16-year-old asks Reddit users to recall pre-9/11 America

Sometimes it’s strange to think that the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks happened 12 years ago. Most of us who are old enough can remember it like it was yesterday. But there are some who are too young to recall the chaos and devastation of that Wednesday morning.

One 16-year-old user of the social news site Reddit hoped to gain insight into what America was like before the Twin Towers fell. His post generated thousands of comments from people who were more than willing to share their view of a pre-9/11 America.

Many commenters remembered a time when airport security wasn’t as strict.

From sleeplessorion:

When I was a kid, airline pilots would let me and my brother go into the cockpit and look at all the controls and stuff and give us little trinkets. Now they have to keep the door closed and locked the whole time.

From ayb:

1999: I was at parents house for Christmas and my girlfriend gave me a big kitchen knife. It was still in the plastic casing and somehow I accidentally put it in my carry-on when I was flying home. It was probably 8 inches long.

They saw it on the xray thing and told me I couldn’t take it on the plane.

“You’re going to take away my Christmas present?” I asked, “it’s still in the plastic.”

The woman thought about it for a few seconds and then said, “Ok, well just don’t take it out of your bag.” and let me move on to boarding.

I was a nicely dressed 25 y/o white kid, so that probably helped, but still, looking back, I can’t believe it.

From TRC042:

There was no TSA or Homeland Security. Being stopped and searched meant the police actually had a reason to suspect you of a crime.

Users also recalled when racial tensions weren’t as high.

From Salman:

Well nobody ever called me a “Sandni***r” before 9/11. That was nice.

From Grace_Face:

I was in 6th grade when 9/11 happened and I’m Persian.

One time during science I laughed, and a boy at my lab table said the last time he heard that laugh was when Osama Bin Laden saw the planes crash into the twin towers.

Gas prices were a lot lower.

From lol-god:

At 6:23am on 9/11/01, I purchased 87 octane fuel for $1.13 per gallon. I’ve carried the receipt in my wallet ever since. By that afternoon, the same fuel was well over $3.00 per gallon. I never saw gas below $2.30 ever again.

From Timmilli21:

I distinctly remember the price of gas being in the $1 range growing up and the day after 9/11 the price tripled and never ever came down.

And borders were easily crossed.

From Muqaddimah:

As a kid I used to ride my bike across the border to buy all the cheap American candy that wasn’t available in Canada. Because it was a small town, a lot of the American border guards knew us and would let us through with just a wave.

From Bezzie:

Going back into the US was the easiest interaction with law enforcement ever. “Name?” “Place of birth?” “Have a nice night.”