Terms Which Have Disappeared

[Upgrade]

I mostly hear "Big Money" on Wheel of Fortune.

 

[BlueTrain]

What about "turnpike?" I don't think any new toll roads are being called turnpikes these days but then they aren't even being called toll roads, either. They're being referred to as "express lanes," for which you have an "E-Z pass." The best name for them is "Lexus lanes." There's one toll road near here that's called none of those things; it's a "greenway." A toll road by any other name is still a toll road.

 

[LizzieMaine]

The Maine Turnpike is still a thing, complete with staffed toll booths for those of us who don't have "E-Z Passes." It's little changed from when it was opened in 1948, except there's no longer any Howard Johnsons at the rest stops.

 

[scottyrocks]

We have turnpikes, but they are never referred to as just turnpikes. The name is always included. And both Hempstead and Jericho Turnpikes are just a main (6 lane) shopping roads, anyway.

 

[Fading Fast]

The Maine Turnpike is still a thing, complete with staffed toll booths for those of us who don't have "E-Z Passes." It's little changed from when it was opened in 1948, except there's no longer any Howard Johnsons at the rest stops.

How come no E-Z Passes - too many tourists for it to make sense?

I grew up in NJ - you practically identified places in the state based on the turnpike exit they wear nearest to.

 

[scottyrocks]

"

How come no E-Z Passes - to many tourists for it to make sense?

I grew up in NJ - you practically identified places in the state based on the turnpike exit they wear nearest to.

"I'm from Joisey! Are you from Joisey? What exit?"

--Joe Piscopo, SNL

 

[Fading Fast]

"


"I'm from Joisey! Are you from Joisey? What exit?"

--Joe Piscopo, SNL

Not far from the truth.

 

[BlueTrain]

The West Virginia Turnpike was opened when I was still in grade school (I think) and it was a big deal, given how travel through the mountains is not so easy. Even though it was a toll road, people who wanted to go where it happened to be going like the idea. It wasn't that long, though, going only from Charleston to Princeton, where I'm from. I have no idea how the road came to be planned. Now it's part of the interstate system, which was only beginning to be completed around the time I was finishing college in 1971. As far as West Virginia is concerned, the interstates have made it easier to drive through the state and to leave.

 

[tonyb]

I distinctly remember older relatives referring to paper currency as "folding money", as opposed to coinage. If you "give" or "bet" foldin' money, it represents a tidy sum.

My dad talks about people referring to cash as "big money", but I don't personally remember hearing that term.

I'm old enough (barely) to remember when a dollar could buy a sit-down meal out. A youngster with a fifty-cent piece knew he had some real purchasing power in his pocket, which he checked with regularity, just to make certain his fortune was safe.

 

[BlueTrain]

Yes and I'm old enough to remember my father getting paid $75 a week after taxes and in cash.

 

[HudsonHawk]

What about "turnpike?" I don't think any new toll roads are being called turnpikes these days but then they aren't even being called toll roads, either. They're being referred to as "express lanes," for which you have an "E-Z pass." The best name for them is "Lexus lanes." There's one toll road near here that's called none of those things; it's a "greenway." A toll road by any other name is still a toll road.

We just call our "toll roads". And the E-Z Pass is the greatest thing invented since the toll road. Not only does it save time, it saves money. I'm not sure what driving a Lexus would have to do them though.

 

[BlueTrain]

Because the tolls are expensive.

 

[LizzieMaine]

I miss the baskets where you just threw in a handful of quarters.

There used to be a Maine music show on the local Public TV station called "Exit 13," which was the exit to beautiful downtown Lewiston.

"Hey there where you goin'?
Where will we convene?
We're headin' on the road to
Exit Thirteen!
Drivin' down the highway!
The skyline can be seen!
We're headin' on down the road to
Exit Thirteen!"

Then the state went and renumbered the exits so now you get off Exit 80 to go to Lewiston, and it ruins the whole song.

 

[BobHufford]

I used to tell everyone to take "Exit Bob H" to get to my house, but MODOT went and messed that up by getting rid of the cloverleaf exits.

 

[HudsonHawk]

Because the tolls are expensive.

So is driving 2 hours out of your way because you don't want to pay 50 cents for a toll.

 

[HudsonHawk]

I miss the baskets where you just threw in a handful of quarters.

We still have the baskets. There are EZ tag lanes, exact change lanes, and change made lanes.

Half the time people get in the exact change lane, then go about fumbling through center console to try to find change. Then realize they don't have it. Then have to call an attendant over. There are an awful lot of people who are not smarter than a toll booth.

 

[BlueTrain]

Well, two hours would be stretching it but my father-in-law would go to great lengths to avoid paying a toll. In his case, it was when going through Richmond. It was the principle of the thing.

 

[belfastboy]

I'm old enough (barely) to remember when a dollar could buy a sit-down meal out. A youngster with a fifty-cent piece knew he had some real purchasing power in his pocket, which he checked with regularity, just to make certain his fortune was safe.

In 1968 as a poor student i could get either a bowl of Chile or spaghetti and meatball for 49 cents at the Salisbury House restaurants. Don't remember leaving a tip.

I'm old enough (barely) to remember when a dollar could buy a sit-down meal out. A youngster with a fifty-cent piece knew he had some real purchasing power in his pocket, which he checked with regularity, just to make certain his fortune was safe.

 

[Zombie_61]

So is driving 2 hours out of your way because you don't want to pay 50 cents for a toll.

50 cents? Where do you live, 1978?

 

[tonyb]

In 1968 as a poor student i could get either a bowl of Chile or spaghetti and meatball for 49 cents at the Salisbury House restaurants. Don't remember leaving a tip.

My memories of that time include feeling like a Rockefeller on account of the five-dollar bill I had in my pocket to start the day, and of the foolishness I felt because it had been reduced to a few pieces of small change before the day was close to done.

It must have been a year or so before that that I declined to purchase a model airplane I had had my eye on, one that actually flew under the power of an itty-bitty two-stroke, because it would have set me back the entire 10 dollars I had amassed, the largest sum I had ever known at that point.

Deferred gratification, I hated it.