General Chat

Yes there was in the early 70's smokeless zones came in due to the 1968 clean air act but as these things take time to implement and time for people to gain access to cleaner fuels it didn't have a big affect on smog until the mid to late 70's

Roy

Sometimes we were warned to stay indoors if at all possible it was that bad

I think some areas did still experience smog in a limited way in the 70s although some confuse it with just fog. (smog - smoke and fog)

There was one of the most famous instances in 1962 and I think there were isolated occasions in the early 70s in heavily industrialised areas.

I don't recall smog at that time in North London either Lynda.

Was there still smog in the 70's PP? I don't remember that at all, in fact once I was at secondary school, early 60's I never saw smog. Did you live in London, or were you elsewhere?

Roy I think you may have contributed to the smog.

Some cities around the globe currently experience terrible smog conditions but thankfully it is no longer a problem in this country thanks in part to smokeless fuels and tighter industrial controls. But at one time we were quite possibly the greatest contributor worldwide and certainly did out part in creating global warming.

I remember having to walk to work in the 70's because you literally could not see past the end of your nose but I never got that far I had been walking for only 5 minutes when I realised I hadn't a clue where I was so I sat down and smoked a 10 pack of woodbines until it lifted to find I was about 200 yards from my house

Roy

Thanks Lynda and Roy. Yes, I had forgotten all those dirty chimneys in homes and factories. I was looking at all the smoke billowing out of Port Talbot steelworks this week and wondering why the air was so clear. But in those days, cities were covered in smoke.

Thye used to say that most people in Birmingham were tall because they had to rise above smog to breathe :-D

Because of the outlawing of coal coke fires ,implementing of smokeless zones and the advent of central heating, has reduced the SMOG ( SM oke - f OG) to near non existence

There was one time in the early seventies, I had a Singer Vogue and was visiting our sister in law, and it came down with a fog , and I jokingly placed one of her eldest children(aged about 6) on the bonnet with a torch, saying lead us the way home( from Victoria dock road to Peckham..............)and believe it or not she was game to do it!!!
although I didn't actually allow her to.......

Bob

Hated the smog, loved the era though, definitely happy days LG, for me anyway :-D

Wonder why it was called a pea souper McB?

Sometimes people walked in front of cars and buses with a light didn't they PP

Smog was really eerie LG, it just descended, it seemed from nowhere.

John we don't get it now because of cleaner fuels, thank goodness.

The smell was awful Ann, and if washing was out, my Mum had to wash it again because of the smell and the dirt on it.

John, We don't have smog today because we don't all have coal fires, you must remember them introducing smokeless zones,

Roy

Oh happy days :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D

The way it hung in the air and made everywhere dark so you could hardly see the street lights and cars crawing along.The smoky sulphury smell and taste and dirty yellowy colour. Wrapping your scarf over your mouth and hurrying home.

Walking along a side road to a main road cross roads. Crossing over to continue walking along the side road the other side of main road and realising 10 minutes later I was walking along main road. Must have veered to left as I crossed and finished up going diagonally. :-0

Why do we never have smogs now?

Was he one of the Muppets?

Good heavens no they wouldn't do it now. I also remember seeing car headlights appearing slowly through the haze, quite eerie :-0

Driving in the smog was no fun either you had trouble just seeing the end of the car bonnet

Roy

People today think its hard to drive when its foggy but todays fog is no match for the smog

Are yes a good old pea souper.

Awful wasn't it LG, I can also remember being sent home from school when it descended, they let us out to find our own way home, I used to feel the wall to get home, they wouldn't allow that now would they :-D