really vintage hats

[xwray]

I hope I'm not out of line here but I didn't know where else to post this. It's a motion picture taken from a trolley running up Market street in 1906 San Francisco not too long before the quake. I found it quite interesting...not a bare head in sight which is why I thought it would best fit here.

http://www.flixxy.com/san-francisco-1905-historical-footage.htm

 

[Woodfluter]

Fascinating Xwray. Headgear ubiquitous, some bowlers but many felts with brims turned up all around, many flat caps (appear to be eight-piece types).

Notice the boy cycling right to left across the streetcar's path at 2:20 - not sure what he's wearing but it looks a little like the very large Basque berets.

Not hat-related, but this is sort of a pivot point in history. Horses and wagons as common as autos, no apparent rules of the road with everyone cutting every which way, pedestrians running and dodging cars, horses and streetcars. Notice the ladies picking up their skirts and jogging to keep from being hit by a streetcar and an auto. Right about 6:00 there appears to be a very near miss between our streetcar and an auto slicing in from the right. Egad.

Well, it does show why we're so out of condition now - people got a whole lot more exercise getting from one place to another despite the long skirts and suits.

- Bill

 

[Marc Chevalier]

.


About 10 years before this clip, the Lumiere brothers filmed similar street scenes of major cities all over Europe. In Berlin, men crossing the streets are seen stepping into horse feces again and again, without any discernible reaction.


.

 

[Feraud]

It's the little details noted above that makes the past so interesting.

 

[Stan]

Hi,

You ever drive a pre 1920 car? Especially ever try and *stop* one??

Brakes? We don't need no stinking brakes!

And, you're in luck! You ain't got any!

At best they had a single band brake on the driveshaft. At worst, they used the horse drawn wagon method and pushed blocks onto the tires!

No one used the brakes much, they just steered mostly.

If you want to experience much the same today, next time you want to stop don't push the pedal. Pull on the the handbrake only. You'll suddenly understand, trust me. Plus, this trick is at least 3x more effective as the brake on a 1920 Model-T. Ask me how I know that!

Also, note that the cranking speed on the old cameras is less than the playback speed is. They cranked at 16 or so fps and play back at 24 fps these days. Things look like they're happening a lot faster than they really were. lol

later!

Stan

 

[QMcK]

Ok. How do you know that?

 

[Marc Chevalier]

Three guesses.


.

 

[QMcK]

You own one. I hope you haven't crashed it. :eusa_doh: Maybe you've narrowly avoided hitting something.