From Quora:
Ashley Adams
What is something that people commonly did in the 1970s that would seem odd today?
I was in high school and college in New York and Massachusetts in the 1970s. Here are some things that were commonly done then that would seem odd now, and vice versa.
- we waited until the evening or weekends to make long distance calls. Rates were lower then, so we who were trying to save money waited until 8pm or Sunday to call out of town. The difference was pronounced: $.15 a minute at night vs. $.40 a minute during weekdays.
- Played on the street until it was dark. For the most part, kids did not play inside unless it was raining or dark.
- Dressed up to go downtown. When we went to NYC or Boston men wore jackets and often tied and women wore dresses and until the mid-70s GLOVES!
- Paid in cash or check for everything except maybe a fancy dinner if you were an executive and had a credit card.
- Smoked inside everywhere.
- Listened to baseball games on AM radio.
- As a child, asked permission to leave the table at dinner.
- Sent and received handwritten letters in the mail from friends and family.
- Asked a gas station attendant, when he was done filling up your car, to check the oil.
- Listened to a transistor radio at the beach.
- Called people Mr. Mrs and Miss until they gave us permission to use their first name.
- Went on vacation in the Catskills.