New York 1940s in Color!, Driving Downtown

Out On The YouTube ^

[SamAdams76]

Back when the streets were clean, people dressed nice and pedestrians had nine lives.

[SamAdams76]

[patriot torch]

Cool vintage find. Todays drivers have nothing on them. Pedestrians took their lives into their own hands. Lol

[BradyLS]

There’s a series of youtube videos that cycles through old photographs. Usually accompanied by a short note about each. Light jazz plays in the background. Always the same two or three tunes in the same order.

It’s perhaps the most relaxing _and_ entertaining thing I’ve seen on the internet. I just wish they’d change up the tunes!

[Baldwin77]

Very cool.

[Bigg Red]

Whole lotta jaywalkin’ goin’on.

[The people have spoken]

No crosswalks!

[1_Rain_Drop]

At the 1:39 mark, is the clock that is now in front of Trump Tower. Here it appears to be on 59th st & 5th Ave.

Then at the 2:03 mark, across from where the policeman is standing is the current location of Trump Tower on 57th street. He probably bought the clock and moved it (I'm assuming).

After viewing this video, it is clear why jay walking laws were passed.

[Radix]

I love the 1940s. I even like the 50s, but not as much as the 40s. I was totally born in the wrong decade.

[Steely Tom]

All those cars were burning leaded gasoline.

There were intersections in Manhattan at which soil samples taken from around nearby trees tested as high in lead content as the floor of a lead smelter.

[tallyhoe]

That was cool!!!

[Larry Lucido]

Sometimes folks would get hot under the collar.

[tallyhoe]

I love the 1940s. I even like the 50s, but not as much as the 40s. I was totally born in the wrong decade.

Me too. Love the music the dress, the cars the casual lifestyle!!

[Celtic Conservative]

Studebaker, Packard, DeSoto, Ford, Chevy, Cord, Saw a Studebaker President, an incredibly rare car. Many prewar cars are incredibly rare. It’s due to the fact during the war, cars were driven until they were quite literally worn out due to a lack of civilian production. Those cars which were worn out didn’t sit around. They were immediately sent to scrap drives and recycled.

CC

[RoosterRedux]

bkmk

[JeanLM]

Everyone is skinny nimble and quick. Cars moved slower too.

[fieldmarshaldj]

Better run, punk. Sonny is comin’ for ya.

[Oldhunk]

Thanks. Enjoyed the clip. Year I was born.

[DannyTN]

Note to self: Don’t time travel to 1940’s NY and try to drive. They’re crazy! and nobody has signal lights yet.

[mewzilla]

Thanks for the thread!

That was so cool.

Interesting that crosswalks weren’t in use.

Folks crossed streets anywhere they felt like.

[LimitedPowers]

I love the 1940s. I even like the 50s, but not as much as the 40s. I was totally born in the wrong decade.

Except for, you know, that whole World War II thing?