Do people use umbrellas these days?

[IveGotASongThatllGetOnYNerves]

Well, of course some do, I'm not that daft 😁. Just idle musing. My son just asked me where the umbrella was and I said we haven't got one. Then I thought I can't remember the last time I saw anyone using one.

I win dullest most pointless thread of the day of course, but it's either that or do my paperwork. 🤷‍♀️

I'm just on the outskirts of London and I believe we have one in the boot of the car "just in case", but I don't recall when it last saw the light of day. I'm always carrying something or someone, or pushing a pushchair, or running late, or usually some combination of the above, and trying to deal with the eye-poking and flipping-inside-out of an umbrella as well requires more hands than I have. I wear a hood or, more often, get wet.

hardly every - even if it's pouring here it's usually too windy to keep the thing up so just go out in a waterproof with the hood up!

I don't. It's often very wet here but is usually equally windy so they're not great really. I've got a decent waterproof coat with a generous hood instead.

It was raining yesterday, used my umbrella 🌂

I've got loads - unless you have an ankle length coat how do you keep your legs dry if it's raining?

Yes, I have several

I have been through and lost (to high winds) many umbrellas but still use one, a slightly bent bhs number from the 90s, on the rare occasion the rain is actually vertical, here. I end up with wet glasses, otherwise

Loads of umbrellas in our house, we keep them in a stand by the back door. I did offer to get ds a compact umbrella to keep in his school bag and he told me 'no one uses umbrellas these days' so maybe it's old fashioned

I have umbrellas for when walking to and from work but besides that rarely use one as I'm normally pushing a pushchair

School/nursery run no, wear coat with hood and pushing pushchair so can't hold it

Commuting to work - smarter coat, two hands free = umbrella

Nope, I don’t use one. Mostly because I usually have a double pram with me and I can’t push it and hold one, I have tried before but it doesn’t work. Unsure whether one exists but do think a clip on umbrella for the pram handlebars would be genius.

@IveGotASongThatllGetOnYNerves

No, I don't. I'm in the peak park.

If you mean the Peak District, I'm quite near there and it rains a lot. I always take an umbrella with me when out walking in rainy weather. I sometimes get funny looks from other walkers in their technical rain gear (which I also have) but a Gore Tex hood doesn't keep the rain off my glasses, an umbrella is much better.

DH has about 4. DD has one, which is generally used to build a shelter in the garden along with the other kids’ from the block when they’re playing out in the rain. I gave up umbrellas when the DC arrived, much more practical to hold kids/buggies/shopping with two hands and wear a decent rain coat.

I have a love/hate relationship with umbrellas. It's either not raining enough to use one or it is and it's too windy. My DH just needs to glance in an umbrellas direction and it breaks so we haven't had one for a while.

You've reminded me of a very bizarre chat I had. When I was a teenager, a very strange man stopped me in the pouring rain and asked why women always carried umbrellas and wasn't it funny how were always prepared but men weren't. He was soaked. After a small chat I said goodbye and started walking away and he began yelling that I was being filmed for the BBC on hidden cameras 😂

I've got about three, but don't remember ever actually buying an umbrella so where they come from I don't know...

I rarely use them; either in the car, on my bike or have a waterproof coat with a hood so don't really need one.

I’ve got one but can’t actually remember the last time I’ve used it. It’s very hard with small children to also have to juggle an umbrella, so I tend to just go with a big waterproof coat (or stay inside).

Noooooo!!! I hate them with a passion!
Blow inside out, drip at the edges, wet and slimy to fold down and stash in your bag if you’re out, they seem to get left behind in places a lot, the break and get abandoned…
I just wear a coat with a hood or get a taxi!

Yes, in the bag and in the car. I do have a different coat with a hood for all seasons because I prefer that, and am often pushing a buggy, but umbrellas are useful.

No, I live in Ireland where it is always windy - I have a Rains rain coat for all seasons. I haven't used one in years. To-day I was at breakfast with a friend and she tried to open one on the walk home - it was the first time I had seen one in about a year.

Of course. I have a few. Mini ones for my bag, golf for longer walks and a clear one like the Queen. I prefer to walk than get the car out.

One of my most prized possessions is a London 2012 umbrella ^^ - you definitely use an umbrella if you’re on the pitch side on rainy Sunday mornings… I don’t tend to use them anywhere else, but it’s always in the boot.

I don’t have a car so I have many umbrellas. That said, when I lived in Ireland there was no point in an umbrella really - the rain was usually sideways and accompanied by very strong winds that left you holding rags on a stick. We had hoods and stoicism instead.

I usually use long handled umbrellas as they are much sturdier and can stand up to the wind without going inside out. They are also lovely to walk with. My favourite is printed with van Gogh's starry night.

Eh? I don't know anyone who doesn't use them. Even with a coat which has a hood, or a cagoule, I'll still use one. Why wouldn't you?

I’ve just been caught in a downpour on Princes St in Edinburgh and I can confirm that yes, people (including us) definitely still use umbrellas!