10 Times I Wish We Had Cell Phones in the 80s

You could find a payphone just about anywhere in the 80′s. They were our means of making phone calls when we were away from home. Of course, that might mean standing in line at times and having the change available for the phone call. Payphones certainly did you no good if you were stuck in your car or lost out in the woods. Here are ten times I and others might have wished we had cell phones in the 1980′s.

1. Mount St. Helens – No one new the full amount of destruction that would come with the volcanic eruption of Mt. St. Helens in 1980. Eight people lost their lives. Perhaps that number could have been lower with the availability of cell phone communication.
2. Chariots of Fire – This is one of my favorite movies of all time, and an Academy Award winner of Best Picture. If I’d had a cell phone in 1981, I’d have been texting all my friends and telling them to go see that film, as soon as I got out of the theatre.
3. Air Traffic Controller Strike – Cell phones would have been been very busy during the three days that the air traffic controllers were on strike and travelers were trying to find ways to reach their destinations. A much better option than standing in line at the payphones in the airports.
4. Trivia Pursuit – This was the hot new board game in the 80′s that tested our knowledge on every level from science to history to entertainment. If I’d had a cell phone, I’d have been seeking out some extra help every time I landed on the Entertainment questions. Would that have been cheating?
5. Cabbage Patch Dolls – Even at top-dollar prices, these dolls were all the rage when they came out in the the 80′s and both my daughters were dreaming of ‘adopting’ one for Christmas. If we’d have had cell phones, my husband I would have split up in our last minute search of empty store shelves for these illusive treasures and kept in continuous contact for updates.
6. Reagan’s Second Term – My sister would have been at election headquarters all night long and if we’d had cell phones in 1984, she could have just kept me updated with her enthusiasm via text messages or phone calls throughout the wee hours of the morning. On second thought, maybe I’m glad she didn’t have a cell phone with her.
7. Out with the New – In with the Old – If I’d had a cell phone in 1985, I’d have been calling or texting all my friends the first time I found Classic Coke back on the shelves after having to endure the ‘New Coke’ replacement for several months.
8. Chernobyl – If there had been cell phones in most hands during the Chernobyl nuclear disaster in 1986, I would guess that the seriousness of the situation would have been communicated much more quickly than it was and to more of those living near the nuclear plant.
9. Homer Hankies Waving – I would have been sending pictures of all the Homer Hankies waving in the stands when the Twins won the 1987 World Series, if I’d had a cell phone to send them with. It was quite a sight. Go Twins!
10. San Francisco Quake – On October 17, 1989, there were a lot people wishing that they had cell phones, either to call and ask for help or to let loved ones know that they were OK. Your voice can only carry so far when trapped inside a vehicle that’s been caught in a concrete sandwich.

We’ve come to take mobile communication for granted. To hear of someone who doesn’t own a cell phone in current days is a real rarity. Somehow we managed to live without them, just a few decades ago.

Taken From Phone Service