Date: Fri, 9 Jan 2009 12:30:28 -0800
Reply-To: Scott Daniel - Turbovans <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Scott Daniel - Turbovans <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Subject: Re: On being a Vanaslob (was: sad decline)
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G'day !
thanks for making me chuckle.
I sure hope 'half' of all vanagon owners are nopt slobs !
I doubt it's anywhere near that.
Obviously people's standards vary from 'show room condition
pristine-imaculate, to disgusting, abused, jammed full of junk, bald tires,
etc.
Somewhere on that scale is 'the right place' for each vanagon owner.
My daily driver personal van has the whole floor area covered in 'stuff'.
Not quite 'tangeled in a a mess stuff' ......but tools, equipment, spare
winter gear, a duffel bags of spare clothes, emergency food, water,
blankets etc. I could camp 'just any time' .......that sort of thing. Got
basic tools, spare parts under the seat, etc.
And a fire extinquisher .
Of course it's anyone's right to do whatever they wish with their van.
Where I do draw the line though is where it can affect others.
This factor seems to not register with some people too well.
you know.......the brakes barely work and the tires and shocks are
worn............the driver of such a vehicle is endangering other people
besides just themselves.
I would think that most people could grasp this, but alas, what is 'really
important' for some people, registers not one iota on other people's radar.
That's just how it is..........can't be attached to other people having the
same standards we do, and besides............what we consider 'really the
right thing' could appear woefully inadequate in others' eyes.
Bottom line, each person do what they think is right........with
consideration of how it might impact others. Nothing hard 'bout that !
it's a challenge to live with for sure...............I also just have 'this
thing' about enjoying seeing machinery cared for.
About like some people might want to see other people take decent care of
their pets say, I'm that way about vehicles, tools, houses etc.
Sure it's a person's right to abuse their equipment all they want........but
it's sad for me, for the sake of the poor vehicle, to see that happening to
it.
uh oh............I think I detect a rusty bushing or two out there in the
yard on one of my vanagons............it's terrible being OCD about things
being lubricated properly !
Be glad your not cursed like I am !! lol :-)
scott
----- Original Message -----
From: "Gary Bawden" <goldfieldgary@GMAIL.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Thursday, January 08, 2009 11:45 PM
Subject: On being a Vanaslob (was: sad decline)
> Happy Fryeday, fellow listees!
>
> Since half of us (according to Scott) are slobs, or at least, half of
> the Vanagons he gets were owned by slobs, I thought I'd take it upon
> myself to say a few words on our behalf. No disrespect intended here,
> Scott, I enjoy your posts and find them informative.
>
> To me, the Vanagon is a utility vehicle. Oh, sure, I go camping in it,
> too, but what other vehicle can you own these days that, after the
> weekend, you can take it down to the lumber yard and slide in a few
> sheets of plywood? And with me, it doesn't stop there. Looking in the
> side door (clank, clatter, clatter) of AnnaBelle, I see there are:
>
> two toolboxes
> a 5-gallon plastic bucket filled with miscellaneous hardware
> a snow shovel
> my antique wooden creeper
> a couple of wool blankets
> a couple of jugs of water
> a hydraulic jack
> the much-maligned stock VW jack
> a genuine USSR-surplus titanium crowbar
> various and sundry pieces of 2 x 4's
> some bits of sun-purpled glass
> cool-looking rusty beer cans (pre-flip-top era)
> interesting rocks
> and, well, the list goes on. I even see a few bits of bark in there
> from the last time I went out and cut firewood! Gasp (!), is that an
> oil stain?
>
> Now I can appreciate a well-tricked-out Vanagon as much as anyone
> else, and really, I have a certain admiration for those of you who may
> describe yourselves as "neat freaks". Really, all I pay attention to
> is keeping the mechanicals in reasonable working order, maintaining
> good tires, changing the oil on a regular basis, etc. If I start
> fixing dents and worrying about cosmetics, why, to my way of thinking,
> that's just an invitation to get a shopping cart ding - - or worse.
> Who needs the anxiety - - not me!
>
> My point is, we all drive and enjoy our Vanagons. Even the most
> slovenly among us will eventually pass on what's left, perhaps to
> someone new to Vanagons, a young person who will gladly roll up their
> sleeves and give it a total, loving restoration. In fact, you could
> even make the case for the Vanaslob occupying a special niche in the
> Vanagon ecosystem. And lest some of you are tempted to look down your
> long patrician noses, remember you share 97% of your DNA with a banana
> slug!
>
> Gary
>
>
> From: Scott Daniel - Turbovans <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
> Subject: Re: sad decline and a new sighting in Richmond VA
>
> we just have to accept that some people are slobs. Bugs me too, to see
> fine machinery not treasured and taken care of. Woe be the next owner
> if there ever is one !
>
> half the vans I get........I am the FIRST person ever to clean out
> bubble gum and hair and snot or whatever out of the seat belt latches,
> in the seats..... etc. etc. etc.........or even lube a moving . We
> will just have to forgive those who don't know better.......about
> taking care of 'our' precious vanagons.
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