I'm only 18 and have experienced everything on the op list. One thing that will be gone that I do is. Ride dirt bikes in your back yard and along the RR tracks edit for page ownage!

[This message has been edited by 87antuzzi (edited 03-07-2010).]

A Rotory dial phone. Back then- calling someone had a real meaning behind it and you needed to "know" their phone number (no pre-programmed numbers) and if you messed up while your dialing you had to start all over again.

12th Graduation- the real one and not those graduations that start from k-11 (as if graduation from kindergarden is going to get you a job at Micky Ds).

Telling your kids to get-up and change the TV station and when cities only had 3-5 station for free.

quote Originally posted by Taijiguy: Any hope of a future.

There's always hope. Don't want to teach my son to fear the world, don't want his mom to twist his mind. I will teach him to be aware, but not fear needlessly.


It'll be tough. I have faith in myself and my wife.

quote Originally posted by KurtAKX: -Shooting .22s with 4-H, the Cub Scouts, etc. I think this is another that will go quick. All the old timers in town talk about how they used to come to school and put their guns in their lockers, so they could go rabbit hunting after class. Presently, that would get you thrown in jail. -Dodgeball. Too violent they say. The school district I grew up in got rid of it around 1998.

one of the gym classes at my old Highschool (Madison East High, Madison Wisconsin. if you watch a lot of news youve probably heard its name a couple times in the last few years lol :P) takes the kids out Trap Shooting with 12 gauge shotguns every year. so far nobody has b*tched about it. and dodgeball, i dont think Madison will ever get rid of it lol. Prison Ball, Dodge Ball, Scatter Dodge, etc, all of them, ive played each in every school ive been in. HOWEVER, Red Rover has been banned in EVERY school district ive been in except Madison Metropolitan School District lol, and ive been in a lot of different school districts over the years lol.

quote Originally posted by railshot: How about playing outside until after dark and your parents not sending the police to find you. They knew you would come home when you go hungry or tired. How about just playing outside. Knowing all your neighbors, old and young, and having them call you over, by your first name, just to ask how ya doin! Walking in the creek and damming it up to make a pond to swim in. Building your very own soap box derby car, (with no brakes or steering), from lumber you found lying around the neighborhood, and then having all the neighbors laughing histerically because you and your buddy (riding hanging on to the back) crashed into a tree at the bottom of the hill (and nobody called a lawyer because you hurt the tree..... that tree is still standing LOL). Falling out of the same tree. Walking 2 miles to Elgers grocery / hardware store to buy gum, candy, and a "Sparky" balsa wood rubber band powered airplane with real glue and not getting high from it, but spending hours outside flying it all summer. Slot cars. Pheasant hunting with sticks when you were 10. Never got one, but spent weeks trying. Grandparents with a farm, that actually loved having you spend the summer with them And of course, owning a brand new Fiero! I still remember the plastic on the seats. Floor mats in the trunk, and the sound of firing it up the day I drove it home........ 5 miles on the OD! Shoulda kept her. (sniff)

Gathering soft drink bottles and turning them in at the grocery store for your pocket money.

Saturday morning cartoons and shows (ones that weren't computer generated in Japan)

Building and honest to god TREE HOUSE in the woods or even in your own backyard.

The Ed Sullivan Show and "Topo Gigio"

Having you mouth washed out with soap for saying a bad word

Fearing getting the wooden paddle applied to your backside if you acted up in school, (and your parents *approving* your being disciplined)

Knowing all your neighbors...and them knowing you.

quote Originally posted by madcurl: A Rotory dial phone. Back then- calling someone had a real meaning behind it and you needed to "know" their phone number (no pre-programmed numbers) and if you messed up while your dialing you had to start all over again.

And that was when people calling long distance meant you had to stop everything for the call. It MUST be important. People talked about calling long distance as if they had to walk the distance. "I called 5000 MILES to talk to you!!"

Remember the local kid's TV shows? Every town had them. When I was a kid in Orlando, there was the Major Mercury Show and when I got to Phoenix, there was Wallace and Ladmo, though I was too old by that time.
They all had goofy characters, silly stunts and cartoons. I loved the old Merry Melodies that were backed by some great early jazz.

[This message has been edited by williegoat (edited 03-06-2010).]

quote Originally posted by williegoat: Remember the local kid's TV shows? Every town had them. When I was a kid in Orlando, there was the Major Mercury Show and when I got to Phoenix, there was Wallace and Ladmo, though I was too old by that time. They all had goofy characters, silly stunts and cartoons. I loved the old Merry Melodies that were backed by some great early jazz.

That was great, thanx!

quote Originally posted by Jake_Dragon: music on MTV

Fixed it for ya.

Refillable glass Coke bottles with the name of the city where they were originally made on the bottom.

When they were in a vending machine only the top and neck could be seen. So, naturally we bet on who would draw a bottle made the farthest distance from our location. Had a U.S. map and string by the Coke machine to make official measurements.

Party line telephones.

I'm just gonna post as I remember em lol.

Brad

Ability to not get in trouble. My father is 66 going on 67 in November and he would tell me when he was my age (19) that he would do all sorts of stuff and the police would just tell them to go home and don't come out until morning. He has lots of stories of the sheriff busting him for hot-rodding and all the sheriff would say "Get your ass home, and I'm going to drive by your house in 15min, if your not there, me and your mother are going to have a talking to." If we did any "hot rodding" we would receive tickets, points on the license, the whole 9 yards. Even simple stuff where if you get in a fight with some one they would just call it a day and go home, now you have lawsuits, jail, community service. In face he didn't even know what the zero tolerance policy in school was until I was in trouble.

Granted I don't have any kids but, the time will come.

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quote Originally posted by Fiero_Fan_88: Ability to not get in trouble. My father is 66 going on 67 in November and he would tell me when he was my age (19) that he would do all sorts of stuff and the police would just tell them to go home and don't come out until morning. He has lots of stories of the sheriff busting him for hot-rodding and all the sheriff would say "Get your ass home, and I'm going to drive by your house in 15min, if your not there, me and your mother are going to have a talking to." If we did any "hot rodding" we would receive tickets, points on the license, the whole 9 yards. Even simple stuff where if you get in a fight with some one they would just call it a day and go home, now you have lawsuits, jail, community service. In face he didn't even know what the zero tolerance policy in school was until I was in trouble. Granted I don't have any kids but, the time will come.

I think people need to realize, where you live IIRC if you drive past a Police car more than 3 times in a certain time period (was it per night?) you get in pretty big trouble for "cruising" We hated Omaha for doing that.

Brad

quote Originally posted by twofatguys: I think people need to realize, where you live IIRC if you drive past a Police car more than 3 times in a certain time period (was it per night?) you get in pretty big trouble for "cruising" We hated Omaha for doing that. Brad

Haha Yep that's be the one. On Prom night I drove through the same speed trap in my Fiero from 12am-5am... Date wanted out of the dress, then to post prom, then back to house for stuff, then house party after post prom then home. They did not like that at all. I believe it is also driving up and down the same street a certain number of times. Granted its at the cops discretion, it is still a stupid law.
Here is a good read on it, not the same city but Omaha is mentioned. http://www.popcenter.org/pr...PDFs/Gofman_2002.pdf

Also in the summer, every one gets in their cars and goes to a bar where its basically a car show. Little kids to people over 100 all go there to look at each others cars and what not. Well about 10 cops over see the whole thing in case of a fight and you best pray to god you don't chirp the tires. Even if you leave the gathering if a cop hears a tire squeal or an engine rev, you bet your ass he will be after you. There have been instances where they have been 2 or so blocks away and if the cop hears the car he will haul after them.

I hate to say it, but every thing in this thread makes me sad and glad that I didn't have kids!!! I'm truly saddened that our way of life has changed soo much, I used to get on my bicycle and explore, the whole town, the only concern was that I was home in time for dinner.

Joe

quote Originally posted by motoracer838: I hate to say it, but every thing in this thread makes me sad and glad that I didn't have kids!!! I'm truly saddened that our way of life has changed soo much, I used to get on my bicycle and explore, the whole town, the only concern was that I was home in time for dinner. Joe

I agree Joe. My friends and I would end up in all kinda of random spots on our bikes. Meet all kinds of different people, but the biggest concern was being home when our parents wanted us home. We were never scared about all the evils in the world.


What I miss were playgrounds with sand or gravel. Play sets at school or a park that was made out of metal. And you could get hurt on. Nowadays all the playgrounds are all rubber and plastic.

Model cars for sure!! I built so many of those as a kid. I can't imagine being a kid and not building them.

See I grew up in a house that didn't have a computer. We had two TV's and hardly watched them. I would spend hours on end in my bedroom playing with Legos, Hotwheel cars, balsa wood airplanes, model cars, rc cars, etc. I wasn't distracted by a million TV channels, or the internet. When I would get bored I would go outside and have an adventure. During the summer I would go camping with the boy scouts, and learn how to make leather wallets, carve things in wood, climb trees, tie knots, set up tents, build a camp fire, etc.

I guess things have changed. I miss being a kid.

[This message has been edited by DeLorean00 (edited 03-07-2010).]

quote Originally posted by KurtAKX: -Model rocketry, where you actually have to glue balsa fins on, and the rocket motors were real rockets, not just compressed air.

One of my side-hobbies, just got back into it for the second time about a month ago. You can get Estes stuff at ACE Hardware.

Tried the "air-rockets" once several years ago and wasn't that impressed, nothing beats playing with actual fire.

[This message has been edited by ShockWave (edited 03-07-2010).]

i miss getting up on sat. morning to watch cartoons

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AIM:Onefast2M8
MSN Onefast2M6@hotmail.com
00 VW GTI VR6 -- Not stock
07 G6 GTP 3.6 VVT-- 6 speed auto.
98 Corvette, Nassau blue Coupe, Not stock...

never mind

[This message has been edited by Jake_Dragon (edited 03-07-2010).]

Sitting in the back of the truck, with all the neighbor kids riding down the highway, going to the creek.

Brad

quote Originally posted by twofatguys: Sitting in the back of the truck, with all the neighbor kids riding down the highway, going to the creek. Brad

Or driving a "Hog" in CA without a helmet, hehe. I do a doulbe-take when I see motor bikes in other states where wearing a helmet isn't required.

Kids under 18 riding a bike w/o a helmet (although I don't think the law is strictly enforced, but I could be wrong). I don't know if the law is the same for all 50-states, but here in CA it is.

quote Originally posted by twofatguys: Sitting in the back of the truck, with all the neighbor kids riding down the highway, going to the creek. Brad

Sitting back and listening to your Dad & other men swap stories about their younger days.

quote Originally posted by randye: Gathering soft drink bottles and turning them in at the grocery store for your pocket money.

I'm 54 and I still do this. Old habits die hard.

Huh, this thread is very interesting. I'm 21 and i've done alot of the things that were mentioned.
Model rockets: loved them madly and built several, even some of my own design (never worked too well for some damn reason).
Model airplanes: absolutely, have some hanging from my ceiling right now!
I've pumped up old lanterns on many, many camping trips with the family.
played plenty of dodgeball in junior high, getting hit was half the fun.
fireworks: not gonna get into too much detail (at least not on the internet) but.... yes.
candles that burn: on my birthdays my mom liked to use candles wouldn't STOP burning
go karts! I drove a go kart around a fairly new school with all the corridors and obstacles at full speed. never used the breaks, hell they didnt work anyway.
bringing guns to school?? okay, haven't done that one.

I've done all that stuff but I do fear that any children i might have wont be able to. I'll find a way though.

quote Originally posted by Formula88: And that was when people calling long distance meant you had to stop everything for the call. It MUST be important. People talked about calling long distance as if they had to walk the distance. "I called 5000 MILES to talk to you!!"

Well, it WAS expensive, for most people ( we got it for free.. )

Having the Coke machine and for $0.15 getting an 8 oz bottle of Coke and checking out where it was from. I found one from Hawaii one time and I was in NY then.

Hiking out in the "country" and into the wooded areas around the valley and following the creeks to see where they would lead us. Catching "minnows" for the aquarium at home.

Playing in the nearby river, fording it, to get to the islands in the middle.

Riding my bike up to the south side mountain fire tower then coasting back down the hills.

quote Originally posted by Formula88: And that was when people calling long distance meant you had to stop everything for the call. It MUST be important. People talked about calling long distance as if they had to walk the distance. "I called 5000 MILES to talk to you!!"

And they yelled to . My 87 year old Aunt still does,

I used to ride my bike over 5 miles to a 7-11 to buy Slurpees, candy, and comics at 8 years old. I would never let my kids go that far because of sexual predators and the like. I also remember going to the local Honda dealership and laying on my back underneath the cars talking to the Japanese mechanics. Of course I was talking, and they were listening, but they were the kindest fellas. Good times. Because of our letigous society, that would never happen nowadays. Actually that is one thing that should have never happened at anytime.

Jim

we built the rockets no kits no premade motors or any thing
salt-peter and sugger works best

when skateboards first became a fad we got a old skates and some wood and made our own

same with BMX bikes find a old kids 20" add some bars and seat post and ride till it broke

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Question wonder and be wierd
are you kind?

quote Originally posted by ray b: same with BMX bikes find a old kids 20" add some bars and seat post and ride till it broke

I remember my banana seat bike with high handle bars and extended forks to make it look like a chopper. Couldn't steer worth crap, but I looked good crashing.

Jim

quote Originally posted by dennis_6: Constitutional rights and the ability to think for ones self.

Oh, the demise of those started in the 60's... the 1860's.

quote Originally posted by railshot: Slot cars.

There are a few of us relics who still enjoy playing with toy electric cars. In the last few years, there's been a growing trend toward the old Thunderjet cars from the 60's (1960's this time). But, I admit, we ARE a dying breed.

quote Originally posted by Formula Owner: There are a few of us relics who still enjoy playing with toy electric cars. In the last few years, there's been a growing trend toward the old Thunderjet cars from the 60's (1960's this time). But, I admit, we ARE a dying breed.

Thanks Boondawg. That was cool. I'm surprised that I haven't run across that video on some of my slotcar forums.

One thing I regret my kids (both adults now) not experiencing is life on the family farm. My mother was raised on a farm and several aunts and uncles still farmed when I was a kid. We would visit them often and I spent summers working and living on farms but that kind of life is almost gone now. Only one cousin became a farmer like his father and he gave it up years ago.

quote Originally posted by $Rich$: i miss getting up on sat. morning to watch cartoons

And uncensored cartoons at that.
Have you seen any current airings of some old Looney Toons, etc? Many have been edited to be less violent.

quote Originally posted by Formula Owner: Thanks Boondawg. That was cool. I'm surprised that I haven't run across that video on some of my slotcar forums.

The pleasure was mine.
Thanx for the reminder!

quote Originally posted by DeLorean00: Oh and if you ever want to imagine my Dad just think of Calvin's Dad for Calvin and Hobbes. He looked just like him, dressed just like him, he had the same warped sense of humor as him, and even worked a tall building downtown like Calvins Dad.

that's a good one, my kids will never know who calvin and hobbes were. IMO that was the best comic strip EVER.

after reading everybody's posts i've got mixed feelings. i never had (or wanted) lots of toys growing up. i grew up in rural iowa and all i needed was my bike. me and my friend used to ride our bikes to a bridge with some canned food, swiss army knife, matches, and a fishing pole. we would then leave the bikes and take our supplies and hike down river. about 3 miles from the bridge was a public cabin way back in the woods, that was our destination. he usually told his parents he was going to my house and vice versa. usually ended up being a 2 day trip unless we tried a shortcut and got lost in the woods. eventually we'd make it back home safe and sound.

i'm not sure if i would let my kids do this but if they did i think i would be ok with it. that's why i was saying i've got mixed feelings, i guess i'm lucky enough to live out in the sticks and a lot of these oppurtunities everyone has mentioned are still around in the area i live. my community is still very safe and my children are going to grow up hunting and fishing with their parents so they at least have the oppurtunity to appreciate things like that. i guess it's their choice which path they want to take in life though...