Thursday, October 2, 2008

Car Games

I remember growing up my family always played "Beaver" - and I have no idea why it was called that. Whoever spotted a VW Beetle and called it first got a point (or two if it was convertible, 5 if it was red, and 7 if it was a red convertible). I always thought it wasn't fair when Daddy won because he was driving and saw everything quicker than we did.

More recently, my sisters played a similar game with Jeep Wranglers. (Lindsay, you'll have to remind me what you called it, as well as the rules.) I think there was hitting involved.

I knew it would only be a matter of time before the boys started playing games like this. Well, without the hitting, of course. Caleb had started making a game of finding certain cars as we drove along. I told him about "Beaver" and he decided we needed to make up our own version of it. I don't think we've given it a name, but we've come up with some rules.

1. Each day we choose 2 different cars to find as we drive around. The more common vehicle is worth one point; the less common one, two. Convertibles get 3 points. (The points are just for determining how many we find; there are no teams, no "winners". That may come later, though.)

2. There's always a bonus car: the Smart Car. (We added this on later, after we saw this Smart car in the parking garage of my gym.) Since they're so rare, they're worth 10 points.

3. At least two people have to see the car for it to count. (Jacob can't always recognize the cars we're playing with for the day and will add points willy-nilly.)

4. Cars in parking lots are okay. Car dealerships don't count, though.

5. You can't count the same car twice - coming, then going.

Yesterday was our first day to play. Caleb decided we'd be on the lookout for VW Beetles (bugs - 1 point), Scion xBs (boxes - 2 points), and Chevrolet HHRs (PT-wannabes - 3 points). By the end of the day, we were at 73 points - including the 10-point Smart car. (We took it down to two cars after realizing how confusing it gets to try to keep up with three.)

Today we looked for Mustangs (1 point) and Corvettes (2 points). Caleb had a stipulation that if we saw a blue one with white racing stripes, it was a 5-point bonus. Lo and behold, if we weren't driving down a side road on the way home from gymnastics when a bright blue sports car with white racing stripes drove past. Caleb was so excited and I was so shocked about actually seeing one that we didn't notice what kind of car it was. (I know it wasn't either a Mustang or a Corvette, but we counted it anyway.) Our short trip netted us 22 points.

I shouldn't have been so hard on Daddy about winning "Beaver". It takes a lot of concentration to pay attention to your driving and look for specific cars at the same time. Good eyes!

9 comments:

larsita said...

The game is called Wrangler. The rules are - NO CAR DEALERSHIPS! I guess that's all! That's all I can think of at the moment! :)

Ashley said...

But wasn't there some sort of hitting involved? Maybe a slap of the hand, or a punch on the arm? I can't remember. I think that's why I never played it with you.

Anonymous said...

YES there is hitting involved! whoever sees a jeep wrangler calls out "wrangler" and then PUNCHES the other person! and, you know, i sometimes wonder if they even called anything or just leaned over and PUNCHED the other person and just CLAIMED that it was a jeep! wasnt this game also modified to American flags too?! *i* never played because i was NOT about to put myself in between the punching leporati sisters (although i could take both of them :) ) !!!

Keith McGee said...

Yeah I think it was Jennifer and Lindsay that were always playing Wrangler, and of cource they had to hit each other.

Keith McGee said...

Ashley, No lie on my way home from work just a few minutes ago I saw a Blue Mustang with white racing stripes!!! HAHA I was like OHHHH I have to go and tell Ashley.

Ashley said...

Janie - I'm pretty sure I've seen them punch without calling it, or maybe just before calling it... I think they cheat sometimes. I don't blame you for not playing. :o)

Keith - I can see Jennifer playing that just as viciously as Melissa and Lindsay. Funny about the blue Mustand with the stripes! You scored 5 points! And now I think I've got you hooked on the game... Should I update you on each day's car choices? You can practice up and teach Liam when he's a little older. When Caleb was just 3 years old, he could identify every car emblem he saw!

larsita said...

Yes - punch in the arm! Jennifer (Crosbie) was BRUTAL! I don't know that our Jennifer (sister) has ever played. She DID give Josh Leporati a stern warning on the way to & from the beach. Josh & I were playing Wrangler & Jennifer told him she would slap him upside his bald head if he hit BROOKLYN! (Something like that!) It was FUNNY!

Anonymous said...

Hi Ashely, from Where did you bought Jeep Wranglers game? Is it an online PC game? Sorry, I am collecting info about games. so i asked

Ashley said...

Saleel - It's not a game you can buy. It's just one you play as you're driving around, spotting Wranglers. It was made up, so there really aren't any rules. Just make it up as you go along.