Drive everyone insane with the phantom door knocker, as knock and running in Scotland is very difficult, with all the fences, weather, etc.

Just a tiny device made up of a little hammer-like thing, that fits just above the door of your victims, and when you press the button, it knocks, well, makes a knocking noise, but it looks like part of a security system or something.

Person comes up to the door, looks confused, goes back inside, knocks again, goes out, nobody there... THIS PLACE IS HAUNTED!!!!

Let the terror begin!

Could be adapted for doorbells, and comes in packs of 15 or 20.
-- froglet, Mar 05 2005

Knocking door Knocking_20door
A more subtle solution, which requires access to the home, [ye_river_xiv, Jul 14 2006]

Dinging dong device Dinging_20dong_20device
Random dinging doorbel. Some versions might be installed from outside. [ye_river_xiv, Jul 14 2006]

If I understand this correctly, this is widely baked.

Kids do this all the time, I know I did.

We used to insert a needle in the edge of a windowsill, so that it touches the window. Attached to this would be an invisible thread, black or fishing line. Real it down to the nearest bush, pull gently and let go. needle hits the window and occupants come outside to see what happened.

Wait and pull again. Great fun.
-- zeno, Mar 06 2005


I don't know about *widely* baked [zeno], but after you anno it might be a little more widely baked than before...
-- wagster, Mar 06 2005


Yes, good one, but I never got the hang of actually aiming with a slingshot.
-- zeno, Mar 06 2005


Start with a whisky glass.
-- FarmerJohn, Mar 06 2005


The problem with the tactics used above is that a) the icecube wouldn't melt for quite some time in scotland,b)te thread etc won't work, coz there generally isn't enough space to hide, and that I prefer the way where you walk up, knock, then run away, but it's difficult to run away, so why take out the sneaking element, by putting a little electronic humdinger there to do the driving insane for you, you just have to make sure that nobody finds out it was you
-- froglet, Mar 07 2005


The trick is [froglet] to wait until you're an adult. No-one ever suspects an adult of playing such a childish prank, and you can simply walk away.
Patience, child.
-- AbsintheWithoutLeave, Mar 07 2005


Perhaps when you're a landlord you might care to install hollow core doors with little electric knockers inside them on the front doors of all your homes?

You'd probably need some sort of induction device to charge them up from time to time though.
-- ye_river_xiv, Jul 02 2006


<Shameless self-promotion>

You inspired me to halfbake some similar ideas. I'm working on a prototype now, and I'll let you know how it works once I've managed to get into real estate.
-- ye_river_xiv, Jul 14 2006



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