The "Back in MY Day" post

[bbfreeburn]

Back in MY day, a driver would pull into a service station, be greeted by an attendant, and simply made a request, such as "A dollar's worth of regular" or "Fill it up with Ethyl." For each dollar, you not only got the requested gasoline, but also had your windshield washed and oil and tires checked, at no extra charge.

[Today, when you pull into a service station, your only likely contact with an employee is via the press of a button on the pump (if you need assistance). Before fueling, you must go inside to pay in advance or you have to scan a gas card or a credit card. If you use a credit card, chances are good that you'll have to (a) enter the card in the reader, (b) indicate "yes" or "no" whether or not you want a car wash, (c) indicate "yes" or "no" whether or not you want a receipt, (d) wait for preliminary authorization, (e) enter your 5-digit zip code, (f) select your fuel-grade choice, (g) pump the fuel yourself, (h) put the fuel hose back in the proper place, and (I) wait for the receipt, if you asked for one, or go inside to get it, if you get a "see cashier" message.]

... and not only that, you have to pay MUCH, MUCH MORE for far less service.

I fondly remember buying gas at 24 cents a gallon.

 

[AlwaysWrite]

I fondly remember buying gas at 24 cents a gallon.

Dear bbfreeburn:

I still have a tiny ledger in which I entered everything pertaining to gas purchases while driving all the way from San Diego, Calif., to Nashville, Tenn. (on my way to Vanderbilt University for the start of my senior year in 1962) ... and THE TOTAL COST for a trip that long (in a Volkswagen) was JUST UNDER $15. Only once did the cost exceed 25.9 cents a gallon, and that was 29.9 in a small town in Arkansas.

 

[WAMO]

BACK IN MY DAY, AT THE SERVICE STATIONS (AND SOME STORES) WE USED TO GET GREEN STAMPS WITH A FILL UP!
.32 CENTS WAS THE CHEAPEST I REMEMBER AROUND HERE, EARLY 70'S.

 

[AlwaysWrite]

BACK IN MY DAY, AT THE SERVICE STATIONS (AND SOME STORES) WE USED TO GET GREEN STAMPS WITH A FILL UP!
.32 CENTS WAS THE CHEAPEST I REMEMBER AROUND HERE, EARLY 70'S.

... but by about 1973, the cost almost instantly doubled to 65 cents and upward, and the price kept soaring for years after that.

 

[WAMO]

IT DIDNT DOUBLE THAT HERE UNTIL AROUND 77' MOR 78'. I ALSO REMEMBER ONLY BEING ABLE TO GET GAS BASED ON THE LAST DIGIT OF YOUR LICENSE PLATE. ODD OR EVEN.

 

[AlwaysWrite]

IT DIDNT DOUBLE THAT HERE UNTIL AROUND 77' MOR 78'. I ALSO REMEMBER ONLY BEING ABLE TO GET GAS BASED ON THE LAST DIGIT OF YOUR LICENSE PLATE. ODD OR EVEN.

Dear WAMO:

I believe you are mistaken. I doubt that the Dallas-Fort Worth area was an exception when gas prices soared all over the nation in 1973 in connection with long lines and gas-pump shortages.

 

[WAMO]

I DID NOT SAY IT DIDNT SOAR SIR, YOU SAID DOUBLE. DIDNT DOUBLE FROM .32 PER GALLON UNTIL 77' OR 78' SIR. NOT AROUND DALLAS ANYWAY.

 

[livespive]

All I know is that my Aunt could get $1.00 of gas and drive all around Columbus, Ohio.
I was born in 72 so if I could remember it like that I'm saying about 78...

Just crazy.

 

[radioactive]

and that was 29.9 in a small town in Arkansas.

Did you hear Banjos?

 

[WAMO]

DONT MEAN TO GET OFF THE SUBJECT, BUT HOW ARE YOU DOING RADIO?

 

[radioactive]

Doing OK (for an old fart) WAMO.

 

[radioactive]

BACK IN MY DAY, WHEN ME AND ONE OF MY BUDS WOULD PICK UP A TRANNY, WE WERE WORKING ON A CAR.

But not now?

 

[WAMO]

DONT WORK ON EM ANYMORE, THATS G.

 

[Good Times Good Times]

Dear bbfreeburn:

I still have a tiny ledger in which I entered everything pertaining to gas purchases while driving all the way from San Diego, Calif., to Nashville, Tenn. (on my way to Vanderbilt University for the start of my senior year in 1962) ... and THE TOTAL COST for a trip that long (in a Volkswagen) was JUST UNDER $15. Only once did the cost exceed 25.9 cents a gallon, and that was 29.9 in a small town in Arkansas.

I found the ledger!

 

[WAMO]

 

[AlwaysWrite]

I found the ledger!

Dear Good Times Good Times:

Sorry, that's not it. My "ledger" was etched into a small stone.

 

[WAMO]

LOOK AT THAT! THE VERY FIRST EMOJI. LINE JUST ABOVE BOTTOM LINE. MIDDLE OF THE LINE. IS THAT A SMILING AND WINKING EMOJI!?

 

[9andaWiggle]

Back in MY day...

The women were women and the men were men!

 

[livespive]

AND THE SHEEP WERE SHEEP SO LEAVE THEM ALONE!!!!!!!

Back in MY day...

The women were women and the men were men!

 

[9andaWiggle]

AND THE SHEEP WERE SHEEP SO LEAVE THEM ALONE!!!!!!!

NEVER!!!!