You Are Transported Back To The 1970s... What Would You Miss Most?

[Fleet 500]

Let's say you are somehow transported back to the 1970s. Not forever, just for one month or so. I picked the 1970s because I am very familiar with that decade and because it was before a lot of items we are used to today did not exist or were not in common use by the general public.

Here is what I would miss most:

1. An obvious answer, the Internet/computers. For me, most useful are emails, reading and posting on forums and keeping in touch with family and friends both local and long distance. Online shopping (ebay, Amazon, etc) is not only time (and gas) saving but I've found some rare and hard-to-find books and magazines via the Internet.

2. This may surprise some, but my second choice is the basic VCR and (VHS) video tape. Because I still own and use a VCR and have hundreds of tapes which I still run from time to time. It's nice to be able to pop in a movie or TV shows I've recorded and I couldn't do that in the '70s. But I do remember articles saying that someday we will be able to tape programs off the TV and watch it whenever we want. Actually, I didn't really believe it then! I also own a DVD player but it's not used as much as the VCR.

3. The ATM machine. I use it regularly and it's great not having to wait for the bank to open to withdraw cash. I don't remember if ATM machines were common in the '70s. I don't think so but if they were, it would have been mainly in the late-'70s.

I am going to add what I would miss LEAST, too.

1. New/modern cars. "New" meaning 2000+ cars. Hey, what can I say; I like classic cars! I miss cars with chrome, whitewall tires, long overhang (front & rear), vinyl roofs and chrome bumpers. I miss when Mopar were not owned by another company. And I miss when Cadillacs were not "luxury sports sedans," but were true full-sized luxury 6-passenger (9-passenger for the Fleetwood Seventy-Five series) cars.

2. Cell phones. I have one because it's necessary but I don't use it much. The camera it has does come in handy at times, though.

3. The (over)development of my area. So much better when there were more open spaces and I could bike ride in places which back then were rolling hills and dirt trails which now have become shopping areas and churches.

[pimento]

I'd probably most miss not having been born.

Hard to really say fully, but I'd say I'd mostly miss my friends - in that most of my friends don't live in the same city as I do, and without the internet, there'd be no way to 'hang out' with them on the weekends.

[Fleet 500]

Originally Posted by pimento

I'd probably most miss not having been born.

Hard to really say fully, but I'd say I'd mostly miss my friends - in that most of my friends don't live in the same city as I do, and without the internet, there'd be no way to 'hang out' with them on the weekends.

Yeah, good point. You would really be separated from friends. You could call them, but how long can you talk on the phone? And certainly not everyday.

[kingofthering]

Turbochargers that don't require two months advance notice before they kick in. :P

[NSXType-R]

Just to troll you- fuel injection.

[Mugen_Ferio]

Ill miss all the good things we have that have not been around in the 70s

[Cobrafan427]

1. Internet, just because i went a month and a half without it and i know what it's like, i felt totally disconnected from the world.

2. Cell phones because i HATE talking on the phone, it's much easier to txt what you wanna say and keep going with what you're doing instead of having to drop everything to have a conversation with someone

3. Video games, that's a tricky one bc i love to play sports and video games have made every one of my friends lazy bc that's what they do for entertainment so i'm forced to play video games too for my own entertainment. It doesn't help that open hockey is only once a week either

4. 80's hair metal and Rage Against The Machine. I consider the 70's as the worst decade of music ever although this decade has been pretty damn close so far, dub step makes me wanna go on a mass murdering spree

[thebrochureman]

Being alive, probably the people i know well the most.

[Fleet 500]

Originally Posted by NSXType-R

Just to troll you- fuel injection.

You could buy cars with fuel injection in the '70s. In fact, the Cadillac Seville (which was introduced in mid-1975) was available only with fuel injection.

[Fleet 500]

Originally Posted by kingofthering

Turbochargers that don't require two months advance notice before they kick in. :P

2 months? Lol.
I would add turbochargers that actually made some power. (A late-'70s Saab with a "turbo" still took about 10.8 seconds to get to 60 mph from a dead stop.)

[Matra et Alpine]

nice one kingofthering ... and dont forget STILL doing it where it matters


Miss from now ? Live high definition broadcasts of motorsport events from round the world

Miss from the 70's ? Being allowed to be in touching distance of cars in motorsport events all round the world

[Kitdy]

I think I would like the experience of living in another time from now, and a break from modern technology would refreshing. I don't think I'd miss a lot if I was only there for a month. If I could go back with a few friends and enough 1970s cash to live in a hotel and feed myself and do things... That would be a riot.

The pros far outweigh the cons, so I can't even think what I'd miss most if it was only temporary.

[Fleet 500]

True, Kitdy, if only there for a limited time, the pros would outweigh the cons. I forgot to add another to my "would miss" list... digital cameras. I use mine a lot and it's great no having to have film developed and be able to immediately put the photos on the computer.

[NSXType-R]

Originally Posted by Fleet 500

You could buy cars with fuel injection in the '70s. In fact, the Cadillac Seville (which was introduced in mid-1975) was available only with fuel injection.

That's true. Mercedes had fuel injection even earlier with their 300SL, but for the post part cars weren't fuel injected.

I think I might look forward to a few things- I know it'd be a bit weird, but I think meeting my parents when they were young might be incredibly odd.

For one thing, my father had a Mazda RX-3.

Also, old Japanese cars would be very easily and cheaply purchased.

But for the most part, I don't think I'd enjoy it for very long. Life wasn't easy back then.

[NicFromLA]

My iPhone and everything about it.

Originally Posted by NSXType-R

Just to troll you- fuel injection.

You could drive a Mercedes.