Things you wouldn't dream of doing now.. but back then
Discussion
White spirit fireballs - we used to have quite a few house parties as various trusting parents left their 14-16 year old children at home, my Mum included.
One of our favourite games, after necking a few cans of Heikenen or whatever was on the 8 cans for £5 offer was to bundle up loads of newspaper, kitchen roll, rags, whatever we could find, tape it up into a ball and then dowse it with copious amounts of white spirit.
We'd then run up to the field, light it and start kicking it around, it was like a mini trebuchet round flying across the night sky leaving a trail of flame in its wake, I lost so many pairs of trainers to that game too, turning them into a scorched melted mess.
One of our favourite games, after necking a few cans of Heikenen or whatever was on the 8 cans for £5 offer was to bundle up loads of newspaper, kitchen roll, rags, whatever we could find, tape it up into a ball and then dowse it with copious amounts of white spirit.
We'd then run up to the field, light it and start kicking it around, it was like a mini trebuchet round flying across the night sky leaving a trail of flame in its wake, I lost so many pairs of trainers to that game too, turning them into a scorched melted mess.
I was 12 in 1973 , in the summer holidays we'd be out on our bikes all day , nobody had a watch so when it started to get dark we'd go home
The steel works at Corby were about a 30 minute ride away , the big drag line cranes were all left where they stopped at the weekend so we'd go climbing up them.
I got about 1/3 the way up one and bottled it , my cousins went to the top where they found a spanner that would fit round a 12 year olds head so they did the thing 12 years old do and lobbed it off the top , the doooiiinnnggg when it hit the ground echoed round the quarry so we legged it before the security turned up.
There used to be some woods in Kettering called the hilly hollies, somebody thought it'd be a good idea to dig a load of spuds up from a farmers field and have a 30 kid spud battle
It was great until the farmer turned up with a shotgun and started firing it in our general direction
When my cousin was about 7 he went missing, this was the 70s so there weren't police helicopters up looking because he hadn't been seen for an hour.
When he'd been gone for a couple of hours his mum was getting a bit panicky until this woman came round the corner holding his coat, she was holding his coat because that was the only bit that wasn't bright blue
The council were painting the council garage doors blue, they'd gone for lunch so he'd nicked the paint pot
This woman hound him painting the field side of somebody's garden fence bright blue, it was a top effort , he'd done about 10ft as high as a 7 year old could reach.
We didn't have electronic games, just football , rounders and cricket, the rule was if it was your kit you picked the team.
We were playing rounders when 2 new kids turned up, the boy who was my age asked if he could play, it was my kit so I said yes , then he asked if his sister could join in , no sorry, no girls, he then tells me she's got big tits and the bounce when she runs so we have a committee meeting and she's in
Holidays were in my dads VW van, we'd set off a 3am to beat the traffic with my sister and I asleep on mattresses in the back, I once woke up in mid air as my dad took evasive action to avoid a crash , you wouldn't dare do that now
The steel works at Corby were about a 30 minute ride away , the big drag line cranes were all left where they stopped at the weekend so we'd go climbing up them.
I got about 1/3 the way up one and bottled it , my cousins went to the top where they found a spanner that would fit round a 12 year olds head so they did the thing 12 years old do and lobbed it off the top , the doooiiinnnggg when it hit the ground echoed round the quarry so we legged it before the security turned up.
There used to be some woods in Kettering called the hilly hollies, somebody thought it'd be a good idea to dig a load of spuds up from a farmers field and have a 30 kid spud battle
It was great until the farmer turned up with a shotgun and started firing it in our general direction
When my cousin was about 7 he went missing, this was the 70s so there weren't police helicopters up looking because he hadn't been seen for an hour.
When he'd been gone for a couple of hours his mum was getting a bit panicky until this woman came round the corner holding his coat, she was holding his coat because that was the only bit that wasn't bright blue
The council were painting the council garage doors blue, they'd gone for lunch so he'd nicked the paint pot
This woman hound him painting the field side of somebody's garden fence bright blue, it was a top effort , he'd done about 10ft as high as a 7 year old could reach.
We didn't have electronic games, just football , rounders and cricket, the rule was if it was your kit you picked the team.
We were playing rounders when 2 new kids turned up, the boy who was my age asked if he could play, it was my kit so I said yes , then he asked if his sister could join in , no sorry, no girls, he then tells me she's got big tits and the bounce when she runs so we have a committee meeting and she's in
Holidays were in my dads VW van, we'd set off a 3am to beat the traffic with my sister and I asleep on mattresses in the back, I once woke up in mid air as my dad took evasive action to avoid a crash , you wouldn't dare do that now
4737 Carlin said:
Ritchie335is said:
When I was 16 I came off a Yamaha TZR125 at around 80+mph into ditch/tree. The impact was enough to wreck the bike, bend the forks back, buckle the wheel, burst the tyre.
I was wearing shorts, a t-shirt and trainers. I did have a helmet on which the visor was smashed off of.
I had barely a scratch on me.
I was wearing shorts, a t-shirt and trainers. I did have a helmet on which the visor was smashed off of.
I had barely a scratch on me.
120+ mph on my mates heavily modified BSA Rocket Gold Star on the North Circular between Tottenham and Walthamstow just wearing jeans, tea shirt and plimsols.... and NO HELMET .. or Goggles.... so eyes streaming in the slipstream. Trainers had not been thought of back then ... 
I still shudder to think what could have happened... When you're in your early twenties you know you will live forever.
No speed limit on that section of the North Circular in those now all too far away no speed limit days.
Now we creep about at speeds up to 70 mph in our BMWs or in my case, MGs and Rovers. That's when we're not stop-start creeping along in those numerous traffic hold ups which now infest roads and motorways where long ago I could drive or ride without seeing much traffic let alone queues many miles long.
Anyone with rose tinted accusation desires suggest keep them to themselves, better still, anal self insertion.
I was there, saw the whole thing..... and the Cop Cars would move over and wave you by. Happened several times.
Great days gorn forever.
I still shudder to think what could have happened... When you're in your early twenties you know you will live forever.
No speed limit on that section of the North Circular in those now all too far away no speed limit days.
Now we creep about at speeds up to 70 mph in our BMWs or in my case, MGs and Rovers. That's when we're not stop-start creeping along in those numerous traffic hold ups which now infest roads and motorways where long ago I could drive or ride without seeing much traffic let alone queues many miles long.
Anyone with rose tinted accusation desires suggest keep them to themselves, better still, anal self insertion.
I was there, saw the whole thing..... and the Cop Cars would move over and wave you by. Happened several times.
Great days gorn forever.
As a 14yr old replacing the head gasket on dad's Peugeot 504 Estate and being caught taking it for a test drive after completion.
Ex's cousin and I taking it in turns shooting at the other with an air rifle after shooting at tin cans got boring.
Mate and me seeing how many London Tube rides we could get away with without a ticket.
Doing an indicated 95 in an aged Citroen GS on motorway with suspension at full height - was worth it to see the look on the face of the chap in the Jag XJ6 when we past him.
Happy days.
Ex's cousin and I taking it in turns shooting at the other with an air rifle after shooting at tin cans got boring.
Mate and me seeing how many London Tube rides we could get away with without a ticket.
Doing an indicated 95 in an aged Citroen GS on motorway with suspension at full height - was worth it to see the look on the face of the chap in the Jag XJ6 when we past him.
Happy days.
Chinny aye!
Never got 9 in a Mini. Did get 7 in a Fiat 500 though, several times. It was a good job that it was downhill from school. You don't forget your mates (slightly older) sister's girl friends sitting on your lap and bouncing up and down when you are 13. Terrifying when the fabric roll-back sunroof deployed at some terrifying speed (possibly as insanely high as 30 mph).
Also, the capacity of a Mk.3 Cortina estate in 1978 or so was 12.
Procuring saltpetre and sulphur at the age of 11, having had access to the "big school" library chemistry section.
Never got 9 in a Mini. Did get 7 in a Fiat 500 though, several times. It was a good job that it was downhill from school. You don't forget your mates (slightly older) sister's girl friends sitting on your lap and bouncing up and down when you are 13. Terrifying when the fabric roll-back sunroof deployed at some terrifying speed (possibly as insanely high as 30 mph).
Also, the capacity of a Mk.3 Cortina estate in 1978 or so was 12.
Procuring saltpetre and sulphur at the age of 11, having had access to the "big school" library chemistry section.
F3RNY7 said:
My brother and I spent every summer at my Dad's Auntie & Uncle's in Scotland, where they lived in the middle of nowhere.
Notable highlights:
- Sat in the spare tyre on the bonnet of an old Land Rover whilst being driven around by said uncle at high speed
- Being pushed a LONG way out over a road/track from a rope swing which looked like it would snap at any moment
- Driving myself (aged about 10) in a clapped out Daihatsu Charade around up and down the dirt track (put it twice into a ditch and had to be rescued)
- Driving said car past my brother and my Dad's uncle as they shot at the car from the porch with an air rifle
Christ why aren't I dead?
Notable highlights:
- Sat in the spare tyre on the bonnet of an old Land Rover whilst being driven around by said uncle at high speed
- Being pushed a LONG way out over a road/track from a rope swing which looked like it would snap at any moment
- Driving myself (aged about 10) in a clapped out Daihatsu Charade around up and down the dirt track (put it twice into a ditch and had to be rescued)
- Driving said car past my brother and my Dad's uncle as they shot at the car from the porch with an air rifle
Christ why aren't I dead?
When I was around 13 I worked at a shooting club firing clay pigeons at fat men who were armed with 12 bore shotguns and just a piece of corruguated steel to protect me, all for the princely sum of £2 per hour then pick up the spend plastic cartridges... we would occasionally find "live" cartridges on the floor too and obvioulsy pocketed them. After a few months we had a healthy collection so one summer day a friend and i spent a day taking them apart, removing the shot, the wadding, the gunpowder and the primer. We then wedged the primers in a tree, laid a trail of gun powder across a road and hid in the bushes. When a car came past, we would hit the primer with a hammer and nail and someone else would light the trail of gunpowder. I cant remember what we did with the lead shot. Its a good job we were too young to be able to buy alcohol to be honest.
We found a giant ants nest one day and just kept pouring gunpowder into that, then lit it and hid, again waited for someone to walk past, lit it and watched someone panic as a flaming mound of dirt suddenly became covered in ants.
We found a giant ants nest one day and just kept pouring gunpowder into that, then lit it and hid, again waited for someone to walk past, lit it and watched someone panic as a flaming mound of dirt suddenly became covered in ants.
AC123 said:
All kinds of stupid countryside related stuff, such as this
Www.youtube.com/watch?v=dzdOZnyNw10
Although I'd certainly still do it. Unfortunatly the driver is no longer with us
Some of the most stupid would have to include full speed quad bike jousting and how close you can get to each other with air rifles without drawing blood. You have to go quite a long way, it turns out.
That videos pretty tame, I assumed the car was heading for the rampWww.youtube.com/watch?v=dzdOZnyNw10
Although I'd certainly still do it. Unfortunatly the driver is no longer with us
Some of the most stupid would have to include full speed quad bike jousting and how close you can get to each other with air rifles without drawing blood. You have to go quite a long way, it turns out.
Ekona said:
Making a cycle/skateboard ramp with a plank of 4x2 and some house bricks.
Why we were surprised that, after adding the 4th brick, the whole thing fell over when the next person tried to jump off it I'll never know. The scuffed wrists and knees should've been warning enough not to try it again...
Favourite pastime for us, think we managed 5 bricks with an old door as the ramp. Massively unstable.Why we were surprised that, after adding the 4th brick, the whole thing fell over when the next person tried to jump off it I'll never know. The scuffed wrists and knees should've been warning enough not to try it again...
Zoon said:
Ekona said:
Making a cycle/skateboard ramp with a plank of 4x2 and some house bricks.
Why we were surprised that, after adding the 4th brick, the whole thing fell over when the next person tried to jump off it I'll never know. The scuffed wrists and knees should've been warning enough not to try it again...
Favourite pastime for us, think we managed 5 bricks with an old door as the ramp. Massively unstable.Why we were surprised that, after adding the 4th brick, the whole thing fell over when the next person tried to jump off it I'll never know. The scuffed wrists and knees should've been warning enough not to try it again...
Quite tame compared to some of you nut jobs. We would go down to the local wooded section of the nearby park build a ramp for bike jumps and then when that got boring we would dig a whole throw anything flamable we could find in the hole set it alight and have ourselves a fire jump.
Edited by Miguel Alvarez on Friday 3rd July 11:28
Hurtling down a hill in a large plastic drum.... hoping not to hit one of the many trees on the way down. Often with up to 8 of us at a time.
Eating all sorts of berries in the local woods.
Eating stinging nettles and daisies.
Catching bees and wasps with my bare hands.
Playing tennis, football and going for a 8 mile jog in one day.
Eating all sorts of berries in the local woods.
Eating stinging nettles and daisies.
Catching bees and wasps with my bare hands.
Playing tennis, football and going for a 8 mile jog in one day.
1. Doing the street luge down a hill with traffic round a 90degree bend onto a "main road" on a standard skateboard! Ruined several pairs of shoes that summer.
I lived in a flat that sat on that corner a few years later and often reminisced on my suicidal teenage games! google maps shows the corner if you search 201 Owen Avenue, East Kilbride.
2. Also using builders sand to make ramps for the bikes which where by red bull standards pretty reckless. this resulted in two concussions, broken collar bone and broken nose after an impact with the handle bars, none of them me thankfully.
3. I used to have a tendency to disappear up a tree during games of "hidey" and wait till someone followed me up before jumping out of the tree or into the closest tree i could reach, few close calls including once landing after a 20' plunge in a rather spiky bush head first, it broke my fall but thorns were being removed for hours after wards and it caused some serious swelling as i think i may have had an allergy.
LOVED IT ALL!!!!! would kill my boys if I caught them doing it but.
I lived in a flat that sat on that corner a few years later and often reminisced on my suicidal teenage games! google maps shows the corner if you search 201 Owen Avenue, East Kilbride.
2. Also using builders sand to make ramps for the bikes which where by red bull standards pretty reckless. this resulted in two concussions, broken collar bone and broken nose after an impact with the handle bars, none of them me thankfully.
3. I used to have a tendency to disappear up a tree during games of "hidey" and wait till someone followed me up before jumping out of the tree or into the closest tree i could reach, few close calls including once landing after a 20' plunge in a rather spiky bush head first, it broke my fall but thorns were being removed for hours after wards and it caused some serious swelling as i think i may have had an allergy.
LOVED IT ALL!!!!! would kill my boys if I caught them doing it but.
Zoon said:
Ekona said:
Making a cycle/skateboard ramp with a plank of 4x2 and some house bricks.
Why we were surprised that, after adding the 4th brick, the whole thing fell over when the next person tried to jump off it I'll never know. The scuffed wrists and knees should've been warning enough not to try it again...
Favourite pastime for us, think we managed 5 bricks with an old door as the ramp. Massively unstable.Why we were surprised that, after adding the 4th brick, the whole thing fell over when the next person tried to jump off it I'll never know. The scuffed wrists and knees should've been warning enough not to try it again...
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