Date:         Wed, 11 Sep 1996 11:34:50 +1000 (EST)
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         Ian Hallett <halleti@agric.nsw.gov.au>
Subject:      Re: (f) Recipe for "Bus Roll" (long)

On 6 Sep 1996, Jeff Carver wrote:

> Recipe for a "Bus Roll" or how to enjoy the benefits of a roller 
> coaster, but waste a bus in the meantime.
> 
> >     You've got to be joking... I have done some real stunts
> >     but never rolled.... Obviously your going to try this again?
> 
> That I actually rolled a bus?  No it actually happened, a full one 
> and one quarter roll.  It was not due to tremendous stunt driving 
> abilities however.  
> 
Jeff,

My Dad rolled a VW van once.

It was '57 panel van, similar colour blue to the single cab ute in 
April VW Trends. 

I was about 8yo at the time. Dad was a commercial traveller and was 
coming home late one Friday night. He'd probably been drinking. Anyway, 
just south of Newcastle he was rounding a bend and (his story) a car 
coming the other way blinded him with its headlights. He lost the edge of 
the road and flipped over the embankment. Broke a tree off about 5 feet 
from the ground but the break was level with the road he'd run off. 

The van landed on its roof on a dirt side road below the main road and slid 
along on the gravel. Dad used to claim that he landed on his hands and 
knees on the inside of the roof and that the roof got so hot from the 
friction that he almost burnt his hands. 

The van was repaired (it was only a year or so old) and it was repainted 
with a disgusting grey and red two tone paint job.

I think his boss sold it not long after that.


Ian Hallett
Orange NSW Australia 2800

email: halleti@agric.nsw.gov.au