Date: Mon, 10 Jan 2011 10:36:06 -0700
Reply-To: Robert Stevens <mtbiker62@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Robert Stevens <mtbiker62@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: VW Van Profiling
In-Reply-To: <AANLkTim6uo6GR1TpuRe1F8u0aP=sMSUuYj3fEEjHhkZa@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
On Jan 10, 2011, at 9:36 AM, Doug Alcock wrote:
>> The other profiling is when a will be passing a driver along a freeway and
>> when they
>> notice I'm passing, they speed up. Extremely annoy especially when being
>> I'm being
>> followed by other cars wanting to pass the slower moving vehicle....
>>
>> Steven
>> 91 Westy
Guess I'll chime in related to this perspective of "profiling" ... I think I experience
this fairly often. Folks want to "get ahead of that slow VW van" so they pass, cut
into the safety zone I've been using ahead of me and create an unsafe margin.
Maybe they'd do this to any vehicle. I try not to be reactive but don't always
accomplish that. I've had that same situation Steven described and now can
just drop the pedal and blow by them.
My van now has a Subie H6 3.0 in it so I can drive pretty much however I choose,
at any pace I want, on any grade. A Ford Bronco, in Denver (I was visiting family)
tried to pass me on my right on a freeway on-ramp, the lane that ends when
it get to the freeway lanes, and about 200 feet or so long, When I could see this
I just dropped my foot and took off and could see him disappearing in my R
side view mirror. After getting onto the freeway he pulled up to my L side,
gunning it, wanting to race. Don't think I've ever seen anyone gesticulating
as much from the driver seat of a moving vehicle as him. Nice restored Bronco,
dorky driver.
I get a LOT more waves, oogling looks, thumbs up, etc. than I do the
"I'd better get ahead of that slow VW van" stuff. I like owning the van for
a lot of reasons, but what I guess I'd call the admiring notoriety doesn't
get lost in those reasons. I get stopped in grocery store parking lots 1 of
5 trips to discuss "the van." Construction workers doing work in the
neighborhood, cable installers, the postal worker, UPS/FedEx drivers,
all like chatting about "what's that got in it" and the resultant 10 minute
chat ensues. There seem to be a lot of VW Van Fans out there.
Bob
'87 Syncro Westy
http://www.flickr.com/photos/syncronaut/sets/72157615490910502/
|