Date: Fri, 17 Dec 2004 06:36:36 -0500
Reply-To: Ken Wilford <kenwilfy@COMCAST.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Ken Wilford <kenwilfy@COMCAST.NET>
Subject: Re: HELP My wife thiks the van is unsafe
In-Reply-To: <41C27986.6030107@mchsi.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
If his wife is concerned with tipping over I will say that it does
happen but it is rare. I know of two such tip overs (one roll over and
the other just fell over on it's side). The roll over was done by two
farm boys driving like maniacs at speeds far above safe levels on a
rainy night. Both of them walked away (the van did not however). The
second happened about 5 mins from my place here. The road was icy and
the young woman slid into a ditch which allowed the van to tip over on
it's side and slide a while longer. This young woman was the driver and
pregnant at the time. The front and rear windshield popped out because
the van hit so hard that the frame bent. However, since she was wearing
her seatbelt the woman (and baby) were not hurt.
Tell your wife that the Vanagon may be older, but they still had crashes
back in the day and it was built to handle them. If she still doesn't
think so tell her to crawl up under the front of the van and take a
look.. She will see that she is actually driving a Volvo-bashing, high
speed battering ram! Ramming speed!!!
Ken Wilford
John 3:16
www.vanagain.com
Al and Sue Brase wrote:
> I'd still rather be in the Porsche!
> Al Brase
>
> Sudhir Desai wrote:
>
>> But Jeff, the look on a Porsche(or other decent sports car) driver's
>> face is priceless when you pass him going 90mph up a hill into the
>> wind. (in 4th gear) >:D
>>
>> sudhir.
>>
>>
>> On Thu, 16 Dec 2004 12:40:37 EST, Jeff Oxroad <Oxroad@aol.com> wrote:
>>
>>
>>> Here's why I love you folks on the list. And I don't care what
>>> anyone says,
>>> this group is far more than a tech support group...
>>>
>>> Dave voices his wife's concern about the Vanagon safety and there's
>>> seems to
>>> be an almost resounding "get rid of the wife!" LOL!!!!!!!
>>>
>>> And here I am thinking "That IS a possible solution." But that's
>>> coming from
>>> a guy who everyday thinks about getting rid of his apartment and all
>>> this junk
>>> to live in his Westfalia. I can't help thinking some of the best
>>> days I've
>>> had are when I was between apartments living in my bus with a few
>>> changes of
>>> clothes and everything else in storage. Arguably the elation was
>>> because it was a
>>> departure from the norm. I had the advantage of knowing I had all
>>> that stuff
>>> in storage and soon would move into a place with a shower. The point
>>> being,
>>> why not get rid of it all; the wife, the kids, the house, the stuff,
>>> and so on.
>>>
>>> Anyway Dave, I wouldn't break up the family just yet.
>>>
>>> Truth is, in my opinion, your wife has something of a
>>> point--something. The
>>> Vanagon definitely has a higher center of gravity than some
>>> passenger cars (and
>>> that Ferrari idea is a real winner!!LOL!!)
>>>
>>> Anyway, this whole thread started to crack me up.
>>>
>>> My feeling is the Vanagon does a decidedly different feel onthe road
>>> than
>>> most other vehicles I have driven. The large windshield that comes
>>> down sort of
>>> low in front of the driver and passenger could make one feel
>>> vulnerable--especially in the passenger seat. The dash is kind of
>>> low and doesn't offer the
>>> psychological comfort of a high dash over your legs cocoon feel that
>>> you might get
>>> in a passenger car. A nice grab handle is great to make you feel
>>> safe in an
>>> old style beetle--but are you?
>>>
>>> And then you're sitting over the front tires so the feeling of
>>> turning is
>>> weird. As the bus dips in a turn you've gotta feel a bit different
>>> than when
>>> you're back behind the front wheel.
>>>
>>> I would say a modern car with side and front impact air bags is safer.
>>>
>>> I don't know Dave's wife, no matter what the guys at the pool hall
>>> say. And
>>> I'm not willing to condemn her to being concerned about the safety
>>> of the
>>> Vanagon.
>>>
>>> But here's the thing you have to know about women...
>>>
>>> That last was just a joke for you ladies out there.
>>>
>>> Anyway, here's the thing, I think. We're not as safe in the Vanagon
>>> as you
>>> might be in the new Mercedes, necessarily. There are a lot of
>>> factors to
>>> consider of course. But let's say we're not as safe as a low car
>>> with air bags, for
>>> the most part.
>>>
>>> Here's my advice to Dave and everyone else. SLOW DOWN. Or wait, I
>>> mean, we're
>>> in a Vanagon for crying out loud. Is it possible to slow down any more?
>>>
>>> OK. So here's my advice: put a little more distance between you and
>>> the car
>>> in front of you. Learn to accept passing cars with passengers and
>>> drivers
>>> giving you the finger as sign you're doing something right in this
>>> world. Slowing
>>> down and letting life happen instead of trying to get to the next
>>> destination
>>> as fast you can. Because we all know on the road of life there are only
>>> passengers. Any of us who think we're in any kind of control at all
>>> are kidding
>>> ourselves. Maybe, slow down in the curves.
>>>
>>> Now, as for you Dave. You've got a diesel. I'm not sure you can go any
>>> slower. Thinking about it, I think it's time to get rid of the wife.
>>>
>>> Best,
>>> Jeff
>>> 83.5 Westfalia
>>> LA,CA
>>>
>>> In a message dated 12/16/2004 7:31:39 AM Pacific Standard Time,
>>> docproteus@EARTHLINK.NET writes:
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>> So now that Iıve got the van all fixed up and have put time and
>>>> money into
>>>> it, my wife is telling me that she is concerned that the van is
>>>> unsafe for
>>>> our kids to ride in it. Now before I go on I should note that itıs
>>>> and 83
>>>> diesel 1.6 and I have personally checked all seatbelts and seat
>>>> tracks, etc.
>>>> to assure her (and me) that itıs safe. Sheıs mainly worried about
>>>> tipping
>>>> over.
>>>>
>>>>
>>
>>
>>
>
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