Punch buggy (also called punch bug, punch car, punch dub, piggy punch, slug bug, or beetle bug) is a car game generally played by children in which participants punch each other on the arm upon first sight of a Volkswagen Beetle while calling out "Punch buggy!" or "Slug bug!" in reference to the Beetle's nickname, the Bug. The color of the Beetle is also sometimes stated.
History
Most references about the game originate from unofficial sources and personal accounts from players. Estimates suggest that it has existed since the 1960s.
As part of the "Punch Dub" marketing campaign run by Volkswagen, a man named Zachariah Davis was presented as "the guy who made a game out of seeing VWs and punching his friends". This campaign, launched in 2009, claims that the game was started "over 50 years ago", though this is a humorous historical fiction created by the ad agency Deutsch Inc.
Variants
Some variations consider Volkswagen's 1998 redesigned New Beetle invalid for game purposes but, as older models become rarer, variants may choose to include the new Beetles. Others allow "classic" bugs to count for two punches.
One author suggests similar games with station wagons, convertibles, trucks and buses.
See also
- License plate game
- Padiddle
References
