Grief in arcades as a kid?

[DrGlitch]

Was the Credit Gun what you called the guts of the piezo lighter you could use to trigger credits? People used used them on the fruities - but I thought it was to do something like realign the reels?

That was the preserve of the hard and desperate - and where I came from I'm pretty sure it ended up with a ban and the police being called (I think it was a fear tactic).

 

[Mitchell Gant]

In the late '80's I used to frequent an arcade in Sheffield, just a few yards down from the old Redgates toy shop, and around the corner from the posher Storey's arcade.

There was a lad who was always annoying and hassling me and others in the back room that had the videos in, and once he was putting me off my Slapfight play so I turned and tried to look threatening to him. I soon changed my mind when he pulled a gun out though....

It was only an air pistol type thing (I think!) but it did make me gulp pretty quickly! I think I left sharpish via the front door and mentioned to the change man that someone had a gun in there, but my memory is a little vague now.

It didn't put me off going back, but I remember being wary of the little t**ser next time.

Other than that I can't remember any other issues anywhere. Maybe *I* was the type of person that other parents warned their kids of in the arcades?

 

[forcefulfil]

An arcade in Accrington used to do a roaring trade in knocked off goods. You'd be playing Afterburner and then there would be a tap on your shoulder seeing if you wanted to buy a hot Game & Watch. As least they knew their market

im from accy!
Happy dayzz

 

[Morty]

The giz 10p made me smile, I remember some kid used to just follow people round saying giz 10p about a 100 times.. pointless

Some kid did once try his new "big blade".. his school compass as an offensive weapon, to which i believe i just laughed and give the traditional "F*** off"

Happy days

 

[IndyJones]

Nothing that really springs to mind although the "giz your last man" phrase seems to ring a few bells now I think of it.

 

[Jaycee72]

There was defo some gimmi 10p (or I'm gonna give you a dig) going on round here. Tricky when your pockets were bursting from cleaning out the fruity's all day........

 

[stevearcade]

Drug pushers, creepy guys in their 30s, kids selling stolen goods on behalf of their parents/older bothers. Kids who were out to pick pocket your money. Groups of kids who pick on other kids who weren't in their circle of friends. Kids who'd befriend you only to then force you to smoke with them

...

Wholesome, character building stuff.

 

[DrGlitch]

Drug pushers, creepy guys in their 30s, kids selling stolen goods on behalf of their parents/older bothers. Kids who were out to pick pocket your money. Groups of kids who pick on other kids who weren't in their circle of friends. Kids who'd befriend you only to then force you to smoke with them

...

Wholesome, character building stuff.

Now that's the kind of arcade I recognise. Perhaps it's specific to seaside arcades. For me it was worse/rougher out of season.