Larry -

Have you gotten any interesting replies to this on the ev list?

Joy

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Joy Hecht
and Matilda, 1989 Burgundy Vanagon

For musings about life and the vanadventures:
http://users.rcn.com/jhecht/gypsy

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:::-----Original Message-----
:::From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM] On Behalf
:::Of Larry Chase
:::Sent: Wednesday, August 24, 2005 5:10 PM
:::To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
:::Subject: Vanagon & Eurovan - community helping community
:::
:::Cross list post ... Vanagon.com & EV_update
:::
:::To: EV-Update folks,
:::
:::I recently posted a "distress call" for a stranded "Eurovan Traveller"
:::to the Vanagon & EV lists.
:::
:::Several responses and offers of help came back from Vanagon folks, but
::: very little from EV folks.
:::
:::I was a surprised and disappointed at the lack of help for one of your
:::own.
:::
:::BTW .... current list membership count is:
:::
:::Vanagon.com = 904 members
:::ev_update = 3627 members
:::
:::Those results prompted a discussion thread on the Vanagon list as to why
:::EV owners don't seem to feel the same sense of Community (helping ea
:::other)
:::as perhaps Bus & Vanagon owners do.
:::
:::I don't intent this as a flame or put down to EV owners.
:::
:::I would like to understand your perspective.
:::
:::Why do you think EuroVan owners don't seem to be as motivated as other vw
:::bus/van
:::folks to help one another.
:::
:::Or am I off base and drawing the wrong conclusion?
:::
:::To me ... A VW VAN IS A VW VAN IS A VW VAN.
:::
:::I don't care if its air cooled, water cooled or beer cooled.
:::
:::We are all stuck with beautiful, but problematic vehicles.
:::
:::If someone is in need I'll try and help.
:::
:::I  "clipped" a few of the comments from the vanagon group's discussion.
:::
:::- - -
:::
:::Personally I will help a "camper" regardless if splittie, bay, vanagon,
:::or
:::euro. However I have found that the vast majority of the euro crowd looks
:::upon us all as "other" people.
:::
:::- - -
:::
:::To hell with those people, Larry. They won't even help one of their own,
:::yet
:::they act like a Vanagon was the result of a drunken night spent with a
:::hooker
:::from the wharfs.
:::
:::- - -
:::
:::I think the split is a result of the change in design philosophy. The
:::Vanagon
:::was still the same basic design from '80-- it was the last of the
:::"traditional"
:::Volkswagen designs. The EuroVan was just another minivan. It just doesn't
:::have
:::that same "thinking outside the box" look or feel that came with the old
:::rear
:::engine VWs, so it doesn't attract the same class of nuts.
:::
:::- - -
:::
:::Several of us approached the EV folks and started a general VW oriented
:::conversation. They were not the least friendly. Would I help one of them
:::if
:::they had a problem? Yes. Would any of them help a Vanagon, Splittie or
:::Bay
:::bus
:::owner in trouble? I seriously doubt they'd give us a second look or
:::thought.
:::
:::- - -
:::
:::The average EVC owner/driver doesn't see themselves as part of the
:::tradition,
:::history or lineage that the Bus and Vanagon driver/owner/caretaker does.
:::They
:::just don't connect their EVC with the past history of VW campers or
:::vehicles.
:::I have to think that it is their loss, not ours. The sense of community
:::among
:::those driving Vanagons and Buses is lost to most of the EVC crowd.
:::
:::- - -
:::
:::I've met vanagon & bus folks like this too and I've met people in Ford
:::campers
:::who were nice folks. It's the people and not the van.
:::
:::- - -
:::
:::
:::good road, good adventure
:::
:::larry chase
:::
:::www.roadhaus.com
:::www.roadhaus.com/shops.html
:::www.roadhaus.com/tires.html