Crazes: A flash in the pan - then it's gone.
Discussion
I was reminiscing with a mate the other day about life in the early 1990s.
Who remembers 0898 chat lines? I don't mean w
k lines but premium rate numbers you could call to be put through to a load of strangers all talking at once,
As pissed students we'd call them. Utterly pointless. Los of shouting swearing people just saying "Hello" repeatedly. I recall there was some sort of moderator who would cut you off if it got out of hand.
I guess the cost and the soon to come Internet with its U.K. Local boards killed it. That and it was utterly pointless.
At the time, you'd see the numbers in the papers, and your hear or read stories about kids running up mega bills on their parents' accounts.
Then it was gone. A flash in the pan.
CB radio is another.
Do any other odd in-fashion activities spring to mind. Things that just stopped seemingly overnight.
Who remembers 0898 chat lines? I don't mean w
k lines but premium rate numbers you could call to be put through to a load of strangers all talking at once, As pissed students we'd call them. Utterly pointless. Los of shouting swearing people just saying "Hello" repeatedly. I recall there was some sort of moderator who would cut you off if it got out of hand.
I guess the cost and the soon to come Internet with its U.K. Local boards killed it. That and it was utterly pointless.
At the time, you'd see the numbers in the papers, and your hear or read stories about kids running up mega bills on their parents' accounts.
Then it was gone. A flash in the pan.
CB radio is another.
Do any other odd in-fashion activities spring to mind. Things that just stopped seemingly overnight.
Nanook said:
Randy Winkman said:
It amazes me that my local corner shops both still have top shelves with plenty of them. Who buys them?
Hipsters?wildcat45 said:
Who remembers 0898 chat lines? I don't mean wk lines but premium rate numbers you could call to be put through to a load of strangers all talking at once
Come on call chatback - 0891 50 50 50 - that advert had voodoo powers over the TV volume at nightk lines but premium rate numbers you could call to be put through to a load of strangers all talking at onceWe had a new starter at work who called the o898 pron line on his first day.
2nd day converstion went:
Mick: I've tried calling an 0898 number and can't get through can you connect me
Receptioist: whats one of those
Mick: Pron
Receptionist: well you shouldn't ring those against policy etc
Mick: will you talk dirty to me then.
HR: Mick can we have a word please.
HR after discussion Mick here's your P45
2nd day converstion went:
Mick: I've tried calling an 0898 number and can't get through can you connect me
Receptioist: whats one of those
Mick: Pron
Receptionist: well you shouldn't ring those against policy etc
Mick: will you talk dirty to me then.
HR: Mick can we have a word please.
HR after discussion Mick here's your P45
Neil H said:
Happy slapping
I seem to remember that was pretty much wiped out as a media craze by the 7/7 bombings. I'm sure it still happens to some extent but videoing your assaults seems to be a fairly self-solving problem in the long term. Most kids with a fraction of a brain will be wise enough not to do it now.Zod said:
Well, in service stations, it's presumably lorry drivers, but not sure who buys them from newsagents. It's one rite of passage denied to today's spotty youth; going to a newsagent that's not the one that supplies the household's papers, slipping a copy of Mayfair under Sounds or NME and not meeting the newsagent's eye when paying.
Oh the shame of my first attempt (Aged about 12) at purchasing one-handed reading matter.It was the summer holidays and I was staying with my aunt and uncle in a quiet little market town. I had the sense or so I thought not to try buying at the local shop, so went to one in the small town centre. I reached up to the shelf to pick up some quality art and before I even got to touch it the newsagent in a booming voice told me it wasn't going to happen.
Next day my rather easy going uncle brought the incident up. He thought it was funny. So did his friend the newsagent who apparently knew exactly who I was.
Bloody small towns! Everyone knowing everyone's business.
Back to the odd fashions.
I recall in the summer of 1985, (I was 15) a craze amongst lads at school to wear thin coloured steel bracelets. You were supposed to buy enough so it looked like you had a metal sleeve. I bought a couple to join in but the bangles pushed together and pinched the skin. Plus is seemed a little bit girly.
For extra kudos you wore the bangles with an army combat jacket with rolled up sleeves and a leather lace round your neck with a shark's tooth on it.
The fashion vanished as quick as it arrived. Surprisingly.
Thinking back, it may have had something to do with Rambo or the band Marillion. Rings a distant bell.
Edited by wildcat45 on Tuesday 24th May 16:35
anothernameitist said:
We had a new starter at work who called the o898 pron line on his first day.
2nd day converstion went:
Mick: I've tried calling an 0898 number and can't get through can you connect me
Receptioist: whats one of those
Mick: Pron
Receptionist: well you shouldn't ring those against policy etc
Mick: will you talk dirty to me then.
HR: Mick can we have a word please.
HR after discussion Mick here's your P45
That is outstanding. 2nd day converstion went:
Mick: I've tried calling an 0898 number and can't get through can you connect me
Receptioist: whats one of those
Mick: Pron
Receptionist: well you shouldn't ring those against policy etc
Mick: will you talk dirty to me then.
HR: Mick can we have a word please.
HR after discussion Mick here's your P45
Here are a few:
Paying for phone ringtones. Used to be really big business, I'd imagine it doesn't exist now.
Platform shoes. Not for women but in the early 80's men wore them!
Fax machines, you can't really call them a flash in the pan but with the exception of sending the odd legal document they gather dust.
Ipods!! Do people still buy them, most seem to use their phone now.
Digital cameras. same as above at least for low priced ones, wouldn't imagine people bother now.
Sending postcards from your holiday. Used to be a running joke that you would be home before they arrive. you certainly will now as who bothers.
Overcoats. hardly see anyone wearing them now even in the winter.
Plenty more but that'll do.
Paying for phone ringtones. Used to be really big business, I'd imagine it doesn't exist now.
Platform shoes. Not for women but in the early 80's men wore them!
Fax machines, you can't really call them a flash in the pan but with the exception of sending the odd legal document they gather dust.
Ipods!! Do people still buy them, most seem to use their phone now.
Digital cameras. same as above at least for low priced ones, wouldn't imagine people bother now.
Sending postcards from your holiday. Used to be a running joke that you would be home before they arrive. you certainly will now as who bothers.
Overcoats. hardly see anyone wearing them now even in the winter.
Plenty more but that'll do.
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