Have you ever done a 'zechpreller'?
By Judy Evans
@JudyEv (325984)
Rockingham, Australia
April 9, 2024 3:06am CST
There is a saying ‘Boys will be boys’ and my friend’s son and three of his friends made a grave error of judgement once and ‘did a runner’. That is, they left a local restaurant without paying. They thought it would be funny and they certainly weren’t bad kids. It was still a stupid thing to do.
However, they were driving a distinct ‘bug’ or Volkswagen and the police got to my friend’s house before the son did. They went back to the restaurant, paid their bill, apologised and were very embarrassed about the whole thing.
We were nearly denied access to a caravan park in Germany. The motor-home had Irish number plates but luckily we had a map of Australia taped on the front and back of the vehicle. The park owner had had Irish people do a runner so he was a bit concerned when he saw us. Once he knew we were Australian it was all good. His son and girlfriend were home from Australia at the time. They taught us the German for ‘to do a runner’. It’s ‘zechpreller’.
Photo from inside our motor-home somewhere in some mountainous country in Germany. The photo is too light but I’m in a hurry. That’s Vince’s socks drying on the dashboard.
16 people like this
15 responses
@Orson_Kart (6114)
• United Kingdom
11 Apr
Oh! So all Irish are wrong’uns and all Australians good citizens? 
I’ve never heard the word ‘zechpreller’, but ‘doing a runner’ happens here too, and not just Irish people. The cost of living crisis is blamed often, but I don’t think it’s a valid reason to commit a crime. Hospitality has struggled for years, and especially since covid. I don’t eat out much now because it’s expensive and I think the quality has gone down. Or it could be I’m a skinflint! 
I’ve never heard the word ‘zechpreller’, but ‘doing a runner’ happens here too, and not just Irish people. The cost of living crisis is blamed often, but I don’t think it’s a valid reason to commit a crime. Hospitality has struggled for years, and especially since covid. I don’t eat out much now because it’s expensive and I think the quality has gone down. Or it could be I’m a skinflint! 1 person likes this
@Orson_Kart (6114)
• United Kingdom
11 Apr
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1 person likes this
@JudyEv (325984)
• Rockingham, Australia
11 Apr
That park owner was just unlucky to have one unfortunate experience with the Irish.
It's funny how just one experience can colour your perspective for the rest of your like. Like getting bitten by a particular dog breed and not trusting that breed for everymore!
It's funny how just one experience can colour your perspective for the rest of your like. Like getting bitten by a particular dog breed and not trusting that breed for everymore!1 person likes this
@FourWalls (62255)
• United States
9 Apr
No, I’ve never done that without permission. I went to a local favorite restaurant and realized I had forgotten my wallet. They said not to worry about it. I did worry about it, though, and went home and got my wallet!
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (62255)
• United States
10 Apr
@JudyEv — I know! I walked out of a Walmart without paying for an 88c toothbrush, and I HAD to go back inside and pay for it!
1 person likes this
@wolfgirl569 (95401)
• Marion, Ohio
9 Apr
I never have.
Lovely view. Good way to dry the socks
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (325984)
• Rockingham, Australia
11 Apr
@wolfgirl569 The very bottom of the screen shows some squiggles.
1 person likes this
@arunima25 (85431)
• Bangalore, India
9 Apr
That was really a stupid thing for those boys to do but then people end up doing stupid things when young 
.
Thank you for telling that it's socks drying up on the dashboard. I would have tried hard to guess it.
Happy to learn a new word hers. Not sure though how it would be pronounced.
.
Thank you for telling that it's socks drying up on the dashboard. I would have tried hard to guess it.
Happy to learn a new word hers. Not sure though how it would be pronounced.1 person likes this
@arunima25 (85431)
• Bangalore, India
10 Apr
@JudyEv You are right. It sounds so alienfor us
for us1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (157623)
• United States
10 Apr
I had to scroll back up to get a good view of the socks. I would not "do a runner".
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (325984)
• Rockingham, Australia
10 Apr
I would spread his undies on the bed at the back of the vehicle. I didn't want to put them on show on the dashboard. I would never do a runner either.
I would never do a runner either.
@BarBaraPrz (45523)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
9 Apr
I once knew someone who would do that... leave a used jacket hanging on the back of the chair or a broken cell phone on the table, go to the washroom but dash out while his partner in crime had already left and started the car.
1 person likes this
@snowy22315 (170164)
• United States
9 Apr
I am sure there were dozens of times I could have left a restaurant without paying, but it is not something I would have ever considered. I think my ex did that with a few of his friends when they were young though. I wouldn't put it past my son either honestly.
1 person likes this
@RebeccasFarm (86776)
• United States
9 Apr
Good photo of green and socks
I know what the Do a Runner is from living in London..they say that there too Judy.
I know what the Do a Runner is from living in London..they say that there too Judy.1 person likes this
@Marilynda1225 (79827)
• United States
10 Apr
No, I haven't ever done that. I'm sure they were more embarrassed that they had been caught when skipping out on their bill.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (325984)
• Rockingham, Australia
11 Apr
They were indeed. They were good kids really - just a bit high-spirited and got carried away.
@mildredtabitha (16047)
• Nairobi, Kenya
9 Apr
Nice photo.
I also agree that "boys will always be boys"
It's nice the bill was settled. It was a stupid thing for the boys to leave without paying.
I've never done a zechpreller. It's a new term to me.
1 person likes this
@Beestring (13343)
• Hong Kong
9 Apr
Actually, I did one time left a restaurant without paying the bills. I didn't mean it. I was just thinking of something else. The waitress chased me and said I haven't paid the bill. She was courteous to me. I was so embarrassed.
1 person likes this
