Times They Are A-Changing

[barry1010]

Years ago I used to see piles of fag ends in the gutters where selfish motorists emptied their ashtrays.
Now it's piles of nitrous oxide canisters in the gutters. Doesn't make me laugh.

What unusual changes have you noticed in your area over the years?

[Vagus]

Far more dogs but far, far less (if any) dog dirt in the area.
We were the only family who had a dog in our cul de sac of 20 houses, 30 odd years ago.
Now there are eight dogs, all fairly recent additions, not because of lockdown but within the last five years.

[Georgiesmum]

Where there are stretches of grass on our estate it used to be kept regularly mowed and neat and tidy, now its left to get really long and unkept. The council also have left the weeds to grow in our gutters and both sides of our footpaths. Nobody seems to take pride in anything any more.
Ive never seen a nitrous oxide canister, in our roadside gutters we either have weeds growing or the odd beer can.
.

[Georgiesmum]

We used to have our own village bobby, seen regularly on his bicycle, but when he retired he was never replaced.

[Milo2]

I live in a village that used have a good variety of shops such as green grocers, butchers, hardware and haberdashers. Now we have takeaways, a Co-op, a charity shop, a shop that sells vapes and quite a few hairdressers and barbers.

[barry1010]

Georgiesmum, could the council be letting the grass and weeds grow to help butterflies and other insects? A pollination corridor, sort of thing.
I'm lucky with my local shops - got all the essentials such as butchers, bakers, greengrocers, fish van once a week, hardware store, pharmacy as well as a tattoo parlour and barbers and hairdressers.

Vagus, never ever see white dog poo any more

[Espresso125]

yesterday i saw an obese man and (i mean obese) riding on an electric scooter ,I felt sorry for the machine

[andy-hughes]

Don't see really poor condition cars on the roads like there used to be years ago - almost everything is less than six or seven years old.

[barry1010]

andy, cars don't rust like they used to. My car is nearly 12 years old and still looks new.

I remember seeing rainbows in the gutter when it rained - from all those cars leaking oil.

[davebro]

Nowhere near as many children (thinking pre-teens) playing out. We have numerous green spaces which had lots of kids playing. Not seen many this past few years. (A few have appeared for a kick-about as I write!)

[barry1010]

We're lucky here, dave, with space behind the gardens for kids to play out. Nice to see the little uns out ith their dolls prams and scooter - the old fashioned kind

[andy-hughes]

Barry - even allowing for better build cars, the reg numbers show far fewer old cars are on the road.

[youngmafbog]

Never seen a nitrous oxide canister in any road round here. Obviously we have a better class of scum down here.

Our roads are swept regularly by a truck and a block, plus we get litter pickers (council) round regularly too.

The long grass thing does annoy me. Yes the excuse is for bees etc but round here 99% of people have gardens and there are plenty of flowers. At least on some they have bothered to sow wild flowers which isnt so bad.

I think the biggest change is that we no longer have the National pastime of turd-hopping I remember as a child.

[barry1010]

I was definitely a boot scooting baby, young, but not in the dance sense.
'For God's sake - you're not coming in that dog mess all over your shoes! Can't you watch where your treading?'
Later on, of course, it would be, 'Lift your head up and stop slouching!"
Happy days

[barry1010]

andy, so cheap to lease these days.

[burlyshirley]

I love seeing long grass and wild flowers (weeds to some) growing amongst it. Essential for bees, butterflies and other insect life. Bees are on the wane, so anything that can be done to help them is a good thing.

I have no idea what nitrous oxide canisters are, so probably haven't seen any ! I do see a lot of cigarette butts outside pubs nowadays as the smokers all gather outside and just drop them on the ground before they walk back inside - drives me mad !

[bobbinwales]

https://www.irishnews.com/news/northernirelandnews/2020/05/23/news/teenagers-in-north-belfast-warned-they-are-risking-their-lives-with-new-gas-inhaling-craze--1949286/

[bobbinwales]

Sorry that was a picture for burleyshirley. There about 8 cm long. See loads in some places like carparks and outside some newsagents where kids meet up at night often with fast food wrappers nearby

[ladybirder]

Agree I'm all for letting the weeds and grass grow. Since discovering I have a buff tailed bumblebee nest in my garden I have added loads more foxgloves and other plants for the bees. I bought two more lavenders this morning for them, couldn't resist. There is now no room at all for another plant but the garden is literally humming;-))

[david small]

I seldom see any discarded Waitrose smoked salmon packets anymore. The odd dirty five pound note does bring the neighbourhood down somewhat. Bollinger bottles can be a nuisance when left upon the bonnet of one’s roller.

[Canary42]

Pubs replaced by blocks of flats