# Punch buggy **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 22, 1999, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/punch-buggy/1472 "1999-06-22T20:39:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 1999, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/punch-buggy/1472/1 "1999-06-22T20:39:00Z")
Does anyone rememeber playing the game punch buggy as a kid? It’s the game where you see a volkswagon beetle and you hit someone and say punch buggy (whatever the color), no punch back. What are the real rules? ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 1999, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/punch-buggy/1472/2 "1999-06-22T20:46:00Z")
Along the same vein: one of my college roomies played a variation: “pinch-woodie” when she saw a car with wooden sides. I have no idea where either one came from. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 1999, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/punch-buggy/1472/3 "1999-06-22T20:46:00Z")
I knew it as “slug bug.” The rules are simple: first one to spot a VW Beetle gets to hit the other player on the arm. You have to call out “Slug bug!” as you hit your brother/sister/relative. Guaranteed to drive your parents nuts. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 1999, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/punch-buggy/1472/4 "1999-06-22T20:48:00Z")
I remember it along the lines of what Guy says:Slug Bug! Geez, I hated that game! ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 1999, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/punch-buggy/1472/5 "1999-06-22T21:04:00Z")
Yep—Slug Bug. In truth, I never heard of it but my 22 year old nephew was telling me that he remembered it fondly from his growing-up years. He knew he was in for the long haul with his present girlfriend when, on their first date, about 10 minutes into it, she socked him a good one and yelled “Slug Bug” as they drove down the highway. Whatever, turns you on… ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 1999, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/punch-buggy/1472/6 "1999-06-22T21:31:00Z")
I remember it as “Punch Buggy”, but I grew up playing “Ditto”. 1 point for bugs, two for VW buses, three for school buses. Only in high school did I learn the true nature of Punch Buggy, at the whim of a much larger and more aggressive friend. The rules as I remember are simple: “Punchbuggy!” + color + good one to the arm. No hitting back. And you _have_ to point it out. Generally with three or more in the car you can get verification, but with the two-man game it can get nasty. Play until Dad gets into the game, generally because he’s got at least a half-hour of road rage inside him. And he never points 'em out! * * * Cave Diem! Carpe Canem! ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 1999, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/punch-buggy/1472/7 "1999-06-23T03:47:00Z")
My daughters also called the game “slug bug”. Both have permenent injuries from when they used to visit me in the S.F. Bay area from Bakersfield. Peace, mangeorge * * * Work like you don’t need the money… Love like you’ve never been hurt… Dance like nobody’s watching! Source??? ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 1999, 5:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/punch-buggy/1472/8 "1999-06-23T05:41:00Z")
I also know it as “Slug Bug”. You need to call out “Slug Bug” + color and get to punch someone in the arm. Has anyone heard of “Padiddle” (sp)? When you spot a car with only headlight out, you call “Padiddle”[1] and hit the roof of the car. And then, finally, there is the out-of-state plate game (no name) in which you shout out the name of the state when you see an out of state plate and punch someone. [1] Due to poor diction and poor listening skills, this has mutated into “Potato” with my sisters. * * * “We’re gonna have lawyers here. It’ll be a fun time.” –R.R.S. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 1999, 7:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/punch-buggy/1472/9 "1999-06-23T07:28:00Z")
Kat wrote: > [@](#): > > Has anyone heard of “Padiddle” (sp)? When you spot a car with only headlight out, you call “Padiddle”[1] and hit the roof of the car. Yes we used to play that! We hit each other instead of the roof of the car though. We also played punch buggy (didn’t bother yelling out the color of the car though) and beaver slap, which is when you see a car with the fake wooden panels. * * * ~_brandie_~ “Physicists have determined that even the most solid and heavy mass of matter we see is mostly empty space. But at the submicroscopic level, specks of matter scattered through a vast emptiness have such incredible density and weight, and are linked to one another by such powerful forces, that together they produce all the properties of concrete, cast iron and solid rock. In much the same way, specks of knowledge are scattered through a vast emptiness of ignorance, and everything depends upon how solid the individual specks of knowledge are, and on how powerfully linked and coordinated they are with one another.” ~Thomas Sowell ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 1999, 10:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/punch-buggy/1472/10 "1999-06-23T10:13:00Z")
I used to play Punch Bug. Used slap each other, yell “punch bug+color+can’t punch back!” * * * Cogito Ergo Vroom I think therefore I ride fast… ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 1999, 5:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/punch-buggy/1472/11 "1999-06-24T05:14:00Z")
“Has anyone heard of “Padiddle” (sp)? When you spot a car with only headlight out, you call “Padiddle”[1] and hit the roof of the car.” In my misspent dating years, “padiddle” involved kissing, not hitting the top of a car. One kiss for a headlight, two for a taillight. Double that if both were out. I think my way was much more fun. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 1999, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/punch-buggy/1472/12 "1999-06-23T21:04:00Z")
We played Slug Bug in my neck of the woods (northeast Alabama) when I was a young lad. We had something similar to what Hannu mentioned, only it was called “no backfire”. I believe this came about as the slugee invariably got pissed at being randomly punched and made up a “backfire” rule allowing revenge. As a result, we wound up saying “Slug bug (color) no backfire!”. Slug Bug is especially hated when you’re the youngest of three brothers (3 and 4 years older than you). ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 1999, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/punch-buggy/1472/13 "1999-06-23T21:26:00Z")
When 3 or more people are playing, when the first person says punch buggy yellow(and punches someone) no punch backs. Can anyone else hit that first person?? Or do the other people have to fight amongst themselves?? ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 1999, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/punch-buggy/1472/14 "1999-06-23T21:28:00Z")
My kids play slug-bug. “-no slugs back!” It drives me crazy, unless of course, I’m in the mood for it too. There are also many other slugging opportunities I’m surprised weren’t mentioned. “Cadillac Whack” and “pickup punch” to name a couple. Did you guys ever have some ritual for going through a yellow light? As a kid we would touch the roof and then the dash board as we went through the intersection. The other day, I went through a yellow light and my son kissed his fingertips, and tapped the dash. Enright3 ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 1999, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/punch-buggy/1472/15 "1999-06-23T23:32:00Z")
Where I grew up we played “slug bug.” We had to eventually make up a rule about “no slugs back.” So it went, “slug bug +color+ no slugs back.” Kinda dumb, but it gave us something to do in the car. We also played “padiddle,” It started put that you got to hit the person, but as we grew up, and dated more. It eventually became, if you saw a car with one headlight, you got to kiss anyone in the car. Punching is fun, but I like the newer version a whole lot more! * * * “No time for love Dr. Jones!” ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 1999, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/punch-buggy/1472/16 "1999-06-24T02:49:00Z")
Instead of “padiddle”, we said “popeye” (and I believe it was only for headlights). ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 1999, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/punch-buggy/1472/17 "1999-06-24T14:50:00Z")
I played Padiddle. It was (1) call out Padiddle for a missing head or tail light and you choose a reward. Example: Padiddle, you owe me a beer. (Usually same sex in car.) Padiddle, you owe me a kiss. 😉 God I LOVED that game.