Car-spotting game

Last updated

A car-spotting game is one that is played during a car ride, especially a road trip, where occupants of a vehicle compete to be the first to spot a car of a certain description. Many variations exist around the world. The first to call a particular target either scores points which are tracked over the course of the journey, or they earn the right to lightly punch an opponent.

Contents

Punch buggy

A 1972 Volkswagen Beetle 1972 Volkswagen Beetle (15315845681).jpg
A 1972 Volkswagen Beetle
A 2012 Volkswagen Beetle 2012 Volkswagen Beetle -- NHTSA 2.jpg
A 2012 Volkswagen Beetle

Punch buggy (also called slug bug [1] or punch dub) is a car-spotting game where players seek Volkswagen Beetles, calling "Punch buggy!" when they do so, in reference to the Beetle's nickname, the Bug. [2] Once a car has been spotted and called out it cannot be used by another player. [2] Traditionally the calling player also gently punches an opponent in the arm, [2] but the game can also be played for points: spotting a Beetle earns the player a point, but making an incorrect call means that they lose a point. [1]

The color of the Beetle is sometimes stated when it is called. [3] [1]

In some versions where players punch each other, a player can shout "No punch backs!" after each call. If they forget to do so, they may be immediately punched back by the player that they punched. [1]

History

Most references about the game originate from unofficial sources and personal accounts from players. It apparently has existed since the Volkswagen's peak popularity in the 1960s. [4]

Volkswagen ran a 2009 advertising campaign calling the game "Punch Dub", with a fictional backstory of its inventor, Sluggy Patterson. [5] The campaign claimed that the game was started "over 50 years ago", though this is a humorous historical fiction created by the ad agency Deutsch Inc. [6]

In 2010, Volkswagen referenced the game in a Super Bowl commercial, with blind musician Stevie Wonder punching comedian Tracy Morgan after "spotting" a red bug. [7]

Variants

A New Beetle "slug bug" Volkswagen-Beetle-Slug-Bug-7799.jpg
A New Beetle "slug bug"

Some variations consider the 1998-2010 Beetle and 2011-2019 Beetle invalid for game purposes, but as older models become rarer, variations may choose to include the new Beetles. Others allow "classic" Beetles to count for two punches. [8]

In Brazil, a popular version of the game is played when a blue Volkswagen Beetle is seen. The first individual to notice it has to scream 'Fusca Azul', which stands for 'Blue Beetle', while others close their arms around their breasts and say 'Fechei' (I closed it), and the person who forgets or refuses to say 'Fechei' may have their arm punched as a punishment. [9] A Mexican variant exists, but with yellow Beetles rather than blue ones. It is stated that those rare yellow-colored Beetles could bring good luck. [10]

Padiddle

The lights of a padiddle The real deal.png
The lights of a padiddle

Padiddle, alternatively spelled pediddle or perdiddle, is a night driving game where players look for vehicles with a single burnt-out headlight or brake light, the word padiddle being a slang term for such a vehicle. The term popeye is also used, due to it resembling a missing or squinting eye.[ citation needed ] A car with only one taillight may be called as a padunkle. [11]

Play

The objective is to be the first to spot a qualifying vehicle. The spotter must say "padiddle" to earn one point for a single headlight sighting, and "little dip" to earn 3 points for a single tail light sighting. Players lose 5 points for errant callouts (e.g. motorcycles or two working lights). In some groups, the spotter must simultaneously hit the ceiling of the car or hit the window glass, and in others, punch or kiss another passenger. The person with the highest score at the end of the trip is the winner. In another version, the first person to get to 3 "padiddles" is the winner and gets to make a wish. [12]

In some variants the last member of the car to punch the ceiling loses one article of clothing. Following this style of play, the winner is the last person wearing clothes in the car. This is sometimes played in teams where every member of the losing team must remove an article of clothing.[ citation needed ]

Qualifying vehicles must be visible through the windshield of the vehicle; "padiddles" seen through a side or rear-view mirror only count for half a point. A motorcycle misidentified as a padiddle is a foul that awards the offender's partner a double hit or kiss. Players can not use their own vehicle as a point.[ citation needed ]

Fog lights do not count as a padiddle even if used as primary lights. There is no such thing as a double padiddle. [11] [13]

Yellow car

A variant of the game involves spotting yellow cars of any make and model (Dodge Viper shown here) Yellow Viper GTS, stopped, rush hour traffic, Lawrence Expressway (21653655551).jpg
A variant of the game involves spotting yellow cars of any make and model (Dodge Viper shown here)

A version of the game in Europe involves spotting yellow cars, [1] and it appears in the British radio sitcom Cabin Pressure under the name "yellow car", with no scoring. [14]

In the United States, this game is known as "banana",[ citation needed ] and in Scandinavia a similar game called gul bil exists. [15] In Finland, the game was featured in a comedy sketch from Justimusfilms. [16]

Spotto

The Australian car-spotting game that combines "Yellow Car" and "Punch Buggy". However, the rules may extend to other types of vehicles including motorcycles, vans, trucks and buses etc. Players spot a yellow vehicle, proclaim "Spotto!" and then punch another passenger.

Details and variations are outlined in Spotto: The Great Australian Car Game.

Other targets

One author suggests similar games with station wagons, convertibles, trucks and buses. [17]

A generic name for the game is car tag.[ citation needed ]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Volkswagen Beetle</span> Small family car (1938–2003)

The Volkswagen Beetle, officially the Volkswagen Type 1, is a small car produced by the German company Volkswagen from 1938 to 2003. One of the most iconic cars in automotive history, the Beetle is noted for its distinctive shape. Its production period of 65 years is the longest of any single generation of automobile, and its total production of over 21.5 million is the most of any car of a single platform.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dune buggy</span> Off-road vehicle

A dune buggy — also known as a beach buggy — is a recreational off-road vehicle with large wheels, and wide tires, designed for use on sand dunes, beaches, off-road or desert recreation. The design is usually a topless vehicle with a rear-mounted engine. A dune buggy can be created by modifying an existing vehicle or custom-building a new vehicle.

<i>The Love Bug</i> 1969 film directed by Robert Stevenson

The Love Bug is a 1969 American sports adventure comedy film directed by Robert Stevenson from a screenplay by Bill Walsh and Don DaGradi, based on the story "Car, Boy, Girl" by Gordon Buford. The film is the first installment in the Herbie film series.

Car games are games played to pass the time on long car journeys, often started by parents to amuse restless children. They generally require little or no equipment or playing space. Some such games are designed specifically to be played while traveling, while others are games that can be played in a variety of settings including car journeys.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Headlamp</span> Lamp mounted in the front of a vehicle

A headlamp is a lamp attached to the front of a vehicle to illuminate the road ahead. Headlamps are also often called headlights, but in the most precise usage, headlamp is the term for the device itself and headlight is the term for the beam of light produced and distributed by the device.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Volkswagen Type 2</span> Volkswagen panel van


The Volkswagen Transporter, initially the Type 2, is a range of light commercial vehicles, built both as vans, pickups, and cab and chassis variants, introduced in 1950 by the German automaker Volkswagen as their second mass production light motor vehicle series, and inspired by an idea and request from then Netherlands VW importer Ben Pon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Baja Bug</span> Modification style of the Volkswagen Beetle

A Baja Bug is an original Volkswagen Beetle modified as an all-terrain vehicle to operate off-road, although other versions of air-cooled Volkswagens are sometimes modified as well. Baja bugs often race in off-road desert races such as the Baja 1000. There are different classes for bugs, namely class 11, class 5 1600, and class 5 unlimited. According to desert racing association Score International, class 11 is a stock VW beetle with modifications limited to ground clearance and strength. Class 5 1600 rules state that a 1600 cc VW engine must be used and the car must have the exterior appearance of a "baja bug" with body modification limited to whatever cutting is needed to install a consumer baja kit. Class 5 unlimited is any 4 cylinder VW-style engine, and it must have Baja-style fenders and side panels, and VW-style suspension.. Another version of Baja Bug is Old Fusca, used for dirt racing in Paraná, Brazil. They are equipped with the AP engine from the early Volkswagen Golf generations, and can be feeded by carburetor or electronic injection

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rear-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout</span> Automotive design

In automotive design, an RR, or rear-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout places both the engine and drive wheels at the rear of the vehicle. In contrast to the RMR layout, the center of mass of the engine is between the rear axle and the rear bumper. Although very common in transit buses and coaches due to the elimination of the drive shaft with low-floor buses, this layout has become increasingly rare in passenger cars.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Meyers Manx</span> Motor vehicle

The Meyers Manx dune buggy is a small recreationally-oriented automobile, designed initially for desert racing by Californian engineer, artist, boat builder and surfer Bruce F. Meyers. It was produced by his Fountain Valley, California company, B. F. Meyers & Co. from 1964 to 1971, in the form of car kits applied to shortened chassis of Volkswagen Beetles. The car line dominated dune racing in its time, breaking records immediately, and was eventually also released in street-oriented models, until the company's demise due to tax problems after Meyers's departure. New vehicles inspired by the original Manx buggy have been produced by Meyers's re-founded operation, Meyers Manx, Inc., since 2000. The name and cat logo of the brand derives from the Manx cat, by virtue of the tailless breed's and the shortened vehicle's truncated "stubbiness".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sandrail</span> Lightweight off-road vehicle

A sandrail, also called a sand rail, rail, or sand car, is a lightweight off-road motor vehicle specifically built for traveling in sandy terrain. Synonymously referred to as dune buggies, a sandrail is a type of speciality vehicle. They are popularly operated on actual sand dunes. Sandrails can be driven on other types of terrain but are designed specifically for sand.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Daytime running lamp</span> Vehicle lights

A daytime running lamp is an automotive lighting and bicycle lighting device on the front of a road going motor vehicle or bicycle. It is automatically switched on when the vehicle's handbrake has been pulled down, when the vehicle is in gear, or when the engine is started, emitting white, yellow, or amber light. Their intended use is not to help the driver see the road or their surroundings, but to help other road users identify an active vehicle.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cal looker</span> Custom car trend

A Cal looker is any air-cooled Volkswagen modified in fashion originating in Orange County, California in the late 1960s.

<i>Midnight Club: Los Angeles</i> 2008 video game

Midnight Club: Los Angeles is a 2008 racing video game developed by Rockstar San Diego and published by Rockstar Games. It is the fourth and final installment in the Midnight Club series before it was discontinued in January 2010. The game features 43 cars and 3 motorcycles. The open world map of Los Angeles is the size of all three cities from the previous installments combined. After several delays, Midnight Club: Los Angeles was released in October 2008.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Police of Denmark</span> Police agency

The Police of Denmark is the Danish National Police force, and the interior part of the Danish security forces in the Kingdom. The police are empowered to enforce the law and to effect public and social order, as well as being responsible for border control.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Volkswagen Beetle in Mexico</span>

The Volkswagen Beetle was introduced to Mexico in March 1954, inside the exhibition "Alemania y su Industria". Four different Volkswagen vehicles were brought to Mexico through Veracruz City for the first time. Those vehicles were: two Sedans 113 in "Export" trim, a convertible, and a VW Bus in luxury trim. Officially, the Bug/Beetle was named "Type I sedan" and the Bus was named "Type II station wagon", though variants included single and double cab pickups.

<i>Jungle Junction</i> Childrens television series,

Jungle Junction is an animated children's TV series created by Trevor Ricketts. In the US, it was part of its Playhouse Disney block. On February 14, 2011, it was moved to its Disney Junior block, serving as Playhouse Disney's replacement. 45 episodes were produced over 2 seasons. The show centers around colorful animal vehicles on their adventures. It aired on Disney Channel in the US, and it was produced by British animation company Spider Eye Productions in the UK and it was listed in airing order.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">SCORE Class 5</span>

SCORE Class 5 is described as "open wheel unlimited Baja Bug class that competes in the SCORE off-road race series races including the Baja 1000, Baja 500, San Felipe 250, Baja Sur 500 and the SCORE Desert Challenge.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Volkswagen Beetle (A5)</span> Small family car

The Volkswagen Beetle, also sold as the Volkswagen Käfer, Volkswagen Coccinelle, Volkswagen Maggiolino, and Volkswagen Fusca in some countries, is a small family car manufactured and marketed by Volkswagen introduced in 2011 for the 2012 model year, as the successor to the New Beetle launched in 1997. It features a lower profile while retaining an overall shape homaging the original Volkswagen Type 1 Beetle. One of Volkswagen's goals with the model was to give it a more aggressive appearance while giving it some stylistic aspects reminiscent of the Type 1. This was an attempt to distance the new model from the New Beetle, produced from 1997 to 2011, which never approached the success of the original Beetle.

Superbug is a West German children's comedy film series released between 1971 and 1978, each concerning the adventures of a sentient Volkswagen Beetle and his driver companion. The eponymous film series, and its protagonist, is essentially similar to Disney's Herbie the Love Bug franchise which also concerned the exploits of a seemingly intelligent car, but unlike Herbie which uses magic to show off anthropomorphism, the Superbug instead uses modern technology to display signs of sentience. The Superbug series appeared to be an attempt by director and main actor Rudolf Zehetgruber to bring the "Love Bug" concept to Germany, where the Beetle originated, while giving it the flair of James Bond's gadget-equipped vehicles. The main human character is named Jimmy Bondi. In the first film, which is mainly set in Africa, Bondi inherits a yellow 1963 VW Beetle, which he names "Dudu", the Swahili word for insect or beetle.

<i>Beetle Crazy Cup</i> 2000 video game

Beetle Crazy Cup, released as Beetle Buggin' in North America, and as Käfer Total in Germany, and as Radiсal Drive in Spain, is a 2000 racing video game developed by Xpiral and published by Infogrames for Microsoft Windows. The game features vehicles by Volkswagen as part of a licensing deal between Infogrames and the automotive company.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Ferrer, J. J. (1 February 2013). The Art of Stone Skipping and Other Fun Old-Time Games: Stoopball, Jacks, String Games, Coin Flipping, Line Baseball, Jump Rope, and More. Charlesbridge. p. 90. ISBN   978-1-60734-658-6.
  2. 1 2 3 Case, Steven L. (2003). Road Rules. Zondervan. pp.  114. ISBN   0-310-25100-1.
  3. Rosen, Michael J. (10 January 1999). My Bug. Artisan. ISBN   978-1-57965-135-0.
  4. "Bug: The Strange Mutations of the World's Most Famous Automobile". WNYC: New York Public Radio. 2007-03-28. Archived from the original on 2007-09-30.
  5. "Volkswagen Punch Dub". Ad Age . Retrieved 19 December 2018.
  6. "Volkswagen to Spotlight 'Punch Dub' Game in Super Bowl Ad, Online Campaign Touting Product Family". PR Newswire (Press release). Volkswagen of America. January 28, 2010. Retrieved March 23, 2023.
  7. LunnDT65 (February 8, 2010). "VW Bug Punch Bug 2010 Super Bowl Commerical [sic] w/ Stevie Wonder and Tracy Morgan". YouTube. Retrieved March 21, 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  8. Polk, Janet (2006). Rules for Playing Slug Bug and Punch Buggy. AuthorHouse. p. 17. ISBN   1-4259-0229-4.
  9. "Fusca azul - A brincadeira que já deu o que falar, ou melhor, socar" [Blue Beetle The joke that gives you something to talk about, or rather, to punch]. r7.com (in Portuguese). 27 September 2019. Retrieved 5 July 2020.
  10. "¡Vocho amarillo! ¿Cuál es el origen de este peculiar juego?" [Yellow Vocho! What is the origin of this peculiar game?]. El Universal (in Spanish). Mexico City. Retrieved 15 February 2021.
  11. 1 2 O'Sullivan, Joanne (1 April 2008). I Don't Care If We're There Yet: The Backseat Boredom Buster. Lark Books. pp. 32–. ISBN   978-1-57990-848-5.
  12. Wheel, The News (2018-11-29). "The Origin and Meaning of Padiddle, the One-Headlight Car Game". The News Wheel. Retrieved 2021-02-25.
  13. Gladstone, Gary (December 31, 1969). "Padiddle Hunt". Loose Change Memoirs.
  14. "John Finnemore Quotes (Author of Cabin Pressure)". www.goodreads.com. Retrieved 6 September 2022.
  15. "Regler för Gul Bil". Allt du behöver veta om - Gula bilar (in Swedish). 2008-11-19. Retrieved 2023-05-11.
  16. "Keltainen auto" (video). youtube.com (in Finnish). Justimusfilms. Jul 15, 2010.
  17. Dazzo, Susan (2005). Mom's Guide to Being a Superhero. Fair Winds. p. 133. ISBN   1-59233-116-5.