Monday 11 August 2008

What is it about Young People and Umbrellas?

On Thursday evening last week it was absolutely chucking it down. I was checking the weather radar to plan my best time to make a break for home and realised that I wasn’t going to get away with it – so I got out the umbrella and headed off.

I just couldn’t believe how many people were walking around just getting soaked because they didn’t have an umbrella. Now this is where I’m going to sound a bit like an old fogy, but there were all young people! My very unscientific survey suggested that 100% of people over 60 were brollied-up, some 50% of 60-30 year olds (of which I fall into) had umbrellas, but to my great dismay, not a single young person was carrying an umbrella (excuse my arbitrary definition of ‘young’).

So when did it become uncool to carry an umbrella. I was trying to think back to my younger days and whether I carried a brolly around with me. I did, but I then realised that this wasn’t much help as I could never have been described as cool.

Is the answer that we need Apple - the makers of the iPod and iPhone – to design the new iBolly or perhaps persuade Posh and Becs to carry around one of our Society unbrellas (which by the way are very reasonably priced for that special someone in your life). Or should we resign ourselves to the fact that the younger generation would rather be at one with the elements that be seen dead carrying one of our most British of traditions – and to think, they will never have that life experience of getting half way home and remembering that they have just left there nice new umbrella on the bus.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Yeah, it's a young thing. I find as I age I watch weather more. Still am rather rugged about not bothering with bundling up when it's cold or raingear when raining (if walk is short or just get a little wet but not drenched).

I don't like carrying an umbrella when it is dry, but what I've come up with is owning a few umbrellas and keeping one always in car and one always in office. Where I work, there is a very long walk from parking lot to office door. So, if it looks bad, I grab an umbrella. I just bring it backnext day, so that it is stationed where it belongs (car or office).

Royal Meteorological Society said...

Good idea about the office and the car. You can imagine that we have quite a few umbrellas in the office for those who get caught out - but we as well as anyone should know when the rain is on the way!