Back in the Good Old Days of Driving

Max Nichols on the NewOK.com talked recently in a column about the politeness of folks back in the pre-interstate days. He wrote of a 1947 trip when their 1939 Chevy broke down. The radiator boiled over and a truckdriver stopped and helped them get water from a nearby cattle trough and got them a canvas bag of water to hang on the front bumper for future problems.

Now, I'm sure acts of kindness like this continue today, but how often?

Roger Harris of the Oklahoma Historical Society said, "Drivers also waved and nodded, flashed their lights and tipped their hats to motorists traveling in the opposite direction on the old two lane roadways." Kind of reminds me of that scene on Route 66 in the movie "Cars" where the vehicles were saying hi to each other.

Harris on gas stations: "When a car passed over an airhose in the station's driveway, a bell would sound (I remember those, one ring for each set of tires as they passed over). Attendants had thirty seconds to get to the driver's side window. 'Fill 'er up' was a common request since gas once sold for 20 cents. Most folks wanted their tires, oil, and water checked, and their windshields cleaned. Some stations even vacuumed or swept out the car and dusted the dashboard."

Now that was FULL service!!! I also remember getting the FREE maps and there was a time when stations actually gave away items if you filled up. Ahhh!! the Good Old Days.

Fill 'Er Up, no Wait a Minute, I have to take out a Second Mortgage These Days. --RoadDog

DING! DING!