Date: Wed, 8 Dec 2004 23:28:42 -0600
Reply-To: Joel Walker <jwalker17@EARTHLINK.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Joel Walker <jwalker17@EARTHLINK.NET>
Subject: Re: 130Mph, or even 90 -- van safety
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> I feel relatively safe in my Vanagon for most driving, with the
> exception of the"Head-on" situation. If that situation develops, I
> know
> there is no satisfactory protection. So I drive very carefully, but
> I
> recognize that there is always that approaching idiot that might
> possibly cross over in front of me. Defensive driving, that's the
> ticket.
i've never had an accident in all the years of driving vw buses.
well ... cept for that time i backed into a street light in that
parking lot. :)
... and i don't really consider myself to be that good a driver.
average. maybe just a tad better now, from experience and just
surviving.
and i've thought about it a lot ... i seem to be a statistical anomaly
amongst all the folks i know: ALL of them have had an accident during
their shorter-than-mine driving careers.
so what's the deal??
well ... NONE of them drive vw buses. not even SUVs. that's Clue #1.
and i think that is it. my driving has been helped greatly by sitting
up high AND paying attention (defensive driving?). also i was noticing
just the other night how much visibility there is in a vanagon. from
the driver's seat, that's pretty much a panoramic view out the
windshield and side windows ... LOTS of glass. waaaay more than any of
the cars the folks at work drive. now, unless you're six foot eight ;)
you can make use of all that glass by playing fighter pilot and
keeping your head on a swivel ... looking all around all the time.
keeping track of the cars around you. helps you stay away from
trouble.
and i think that's the key ... staying away from trouble by being able
to see it before the other cars do. seeing over the cars in front ...
used to be a lot easier before the advent of all the supersized suvs
(anybody seen that new nissan Armada!??? makes the ford Expedition
look slim!). but the vanagons visibility is still pretty good. and the
eurovan is, i think, slightly better. at least, it was noticeable to
me when i testdrove them ... especially out the back and sides. in my
opinion. ;)
the downside? getting old. i used to be able to keep track of eight
cars around me on the highway ... two in front, two behind, and two on
each side. nowadays, i can track maybe four. and i really hate it when
some speedster comes up on me and i didn't see him til he was about
four or five car lengths back. i used to be better than that. getting
old sucks, folks. better prepare for it!!
anyway, that's one of the reasons i'm still driving vanagons after 25
years (first vanagon in december of 1979. blue/blue 80 model. :)
...been driving vw buses since november of 1970 when i got out of the
army. plus they are really comfortable to me. i don't have to been my
knees much to get in and out (and those of you who have NOT added a
grab-handle on the driver's side ... lemme tell ya, it really helps!!
just be careful, there's wires in there!).
that's my story and i'm sticking to it. :)
unca joel