Bob,
Wow, thanks for "shearing".
Well that's another thing to burn into memory, making sure its latched.
Perhaps those crafty vanagon owners can figure out how to put a door pillar
switch into the latch
and wire it into the light on the dash for the E-brake or something. Might
be good for some of us.

Not sure how many chances we get at that one.

Question for you though, I usually only have my top fully open or latched.
why did you leave it up part way?

Your story reminded me of an incident I had in my 61 Baja bug VW beetle.
I had those jeep latch style rubber latches on the front of the fiberglass
hood and forgot to latch them down.
We left the beach and took off for the dive shop and saw a white flash, I
thought it was lightning.....it was my hood.
Pulled a U and went back to pick it up on the side of the road. With just
the front latches on it made it home for repairs.
lesson well learned.

My garage is EXACTLY 1/2 inch taller than the skylight on my syncro westy.
Everytime I drive my bus in or out of my garage I chant "the vanagon will
not fit under the garage with the skylight open at all" over and over and
over, every time.
It still scares the hell out of me. I know one day I will be in a hurry and
just pile drive it into the frame of the garage. Its gonna happen I can feel
it.

Cheers,

Doug