Smoking on airplanes? Totally normal. Lighting up in offices, restaurants, and even hospitals? Par for the course. In 1980, over 30% of U.S. adults were smokers, according to the CDC’s cigarette smoking report, and many public spaces allowed it freely.
The 1980s were a wild time, marked by habits that would make today’s generation cringe. Social etiquette disasters and questionable health choices made the ’80s feel like the wild west of personal behavior.
Let’s take a nostalgic (and slightly horrifying) trip back to see what our parents and older siblings somehow got away with.
Chain-smoking everywhere (including restaurants)
Picture this: you’re trying to enjoy your Caesar salad while the person at the following table lights up their third cigarette. In the 1980s, smoking sections in restaurants were essentially just tables positioned slightly farther from the kitchen.
The “non-smoking” section often meant you got the privilege of sitting two feet away from a cloud of secondhand smoke. Airlines had smoking sections too – picture being trapped in a metal tube at 30,000 feet with half the passengers puffing away.
Today’s smoke-free world would seem like science fiction to people of the ’80s.
Drinking and driving was “no big deal”
The casual attitude toward drunk driving in the ’80s was absolutely terrifying. People would openly joke about having “one for the road,” and car keys rarely got confiscated at parties.
MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving) was just getting started, and breathalyzer technology wasn’t widespread.
According to a 2008 NHTSA technical report, alcohol-related fatalities were highest in the early 1980s, with over 21,000 deaths annually. Today’s rideshare culture and zero-tolerance policies make those numbers seem unthinkable.
Calling people at all hours without warning
Before caller ID existed, answering the phone was like playing russian roulette. You never knew if you’d get your best friend, a telemarketer, or your boss calling at 11 pm because they “just had a thought.”
The concept of texting first to ask if someone was free to talk didn’t exist. People would dial numbers and hope for the best. Can you imagine getting a random call today without a heads-up text? The audacity! 🙂
Using physical maps and asking strangers for directions
Getting lost was basically a rite of passage in the ’80s. You’d unfold a massive paper map that took up your entire dashboard, squint at tiny street names, and inevitably have to pull over to ask a random person for help. Gas stations sold local maps like they were essential survival gear (which they basically were).
The idea that you could just speak into your phone and get turn-by-turn directions would’ve seemed like magic. Plus, stopping to ask for directions meant talking to actual humans – imagine that!
Sharing personal information over the phone with anyone
Phone scams were easier than taking candy from a baby in the ’80s. People would freely give out their Social Security numbers, addresses, and financial information to anyone who called claiming to be from a “survey company” or a “prize organization.”
The concept of identity theft wasn’t widely understood, and caller ID didn’t exist to verify who was actually calling. Today’s paranoia about phone security may seem excessive to those from the ’80s, who happily chatted with anyone on the other end.
Showing up unannounced at someone’s house
The ’80s doorbell was basically a lottery ticket. Friends, family, and even acquaintances would drop by without warning. You’d hear that doorbell ring and have no clue who was about to grace your living room.
Sometimes it was your neighbor borrowing sugar, sometimes it was your college buddy passing through town. Today’s “i’m outside” text culture has made surprise visits feel almost rude. Fyi, most of us now need at least 24 hours’ notice to mentally prepare for human interaction.
Casual workplace s*xual harassment
The workplace in the ’80s was essentially a harassment minefield. “locker room talk” wasn’t confined to actual locker rooms, and inappropriate comments were often brushed off as “boys being boys.” “Mad Men” wasn’t just a TV show – it was a documentary for many office environments.
Hr departments barely existed, and the concept of sensitivity training was decades away. Today’s #MeToo movement and workplace equality standards would render ’80s office culture unrecognizable.
Leaving kids unattended in cars
Parents in the ’80s treated cars like mobile playpens. It was completely normal to leave kids in the car while running “quick” errands, even in summer heat. The windows might get cracked an inch, and that was considered adequate ventilation.
Today’s helicopter parenting and child safety awareness make this practice seem absolutely insane. Modern parents can barely leave their kids alone in the house for five minutes without a security system and three backup contacts.
Ignoring seatbelt laws (when they existed at all)
Seatbelts were more like decorative accessories in many ’80s cars. The first mandatory seatbelt law wasn’t passed until 1984 in New York, and many people viewed it as government overreach. Kids bounced around in the backseats like pinballs, and car seats were suggestions rather than requirements.
According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, seatbelt usage was only around 14% in the late 1980s. Today’s 90% usage rate demonstrates the dramatic shift in safety culture.
Taking photos without permission (and developing them publicly)
Privacy was a relatively new concept in photography in the 1980s. People would snap pictures of anyone and everyone without asking, then drop the film off at the local drugstore, where minimum-wage employees could see everything.
Wedding photographers had no competition from guests with smartphones, mainly because smartphones didn’t exist. The idea that photos could be instantly shared with the entire world would’ve been mind-blowing. Plus, you actually had to wait days to see if your pictures turned out decent!
Disclosure line: This article was developed with the assistance of AI and was subsequently reviewed, revised, and approved by our editorial team.
15 Foods From the ’60s Most Boomers Loved With a Passion
15 Foods From the ’60s Most Boomers Loved With a Passion
The 1960s were a period of profound social and cultural transformation in America. As the baby boomer generation came of age, they embraced new ideas, fashion trends, and music styles. And when it came to food, some beloved dishes defined this era.
Here are 15 foods from the ’60s that most boomers loved passionately.
16 Grocery Staples to Stock Up On Before Prices Spike Again
16 Grocery Staples to Stock Up On Before Prices Spike Again
I was in the grocery store the other day, and it hit me—I’m buying the exact same things I always do, but my bill just keeps getting higher. Like, I swear I just blinked, and suddenly eggs are a luxury item. What’s going on?
Inflation, supply-chain delays, and erratic weather conditions have modestly (or, let’s face it, dramatically) pushed the prices of staples ever higher. The USDA reports that food prices climbed an additional 2.9% year over year in May 2025—and that’s after the inflation storm of 2022–2023.
So, if you’ve got room in a pantry, freezer, or even a couple of extra shelves, now might be a good moment to stock up on these staple groceries—before the prices rise later.
