Pre-phones, you had functional payphones, etc, around to summon help with. People were more likely to be understanding and to make a call for you if you knocke

Pre-phones, you had functional payphones, etc, around to summon help with. People were more likely to be understanding and to make a call for you if you knocked on their door. I had to hike to a payphone a couple of times when I was stranded. That wouldn't work anymore. To reach the level of security that I had as a teenager, I need a mobile phone.