This is Fillmore at home in the movie "Cars". As Fillmore says, "Respect the Van, Man!"As Chrysler has gotten smaller, I've been working on several cars at once, rather than the usual concentration on only one car at a time. One of the cars that I've picked up is the minivan, both Chrysler and VW (Fillmore, is that you?). Its something I've resisted for a while. As a old bachelor, I've always felt like I would have a hard time putting myself in the place of the customer. But now that I've been spending some quality time driving vans, I may not aspire to them, but they are good, practical vehicles.
One problem, however. Nobody on the road respects the van. They assume you are some weak willed, soccer mom. So they are constantly assuming I'm going to be slow and chicken in my driving, which I am not. More than once I've surprised another driver by being on the gas and not politely opening the hole in traffic for them. And more than once I've shaken my fist in the windshield and quoted Fillmore, "Respect the van, man!"
I have been driving Dodge minivans for the last 22 years. Great for towing Formula Fords and transporting soccer players. No speedong tickets with any of the vans, cops must be thinking "he's suffered enough".
ReplyDeleteVans can be cool. As a kid I wanted a Brubaker Box http://www.rodster.com/articles/BrubakerBox.htm