Gotta make a phone call

[arrr&bee]

Hey gang,most of us here are old enough to remember those good old phone booths from back in the day,now with technology being what it is the question of the day is when was the last time you saw or actually used one? Is there still one in your town or city?

[ralpht]

I loved using those old phone booths. they were so cozy and quiet inside. Just the soft whir of a fan....Haven't seen one in ages.

[westgrandboulevard]

"...The soft whir of a fan..."

My, that sounds luxurious, Ralph.

The old-style UK ones were anything but quiet inside, even with a door that closed correctly.

There was very often a stale odour about them, and some would take your money [[and you'd need a pocketful), then immediately reject it - so, after inserting coins, you'd be saying "Hello?" followed by a maddening 'peep peep peep' sound.

You'd hurriedly start putting the money in again, only to say "HELLO??!", followed all over again by 'peep peep peep....'

Meanwhile, outside the door, an impatient queue would form....

[ralpht]

Sorry you couldn't experience what I grew up with Westgrand.

[roger]

Well ..

The old red Telephone Boxes are still to be seen all over London, there is even one about fifty yards away from where I live. Hardly anyone ever uses them [[I reckon I've not used one in at least ten years) but I think they have preservation orders on them and are retained to conserve the city-scape and to be there in case of emergency... after all the batteries on Mobile Phones do sometimes run down.

Roger

[144man]

I'm still looking for that blue Police Box that will take me back to the 60s and some decent music

[westgrandboulevard]

Sometimes I wonder if I ever left the 60s....

[ralpht]

There is a gas station in nearby Carmel Highlands that boasts a couple of red British phone booths in front. I never needed to use one though and, as stated, cell phone use has negated any need for them.

[chidrummer]

There's a Red UK phone box in the town I live in, but no phone inside.

Ralph, I too remember the whir of the booth fan [[when it was working). I don't think I've seen a working phone booth in about five years, which is kind of scary considering I still refuse to own a cell phone.

[ralpht]

Might be time for you to bite the bullet and get a cell phone, Chris. Basically, I hate the damn thing, having to carry it around and re-charge it all the time, but when you really need a phone...bingo!

[arrr&bee]

Thanks gang,sometimes as we babyboomers are now seniors it's always nice to see something to remind us that we once lived in a kinder more fun time...phone booths forever..hehehe!!!

[Kamasu_Jr]

I haven't seen a phone booth in years. The last time I was in one it smrlled like pee [[someone had obviously used it for a toilet) and it was just nasty. In Memphis, it's hard to find a working public pay phone.

[mark speck]

I see outdoor phone booths every so often around the Cleveland area. Whether they're in working order or not, I'm not sure, and I really don't care since I got my cell. I finally broke down and got one last October [[just lost it for the second time this week...fortunately, I have a backup phone from the first time I lost it) and don't know how I managed to live without it. Now I want a Smart Phone!!!

Best,

Mark

[roger]

Well ..

It is only after seeing this thread that I have started to notice exactly how many phone booths there are on the streets of Britain ..



This photo was taken this morning on Ilford High Road and you can see a bank of four [[yes four) open-air British Telecom phone booths in the foreground. In the background can be seen another two cubicle style ones [[a modern version of the old traditional red ones). There are more a hundred yards or so down the road, a few outside Ilford railway station and a couple at the side of the Town Hall, plus ones down some of the side streets.

As far as I'm aware they all work .. but nobody ever seems to use them .. LOL.

Maybe the phone boxes are there to trap people as occured in the short Spanish film "La Cabina" where a man goes to make a phone call and can't get out. Watch that and you will never go in a phone booth again ....

I've found the film on YouTube ..

Here is Part 1 ..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=04cbvdiPyMQ

And Part 2 ..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eU3Tv...feature=relmfu

And Part 3 ..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vpx8t...feature=relmfu

Roger

[nosey]

I just got my first cell phone in March due to traveling to GA to house hunt. My children made me do it as there are no more phone booths to use in case of emergencies. Haven't used it since March and still don't like having one.

[144man]

I just got my first cell phone in March due to traveling to GA to house hunt. My children made me do it as there are no more phone booths to use in case of emergencies. Haven't used it since March and still don't like having one.

Sending a text instead of making a call is a good way of avoiding unwanted conversations with people who keep you on the phone for hours when you're short of time.

[arrr&bee]

i just got my first cell phone in march due to traveling to ga to house hunt. My children made me do it as there are no more phone booths to use in case of emergencies. Haven't used it since march and still don't like having one.

i don't like em either,but this darn technology leaves us no choice...phone booths forever!!!