When I was young and foolish...

[JG1222]

Back in the day, when there was only one "cable" company and everyone had the same remote control (not so far back that the remotes were still attached with a wire), we never used to creep around the windows of houses in the neighborhood where we rented to change the channels, increase volume, etc. to unsuspecting people who were watching TV.

We also NEVER used a potato knocker. For those of you who have never heard of one, picture this: Get yourself a wire clothes hanger (like the kind your get when you pickup your shirts at the dry cleaner). Put your finger out and hold the "hook" end with one hand. With the other hand, put your finger dead center on the bottom of the horizontal part (where a pair of pants would hang) and pull apart. Now, with the end that has the hook on it, cram a raw potato on the end like you were hooking a worm. With the other end, bend it so it will hang on the lower part of someone's screen door (this was back in the day as well, when everyone had those silver aluminum bottoms on the doors).

Tie a piece of fishing line to the end with the potato and run across the street or hide behind a bush with the other end. Tug on the fishing line and the potato will "knock" on the bottom of the door. Do it 2-3 times and stop. Watch in amazement as the front light comes on, and someone opens the inside door and looks around, wondering where their unexpected visitor went. When the door shuts, count to 60 and "knock" again. Repeat until you get caught or wet yourself laughing.

DISCLAIMER: In this day and age, I wouldn't even attempt or recommend something like this (today someone is likely to get themselves shot when they choose the wrong house), but in "simpler times"...

[WeirsGuard]

We didn't attach M-80's with a smoldering cigarette as a timer to the pilings under the Weirs Boardwalk and then sit outside of Konner's Kandy Kitchen to wait for the explosion.

The reactions were priceless.

In hindsight; very stupid.

[tricia1218]

I think the long stick on bottle rockets was for putting them in emply beer bottles to have better aim.

[Misty Blue]

You know those little Pop Balls. The ones that you throw on the ground or step on to make a small explosion?

Well make sure that you never take two of them and place them under the public toilet seat (under the rubber stoppers). If some unsuspecting traveler decides to use the throne....Pop-Pop!!!

Run like HELL!!!

Misty Blue

[Mee-n-Mac]

Originally Posted by JG1222

Back in the day, when there was only one "cable" company and everyone had the same remote control (not so far back that the remotes were still attached with a wire), we never used to creep around the windows of houses in the neighborhood where we rented to change the channels, increase volume, etc. to unsuspecting people who were watching TV.

We also NEVER used a potato knocker.

Originally Posted by Misty Blue

You know those little Pop Balls. The ones that you throw on the ground or step on to make a small explosion?
Well make sure that you never take two of them and place them under the public toilet seat (under the rubber stoppers). If some unsuspecting traveler decides to use the throne....Pop-Pop!!!

Run like HELL!!!
Misty Blue

Now there's some ideas that never occured to me ! I am truely humbled by the inventiveness and audacity of such magnificent mischieviousness.

[Dickie B from HB]

Back a few eras ago when I was a teenager, I had a B utlity racing boat powered by a 10 Hurricane Mercury. I used to take it to the Weirs from Lake Shore Park. But I never went through Sally's Gut at full speed (certainly not more than a few times).

Dick B.

[Pepper]

My brother-in-law who is a professional firefighter DID NOT rig up any spark plugs just inside the edge of his exhaust pipe outlet, and those plugs were NEVER connected to a line leading to the windshield washer reservoir, which was MOST CERTAINLY NOT filled with gasoline, nor was any of this apparatus connected to a switch on his steering column. Therefore he DID NOT EVER back his car up to any dried up cornfields in New Jersey and set them aflame when he was young and foolish.