Things People Still Do in Public Because No One Told Them to Stop

Remember the days when carrying a boombox on your shoulder made you feel important? It was more like a time machine to 1985. The music blasted, heads would turn, and suddenly the sidewalk turned into a low-budget music video no one asked to be in. Back then, this was cool. Today, though, when people do it with their phones, it feels a bit too bold and rude. Everyone else uses earbuds now. To be completely honest, you’ll probably get more than just a few strange and angry looks if you still play your music loud for everyone to hear. Or you’ll be labelled an attention-seeker. 

Reading a giant newspaper on the bus looks harder than it needs to be. Pages flap, elbows move, and the paper never folds right. Meanwhile, everyone else scrolls quietly on their phones. This reader sticks with it anyway. They know where everything is and flip pages like a pro. It’s messy, noisy, and oddly impressive. Digital news is easier, but newspapers feel real. This habit says, “I like my news on paper.” It’s old-school, inconvenient, and completely unapologetic about taking up space in places where you should be mindful of others and be considerate. 

Smoking in public parks used to be pretty common back in the day. Now it feels strange, and not to mention illegal in places. Families sit nearby. Kids run around. Fresh air feels important again. When someone lights up, people notice right away. No one says much, but the looks say enough. Rules changed, and habits didn’t always keep up. What once blended in now feels awkward. This habit sticks around from a different time, when smoking happened everywhere. Today, it feels out of place, like wearing winter boots to the beach.

Did you know that some people still walk around whistling? No phone and no headphones - just a tune in their head. It’s pretty calming, right? Sadly, you don’t hear it often anymore, which only makes it stand out even more. Sometimes it’s cheerful. Sometimes it’s distracting. But it always feels relaxed, almost like the whistler is enjoying life at a slower pace. Whatever your opinion of whistling, we think you’ll agree when we say it’s simple and happy. More people should make their own background noise instead of carrying it in their pockets or earphones. 

When last have you seen someone shining shoes in public? Sure, it feels a bit unusual now, but this was pretty common back in the day - especially in malls or at the airport. Someone sat down and had their shoes shined. Today, most people don’t even polish their own shoes, let alone have someone do it for them. This is one of those things that reminded us that people still value small routines and quiet care, even when the world around them feels rushed, too fast-paced, and distracted. 

Thanks to mobile phones, finding a payphone today is rare. Seeing someone actually use one is even rarer. There’s no screen and no saved contacts - just you, a few coins, and a keypad. Yes, phones made payphones unnecessary, but a few still exist today. It almost reminds you of a time when calling someone took effort and planning. You planned calls ahead of time and hoped that the person you were calling was actually home to take your call. 

It used to be pretty common to see people wearing hair curlers while they were running errands. Women in curlers showed up everywhere - the grocery store, the post office, and even on the bus. No one thought much about it, and people understood that getting ready happened in stages - especially without the modern curlers and straighteners we have today. If you’re really lucky, you might just see someone in curlers now. Years ago, though, they were just a part of daily life, and no one took a second look at someone with curlers in their hair. 

Pocket combs were a standard item back in the day. People carried them in jackets, their socks, or bags and used them whenever they needed to fix up their hair. Shop windows, car mirrors, and bathroom mirrors all worked, and a quick comb-through happened without hesitation. Today, you don’t see this as often. People rely on styling products or phone cameras, or they don’t fix their hair at all. Back then, grooming happened throughout the day. It wasn’t rushed or hidden. It was just maintenance, done openly and without much thought.

Chewing gum loudly used to happen absolutely everywhere. You’d hear popping and snapping in schools, buses, and waiting rooms. It was common enough that people barely noticed. Today, it still happens, but it stands out more because it’s considered rude now. Public spaces are also quieter now, filled with phones and headphones. Years ago, gum chewing was just something people did to pass the time. It wasn’t seen as rude or distracting. It filled the silence when silence wasn’t something people tried so hard to avoid or control.

Before delivery apps and reusable totes took over, paper grocery bags were the way to go. People loaded their trunks or carried their heavy paper bags onto buses and trains to get their groceries home. Sometimes the bag tore. Other times, you could see just what someone bought. It wasn’t unusual - it was just how it was. Today, however, groceries arrive at your door or come in sturdy, reusable bags. Years ago, it was just how errands worked - especially when you had to do them yourself without the help of a delivery app. 

Disposable cameras used to be common, and you’d see them everywhere. People carried them to parties, trips, and everyday outings. They took photos without seeing the results. You finished the roll and dropped it off to be developed later. Today, phones handle all of that instantly. You rarely see disposable cameras now. Back then, they were everywhere. People accepted blurry photos and surprises. Taking pictures took planning and patience. The habit itself - carrying a camera just for later - has mostly disappeared from daily life, and people now only carry cameras when they’re planning a photoshoot.

Paperback books used to be everywhere. People carried them on buses, trains, in cafés, and in waiting rooms. The pages would bend, the covers would crease, and sometimes the corners would get dog-eared from constant use. It was normal to plan for reading time wherever you went. You didn’t need chargers or notifications, just a book in your bag or pocket. Today, most people read on phones or tablets, so spotting someone with a paperback feels unusual. Back then, bringing a book was part of daily life, quiet, visible, and a way to fill time anywhere you happened to be.

Watches used to be must-have items. People checked their wrists constantly because phones didn’t exist. Knowing the time meant glancing at your watch, whether you were on the bus, in a meeting, or walking down the street. Today, phones do all the timekeeping, so watches are less about function and more about style or habit. What’s changed is that people rarely notice wristwatches anymore. Back then, they were a practical tool everyone used automatically. Now, seeing someone check a watch feels deliberate rather than wanting to show off their branded wristgear. 

People used to carry pens, paper, and envelopes everywhere to write letters on the go. You could see them in cafés, trains, or waiting rooms, carefully folding paper, addressing envelopes, and sometimes sealing them with stamps right there. Today, emails and messaging apps have replaced this entirely. Seeing someone write a full letter in public feels unusual. Back then, it was normal to catch up with friends or family this way. It was quiet, focused, and more personal than sending an email or shooting a quick text to someone. 

Before smartphones were a thing, people carried small notebooks everywhere. They jotted down appointments, phone numbers, shopping lists, or ideas as they came. You’d see someone scribbling in a park, on a bus, or in a café. Today, most of us rely on phone apps or calendars, so the sight of a person writing in a tiny notebook feels rare. Back then, this was a practical habit: portable, low-tech, and reliable. It was how people organised life on the go without needing a battery or Wi-Fi. And, it worked.