Fugitive (game)

The game of Fugitive combines elements of a number of outdoor games such as capture the flag, cops and robbers, and sharks and minnows. In Fugitive, Players divide into two teams, with each team playing the part either of the "fugitives" or of the "police". Each of these sides is further comprised of "runners", "drivers", and "riders."

Game Basics

The fugitive's objective is to run from a starting point to a finishing point without being tagged by any of the riders. The fugitive must remain on foot, no vehicles or alternate modes of transportation other than swimming. There are no boundaries as to where the fugitive may go; he/she can cut through yards, over fences, on roofs, through businesses, houses, roads, beaches, woods, etc. A time limit may be established for the fugitives based on the distance and difficulty, meaning they have to pace themselves in their travel.

The drivers role is to transport the riders around town trying to find the fugitives. The riders and drivers may use cell phones or walkie talkies to plan their pursuit. The drivers may not hit the fugitives; they should remain within reasonable limitations of traffic law. When chasing the fugitives on foot, the riders must stay within reasonable distance to their vehicles, and must tag the fugitive with their hand. In some games, if a fugitive is caught before the safe zone surrounding the finish point, he/she becomes a rider, making the game more difficult for fugitives. Other times, the tagged fugitives may be shuttled to the finish point to wait for the game to end (if the cops have no room in their car, they may still have to continue on foot).

If a time limit is being used, all remaining fugitives are considered busted once it is up. Once the whole group of players has convened, a new route is chosen, and another game may begin from the finish point. Often, five or more games are played in one night. There is no prize for being a winning fugitive.

In some areas the actual police are aware of this activity [ [http://www.kent.k12.wa.us/KSD/KR/NEWSLETTER/6-07.pdf Kent High School Newsletter] ] [ [http://www.roseville.ca.us/civica/press/display.asp?layout=1&Entry=682 Roseville Police Department Press Release] ] [ [http://www.deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,645191456,00.html Kidnapping scare in Salt Lake City] ] [ [http://www3.oes.edu/us/blophish/Lists/Announcements/DispForm.aspx?ID=107 Students at a private school in Portland, Oregon explain trespassing pros and cons] ] , and they have been known to deliberately interfere with the game. In some cases up to five police cars, including a K-9 unit, have arrived at a destination. During game play, players stay away from main thoroughfares and exposed areas [ [http://www.edgeofnowhere.cc/viewtopic.php?p=3567715&highlight= Staying in residential areas] ] , as not to draw attention to themselves [ [http://www.deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,645191456,00.html Kidnapping scare in Salt Lake City] ] .

In order to prevent legal trouble, players aim to avoid the real police by wearing dark clothing [ [http://santaclarabroncos.cstv.com/sports/w-wpolo/spec-rel/012507aad.html Santa Clara Water Polo team plays Fugitive] ] . Additionally, players tend to stay out of private property [ [http://www3.oes.edu/us/blophish/Lists/Announcements/DispForm.aspx?ID=107 Students at a private school in Portland, Oregon explain trespassing pros and cons] ] .

Note: While Fugitive "can" be played during the day, it is intended only as a nighttime activity.

Variations

In some instances of the game, fugitives attempt to smuggle items to the destination. Objects ranging from cell phones to mail boxes to giant squid and even disembodied heads are all acceptable items to be smuggled. If a fugitive successfully reaches the objective point with a smuggled object, that fugitive gains a predeterminded amount of points. Smaller objects that are easily concealable are considered easy to smuggle and have a low point value in comparison to larger items. (I.e. a box, broken chair, desk, great-grandfather.)

Other areas require fugitives to be in teams. Teams can range from pairs or massive "unigroups." Teams are competing against another to accumulate the most points. Riders, or Cops, may also be in teams competing against other rider teams. Full points are awarded for fugitives, usually 10 points, while cops receive half points for a capture, like 5 points per fugitive. This concept adds an additional degree of difficulty especially if one fugitive team is familiar with a cop team and decides to inform the cops of other fugitive teams' locations.

A game known as "Zombie" incorporates basic Fugitive principals but involves the spreading of a zombie disease, that once tagged, you get. All players are identified by armbands [ [http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZombiewalkPDX/message/164 ZombieWalk PDX] ] .

The game is known by several names. In certain parts of Arizona and in Chicago, the same game is often called "Manhunt". In Fargo, North Dakota, it is known as "Slip". In some places, it is referred to as "Commando". In Oak Park, it's simply "Fugitive."

History

Fugitive in its current form was first played in the town of Saratoga, CA, but is now played in many metro areas across the country. The only confirmed locations are where authorities have discovered people playing. News outlets have reported this "game called 'fugitive'" in cities like: Oak Harbor, Washington Kent, Washington [ [http://www.kent.k12.wa.us/KSD/KR/NEWSLETTER/6-07.pdf Kent High School Newsletter] ] , Roseville, California [ [http://www.roseville.ca.us/civica/press/display.asp?layout=1&Entry=682 Roseville Police Department Press Release] ] , Prineville, Oregon [ [http://www.bendbulletin.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071105/NEWS0107/711050407/1001/NEWS01 Bend Bulletin November 05, 2007] ] and Salt Lake City, Utah [ [http://www.deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,645191456,00.html Kidnapping scare in Salt Lake City] ] . Currently Issaquah Washington has held some of the largest fugitive games, reaching up to 170 people. The small town of Ashland, Oregon is also know to have very large games of fugitive, with 100-150 high school students attending on average. It is traditional at Ashland High School for the upper classmen to assume the roles of cops, while the Freshmen and Sophomores cautiously sneak their way across town.

Larger games are known to happen in Glendale, Arizona by [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mountain_Ridge_High_School_(Glendale,_Arizona) Mountain Ridge Highschool] .

Bartlett, Illinois also played with many high school students at night time.

Refences

External Links

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Fugitive