October 17, 2004

Please dial one, the area code, and then the number. Long a feature on the back cover of 2600, a "Hacker" magazine, has been pictures of payphones from around the world. It is pretty interesting when you realize that the US has some of the most low-tech payphones compared to other countries. Even more interesting is that it is illegal to take pictures of payphones in places like Egypt.

Another interesting payphone site is the Payphone Project which has both pictures of and news about payphones. I <3 payphones.

posted by loto 20 years ago
  • Very nice. Payphones are slowly going the way of the giant sloth, alas. Here's to the long gone days of private phone conversations in public places. Of course, no payphone thread would be complete without a link to the Mojave Phonebooth. What's with the scale, though?
  • I was in Hobart, looking for a payphone, and I couldn't find one anywhere. So I asked someone, and they immediately point and say "There's one right over there." Well, the wall they pointed to was pretty dang empty and obviously had no payphone. "Are you sure? I don't see it." She then asked me if I was blind and pointed again. "What, is next to that... what is that, a sticker vending machine? Next to that thing?" She tells me "I don't know what your talking about, but the only thing on that wall is a payphone. Walk over to the only thing you see." I walked over to the sticker vending machine, and discovered it was one of these, only made of bright blue plastic. It was so different from what I expected for a payphone that my mind failed to recognize it, even when being told. I felt kinda stupid, but that was by far not the most embarrassing thing I did in Australia, so I didn't feel too bad.
  • Payphones are disapeering, and it scares me. Even if cell phones are popular, there will always be those who cannot afford them or are disinclined to carry one, and they need at least one payphone around. I remember being in Cambridge Massachusettes, desparately trying to reach the friend with whom I was suposed to stay that night, and I could not find a payphone. It took almost an hour. We need them.
  • Also - if there are no phone booths, where will superheroes change clothes?
  • Just noticed that, roly. That is really, really weird. I mean, you'd at least think they'd put up a fake picture of Dr. Who as a placeholder at least. And jb, I'd say with the bums if they are in the city, because no one really looks at them all that much to begin with, no matter how strange they are acting. No one will even know. Note: Did I do okay for a first FPP?
  • The Tardis looks like a police box, not a payphone. I was confused about that for years.
  • loto - Yes. )
  • Ioto: *two bananary thumbs up*
  • Back in the day ('91 - '92) I used to red box the payphones when I was on the road and calling home... I remember chuckling when my mom would pick up and say, "Are you using that 'thingy' again?" I only once received a somewhat stern talking-to by an operator, who dropped in on the line after I had successfully rang a cross-country friend on Ma Bell's dime. (jr. high, calling from a pay-phone at school before class.) Ah, memories.
  • I didn't know they used the arabic numeral system in saudi arabia
  • I didn't know they used the arabic numeral system in saudi arabia Brrrrring! Brrrrrrrrrrinnnng!
  • dude I know
  • Very interesting o/t: My class had a practical last week and when we came to an instruction that said, "enter arabic numerals only." I had to explain to every single person at my table what it meant. Very strange.
  • Yes, our phones are crap, even compared with Third World nations such as Greece. (Yes, it's the Third World in my book.) Over there, you simply buy a pre-paid card from any retailer and use it in any payphone. So easy. ... Oh, they also use the metric system there.