Knocking on door and running away

We used to call it 'chappy, knockie' . I tried it once and got caught ( being the youngest and having wee fat short legs !) I never did it again !

When it happened to me, I went out the back door and lay in wait. Next time they did it, I grabbed them and threatened to tell their parents. It didn't happen again.

Oh dear. I remember doing it once with a group of friends - but once only. I felt very guilty afterwards - in fact I think we all did. We were about 9 years old

MawBroon I never played that awful trick with the newspaper myself but remember being told about it.

Oops I mean RosiesMaw

It’s worse here, they kick peoples doors doing damage. My neighbour has a ring doorbell and after no reaction by the police, she asked the headmaster of the local school to take a look and there seem to be less incidents now.

Had a spate of that afrer telling an 11 year old he/his parents were breaking the law, allowing him to ride an electric scooter on the road. Camera door bell caught him and friends. Repirted to police who were able to identify him at school. Parents apparently spoken to. Also received an apology from the 11 year old. My DH was in the late stage of palliative care and the door bell agitated him. Door bell camera very useful for dealing with nuisance.

It must’ve been over 60 years ago that me and my brother knocked on Nora Yeos door and ran away. We did it a few times, the last time we did it she opened the door straight away,gave us the fright of our lives never did it again. We were probably about seven or eight…
(My brother and I for the pedants 🤓)

Knock Down Ginger

It's been revised recently possibly on TikTok it's now called Ding Ding Ditch. At night I'd be cross too, but it's just kids playing.

we know it wasn't right but those who do it these days should have better things to do.... you didn't do it down your own road of course so no one knew where you lived if caught

Not proud to admit it but my mates and I used to play this - not at 10pm though!

Knockie nine doors in the North East!

This 'game' appears to have had various names depending where you live. It was named in a quite self explanatory way here in Birmingham - 'knock door run'.

BlueBelle

Personally I wouldn’t bother the police for daft kids It s always been a trick of kids hasnt it Ignore it they ll get bored if they get no reaction

Great post! The police have enough to do.

I used to do as I'm sure many others did. I also have suffered it in laters years like many others. It's a passing phase as the kids will grow out of it especially if you don't rise to the bait.

Gosh I remember playing this it’s called knock down ginger. Then hedge hopping over back gardens. Didn’t think kids of today even knew about it let alone do it. Sorry if it’s unsettling you, hopefully harmless fun.

Scapal,,,chap door run where I lived too...same area...in the 50's us children were out playing every night ,,,hardly any cars about...we thought it was fun, but it must have been annoying for the person answering the door...

might I just add that things are different now and I wouldn't answer the door to anyone at night now..

Omg. My face is scarlet with embarrassment. I remember doing this in my university city after a night out. Fortunately it would have been mainly student lodgings. So I will remain unjudgemental of kids doing this!

Just looked this up, it is a 19th century tradition started in Cornwall.

It was called "Knock a door run" here in West Yorkshire, but I only remember it being carried out on Mischief Night ( night before Bonfire night ).
I never dare do it - far too scared of the reprisals if my parents found out. In a close knit community someone always told your parents!
xx

We used to call it ‘run away knock’. Thought it was hilarious when I was a youngster. Of course I view it differently now. Maybe a Ring doorbell would put them off?

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Buy a RING bell from Amazon - prices going down.

It's tells you on your mobile when there's motion at your door (not just a caller).

We can just look at our phone and decide whether or not to answer (in the evening) without leaving the sofa. You could see immediately if it was your pesky teenagers and ignore them (and maybe recognise them and tell their Mums!).

It surprised us that we ignored more callers than we welcomed!!

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Wyllow3

did some googling

.......... This kids' game might seem like a harmless prank, but playing it is breaking the law

"The easiest way to catch them is to set up a camera. No need for you to punish them, just let their parents know and they should take care of it. If you do catch him, try to get the phone number to his parents and call them, if that doesn't work called local Police Department".

Hmmm. sympathies, I hope it stops soon.

It is against the law under the Town Police Clauses Act 1847 but I think it unlikely anyone would be charged. It's the sort of thing a policeman would have administered a 'clip round the ear' for years ago!

We used to 'play' Knock and Run in W Yorkshire - but only on Mischief Night.