Things you don't see anymore

[philmayfield 6,140]

Don't have to - just tick a box. Bound to get some right. That's not new though. When i took my pilot's exams back in the 70"s that was mainly a box ticking exercise. Usually a choice of three answers - one is totally stupid and can be ruled out and it was a bit of a toss up between the other two!

 

[Compo 10,328]

It's called a "Multiple Choice" paper, Phil.  In the forces there were four options: One daft, one not quite so daft and two probables but with only one fully correct.

[MargieH 7,600]

Many of my exams were churning out facts that I'd learnt.  Luckily I had a very good memory so I didn't find exams too difficult (as long as I'd learnt  the right bits, suggested by the subject teacher)

[philmayfield 6,140]

Exams really should be a test of intelligence and not of memory. We can now go on line and find the answer to most of our questions but the application of intelligence to knowledge seems to be in short supply. The whole system of examinations needs a radical review. 

[MargieH 7,600]

Phil, I DID understand the stuff I was regurgitating!  (Thinking of History and Geography in particular). And English essays were from my heart, mind and experience (the full 15/16 years!) so I didn't really have to use my memory for them.  Also, Maths I never revised because I paid attention in the lessons and therefore understood the concepts.  I suppose I had to revise vocabulary in the foreign languages but can't remember particularly doing so.  As I have said in another thread somewhere, I did learn the English translation of Virgil's Aenead part 1, so memory was useful for that when confronted with a block of Latin prose to translate.  I think intelligence is hard to measure as it's tied up so closely to knowledge and experience.  Even the way to do those 'intelligence tests' that are about choosing the next diagram/shape in a series can be taught, and lateral thinking also, to a certain extent.  At least that's my opinion.   Having seen several GCSE papers, I agree about multiple choice questions, though

[philmayfield 6,140]

I'm in total accord with what you say. Back in those days you had to have the knowledge and understanding to give a written, reasoned answer to the question. With multiple choice, which is easy to mark, you can have a guess, educated or otherwise, and still stand a chance of getting a pass mark.

[carni 10,094]

Can you remember when we would get free samples or coupons come through the letterbox. There has been none for years; well today we had one Hoorah. I felt just like a kid again, when you have five siblings, you have to get there first or you never get anything.

 

When I saw it sticking out of the letterbox, I took of like a greyhound after a rabbit. Yeh, Wooohoo, got there before Chris, grabbed it and the words on the little yellow box said 'A little Something for your morning' in white and green wavy writing. Yes, it did say for the morning not the weekendanyway, it turned out to be 'Belvita Breakfast Bars'. Yummy, I was just about to rip the box apart as quickly as possible, like a wild thing, and munch them up secretly, before Chris asked for one, and then he said 'I bet granddaughter would love that'.  B....y spoilsport, I wanted them. Suppose I'll have to give them to her now. 

[Compo 10,328]

Men in forces uniforms hitch-hiking.

[Brew 5,419]

I remember petrol out in the sticks sold from hand wound pumps and Castrol oil sold in glass bottles,

Mothers breast feeding babies on the bus,

Buses with wooden slat seats.

Salvation army band playing in the street Sunday morning.

Hammering Segs and Blakeys into the soles and heels of your boots (and they were proper boots to).

Proper scooters and three wheeled bikes with a little bin at the back (god I sooo wanted one of those)

Making a slide on the ice in the playground and the rules as to what footwear you could have to use it.

Bonfires on guy Fawkes night setting fire to the tar on the cobbled street

Maypole dancing.

Vacuum tubes and wires in shops that sent little canisters whizzing to the office.

So many more...

[MargieH 7,600]

Brew, my friend still breastfeeds her 2 daughters on our local bus if they need it!

And I had one of those trikes with a metal container at the back - I loved it.  It was red and I used to ride it unaccompanied to my friend's house several streets away when I was only four...  now that's something you probably don't see anymore - unaccompanied four year olds riding their trikes outside.

[davep5491 360]

Brew, margieH, 

 

I had a red 3 wheeled bike with a bin on the back when I was about 4, a Gresham Flyer, apparently I used to use it redistribute bread and milk left on the steps around Aslockton Drive.

 

It seemed like there was a continuous slide along Lindfield, Woodfield, Bradfield and Beechdale roads and on to school which continued in the playground. H&S would have a field day nowadays. I used to envy the kids who wore army boots with Segs and Blakeys, they could still slide to school even when there was no ice and they could make sparks.

[Compo 10,328]

Here's a couple for BREW #3891 both around at the same time as the three wheeled bikes:

 

 

[Compo 10,328]

I know I've posted this before but couldn't resist a reminder of those wonderful days before Health and Safety ruled the world:

 

[Compo 10,328]

Here you go Davep: A Gresham Flyer:

 

 

 

[Brew 5,419]

Thanks Compo, I saw one of those cars in car showroom though I can't remember which one, I know they were Austin and I thought they were the best pedal car in the world.

[Compo 10,328]

From the look of it, Brew,  I would say that it is a model Austin A70 Hereford.  The dashboard is similar to the A40 Dorset but the bodywork looks more like the Hereford two door convertible.  Can't find an image of teh A70 dash but here's one of the Dorset:

 

[FLY2 10,108]

A Devon, or a Somerset Compo. I think the Devon was smaller in real life!

[Compo 10,328]

The Somerset dashboard was different Fly.  Here's a pic of the Somerset dash. The Hereford was similar in build and shape to the Somerset and had a drop-head version.  See below.  My problem is the deep gorge between the wings and bonnet - that is more like the Dorset/Devon version.  Maybe it is a generic Austin A40 and not meant to be a particular model?

 

Interestingly, as you can see from the dashboard drawing of the Dorset (Above), they appear to have kept the ash tray and used it on the first Minis

 

Somerset dashboard:

 

 

Hereford two door convertible:

 

 

[FLY2 10,108]

A generic A40 seems the best bet.

God, how basic the dashboard layout appears, compared with today over elaborate concoctions.

I seem to remember the 'heater' control was very similar to my first Mini van. 143 NTO, 1964 I believe.

[Oztalgian 3,296]

I know modern cars are much more reliable but have just bought a new one and it does not even have a temperature gauge, just a tiny bar above the odometer figures. I would love to go back to the old days where you had some indication of a fault before it happened and not just a warning lamp and/or a limp home mode.

[FLY2 10,108]

My Peugeot 308 Sports has been bedevilled with sensor problems over the years. Engine temperature warning when I'd travelled 400 yards from cold. Anti pollution device, ABS warning. I just wish I could disengage the bleddy things. Oil level is another one that shows regularly, although I keep it at the maximum, as these Peugots are notoriously heavy on oil consumption. 

Also, if the engine is labouring, or I miss a gear change, then sometimes it'll show a warning of some description and will chug along till I blast it in third for a mile or so. Otherwise, I like it !  LOL

[benjamin1945 16,160]

Starting handles and Indicators that pop out............had an old Ford Pop back in the sixties that had both,.........mind you had to bang the car from inside to get it to pop-out............also had to drive it with a clothes peg holding the 'choke' open........in the end took it to the 'scrapyard' on Park Lane Basford..........they gave me a fiver..........

[philmayfield 6,140]

The pop-out indicators on the Morris Minor often failed to retract and were mounted in such a position that you would snap them off when getting out!

[loppylugs 8,429]

3904.  You and me both, Ben.  I had an old pop too.  Just about broke my hand one time when that starting handle kicked back.  Used to thump the inside of the door frame to get those so and so's to flip out and to drop back down again.  That car had character.   Don't miss it much though.

[benjamin1945 16,160]

Agree Loppy,i don't miss mine.............finally got rid after a cyclist passed me going up the big hill in Lincoln..............lol.