Date:         Sat, 28 Aug 1999 19:58:45 -0400
Reply-To:     "Karl F. Bloss" <bloss@ENTER.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         "Karl F. Bloss" <bloss@ENTER.NET>
Subject:      Re: Tail Lights?
Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII

> I'm putting a great big trailer hitch on the back with a tung that sticks out
> real far. This will make sure they get more damage then me! I can't stand
> people who tailgate, this is exactly what caused this crash.

Do it!  When we were hit near St. Louis on the way to BBTA last year, the lady
was driving a Ford Windstar with the nice color-coded bumper covering.  When
she hit, we had a tub of food sitting in the rear seat and it was launched such
that Kris was picking cans of ravioli and chow mein from the floor area in
front of her (passenger seat).  When we pulled over, Bev had no apparent damage
(DPO had already been hit, so it didn't matter much).  The Windstar slipped
neatly under our bumper and gouged the wrap-around bumper covering on the tow
hook.  Tow hook wasn't bent.

She was moaning about how it wasn't her car, yada, yada.  I told her I had not
apparent damage and was willing to drive away.  Any damage to her car would
have been her fault anyway, so she decided to leave it at that.

I've since added a tow bar welded to the tow hooks courtesy of Chris Turner.
While I'd rather not be hit, I think it will help protect the rear of the car
including the exhaust system.

-Karl

Karl and Kristina Bloss, Trexlertown, PA
'87 GL Weekender  "Beverley" -  185K miles
VW Mechanic list: http://www.enter.net/~bloss/vw/vwshops
Busses by the Trail - Oct 15-17, 1999: http://www.enter.net/~bloss/vw/bbtt
PA/NJ Vanagon owner's mailing list: http://www.onelist.com/subscribe/pavanagon