New Bern, North Carolina: Tom Haywood's Self-Kicking Machine (Gone)

This machine was constructed about 60-70 years ago by Tom Haywood and sat outside his store in the Croatan/Riverdale section of Craven County about 10 miles east of New Bern on US highway 70. The wheel has four spokes on which are attached shoes or boots. The victim turns his back to the shoes and turns the crank, activating the wheel and allowing himself to be kicked as the boots pass by his derriere. After Mr. Haywood died, the store was operated unsuccessfully by several proprietors. Later the machine was moved about 50 miles west. However, about ten years ago, it was restored to its original location and still attracts people who feel they need to kick themselves.

The infamous Self Kicking Machine sits outside of a nice antique/gift shop called Martha's Favorite Things in the unincorporated town of Croatan, NC. This particular stretch of road is fairly empty, so you shouldn't have any problems finding the place.

The self kicking machine was, sadly, in a state of minor disrepair when I located it; the crank needed to be tightened and the boot assembly had become disconnected from the wooden frame. After a short wrench turning session I had the Self Kicking Machine returned to it's former working condition. The machine is a lot of fun (and painful)!

I recall when traveling with my family many years ago encountering a "kicking machine" at a convenience store or service station located-I think- on Highway 70 near New Bern or Havelock NC. This device consisted-to the best of my recollection- of a wheel with protruding spokes or bars with an old brogan or boot attached to the end of each spoke. A person who needed to kick him/herself would arrange their body in the machine with their rump in prominent position and would proceed to turn a crank, resulting in a continous delivery of kicks to the posterior. The "victim" could control the intensity of the kicks depending upon the gravity of offense for which they sought personal atonement. Anyone with additional information?