Things Kids Don’t Believe Used To Be Normal In Texas

Kids today, probably for the better, missed out on some interesting stuff. Here are some things kids in El Paso today can't even begin to believe used to be normal everyday life.

Guns in schools? Drinking and driving? Leaving cars and homes unlocked? Smoking areas for high school students? Yep, all totally normal in El Paso ... and Texas in general ... once upon a time.

These days, you're getting ripped off at best, jailed at worst. The times have changed, keep reading for a few more things that are no longer around/allowed in El Paso or Texas.

Let's start with booze - Up until the mid 1980's, it was perfectly legal to drink and drive in Texas. True story ... as long as you weren't "drunk", you could totally sip on a beer or other alcoholic drink as you drove your kid to school.

There was also a point in time when schools had designated smoking areas for students. Ditto for airplanes, hospitals, restaurants and most workplaces.

Now That's Service

Up until 1995 or so, El Paso still had a couple of "full service" gas stations. If you went to these, 1 or 2 attendants would come out, ask you how much gas you wanted and then, as it was pumping, would clean your windshield and check your fluids and tire pressure.

Some kept full service mechanics/garages on site in case anything else was needed.

Some High School ROTC programs kept rifles, live rounds and on campus shooting ranges available to students enrolled in ROTC programs.

Until about 1980 or so, you might even see a high school student drive to school with a rifle rack in his/her truck, holding a rifle in it. Probably loaded.