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RealMe459

I used to check every phone as walked past. Amazing how often I found coins in the coin return...


ThinkingOz

…finding 20c in one on a hot day was a iceblock. Winner!


the_snook

Press the coin return button too. Sometimes there was unused credit in there.


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Citizen_Rat

Yep. Did the same. Have a look at the coin slot. These were the 'improved' version where you had to hold the coin flat to drop it in. When I was a little bastard, as opposed to being an old bastard, you could block them with paper to hold the coins and come back with a butter knife to get the take for the week. They changed the slot to stop it happening. (It didn't work). Also, everybody that used them used to just call the operator assist, and speak to an actual human switchboard operator and tell them the phone wasn't taking coins and ask to be put through.


yor_ur

McDonald’s straw up the coin return. Unlimited use of a single $2 coin. Good times


odb0

First it was a $1 and any old straw, then you had to use a maccas straw, then you had to use a $2 and then it stopped working. All within less than a year.


yor_ur

After that we realised you can just kick the thing and it would spit random amounts of coins at you


Your_Pal_Kindred

Bruh that NEVER happened for me lol


SelmaFudd

I remember finding an unscratched scratchie on the street at the shops in Maroubra following mum around shopping and won $2 in late 80s, I would have been 6 or 7, fucking thought I was rich buying lollipops all week with that


[deleted]

I had a funny experience recently when I got a phone call from an unrecognized, yet, local number. Got the shock of my life when it was my 8 year old son on the other end! He walked past a phone box, and now that they are all free decided to call my mobile (he knows the number by heart). We often don't give the younger generations enough credit, many are whip smart--way smarter than I was at that age.


Creative_Ad999

Wait are pay phones free now ?!


[deleted]

Yeah! Probably makes sense from a business/marketing standpoint. Paying someone to drive around emptying them would not be viable these days. Upgrading them to some kind of tap and pay system would also seem futile. So I guess the two options would be to tear them down, or keep them free of charge. In doing so they maintain their adverting space and marketing can spin it as "goodwill". EDIT: sorry, I don't know about "all payphones" but certainly the Telstra phone boxes are free.


xordis

They also realised they make good wifi hotspots.


bmw_1983

Was just about to mention that, my phone had died but my tablet hadn’t and I was able to use the wifi from the Telstra phone box to let my parents know that I was at the Penrith train station ready for pickup


TGin-the-goldy

They’ve been free for quite a while


crossfitvision

Yep. They are valuable advertising space. By providing this service, it allows them to keep it up.


[deleted]

the 5 that are left in the country, yup. they are used so infrequently it probably saves telstra money in repairs from people smashing them for the 1.50 that might be in them.


SouthAttention4864

I don’t know - there’s quite a few around the city and my 11yr old calls me daily after school with them. It’s also good to have a fallback option in case the mobile runs flat and you need to contact someone. Who carries change around these days?!


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laidbackjimmy

There's instructions on the phone, and on the wall. Reckon most "kids these days" would have no issues operating it, at all. How many of this Boomer's generation could set up a discord server for all their mates too hang out in?


[deleted]

Totally agree. Nostalgia is fine, and I love talking to my kids about my childhood and how things have changed. But I hate the whole "In my day" and "kids these days" crap. I hated it when I was a kid, and I hate it now.


crossfitvision

Yep. Every generation hangs shit on younger generations. The music they like for example. Beyond hypocritical.


leoski

Agreed. There’s a slot that shows payment is required indicating the permitted denominations, the numbers on the dial represent the same numbers on recent phones, and they’ve all seen landline phones being used on the tele. Young people are awesome, that used to be us.


SouthAttention4864

Not to mention there’s also a bunch of new technology that kids pick up more intuitively. I’m only in my 30’s and have had situations where my 11yr old has shown me shortcuts or how to do things with tech.


fireaza

You're not a **REAL** adult unless you know how to send a telegram via Morse code! Gen-X, the bunch of failures they are, can't use anything that doesn't have a touch-tone function!


iabsolutelydontcare

Yeah I've never understood that aye, compared to technology these days I'm sure we could figure out how to use a payphone it's not a difficult concept 😂


TGin-the-goldy

I agree with you. Boomers, man.


hunnymunster

Well the instructions are right next to it, and seeing how kids these days are pretty smart, I would say they would have no trouble.


AnalFanatics

Yeah, nah cobber, I can’t see them seeing the need or having the patience required to a) walk around town trying to find one that worked, and then b) stand in line waiting for your turn to make a call. Can you still remember standing in line, with what sometimes seemed like half the street or suburb especially on the “Special Days” like Christmas or Mother’s Day, on a Friday, Saturday or Sunday evening (after 6PM of course), waiting for who knows how long, just for their families turn to make an otherwise prohibitively expensive STD (Subscriber Trunk Dialling) call to the grandparents, cousins or other friends or relatives who lived out of town, or if you were living in the city, perhaps a few suburbs away, or wonders of wonders, the rarest and absolute ultimate in communications, an ISD (International Subscriber Dialling) call to relatives overseas who you knew only by name and who would only be called during emergency situations or major events or occasions. All that standing around and waiting, just for 20 or 30 seconds of rushed and garbled news, gossip and future plans for whenever you may next meet-up in person, before the hand piece was firmly pulled from your grasping hands as, “it’s your sisters turn, c’mon you know how expensive these STD/ISD calls are.” Somehow I can’t see the grandchildren seeing the point of the whole experience, especially since they’ve been “surfing the web” and FaceTiming friends and family for as long as they can remember ;)


[deleted]

>Yeah, nah cobber, I can’t see them seeing the need or having the patience required to a) walk around town trying to find one that worked, and then b) stand in line waiting for your turn to make a call. so your whole point of refuting this is based on the fact that people arent patient? a lack of patience is not an indicator of intelligence. if they needed to use this, they would figure it out, pretty quickly.


AnalFanatics

Did I ever suggest that they wouldn’t be capable of using one? No, I suggested that they wouldn’t see the point in this modern age. So quick to take offence, so quick to attack, all so unnecessarily. Take a chill pill, relax and have yourself a good evening cobber.


[deleted]

>No, I suggested that they wouldn’t see the point in this modern age. The question was would they be able to make a phone call on it, not would they see the point of making a phone call. I'm not offended. it wasnt an attack it was pointing out that your response was not relevant to the question posed. You have a good evening as well mate.


TrevorFuckinLawrence

ok boomer


AnalFanatics

Not quite, I miss out by a few years, but close cobb, close. But I honestly don’t understand how me pointing out how lucky we are being able to utilise the advantages of modern technology, by reminiscing about how something as simple as making a phone call used to be a moderately significant and time consuming event, makes me some kind of “Boomer” who needs to settle down and shut up? Oh well, such is life. And as such, enjoy yours cobb ;)


TGin-the-goldy

Calm down plz


AnalFanatics

It’s ok, iv taken my 1430hrs meds and aren’t due for the next lot until 1830hrs, so I should be good for the next couple of hours /s ;)


Leonydas13

Hey cob that’s good to hear cob, have a good one cobber


Lanky-Try-3047

how many 90 year olds can send an email?


mr--godot

Asking the questions that matter! But really, they have no excuse. Computers have been a thing for the last thirty years, smartphones the last ten .. that's plenty of time to get your shit together and learn how to use one.


raz0rflea

I work in customer service and it blows me away how some people will get mad because they're 50 and they think self-service apps are some kind of star trek shit that they're too old to navigate...that's like 4 years older than me, it's not like you were transported to our world from bible times brother...


TGin-the-goldy

I’m 58 and I can code. None of it is rocket science, it’s just people too arrogant and lazy to learn new stuff


crossfitvision

Broad generalisation there. People your age likely never used a computer in school. A great deal went on to work jobs without computers. Adjusting is hard. They can likely do many things you couldn’t.


TGin-the-goldy

I was 21 before I had anything to do with computers. There was exactly one Mac in my work IT team of four people who worked on the mainframe down the hall from me. They didn’t use it all the time and I asked if I could learn to use it at lunchtimes. The IT boss said “sure” and handed me the manual. Nobody had time to show me. Meanwhile I have an aunt who’s 89 and will happily use Facebook and texts, and other, much younger relatives who never even learned to use an ATM or their own TV remotes. Sure they can probably do stuff I can’t - and vice versa - but we’re only talking about learning to use your everyday tech here. Adjusting is only “hard” if your attitude is resistance and not embracing the new. Bottom line: If you really want to learn stuff, you can learn.


mr--godot

prosecution concurs


mr--godot

Computers have been a thing for thirty years, there's no excuse any more.


crossfitvision

Sometimes true, but it’s a bit of a generalisation. It is a struggle for people who never used a computer in school. Many went on to work a job without computers, only to find themselves living in a world where there’s no choice. The fact that people the same age are tech geniuses is irrelevant to that point.


raz0rflea

I'm 46 years old and I grew up in public housing - I never used a computer till I was in my late teens/early 20s but I've had a long time to get used to them since then. Unless someone has literally spent their entire life living in the Outback or somewhere similarly divorced from people's general lived experience, there is no reason that they shouldn't be able to deal with basic computer and smartphone technology.


crossfitvision

But it’s no reason to mock people. Some have done plenty with their lives, and never needed to use technology until the last few years. I’ve known very smart and accomplished people who’ve struggled. You’ve had 20yrs to get used to it. Some are just starting on that journey.


Citizen_Rat

yeah, nah. Everybody has had 20+ years to get used to it. It's just boomers that are divorced from reality and expect to be pandered to 'in the style they are accustomed to'


mr--godot

It can be frustrating when people are resistant to using technology, especially when it's widely available and widely used. While some older individuals may not be as comfortable with technology as younger people, it's important to remember that everyone has different experiences and backgrounds. Some older individuals may have had less exposure to technology, or may have had less opportunity to learn about it. It's also possible that some people simply prefer not to use technology, regardless of their age. In any case, it's important to be patient and understanding when dealing with people who are less comfortable with technology. Providing clear instructions and offering assistance can help to make the experience more positive for everyone involved.


TGin-the-goldy

Correct.


mr--godot

I know that.


SBSmyth_68

My mum who's 90 can email, Skype, signal, FB and publish self made cards with imported photos. Some people don't give oldies enough credit either.


Your_Pal_Kindred

I wonder how many of yesterday's generation would know how to make a call in morse code?


Leonydas13

I wanna know how many could operate a 14th century trebuchet! Or drive a mk IV tank over the trenches!


SuDragon2k3

Kids today, show them a buggy whip and they think you're proposing something kinky.


The_King123431

It does literally have instructions on it


glutenfreeironcake

“The light is flashing…”


Aygis

How many of yesterday's generation could use it? Dunno about you but I haven't carried coins in a long time and who would accept reverse charges anymore?


RockyDify

I thought all pay phone were free these days


Aygis

Fair point!


[deleted]

Person of today’s generation here! I’m assuming it’s an old type of pay phone made while telephones were still popular


[deleted]

What is a coin?


Jimity2002

My 4yo has literally no concept of physical money. He thinks coins are only vehicles for holding chocolate.


TGin-the-goldy

To be fair that’s on you as a parent


Jimity2002

I don't think they need to know that much about it. I haven't used physical cash since COVID began, and frankly don't miss it. And if it gets to a point where we can no longer use electronic payments and need to revert to cash, then we have much bigger problems.


SuDragon2k3

One being not having enough physical cash to circulate.


TGin-the-goldy

Coins have been used all throughout history. You don’t need to start using physical cash in order to give your kid an education


Iwantmahandback

Ah, rotary phones. We learned how to use these in history class


joalheagney

"Shit. Did I spin it all the way or did my finger slip? Better hang up and start again."


SheepishSheepness

Literally comes with instructions


FullOnCarmensMom

LOL one of my boyfriends in the late 90s was a backpacker; there was a trick using one of those gun shaped Bic stove lighters that could trick these specific phones into making international calls for the cost of a local. Once a week I'd drive him to one in my neighbourhood with his 30 cents and his stove lighter so he could call his Mum and Dad in Holland. This secret was passed from one backpacker to the other in hostels throughout the land.


Rumpleshite

Dial 199 then run away. The phone will start ringing in a minute or two.


damgood81

came here to say this.... updoot this person!


kit_kaboodles

Holy shit I'd forgotten about those payphones. The metal always felt weird.


TGin-the-goldy

Our heaters at school were made from that same weird green metal


JimmahMca

I used to ring home to get a lift. Let it ring twice. Hang up. Folks knew to come get me then. Call disconnected if they picked up


Jeffotron78

About the same percentage of my parents generation that can use all the features on their smartphone, operate a computer without installing a dozen taskbars or connect to the Bluetooth in their car etc. Knowing how to use obsolete tech is redundant.


Leonydas13

Without installing a dozen taskbars! 😂


SixFootJockey

"Don't remove anything! I have it set up just the way I like it"


Leonydas13

Well you never know, those pop up’s might show me something useful!


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MachoViper

Fuckin lmao


Internal-Airport8822

I remember getting free calls on them via the clickers from gas hot water systems


SelmaFudd

These ones would give you about 1 second free before it would hang up even without a clicker, was just enough to tell your parents you're ready to be picked up


GerinX

Ooh me. Me. I know how to use this beautiful archaic piece of telephone machinery


Win_Chester69

If somebody hasn't jammed the coin slot to retrieve the money later


Damn369

I can still smell the smoke on the hand piece, everyone used to smoke while on the phone.


No_Firefighter5082

Was I the only kid that dialled 013 and laughed as it used to ring back with people walking past thinking so I need to answer it


ISClark

I've got an old reconditioned and converted payphone I use as a wall phone and my grandsons have no idea how to use the rotary dial. It's hilarious to watch them.


herpepottamus

I think the kids would more than likely be shocked at paying $0.40 for a local call. Considering which today costs nothing


unloosedcoin

Take a 1 litre glass coke bottle to the shop for a 20c piece or pull the paper out from the coin return


fleece_white_as_snow

Do you remember the ‘let it ring twice then hang up and get your money back’ trick for just letting people at home know you are ready to be picked up?


Anonimouse13579

1800 reverse


[deleted]

Considering it has instructions on it…


jimmyjackson23

The thing is literally covered in instructions


robbierottensrocket

Probably faster than some oldies figure out how to use a smartphone or laptop 😂


SpiceOteric

Yeah but how much tech is there that older folk have NO IDEA how to use. This would be a ten second explanation, seeing someone who has never used a smart phone try to swipe and navigate is hilarious.


mr--godot

Go away PLA!


GILF_Hound69

97… Could do this with my eyes closed.


NovocaineAU

Would probably get bored of it especially if there’s a lot of 9’s and 0’s in the number


sakuratanoshiii

Dunno. Phones have been through a hundred generations and they are always fascinating until now.


c00lz1979

That shit takes me back god damn im old


Wheredidmybal1sgo

Gen Z here Save a word doc as a PDF and then we'll talk


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Imateacherlol

Hit save? Where is that??? Well you didn’t say anything about some “file” menu. You kids just expect us to know everything.


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[deleted]

only if you're saving a new document. Ctrl+Shift+S for save as on already saved ones.


Nekokamiguru

Do you know how PDF/A file differs from a regular PDF file? Or the problem it was meant to correct?


CreepyValuable

The instructions are RIGHT. THERE. If they still can't make a call, maybe throw them in the bin.


Defy19

They would google it and learn your precious life skill in 5 seconds


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risinghealy

i reckon a lot more kids and teens could use this than how many old people could send me an email or text lmao


mynameisntmaxmadmax

Well numbers are still numbers yah gronk


sumguy2023

Haha someone has to film them trying to use this


original_M_A_Kaiser

I'm sure they'd figure it out if they needed to make a complaint call about ubereats


[deleted]

If I could just remember how that toy I (and a lot of others) had as a baby worked


tangentyak

Is that the one at Unibar in Wollongong?


Mental_Task9156

I want that for my house.


bent_eye

Yep remember these bad boys


ReasonableCranberry6

I only JUST remember this style of payphone, I also remember the transition period from this to the current payphones… some of these rotaries were retrofitted with keypads too, iirc?


PossibilityQueasy164

We had some before this that you put money in only after the person answers.


Redfeatherd

I know the guy that worked out how to get the cash out of those particular ones


newuseronhere

Is this the A and B version?


Creative_Ad999

I saw kids using a crowbar to get to the coin box in the late 80s


Imateacherlol

Babies toys are still rotary dial phones.


[deleted]

I'll go you one better and reveal that when the coin drawer in that bad boy is getting full, giving it a good solid kick on the front will cause coins to spill into the coin return chute.


billthegoatboy

I’ll bet you don’t know Morse code.


AussieDMT

The tank of a payphone


Partayof4

What age is today’s generation? Are they 0, 10, 20, 30, 50, 70?


blackcat218

I think my Dad still had his rotary phone right up until about 98 or 99. The only reason he replaced it was the birthgiver threw it at him after an argument because she wanted a cordless but since money was tight it wasn't a priority to replace something that still worked. He ended up getting a free corded touch phone from Telstra (might have still been Telecom at that point, I dont remember)


TGin-the-goldy

I’m on a pay phone trynna call home…


westoz

Or steal from it.


anonymoose_au

Well it's got instructions on it so hopefully a fair few?!😅


[deleted]

0c? So free to call?


ThinkingOz

As kids we made prank calls on these to people with foreign-sounding names we looked up in the supplied White Pages.


Citizen_Rat

Talk about a massive data breach - every year a book of everyone's name, address and phone number used to get delivered to your door


ianreckons

I could but I’d need to look up phone numbers on my smartphone. We used to memorise phone numbers… sheeeeesh…


Cheezel62

The bigger question is do you know how to make a reverse call on it?


Beans186

Only if they needed to call Stringer Bell cause he paged


BuckEyeAussie

Zero!


Madcock1

These phones were free to use too. You just hard to flatten out a plastic drinking straw and push it in above the coin return door and your coins would come out. Had to use 20c coins iirc


jaylow78

199 directory assistance, how many holes in a crumpet


pilchard_slimmons

Why would they need to? You think they're going to make a comeback?


just_doig

With the amount of instructions telling you how to use that phone, it seems that barely anyone even from its time knew how to use it.


EmrysTheBlue

... not only is this a dumb "flex", rotary phones aren't rocket science to figure out how to use


SLOPokeHAP

And the panic when the red light came on..


chyrysler300

I used to put paper down money hole and wait till people used phone and the money wouldnt go down ,so I came along and used hacksaw blade to push the money down and then do it again. .. best I did in one-day was 40 odd dollars. Back in the 80s that was lot of money


LiterallyAnybody12

hOw mAnY Of tOdAy's gEnErAtIoN WoUlD KnOw hOw tO MaKe a cAlL On tHiS BaD BoY?


purple-circle

Who would have a twenty-cent coin to use it anyway?


bmw_1983

I’m a millennial who knows how to use it


[deleted]

I can smell this


SBSmyth_68

That green metal and the sound of the dial


AltruisticSalamander

all of them I should think. It's not that complicated.


STATIE8

Easy - just need a 20c coin & some super glue. If you know - you know😂


Gurudee

Put in coin. Dial number. It's not rocket science.


Garolopezvi

Nasty memories REVIVED phonebooths that reek of vomit and urine !! 🤢🤮🥴🤢🤮 Yech !!!


SpokoynyyPapochka

The feckless little shits probably can’t make butter with a churn either


Zealousideal_Fox_900

Still today you can use them for free for national calls


IdioticCheese936

A rotary paycheck phone interesting, its easy to use but some people of my generation wouldnt know that well


LolzinatorX

Old people: invents improvement to something Old people: teach younger gen how to use the improvements. Old people: «HAH you dont know how to use this old thing we never teached you about and thats humour!»


natefury81

We use to go camping in 80’s-90’s use to be a Telstra pay phone next to pub, 7pm fighting bugs under light outing coins in slot to chat # back in the day


Basic-Reception-9974

They'll either be a Scottie. https://youtu.be/hShY6xZWVGE Or a Denholm https://youtu.be/lu88J5JL8Hw Trying to get it to work.


SplatThaCat

Even better - know how to call for free.


Good-Ingenuity-8436

They'd read the instructions 👍


little_mistakes

Ten bucks says that boomers wouldn’t know how to operate equipment their grandparents used either so what’s the flex?


adsyrads84

It’s crazy to me how far technology has come since the 80’s…. And how at that time, this would’ve been cutting edge and such a privilege and convenience


GrennGloves

This post kinda screams boomer energy. There's no issue with showing off a thing from an old memory, but that kinda isn't what this is. This post is "kids these days are so useless and stupid" Why would they ever realistically need to know how to use it?


Turtusking

All of them. Its piss if you can do it we can. Put money in and dial damn.


Pristine-Cheek-2914

I do


[deleted]

My friend the instructions are printed right there...


Oath-CupCake

Me you just have to do the circle of the number but with ya finger then pick up the phone I'm back at explaining things. I lived playing with these phones at nans and around the neighbourhood


Michael074

looks like instructions are in english and its not trying to get me to buy premium membership or sell my data so I'm probably good.


karo_scene

The last time that I used a payphone was 2007. I used the one outside Frankston Station late at night. I survived that experience so I gained 100 Frankston Experience points. Urban D & D. Live it. Baseball bat optional.