This reminds me of an option I saw on a British split-window bus in Bad Camberg during the 1999 show.
They had a hand accelerator cable on the dash. It was working off the front of the accelerator pedal and was used to drive on the autobahn while relaxing one's feet!

In a message dated 7/25/2004 11:47:22 AM Eastern Daylight Time, Edward Maglott <emaglott@BUNCOMBE.MAIN.NC.US> writes:

>Yes, this passing should not be attempted at any time.  The van you tried
>to pass obviously had more mojo power than your van and usurped it in order
>to go even faster up the hill.
>
>The something that snapped was between the pedal and the arm on the trans
>that connect to the linkage on the throttle.  I have found this is pretty
>tricky to get adjusted just right.  You want the pedal to hit the floor at
>the time that the lever on the trans is all the way forward, which triggers
>the kickdown into lower gear.  At the same time, the linkage is pulling
>against the spring on the throttle, which should already be at wide open.
>
>Sequence of events as pedal is pushed to the floor is:
>
>throttle is wide open, you feel increased resistance on pedal
>pushing past this resistance, trans goes into kickdown
>pedal hits floor (before or at the same time lever on trans hits its stop)
>
>Often, in order to assure the trans lever goes to kickdown,  it is adjusted
>so that the pedal is not on the floor when trans lever hits its stop.  So
>pushing the pedal further at this point means you are pulling against an
>immovable object.  Not good.  Something will give at some point.
>
>Edward
>
>At 01:07 AM 7/25/2004, you wrote:
>>I must have broken some sort of unwritten Vanagon rule.
>>
>>Three days ago I attempted to pass another westfalia (they were towing some
>>sort of small trailer).
>>
>>As it turned out I never got a good look at this rare sight. When I
>>uncharacteristically floored the accelerator something snapped between the
>>pedal and the throttle linkage and I watched as the mystery Westfalia
>>disappeared over the next hill.
>>
>>Back in the engine compartment everything was working fine. It didn't take
>>much of a brainstorm to realize all I had to do was tie a 1/4" line to a
>>bungee cord hook and attach this to the throttle linkage. Running the line
>>forward I was able to pivot my elbow on the armrest and tug on the line to
>>give some power. It took a while to train myself not to reach for the
>>accelerator pedal.
>>
>>I wouldn't recommend this for anybody with a manual shift.
>>
>>Phil
>>'89 Westy
>