In New Jersey, they always have gas station attendants.
And women certainly drove routinely when Frazz was a kid. Heck, they did when I was a kid. The claim was that they were bad drivers, not that they didn’t drive at all.
All types of humor are time sensitive. As awareness of possible slights to others grows, we try to self-edit, even though occasionally knowing what not to say is made more confusing due to rapidly changing mores. Even in classic comics, occasional strips tap a tender spot and remind us of that which was formerly acceptable but is no longer.
Honestly, I don’t know how women in my grandmother’s generation did drive At least in the 1920’s most cars were relatively light. But in the 40’s and 50’s they weighed as much as modern cars (3500-4000 pounds), had bias ply tires and no power steering. My wife has tried to drive my ‘50 Dodge, but if it’s not rolling she cannot budge the steering wheel.
People still ask gas station attendants for directions, albeit less often than they did when I started out 18 years ago. I’m pretty much the only one at our station that can regularly give directions without pulling out my phone (assuming they don’t ask for something obscure like a residential street).
Even more fun on the rare occasions when they then decide to argue with you. If you’re so certain you already know the (wrong) answer, why did you ask in the first place?
I’m guessing that Frazz has heard other people talk about service station attendants. I’m in my 50s and when I started driving there were a few places (including a Hess station near college) that had attendants but it cost more to go there so I pumped my own gas to save a few $. I haven’t seen a service station attendant since the late 1980s. I doubt that Frazz has seen an attendant in action, unless it was an old youtube video.
I remember gas station attendants when I was a kid, and my mom collecting the the glasses they gave out with each fill-up. There were still a few stations with attendants when I started driving in 1977. Even after I was married and had kids there was one station that had an attendant to pump gas. Now my adult kids pump the gas for me because I have a hard time getting in and out of the car.
Back in the 60’s, I worked at a Gulf Oil station. We wore slacks and semi-dress shirts with a tie (used clip-ons for safety). The Gulf Oil promise was to have an attendant to your car within 10 seconds. Full service station…oil change, tune ups, tires, etc.
Re: Time Sensitive Humor: One of my favorite Todd Snider songs, ‘All Right Guy’, contains references to ‘that book with pictures of Madonna naked’, ‘It ain’t like I’m going on TV and tearing up pictures of the Pope’ and being pulled over by police and made to ‘do the stupid human tricks’.
It’s interesting how, anachronism aside, most of the stuff you can’t joke about anymore is stuff we shouldn’t have been joking about in the first place, and that we’re just a little more advanced now.
Which I suppose makes the joke itself an anachronism.About this website
gocomics.comFrazz by Jef Mallett for November 11, 2018 | GoComics.com
Bilan over 5 years ago
And directions often included instructions like making a left where the Johnson’s barn used to be.
GROG Premium Member over 5 years ago
If I didn’t live through it, I wouldn’t have believed it either, but life was different – and better, before the smell phone.
stairsteppublishing over 5 years ago
Pumped your gas, washed the windshield, and checked the oil – with a smile in a clean uniform.
Odd Dog Premium Member over 5 years ago
My first job in high school.
M2MM over 5 years ago
I remember gas station attendants, that was a nice era. Too bad you can’t find that kind of service anymore.
asrialfeeple over 5 years ago
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e7qQ6_RV4VQ
jazzman831 Premium Member over 5 years ago
Fraz looks good for an octogenarian. All the running must keep him young
wcorvi over 5 years ago
That was back when we took pictures of OTHER people!
Brass Orchid Premium Member over 5 years ago
Humor is that short window of time between inappropriate and outdated.
Ignatz Premium Member over 5 years ago
In New Jersey, they always have gas station attendants.
And women certainly drove routinely when Frazz was a kid. Heck, they did when I was a kid. The claim was that they were bad drivers, not that they didn’t drive at all.
sandpiper over 5 years ago
All types of humor are time sensitive. As awareness of possible slights to others grows, we try to self-edit, even though occasionally knowing what not to say is made more confusing due to rapidly changing mores. Even in classic comics, occasional strips tap a tender spot and remind us of that which was formerly acceptable but is no longer.
The times, they are a-changin’.
ndhockeyfans over 5 years ago
“time is no friend to jokes” – that may be the most profound thing I read today.
Seed_drill over 5 years ago
Honestly, I don’t know how women in my grandmother’s generation did drive At least in the 1920’s most cars were relatively light. But in the 40’s and 50’s they weighed as much as modern cars (3500-4000 pounds), had bias ply tires and no power steering. My wife has tried to drive my ‘50 Dodge, but if it’s not rolling she cannot budge the steering wheel.
LeonStauffer over 5 years ago
People still ask gas station attendants for directions, albeit less often than they did when I started out 18 years ago. I’m pretty much the only one at our station that can regularly give directions without pulling out my phone (assuming they don’t ask for something obscure like a residential street).
Even more fun on the rare occasions when they then decide to argue with you. If you’re so certain you already know the (wrong) answer, why did you ask in the first place?
rugeirn over 5 years ago
Why the iPhone product placement?
Tallguy over 5 years ago
Frazz may remember pre-GPS but no way he remembers full service gas stations. Heck, he doesn’t even remember 4 channels on the TV.
Al Nala over 5 years ago
The past is a foriegn country.
dennisodoyle over 5 years ago
And some stations gave out free aluminum glasses with each fill-up!
Darwinskeeper over 5 years ago
I’m guessing that Frazz has heard other people talk about service station attendants. I’m in my 50s and when I started driving there were a few places (including a Hess station near college) that had attendants but it cost more to go there so I pumped my own gas to save a few $. I haven’t seen a service station attendant since the late 1980s. I doubt that Frazz has seen an attendant in action, unless it was an old youtube video.
peabodyboy over 5 years ago
I remember gas station attendants. I never liked sitting there while someone else messed with my car. I was thrilled when we got to pump our own gas.
garysmigs over 5 years ago
What happened you ask? Liberals!
Yakety Sax over 5 years ago
For even more comments/insights in to the past: https://www.gocomics.com/thebarn/2018/11/07?ct=v&cti=1451790
Font Lady Premium Member over 5 years ago
I remember gas station attendants when I was a kid, and my mom collecting the the glasses they gave out with each fill-up. There were still a few stations with attendants when I started driving in 1977. Even after I was married and had kids there was one station that had an attendant to pump gas. Now my adult kids pump the gas for me because I have a hard time getting in and out of the car.
RataDeAgua Premium Member over 5 years ago
Back in the 60’s, I worked at a Gulf Oil station. We wore slacks and semi-dress shirts with a tie (used clip-ons for safety). The Gulf Oil promise was to have an attendant to your car within 10 seconds. Full service station…oil change, tune ups, tires, etc.
car2ner over 5 years ago
for dated jokes watch very old Bugs Bunny cartoons. You have to know history to get the puns.
childe_of_pan over 5 years ago
Re: Time Sensitive Humor: One of my favorite Todd Snider songs, ‘All Right Guy’, contains references to ‘that book with pictures of Madonna naked’, ‘It ain’t like I’m going on TV and tearing up pictures of the Pope’ and being pulled over by police and made to ‘do the stupid human tricks’.
kunddog over 5 years ago
kind of disappointed in Frazz today, Spend almost a weekon holloween and nothing on armistice day / veterans day
LASteve over 5 years ago
Hence the outdated term “service station.”
Jayneknox over 5 years ago
Also today: https://www.gocomics.com/fredbasset/2018/11/11?ct=v&cti=1487532
Night-Gaunt49[Bozo is Boffo] over 5 years ago
15 hrs · Frazz ANACHRONISMS AND JOKES
It’s interesting how, anachronism aside, most of the stuff you can’t joke about anymore is stuff we shouldn’t have been joking about in the first place, and that we’re just a little more advanced now.
Which I suppose makes the joke itself an anachronism.About this website
gocomics.comFrazz by Jef Mallett for November 11, 2018 | GoComics.com
DM2860 over 5 years ago
Some states (like New Jersey) still have gas station attendants. There are no self service because it is against the law.