I'm with Don Hansen.....

I drive my Vanagon because it serves in a way in which no other vehicle made today can serve my needs. Touring, camper with queen sized bed in back, hauling 1500 lbs of plaster on the floor - inside, hauling 4X8 sheets of plywood - inside and out of the rain, hauling a 12 foot ladder - inside. Nothing like it today. The other vehicles aren't configured right, the Vanagon is.

I don't really give a poop about what anyone else thinks about my driving a Vanagon. But i will say this - when I brush up this grey beard, put on my English driving hat, don my sunglasses, and get behind the wheel of my burgandy van and go whizzing along amongst them out there, I get all kinds of looks, giggles, grins, winks, and high signs, along with a few "come-hither" looks from the ladies that suggests "May I make your van my boudoire?"

Driving a Vanagon is a good thing. It's always fun!

John

John Rodgers Clayartist and Moldmaker 88'GL VW Bus Driver Chelsea, AL Http://www.moldhaus.com

On 7/9/2010 11:36 AM, Dave Mcneely wrote: > ---- Evan Mac Donald<evanm@ATT.NET> wrote: >> There are several categories of bus pilots out there, and here are a few - > Some of us just ignore these kind of reactions in the general populous... > Some of us go along with it... > Some of us drive our vans simply to see what reactions we will get THIS time... > And some of us are the cause of it! > > Where do you fit in? > > I am different from most vanagon drivers in that I have serious misgivings about whether having the thing is all it's cracked up to be. The high maintenance demand and some safety concerns have me always with second and beyond thoughts about it. I definitely do not consider it the amazing dream machine that many of you do. The camping utility is my only real interest in the beast. > > That said, I have not experienced the kinds of odd responses earlier mentioned and queried about here. I've only gotten admiring looks and comments from friends and strangers alike. As I drive into vanagon territory next week (I live in Oklahoma, where there are few of them), I expect even more admiration. > > DMc > >