Talk:Punch buggy

Original Beetle

"Volkswagen states that only the original Beetle design, not the 1998-released New Beetle is valid for the purposes of Slugbug."

Is there a reference for this? DJ Clayworth 18:30, 20 Feb 2004 (UTC)

I couldn't find any, so I'll just put up what used to be at 'Punch-bug' —

The game is considered by some to have lost some of its appeal, because Beetles are now much more common due to Volkswagen's 1998 release of the New Beetle; some players do not consider this new model to be valid for the purposes of the game.

— or something like it until if someone does find proof. -- Djinn112 19:59, Feb 20, 2004 (UTC)

Wikification (Complete)

Work on this article should be in progress very soon. *Vendetta* _{(whois talk edits)} 10:03, 28 March 2007 (UTC)

I have added and wikified what I can but I won't remove or change the wiki tag above as I guess you want to come back and do more work on the article Douglike 14:41, 28 March 2007 (UTC)

Thank you for the help! I think the article still needs some more wikification to get it going, so we'll keep looking at it. I have limited computer time, so by all means go ahead and contribute if you like. *Vendetta* _{(whois talk edits)} 00:30, 29 March 2007 (UTC)

From going over the article again, it appears nearly finished as far as wikification goes. Sources have been added and the content is looking much better. I think the only thing left to do would be to go over the Rules section; there are still a few typos, though I can't for the life of me find a satisfactory way to rewrite it. Hopefully someone can figure out what to do with it. The Variants section might need a few tweaks, though I am having trouble deciding what to do with that, too. Anyway, I believe that once these few changes are made we can remove the Wikify tag and template (probably the tone tag as well; I don't know as much about that, but it seems okay considering the subject matter) and consider it cleaned up. *Vendetta* _{(whois talk edits)} 18:49, 29 March 2007 (UTC)

I've edited the intro to Rules to make it a bit more... encyclopedic, I suppose. I'm avoiding the variants section because that could go on forever, depending on how many variants you can find, and how much detail you want Douglike 21:09, 29 March 2007 (UTC)

Edited the entire article, changing a few sentences around and cleaning up typos and other errors. Added a little bit of content, as well. The article looks to be complete in terms of wikification and I think we knocked out the tone issue as well. I've removed both tags from the article as a result of this. Great job everyone!

I took out the last part of "Another recent variant of the game is upon the sighting of a traditional Jeep CJ or Jeep Wrangler, a participant will yell, "Beep Jeep (color)!" and "Beep" another participant on the shoulder (using an open hand, like beeping the horn). The intent is more of a push than a punch. If the Jeep has the top down, two "Beeps" are allowed. Also known as Jeep Jab. Created circa 2006 by K&KA." I could not find any source saying that K&KA created this game, it sounds more like someone just trying to sign the page. Gorkymalorki 23:48, 27 June 2007 (UTC)

Wikified as part of the Wikification wikiproject! *Vendetta* _{(whois talk edits)} 02:02, 30 March 2007 (UTC)

Micro bus

A micro bus (VW Van) was never included in the original game of Punch buggy. Also, a Cadillac regardless of view within whatever, was never included.

I've also noticed that history of the game was never included.

this site has been up since 1999, and is considered the first 'complete' page on the game.

http://www.geocities.com/jaredperi/beetle/buggy.html

--Whuntmore 17:42, 4 December 2007 (UTC)

.../jaredperi/beetle/buggy.html at the Internet Archive. —MJBurrage^(T•C) 04:04, 25 March 2010 (UTC)

Another Variation

From my understanding, a GEEKMobile from the Geeksquad is worth 4 hits. It is from the Chief Inspector himself Robert Stephens --Powerfire (talk) 22:58, 13 June 2009 (UTC)

Over hear (Eastern Indiana), if you say the color of the Punch Bug, you get punched back three times. TwistedRed (talk) 01:25, 3 February 2008 (UTC)

Powerfire--I've never heard of that. Our family (specifically my sister who is a mechanical engineer major) came up with the tradition that if you see a GeekSquad Beetle, you do a sort of nerdy slapping motion at the other person (i.e., lightly flailing hands at the other person, only slightly hitting them)... Venku Tur'Mukan (talk) 18:16, 9 February 2011 (UTC)

Punch Buggy IS the car

In South Louisiana we referred to the cars themselves as punch buggies, as in "Look at that punch buggy." The game was called something like "punch buggy punch," which is what was said when delivering the strike. We never used colors in this process. --Volkris (talk) 23:41, 15 February 2008 (UTC)

I have never heard this game called punch buggy. Most people call it 'car punch' or 'punchies' —Preceding unsigned comment added by 85.211.70.109 (talk) 16:18, 18 October 2008 (UTC)

Here in Texas we always used 'slug bug,' but then again there are people who call soda 'soda pop.' Invmog (talk) 20:17, 24 November 2009 (UTC)

Up north the more common variant is "slugabug" (or "hugabug" around younger kids)... see my post under "Hug Bug." Venku Tur'Mukan (talk) 18:13, 9 February 2011 (UTC)

What brought me to this page was my daughter and her friends' use of the term "slug bug" to describe the car itself. I was surprised to learn that a) there is a game with this name, and b) there is another name "punch buggy" associated with it. — Loadmaster (talk) 20:07, 16 January 2012 (UTC)

Where in the world was it called "Punch Buggy"?? I've never heard it called that before. In southeastern Michigan it's always been Slug Bug as far as I know. I wonder which was more widely used? Donnie Love (talk) 14:47, 9 May 2015 (UTC)

Upon further research, (I know, original research is not allowed.) it seems Slug Bug was more widely used. The variant Punch Buggy was used mostly in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New York, where there were a higher concentration of Amish people still using horse-drawn buggies. Therefore this article is incorrectly named. Donnie Love (talk) 17:38, 9 May 2015 (UTC)

"Punch Buggy" was super-common in Canada (usually with the colour, as in "Punch Buggy Red!", following my punching your sibling in the arm). I never heard Slug Bug in my entire life until I saw this Wikipedia page. So... we'll need something more substantive before renaming this article. Greg Salter (talk) 19:29, 21 September 2019 (UTC)

Oh, and the Simpsons used "Punch Buggy" as well (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bhiYbojZ9VM). So again... not gonna agree that this should be renamed. Greg Salter (talk) 19:33, 21 September 2019 (UTC)

Variants involving different vehicles?

Most of the "Variants involving different vehicles" sound fake. I recommend deleting the entire section. --Jeremy Butler 11:39, 31 May 2008 (UTC)

How about the PT Cruiser Bruiser??170.199.250.52 (talk) 01:48, 11 March 2021 (UTC)

International

Should we make a list of the places around the world that is played? i'm from Argentina and i used to play this game, only that we said "Poncho, no recibo" (poncho must come from punch, and "no recibo" is "i won't receive" like "No punch back!" ) --89.131.16.106 (talk) 19:39, 7 January 2009 (UTC)

Only if there are reliable sources for each entry on the list. Readers need to be able to verify the information independently. Kafziel ^{Complaint Department} 20:50, 7 January 2009 (UTC)

Where on earth would you get reliable sources for this? I think this is a good idea, regardless. In the UK, this game is unknown, to my knowledge.

2010 Super Bowl Ad

Volkswagen released an ad, premiering during Super Bowl XLIV, which portrays this game and seems to define two rules: the color of the bug should be declared and all Volkswagen vehicles count. There is an ad campaign at [[1]] with a contest, game, and the ad itself, but it appears to call the game 'PunchDub' - phonetically similar yet loses the 'bug' terminology. There is also an 'official' set of rules available, along with an 'interview with the game's creator'. Anyone care to help add the rules? --Shawn McNaughton 08:43, 8 February 2010 (UTC) —Preceding unsigned comment added by Shawngmc (talk • contribs)

It's just an ad meant to put a spin on a popular kids' game to make the cars seem fun, like the old one with the VW stuck up in a tree. It's not intended to be taken seriously. I don't think there's anything wrong with a mention of it in connection with the article, as long as we don't get carried away thinking it redefines the game. Volkswagen can no more set the rules for punch buggy than Colt can set the rules for Russian roulette. Kafziel ^{Complaint Department} 17:24, 8 February 2010 (UTC)

Hug Bug

Since hug rhymes just as well as slug bug and since that slug bug can cause violent tendencies to emerge in children, the hug bug variant is advised. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 76.8.213.116 (talk) 04:48, 20 October 2010 (UTC)

Our family uses that around our young one ("Hugabug!" followed by a light tap or a hug). My dad and I go by more traditional rules where the first one to punch the other (shoulder, thigh, something that doesn't distract his driving) doesn't get punched back, whether or not they say "slugabug" or the color. My mom thinks it doesn't matter who gets hit first; the point is just to see it and get other people. Of course, kids have come up with their own stuff ("bug spray," "no hit-backs," etc.) over the years and the name varies by region. Venku Tur'Mukan (talk) 18:11, 9 February 2011 (UTC)

Article title should be changed to "slug bug"

As this Google NGRAM search shows, the phrase "slug bug" has appeared in way more books in recent years than any of the other names for this game. Most of the books that contain that phrase are indeed talking about the game in question. My family calls it punch bug, but it appears slug bug is winning out by far, and so should be the title of the article. Any objections to changing it? Jbening (talk) 16:17, 16 January 2012 (UTC)

I don't know how ngrams work, but what it's showing is wrong. Look at search results here and you'll see that Punch buggy is just as common. And that's before you consider how many uses of the phrases are actually referring to the game. So I don't see any pressing need to change the article name on the basis of this, particularly when there's already a redirect that brings Slug bug here anyway. --Escape Orbit ^(Talk) 17:59, 16 January 2012 (UTC)

The Simpsons called it Punch Buggy. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bhiYbojZ9VM That makes it law.  :-) Greg Salter (talk) 19:36, 21 September 2019 (UTC)

Variant

Another variation awards one point to the player that calls out a Volkswagen and the color. It also awards two points to the player that calls out "Red Jeep Jackson," when spotting a red jeep (when spoken quickly, Red Jeep Jackson sounds similar to the baseball player, Reggie Jackson). Three points are awarded to the player that spots a yellow Volkswagen and calls out "Yellow Slugmarine" (a reference to the Beatles song, Yellow Submarine).

This is how I grew up learning to play the game (in Northern California). I knew a lot of other people that played it this way as well. So, I guess my source for this is personal experience. I'm sure someone will say that it doesn't fit within the guidelines of sources. Jeepers! We're talking about the Slug Bug Game! — Preceding unsigned comment added by JRG1976 (talk • contribs) 15:53, 20 March 2013 (UTC)

The problem with "personal experience" is there is no way to verify it, or gauge its notability, two key parts of Wikipedia policy. If we are to allow your personal experience, the we must allow everyone else's, all the while having no way of telling if it is accurate, or if it is just something someone made up one day of absolutely no significance. Pretty soon we have what this article was previously approaching; a list of trivial variations that no-one can tell were ever is use outside one family. --Escape Orbit ^(Talk) 17:24, 20 March 2013 (UTC)

Origins?

Has anyone done any research on the origins of this game? JointCompound (talk) 10:19, 21 October 2021 (UTC)

Merging with padiddle/car game?

The punch buggy article is about a game where you spot VW beetles and either punch a rival or score a point.

The padiddle article is about a game where you spot cars with damaged lights and either punch a rival (or roof or window), or kiss them, or remove your clothes, or score a point.

The car game article is about various games you can play in a car. One section is about "Car tag", where you spot a certain type of vehicle and either punch a rival or score a point.

I think these are clearly all describing minor variations of the same game. "Car tag" would be a good generic name for that, but that name isn't sourced and I can't find any evidence of that name in use. From news and book searches, Punch Buggy seems to be more widespread as a game than Padiddle, and has gotten more mainstream coverage. Would suggest either merging everything to Punch buggy, or using a bland descriptive title like Car-spotting game to describe the various games. (I think there's enough content and notability here for it to be more than just a section in car games.)

Pinging User:Plantdrew who suggested a merge in edit summaries. Lord Belbury (talk) 16:18, 31 August 2022 (UTC)

Car-spotting game would be fine. The term "punch buggy" encompasses the rules of a particular car-spotting game; players are punched when a VW "bug" is spotted. Car-spotting games that don't necessarily involve punching or VWs shouldn't be lumped under the name "punch buggy". Plantdrew (talk) 16:36, 31 August 2022 (UTC)

I've merged the two articles and the car game section to a new article at Car-spotting game. --Lord Belbury (talk) 15:32, 6 September 2022 (UTC)

I've undone the merger. Needs to be far more discussed. It's a variety of the genre, but it's not a good merger as it lumps things together without sources calling them versions of the same game. oknazevad (talk) 15:45, 6 September 2022 (UTC)

No problem, I'll put a formal discussion template up. --Lord Belbury (talk) 15:57, 6 September 2022 (UTC)

• Merge all to Car-spotting game. All variations on the theme. No need for separate articles. ‡ El cid, el campeador ^talk 17:36, 6 September 2022 (UTC)

@El cid, el campeador: The Twinkle plugin created the formal vote/discussion over at the target article, Talk:Car-spotting game. --Lord Belbury (talk) 17:52, 6 September 2022 (UTC)