If you went back to the Golden Era, what would you notice first?

[jamespowers]

And if you think that's bad, go back another fifty years to the late Victorian era, when literally every flat surface in a city and in most small towns was plastered with advertising, layers and layers of it.

That said, it was advertising, not modern psychological marketing. I'd take a wall full of "Camel Aids Your Digestion" any day over the manipulation we have nowadays.

 

[sheeplady]

Also, in regards to the segregation, I'm not sure in many places you'd notice the difference. We're still a highly segregated society in terms of housing, education, and even occupations, particularly in some areas.

If you need an example, my city is a pretty good one. If you need another example, look at East Saint Louis.

Even though the legal constraints have been lifted in many places, the structural issues which made these racist laws able to be passed in the first place are still there- so you end up with much the same result. Laws don't actually change much when it comes to deep seated prejudice.

 

[RailRoad]

I'd probably notice the amount of kids playing outside and riding bicycles.

 

[vitanola]

the lack of all things clean, commercial, and digital.

Clean?


Jeepers!

The early part of the Era was the very height of the "Sanitary Craze" in middle and upper class American homes. Open plumbing, appliances up on high legs to allow for cleaning underneath, cupboards on wheels so that they could be moved for cleaning, and acres of hard, glossy white enamel. White was the color of cleanliness, for no dirt could hide in an all white room. Sapolio, the famous cleaning powder, advertised itself as favored by the tidy residents of the mythical "Spotless Town". The author of a period (1916) book on home decoration actually bemoaned the overly pristine appearance of the typical middle-class bathroom of the time, which was a sea of white, white mosaic tile floor, glossy white tiled wainscot, white enamelled wood and plaster-work, white porcelain or bright nickle taps, white enamelled lighting fixtures and plain white Turkish towelling. She timidly suggested that the introduction of a bit of color, say a glossy pale yellow tinted enamel on the wall above the wainscot, or a band of cretonne sewn on the edge of a towel might "make a bathroom look less -- pathological."

 

[V.C. Brunswick]

I'd probably notice the amount of kids playing outside and riding bicycles.

Actually bike riding among kids have made something of a comeback in the last few years coinciding with the rise in gas prices when many of the parents realised that they couldn't afford to chauffeur the kids anywhere and everywhere all time.

 

[jamespowers]

Actually bike riding among kids have made something of a comeback in the last few years coinciding with the rise in gas prices when many of the parents realised that they couldn't afford to chauffeur the kids anywhere and everywhere all time.

I wish my boys would learn!

 

[V.C. Brunswick]

The strangest thing is I've known New Yorkers who not only didn't drive but never learned how to ride a bike simply because they never felt a need to do either thanks to the public transportation system. [huh]

 

[Guttersnipe]

The strangest thing is I've known New Yorkers who not only didn't drive but never learned how to ride a bike simply because they never felt a need to do either thanks to the public transportation system. [huh]

No, it makes sense. Have you ever tired to lock a bike up in a big city? Like parking the car, trying to find a safe (legal) place to lock up your bike can be more of a hassle than just using public transit and walking.

 

[Shangas]

I used to cycle a lot. Until stricter cycling laws were introduced.

Now, cycling is virtually impossible as a mode of practical personal transport. The result is that I haven't gone cycling since I was 12 years old.

 

[sheeplady]

No, it makes sense. Have you ever tired to lock a bike up in a big city? Like parking the car, trying to find a safe (legal) place to lock up your bike can be more of a hassle than just using public transit and walking.

That and you have to carry 5 pounds of locks. I've seen a bike get stripped in less than 30 seconds.

 

[V.C. Brunswick]

What kind of strict cycling laws are we talking about?

 

[Indyoriginal]

I don't know about the cleanliness and commericalness though. Advertising, while still in its infancy was prominent (You only need to look at any publication of the time to see how much was present) and lots of places (around here at least) aren't very clean. I'd actually expect the area I live in to be cleaner as it was a boom time rather than a time of decay, like it is presently.

Half of my family is from up a little north of where you are (Fulton, Oswego, etc.). I've spent a lot of time in the Syracuse area. Definitely a town really built up by the Golden era gone awry. Still love it up there though, but that's probably because I live in a relative boomtown (these days at least). Don't have to deal with the job situation in the "rust belt."

In all honesty though, would all of us, as members of TFL, not enjoy life then better then than now? Or is this all just well-meaning nostalgia and wishful thinking? From EVERYONE I know from the era, overall life was better then for Americans, and I do not know a single dissenter from this group.

I think I would immediately notice the simplicity and relative honesty of everyone were I to be magically dumped back into the era. It was a tough time, but still a time of progress, change, and hope for a better future, no matter how hard you had to fight to survive for it.

 

[Shangas]

What kind of strict cycling laws are we talking about?

Can't cycle on the footpath, only on the road. Only in cycling lanes. Must wear a helmet. Must wear riding-gear. IF you cycle on the footpath, you MUST have a letter from your physician. All kinds of stupid bloody laws. In the end it's just not worth the effort.

 

[sheeplady]

Half of my family is from up a little north of where you are (Fulton, Oswego, etc.). I've spent a lot of time in the Syracuse area. Definitely a town really built up by the Golden era gone awry. Still love it up there though, but that's probably because I live in a relative boomtown (these days at least). Don't have to deal with the job situation in the "rust belt."

There is no prettier state than NY, in my humble unbiased opinion. Oswego is beautiful. One of the things we always say when we go up there is: "In any other place beautiful land like this would have five million dollar homes on it overlooking the lake." I'm not sure it is a good thing or a bad thing.

Lake Onondaga is pretty much the poster child/ metaphor for upstate: poisoned by industry, then abandoned, and un- and under-developed. As they say, "Anyplace else that lake would..."

Don't get me wrong- I will defend upstate and the people who live here until the day I die. I could have gotten out, but my husband and I chose to stay. It is my home. It will always be my home. But that doesn't mean I don't find it sad what has happened. To see Syracuse, Utica, Rochester, Buffalo in the Golden Era would be a dream of mine. Just to see them for a few seconds, to feel the life and positivity would be so wonderful.

 

[V.C. Brunswick]

Can't cycle on the footpath, only on the road. Only in cycling lanes. Must wear a helmet. Must wear riding-gear. IF you cycle on the footpath, you MUST have a letter from your physician. All kinds of stupid bloody laws. In the end it's just not worth the effort.

Here only minors are required to wear helmets and I'm not sure if we have some of the same laws but if we do they're rarely enforced.

There is no prettier state than NY, in my humble unbiased opinion. Oswego is beautiful. One of the things we always say when we go up there is: "In any other place beautiful land like this would have five million dollar homes on it overlooking the lake." I'm not sure it is a good thing or a bad thing.

Lake Onondaga is pretty much the poster child/ metaphor for upstate: poisoned by industry, then abandoned, and un- and under-developed. As they say, "Anyplace else that lake would..."

Don't get me wrong- I will defend upstate and the people who live here until the day I die. I could have gotten out, but my husband and I chose to stay. It is my home. It will always be my home. But that doesn't mean I don't find it sad what has happened. To see Syracuse, Utica, Rochester, Buffalo in the Golden Era would be a dream of mine. Just to see them for a few seconds, to feel the life and positivity would be so wonderful.

A friend of mine is from Schenectady and his wife is from Utica and I remember him telling me that New York City generally referred to Upstaters as "Farmers."

 

[lolly_loisides]

Can't cycle on the footpath, only on the road. Only in cycling lanes. Must wear a helmet. Must wear riding-gear. IF you cycle on the footpath, you MUST have a letter from your physician. All kinds of stupid bloody laws. In the end it's just not worth the effort.

I worked for the NSW govt dept that drafted the cycle laws which ultimately became uniform Australian law after all states adopted them. I wasn't a member of the unit that amended the road rules to include cycles, but I did help them draft replies to members of the public when they wrote to the Minister. We expected complaints about mandatory helmet usage, but what was really surprising were the amount of letters saying that we didn't go far enough, particularly in regard to cyclists on footpaths. We received many letters from people (mainly elderly & less mobile people) that had been knocked down by cyclists on footpaths. They thought that even children should not be allowed to ride on footpaths.
Not trying to be argumentative, just trying to give a bit of back ground as to why the laws were introduced and for the most part why the laws are generally supported by the community.

Sorry, very off topic.

 

[sheeplady]

A friend of mine is from Schenectady and his wife is from Utica and I remember him telling me that New York City generally referred to Upstaters as "Farmers."

That's not too far from the truth. It is a very very different state.

I was also about to say something about since Schenectady is near Albany (our capital), he's practically a downstater but we'll leave that be. (Upstaters say downstate starts above Kingston; Downstaters say upstate starts below White Plains. As you can tell, there's a bit of ribbing-like animosity there.)

 

[Shangas]

Whatever the case is, I legally cannot use a bicycle.

So that means one of the first things I'd notice is a lot of bicycles everywhere.

 

[Stanley Doble]

I worked for the NSW govt dept that drafted the cycle laws which ultimately became uniform Australian law after all states adopted them. I wasn't a member of the unit that amended the road rules to include cycles, but I did help them draft replies to members of the public when they wrote to the Minister. We expected complaints about mandatory helmet usage, but what was really surprising were the amount of letters saying that we didn't go far enough, particularly in regard to cyclists on footpaths. We received many letters from people (mainly elderly & less mobile people) that had been knocked down by cyclists on footpaths. They thought that even children should not be allowed to ride on footpaths.
Not trying to be argumentative, just trying to give a bit of back ground as to why the laws were introduced and for the most part why the laws are generally supported by the community.

Sorry, very off topic.

A walking stick through the front spokes is a powerful incentive not to cycle on walking paths.

 

[sheeplady]

A walking stick through the front spokes is a powerful incentive not to cycle on walking paths.

Oh my God- people do that? I understand not wanting people to run others down, but that could seriously seriously hurt someone, including innocent bystanders.

Here you have to ride in the road and follow the rules of traffic. It is not enforced, however, except on college campuses (where bikes are allowed on some paths but not on others). I have seen bicyclists get tickets on two college campuses I've been on.