This was rush hour during the Space Age

Jeff Glucker

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The Space Age truly kicked off when the Soviet Union blasted Sputnik 1 into orbit around Earth. This happened back in 1957 and it ushered in an era of technological advancement. Yuri Gagarin was the first human in space in April of 1961 and then Alan Shephard followed soon after in May of that same year. While the world marched forth into a new era, so too did our culture and our way of life. Roads became ever increasingly flooded with people in their automobiles. Rush hour became a thing. And this is what it looked like back in the late 1960s.

This short film takes us through private and public transportation in places like the Bay Area, Chicago, and even a few shots in locations in Europe. You’re going to be shouting out the makes and models of a bunch of cool old cars. If you need a period-focused distraction this morning, this video should cover that nicely.

This is Rush Hour: Space Age.

About

Jeff Glucker

Jeff Glucker

Jeff Glucker is the co-founder and Executive Editor of Hooniverse.com. He’s often seen getting passed as he hustles a 1991 Mitsubishi Montero up the 405 Freeway. IG: @HooniverseJeff

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17 responses to “This was rush hour during the Space Age”

  1. crank_case Avatar
    crank_case

    The US is a fascinating insight into overdependence on cars, and it’s not like other countries can claim the moral high ground either, because we’ve all followed that pattern to a greate or lesser degree. It’s really interesting to see how they could even see they needed to invest in mass transit back in the 60s. The whole world kinda took a very retrograde step on public transport from the 1950s until recent. Apparently, this pattern of car use was not automatic with the popularity of the automobile. In the 1920s, even as cars started to make an impact in the US, the pattern of use was still take the bus/train to work and keep the car for leisure use, which is a nicer way to enjoy your car I think. Now with working from home, that pattern could be a reality again. Who needs EVs if we just massively reduce daft commutes everyday? Work from home, take the train to work and suddenly pulling out V8 of the weekend doesn’t seem that bad.

    Also, 60s American cars were pretty cool.

    Reply
    1. Sjalabais Avatar
      Sjalabais

      It is disheartening, really, how much of this film still applies to today. The coalition that governs Oslo just broke apart because some want a modernized motorway westward, while others think it is wasting money on old tech. Commuting solutions are still highly challenged, and corona has turned them into a much nastier place. I, for one, can’t really take the bus from my home anymore. As in every other European country that tried to prepare their national train companies for privatization, these companies used restructuring funds to buy up the competition: Bus companies. Here, they axed the offer, saying people can take the train instead. Without a car, I have no way to get to the nearest train station though…so we’re back to the public transport stone age here.

      Reply
      1. SlowJoeCrow Avatar
        SlowJoeCrow

        I grew up in the NY City suburbs which is one of the few areas in the US with extensive commuter rail and it was significant that people who worked in the city had a “station car” to get to the train because the bus didn’t go near their houses.

        Reply
        1. Sjalabais Avatar
          Sjalabais

          No chance of biking there, I guess? Here, we live in a landslide-prone landscape with only 1 road connecting everything. That road has 5000 cars/day weekdays and up to 20000 cars/day in the weekend or on fine weather days. Bringing a bicycle to that mess is an elaborate death wish.

          Reply
        2. Sjalabais Avatar
          Sjalabais

          No chance of biking there, I guess? Here, we live in a landslide-prone landscape with only 1 road connecting everything. That road has 5000 cars/day weekdays and up to 20000 cars/day in the weekend or on fine weather days. Bringing a bicycle to that mess is an elaborate death wish.

          Reply
          1. SlowJoeCrow Avatar
            SlowJoeCrow

            This was the 70s and 80s so only a handful of people biking to the station versus dozens driving. Obviously people who lived close in walked since it was easier than driving or cycling. My mother still walks to the station most of the time although she drive to the city on weekends and during the recent craziness

        3. 0A5599 Avatar
          0A5599

          I know someone with the opposite commute. She lives in the city but works in White Plains. The office (pre-COVID) sends a van to the train station each morning to bring commuters to the office, but don’t miss your train or you will be in for a long walk.

          Reply
    2. Maymar Avatar
      Maymar

      I’m in Toronto, where we pretty much chose the worst possible course, by basically shutting down both transit and freeway development in the 70’s, while continuing to expand the suburbs.

      Reply
      1. crank_case Avatar
        crank_case

        Dublin is Torontos spirit animal I guess. 😉

        Reply
  2. nanoop Avatar
    nanoop

    I think I’m pretty good with European cars, but all I could identify of the US steel is the Corvairs (because obvious shape) and Ford Falcons (because RCR).

    I rode the BART ten years ago. Then I thought “this is quite some 70ies vibe” – which, as I could see at 9:57, was exactly what they intended: the 70ies were the future once! That’s good design, I guess?

    Reply
  3. nanoop Avatar
    nanoop

    I think I’m pretty good with European cars, but all I could identify of the US steel is the Corvairs (because obvious shape) and Ford Falcons (because RCR).

    I rode the BART ten years ago. Then I thought “this is quite some 70ies vibe” – which, as I could see at 9:57, was exactly what they intended: the 70ies were the future once! That’s good design, I guess?

    Reply
  4. Land Ark Avatar
    Land Ark

    There were 121,600,843 cars registered in the US in 1980.

    Compared to 236,500,000 people in the US in 1980.
    That’s 1.025 cars for for every 2 people.

    I’d say he pretty much nailed it, despite the marvel of the BART and DC Metro systems.

    Reply
  5. Land Ark Avatar
    Land Ark

    There were 121,600,843 cars registered in the US in 1980.

    Compared to 236,500,000 people in the US in 1980.
    That’s 1.025 cars for for every 2 people.

    I’d say he pretty much nailed it, despite the marvel of the BART and DC Metro systems.

    Reply
  6. I_Borgward Avatar
    I_Borgward

    (the film’s narrator is sent through a time machine, and emerges some 5 decades later…)

    Narrator: #&*@ JUST WHAT THE HELL HAVE YOU BEEN DOING THE LAST FIFTY-ODD YEARS ANYWAY

    Reply
  7. Kernel Panik Avatar
    Kernel Panik

    The 2020 rush hour looks very much like the 1960s, just with more robots. The biggest difference is the number of humans changing cash, checking fares, and actually fully controlling their cars. Not exactly the fun robots envisioned on the Jetsons.
    Also, Gagarin flew in April 1961 and Shepard flew in May.

    Reply
    1. Jeff Glucker Avatar
      Jeff Glucker

      Yup transposed by accident. Thanks

      Reply
  8. salguod Avatar
    salguod

    Neat Squarebird at about 3:15.

    Reply