Things in living memory which seem very anachronistic now

[Rhinojerry]

Still available from Amazon. Much cheaper than prescription varifocals and have the advantage that they can be flipped up out of the way.

Bought mine in Chorley Asda.£10,several colours and a nice plastic clip shut case to keep them in.

 

[Killingworth]

The Times stopped having a front page of small advertisements in May 1966.

The Darlington and Stockton Times still had them a lot later, certainly in 1974 when we were in their circulation area.

 

[D6130]

The Times stopped having a front page of small advertisements in May 1966.

The Darlington and Stockton Times still had them a lot later, certainly in 1974 when we were in their circulation area.

The Hampshire Chronicle, Dundee Courier and Craven Herald still had them even later than that.

 

[GordonT]

In the pre driving theory test days when the examiner merely asked three or so questions at the end of the driving test.

 

[Cross City]

In the pre driving theory test days when the examiner merely asked three or so questions at the end of the driving test.

They still do this, but at the start of the test. Mostly to do with various mechanical or operational things.

 

[dangie]

In the pre driving theory test days when the examiner merely asked three or so questions at the end of the driving test.

If I was suddenly asked to take a theory test I’d like to think I’d pass, but in reality I probably wouldn’t. I’m nearly 75 and been driving 50+ years. In that time there’s been many changes and additions to the Highway Code much of which I’m sure would catch me out.

 

[Cross City]

If I was suddenly asked to take a theory test I’d like to think I’d pass, but in reality I probably wouldn’t. I’m nearly 75 and been driving 50+ years. In that time there’s been many changes and additions to the Highway Code much of which I’m sure would catch me out.

The Hazard Perception section is what would catch most people out who never had to take a theory test IMO.

 

[3141]

If I was suddenly asked to take a theory test I’d like to think I’d pass, but in reality I probably wouldn’t. I’m nearly 75 and been driving 50+ years. In that time there’s been many changes and additions to the Highway Code much of which I’m sure would catch me out.

I feel the same, and I've been driving for even longer.

When the Highway Code first came out, while I was still a child, my recollection is that it was only a few pages. Now it's a small book. There's a lot there that one should know.

 

[gg1]

If I was suddenly asked to take a theory test I’d like to think I’d pass, but in reality I probably wouldn’t. I’m nearly 75 and been driving 50+ years. In that time there’s been many changes and additions to the Highway Code much of which I’m sure would catch me out.

There are mock tests you can do online if you're curious, I did one when my wife was learning to drive 13 years ago, IIRC I passed it but only narrowly, I did get a few questions wrong. The majority of the questions were just basic common sense ones which any driver should know.

 

[simonw]

I feel the same, and I've been driving for even longer.

When the Highway Code first came out, while I was still a child, my recollection is that it was only a few pages. Now it's a small book. There's a lot there that one should know.

If you were say, 6 when it first came out, you would be 100 now and I hope you wouldn't be driving.

 

[GordonT]

If you were say, 6 when it first came out, you would be 100 now and I hope you wouldn't be driving.

The late Prince Philip continued to drive until he was 97 and that went well.

 

[styles]

Personal message adverts in newspapers, occasionally somewhat cryptic.

I believe the Metro newspaper still do this - Rush Hour Crush. It is aimed at people you've seen on your travels and want to get in contact with, so a little more niche than a generic personal ad, but I quite like it!

NB: I haven't read the Metro since around 2022 so I am just assuming it is still going.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 18 Sep 2025 ==

They still do this, but at the start of the test. Mostly to do with various mechanical or operational things.

One at the start, one during.

The one at the start is a 'Tell Me' question, typically about making sure the car is safe to drive.

The one during is a 'Show Me' question, where you'll actually need to demonstrate a vehicle control like how to use the horn, wipes, windows, etc.

If you get either or both of them wrong, you'll get a single driving fault (a 'minor'). If you manage to do something dangerous or potentially dangerous, it'll be a serious fault or a dangerous fault (a 'major'), though I imagine this is exceptionally rare!

The questions are dead simple, though can understand why 17 year olds who've never owned a car and possibly only driven a single car during lessons may stumble on them: https://www.gov.uk/government/publi.../car-show-me-tell-me-vehicle-safety-questions

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 18 Sep 2025 ==

The Hazard Perception section is what would catch most people out who never had to take a theory test IMO.

Indeed. And I'd actually be quite in favour of mandatory periodical theory+hazard testing. The theory multiple choice questions mainly because the highway code has been updated every year for over over a dozen consecutive years (excluding 2020 when time seemed to stand still for some of us). The hazard perception mainly for older drivers, probably alongside the eye sight tests. And yes I know younger drivers are more likely to end up crashing, but that's less to do with knowledge of the rules of the road or hazard perception test passability - it's usually lack of practical experience or in some cases merely immaturity.

 

[GordonT]

I know younger drivers are more likely to end up crashing, but that's less to do with knowledge of the rules of the road or hazard perception test passability - it's usually lack of practical experience or in some cases merely immaturity.

And occasionally wilful recklessness.

 

[styles]

And occasionally wilful recklessness.

Yeah I was kinda bundling that up into immaturity, but exactly that sort of thing!

 

[swt_passenger]

If I was suddenly asked to take a theory test I’d like to think I’d pass, but in reality I probably wouldn’t. I’m nearly 75 and been driving 50+ years. In that time there’s been many changes and additions to the Highway Code much of which I’m sure would catch me out.

One of the stupid decisions made over the years was to stop including those leaflets explaining new rules and signs etc with letters about vehicle tax and MOTs etc. I’m fairly sure back when they were a very regular thing people kept up to date with changes more easily...

 

[bspahh]

I believe the Metro newspaper still do this - Rush Hour Crush. It is aimed at people you've seen on your travels and want to get in contact with, so a little more niche than a generic personal ad, but I quite like it!

NB: I haven't read the Metro since around 2022 so I am just assuming it is still going.

Its still available on their WWW site https://metro.co.uk/rush-hour-crush/

 

[simonw]

One of the stupid decisions made over the years was to stop including those leaflets explaining new rules and signs etc with letters about vehicle tax and MOTs etc. I’m fairly sure back when they were a very regular thing people kept up to date with changes more easily...

I don't recall such leaflets and I've owned cars since the 1970s. Either they stopped a long time ago or they weren't particularly eye catching.

 

[styles]

One of the stupid decisions made over the years was to stop including those leaflets explaining new rules and signs etc with letters about vehicle tax and MOTs etc. I’m fairly sure back when they were a very regular thing people kept up to date with changes more easily...

I've always thought they should post out updates to the highway code when they make them, and explain them in simple terms (well, they should be written in simple terms anyway).

 

[Cross City]

And occasionally wilful recklessness.

Not sure if that's any worse than unintentional recklessness that we get from some older drivers

 

[GordonT]

Not sure if that's any worse than unintentional recklessness that we get from some older drivers

The stats and the insurers are quite clear that reckless driving is significantly more common among young drivers (particularly 17-25 year olds) than older drivers. Not to say that serious accidents due to decreasing physical
resilience of elderly drivers never happen, of course.

 

[Cross City]

The stats and the insurers are quite clear that reckless driving is significantly more common among young drivers (particularly 17-25 year olds) than older drivers. Not to say that serious accidents due to decreasing physical
resilience of elderly drivers never happen, of course.

I was joking...

 

[StoneRoad]

I recently had another trip to Beamish Museum as part of the Jampot 2025 [AJS and Matchless Owner's Club annual get-together.
I managed to sneak a visit into the newish 1950s town.
Flippi' 'eck - it makes you feel old when you actually have [& use] some of the objects on display !

 

[GordonT]

I was joking...

I appreciate you were, but nonetheless the spotlight currently seems to be on retesting for older people rather than any obvious focus on the greater numbers of those who are problematic and lie within the 17-25 age range.

 

[AM9]

I appreciate you were, but nonetheless the spotlight currently seems to be on retesting for older people rather than any obvious focus on the greater numbers of those who are problematic and lie within the 17-25 age range.

There seems to be a view here that younger drivers might cause more damage that can be excused because they as a group drive many more hours per year, - ergo they are individually less of a problem. In reality, it's the actual impact on others that needs to be the priority, irrespective of how many drivers it might impact.

 

[dcbwhaley]

I recently had another trip to Beamish Museum as part of the Jampot 2025 [AJS and Matchless Owner's Club annual get-together.
I managed to sneak a visit into the newish 1950s town.
Flippi' 'eck - it makes you feel old when you actually have [& use] some of the objects on display !

I took my father to the Textile \museum at Styal Mill shortly before he retired.
On display were two spinning mules identical to the ones he was using to produce yarn in his day job.

And the looms on display were the ones that my mother had been using a few years earlier
|

 

[3141]

If you were say, 6 when it first came out, you would be 100 now and I hope you wouldn't be driving.

Whoops! You'e right. I thought it first came out in about 1948. But actually it was 1931.

So I'm a mere 86 and still driving.

 

[GordonT]

The years when it would have been impossible to envisage being able to order such a full spectrum of products from the comfort of your own home for delivery there the following day. The number of van deliveries on a daily basis to houses in our small housing estate of average affluence seems to me to have reached a level little short of being phenomenal.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

The years when it would have been impossible to envisage being able to order such a full spectrum of products from the comfort of your own home for delivery there the following day. The number of van deliveries on a daily basis to houses in our small housing estate of average affluence seems to me to have reached a level little short of being phenomenal.

How long did it take for items ordered via Sir Pryce Pryce-Jones's 'Royal Welsh Warehouse' emporium in Newtown, Wales, to be delivered, back in the day (19th/20th centuries)? Presume you would have had to have factored in the additional time needed for your order to be received by the business, unless they maybe accepted telegrams & then allowed payment on receipt of goods?

 

[dangie]

The years when it would have been impossible to envisage being able to order such a full spectrum of products from the comfort of your own home for delivery there the following day. The number of van deliveries on a daily basis to houses in our small housing estate of average affluence seems to me to have reached a level little short of being phenomenal.

I believe that a person could hypothetically live their whole adult life, or even their whole life, without leaving their house.

 

[stuartl]

The years when it would have been impossible to envisage being able to order such a full spectrum of products from the comfort of your own home for delivery there the following day. The number of van deliveries on a daily basis to houses in our small housing estate of average affluence seems to me to have reached a level little short of being phenomenal.

America had the Sears Roebuck catalogue where you could order an immense range of items. Even a kit to build a full size house.