7pm"
3) Friend declines the collect call
4) Show up at bowling ally at 6:50pm
5) hang out in person until the agreed upon time for someone to pick you up out front (and you were waiting outside at THAT time, cause you respected people more than to make them come in to get you)
1) Call collect
2) when prompted for name, leave your message (Meet at bowling ally 7pm"
3) Friend declines the collect call
4) Show up at bowling ally at 6:50pm
5) hang out in person until the agreed upon time for someone to pick you up out front (and you were waiting outside at THAT time, cause you respected people more than to make them come in to get you)
Posted on 10/14/19 at 10:11 am to MMauler
CB radio. "breaker,breaker"
Posted on 10/14/19 at 10:12 am to tuptiger
Back then, shite could wait. You called someone and left a message on their answering machine or you sent a letter through the USPS and waited for a return correspondence. Funny thing about it, that worked just fine.
Posted on 10/14/19 at 10:13 am to AndyCBR
quote:absolutely. It actually took some skill to navigate a vacation.
Street navigation is the best thing about phones and gps.
I can remember being in an unfamiliar town having to buy a street map at a gas station and making calls from a pay phone for directions.
If you were from out of town it was a PITA.
Now you just plug it into your phone and go
Posted on 10/14/19 at 10:14 am to tuptiger
Pay phones and face to face
Posted on 10/14/19 at 10:16 am to Maytheporkbewithyou
quote:
Back then, shite could wait. You called someone and left a message on their answering machine or you sent a letter through the USPS and waited for a return correspondence. Funny thing about it, that worked just fine.
Amen. First answering machine messages were like:
"This is John Doe with Acme, Inc. I am not available at this time. Please leave a message I will return your call within 24-48 hours. Have a great day."
This post was edited on 10/14/19 at 10:16 am
Posted on 10/14/19 at 10:22 am to TheFonz
quote:
You'd find a payphone to call mom to pick you up
Except you wouldn’t pay. You would call Collect and when prompted, your name would be “Momimdonecomepickmeup” and hang up.
Posted on 10/14/19 at 10:27 am to AndyCBR
quote:
Street navigation is the best thing about phones and gps.
I can remember being in an unfamiliar town having to buy a street map at a gas station and making calls from a pay phone for directions.
If you were from out of town it was a PITA
I still marvel at our parents doing vacations without the internet. In the 80s my family planned a trip to the southwest for 2 weeks. My dad just pinned places he thought we would stay.
We’d do whatever activity we had planned, he’d find the La Quinta, then from there, have them call the La Quinta in the next town we were stopping in.
We’d just drive around till we found dinner.
While I am impressed, my dad cussed at getting lost a heck of a lot on those car rides.
My kids take for granted that I can just plop directions in a strange town and arrive at a good restaurant that I found on yelp.
Posted on 10/14/19 at 10:29 am to tuptiger
quote:
What did people use before cell phones?
I lived in the age of technology.
We used landline phones, wrote letters and read books.
Posted on 10/14/19 at 10:39 am to 2geaux
quote:
People actually talked to each other face to face.
So you geezers don't still talk face to face with people?
The modern smart phones are amazingly positive for our lives. Of course some become too tied into their technology and don't live lives to the fullest, but those people would have found other ways to be anti social 20 years ago too.
Posted on 10/14/19 at 10:42 am to tuptiger
Drug Dealers used Beepers and Pay-Phones.
Normal people talked to their friends on their home phone and plans were made.You left and met up with your friends,etc....
I'm 58.Came of age in the 80's.I may be wrong,but I feel like all this technology is almost an "anchor".It's every where.
When something wild happened,that you were lucky/unlucky enough to have witnessed;you had a good story.There was no video.
Normal people talked to their friends on their home phone and plans were made.You left and met up with your friends,etc....
I'm 58.Came of age in the 80's.I may be wrong,but I feel like all this technology is almost an "anchor".It's every where.
When something wild happened,that you were lucky/unlucky enough to have witnessed;you had a good story.There was no video.
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