Nostalgia (San Diego: layoffs, vehicle, ticket)

[Cyanna]

Originally Posted by nmnita

Don't feel too out of it, I didn't even know 8 tracts went out til hubby told me about 3 years later. Then came CDs and I could not understand why I couldn't find cassettes anymore. About 4 years ago I went to Best Buy at Christmas to get a couple of cassettes for hubby. The kid working there just stared at me, after a couple of seconds he said, well you might get something like that at maybe Wal-Mart or Target...

Nita

ROFLMAO!!!

That kind of reminds me of my mum-im-law, who one day went into a shop and asked where the VD's were. Naturally, she meant DVDs, LOL! Another time, at a very large family gathering, my mum-in-law meant to say that my husband is well-educated. Instead she said, quite loudly, "Yes, my son is very well endowed!" My husband was mortified.

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by Cyanna

ROFLMAO!!!

That kind of reminds me of my mum-im-law, who one day went into a shop and asked where the VD's were. Naturally, she meant DVDs, LOL! Another time, at a very large family gathering, my mum-in-law meant to say that my husband is well-educated. Instead she said, quite loudly, "Yes, my son is very well endowed!" My husband was mortified.

I guess we all can remember saying things we wish we could take back. When hair dryiers first became popular for men as well as women, our son was about 16 and wanted to get his hair cut at a pretty pricey place. I suggested he get it styled and get a blow job, I meant a blower cut....

Nita

[CA4Now]

Originally Posted by Charles

Is it me or did it seem like there were a lot more people "thumbing it" back in the 1970s?

Yes. I wonder when it started to become dangerous. My dad used to pick up hitchikers all the time when we were little.

[CA4Now]

Originally Posted by Cyanna

And I remember when 8-Tracks became the OUT thing and cassettes were IN!

How about when LP's were out and turntables stopped being sold? You wonder if Licorice Pizza had stayed in business, they would have had to change their name.

[majoun]

Originally Posted by CA4Now

Yes. I wonder when it started to become dangerous. My dad used to pick up hitchikers all the time when we were little.

I'm not sure if there was an exact time but it seemed to become more dangerous over the years or was at least percieved as more dangerous, throughout the 1970s, beginning with the Manson Family (who didn't commit any crimes hitchhiking but who did hitchhike a great deal, and who did change particularly Southern California for the worse) through serial killers Randy Craft, Lawrence Bittaker, the Hillside Strangler (all of whom preyed on hitchhikers) and even non-Californian serial killer John Wayne Gacy (who preyed upon hitchhikers amongst others in his sick quest to eradicate gays from the streets of Chicago).

By the early '80s fewer people were hitchhiking and the number kept diminishing down to nothing. It was something that gradually faded out rather than disappearing all of a sudden.

[JustPassinThru]

Originally Posted by majoun

I'm not sure if there was an exact time but it seemed to become more dangerous over the years or was at least percieved as more dangerous, throughout the 1970s, beginning with the Manson Family (who didn't commit any crimes hitchhiking but who did hitchhike a great deal, and who did change particularly Southern California for the worse) through serial killers Randy Craft, Lawrence Bittaker, the Hillside Strangler (all of whom preyed on hitchhikers) and even non-Californian serial killer John Wayne Gacy (who preyed upon hitchhikers amongst others in his sick quest to eradicate gays from the streets of Chicago).

By the early '80s fewer people were hitchhiking and the number kept diminishing down to nothing. It was something that gradually faded out rather than disappearing all of a sudden.

I think that your time frame is accurate. I recall an horrific incident in CA involving a teenage hitchhiker who was not only assaulted, but had her arms hacked off by a lunatic (Lawrence Singleton) in 1978. I also remember when a CHP car stopped on the freeway to question a hitchhiker who had a large backpack, and the guy pulled out a shotgun and fired on the officer, striking him in the foot. That incident proved that drivers were also in jeopardy.

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by JustPassinThru

I think that your time frame is accurate. I recall an horrific incident in CA involving a teenage hitchhiker who was not only assaulted, but had her arms hacked off by a lunatic (Lawrence Singleton) in 1978. I also remember when a CHP car stopped on the freeway to question a hitchhiker who had a large backpack, and the guy pulled out a shotgun and fired on the officer, striking him in the foot. That incident proved that drivers were also in jeopardy.

I remember that case as well. Anyone living in Ca at the time would remember it I would think.

Nita

[BlackShoe]

When I was in the Navy would on occasion hitchhike. Servicemen in uniform never had any trouble back then getting a ride, and it was very commonplace for drivers to give them a lift.

[Cyanna]

Originally Posted by nmnita

I remember that case as well. Anyone living in Ca at the time would remember it I would think.

Nita

Back then I remember that everytime I saw a white van I would freak out because one of the "Freeway Killers" was believed to be driving one

[theatregal]

I'm sure this site has been mentioned. If anyone missed it, be sure to check it out and check out all the links, especially Wes Clark (Avacado memories). I grew up in Burbank during the 60's and 70's and this site is great!
Burbankia, by Wes Clark and Mike McDaniel

I've noticed that the posts on this blog are few and far between. I hope we all keep it going. Maybe we should start posting some old holiday memories... Maybe some old recipes from the 50's - 70's.