I happily attended the public van show at the July, 2014, Van Nationals held in Greenwich, NY. It was the first van show I attended in 25 years. Indeed, here is quick newbie slideshow I put together of some photos I took:
http://youtu.be/7KIs3Npq3m4After returning home from the Van Nationals, I have read NUMEROUS posts about “invited guests” having difficulty entering the inner-premises despite those “invited” being zealous automobile enthusiasts, writers, heavily involved with various clubs, dealerships, etc., because they themselves did not have a van in their possession at the time.
Respectfully, I don’t want to piss anybody off (which I evidently have an uncanny ability to do), but I suppose I should add my two cents to the situation as a some-what objective ‘outsider’ who has been absent for the past 25 years. Please view this posting as feedback and please do NOT view it as negative criticism. It is merely my humble view.
Long story short: I have a 74 Van called “Cloud Dancer.” I’m the guy that owned the van 25 years ago but recently tracked it down sitting in a barn and bought it back – why exactly, I’m not sure. ;) Anyway, I chickened out and didn’t drive the van the 8 hours required to get to/from the 2014 Van Nationals particularly since I don’t even have the automotive skill to change the oil and I wasn’t sure my van could make the schlep. Hence, I missed work, rented a hotel and visited the public showing. This was the first van show I’ve attended in 25 years and sadly there was no way possible for me to pay a fee and walk around inside the event to take a quick look, see possible old friends, visit the vendors (since I’m in the market for a sun visor), etc. Admittedly, I didn’t really think anything of it at the time since that is exactly how I remembered it from 25 years ago.
However, after returning home, I have seen NUMEROUS postings on facebook/etc where vanners invited other automobile enthusiasts to the van show and even got pre-approval evidently weeks in advance only to discover that said individuals were not necessarily welcome because their particular vehicle did not meet the criteria. The response to this situation that I keep seeing online is that “The guidelines have been in place for many years.” This I find disconcerting. Respectfully, if you ask me, claiming that the “guidelines have been in place for many years” is indeed all the more reason why perhaps one should reconsider revising the guidelines. Imagine if I walked into a courtroom and said, “Judge, we have discriminated against these minorities for many years… so why change now?” To me, that is not a wise position particularly when one factors in the numerous unique circumstances that each vanning enthusiast has. Plus, like it or not, the vanning world is getting smaller so perhaps change is necessary. And when I use the word “change,” I really mean to say “improvement.”
Here is my humble suggestion from a schmuck who has only attended ONE vanning show in 25 years and who ADMITTEDLY probably knows less than anybody else on the subject: Amend the guidelines that have “been in place for many years.” Specifically, for the very unique circumstances where perhaps an automobile enthusiast, a writer or perhaps some schmuck like me who just drove hours/hotel/missed work, very much wants to look around inside/visit the vendors/etc, I suggest allowing people to bring to the show their license and registration proving ownership of a van which will allow them to walk around the grounds/visit the vendors for a few hours and/or have a “guest pass” where you can allow a paid vanner to vouch for another person to enter the premises for a few hours. If recollection serves me correctly, this is similar to how an attorney gains admission to argue before the Supreme Court of the United States – another admitted attorney much vouch for them. Feel free to charge a fee for the “guest” pass. No problem. Perhaps give them a different color wrist band which will notify the security that said “guests” have to leave by a certain time.
I can honestly say this: Vanners are insanely friendly and helping folks. This has not changed one iota even though I have admittedly been gone for 25 YEARS. Indeed, within 24 hours of my re-purchasing “Cloud Dancer,” I astoundingly had several vanners (who had absolutely NO idea who I was), go out of their way to meet me and/or help with the van. Seriously. That is INSANELY AMAZING! Likewise, when I attended the show in Greenwich, NY, I had numerous vanners approach me and introduce themselves when they noticed my goofy “Cloud Dancer” t-shirt. Even the girl I brought with me to the van show, who knew absolutely nothing about vans and had never seen anything like it before, complimented everybody by saying, “These people are even crazier about vans than you.”
However, when it comes to attending the inner sanctum of vanning shows (as described above), I humbly suggest that it is time for a new approach (i.e. “improvement”). Respectfully, me trying to look around inside after I drove 8 hours, got a hotel, took the day off from work, etc, made me feel like a criminal for trying to ‘sneak in’ instead of having a warm welcome and being appreciated. There is no doubt that vanning has gotten smaller over the past 25 years. Perhaps the within issue has something to do with it?
Again, with absolutely no disrespect intended to the vanning community, even if you ignore my above suggestion, I suspect the vanning world will still suffer. Why? Because, like it or not, if you don’t make the process of gaining admission for “guests” and/or legitimate van owners (via proof using their registration) a friendlier process, what will happen? I see only two likely outcomes:
1. People will get pissed off and attendance will eventually dwindle. Vendors will likewise lose sales. This includes, but is not necessarily limited to, vanners not inviting others (such as writers, enthusiasts, etc) wherein I have already seen NUMEROUS people make this declaration online after having their invitees be ‘rejected’ despite weeks of preparation.
2. People/guests will sneak-in the show anyway and the vanning community will lose money. Specifically, either vanners will drive in/out of the show smuggling passengers and/or people will simply sneak in. It is a van show, people. It is not Fort Knox.
In a nutshell, anybody can criticize. The key is coming up with solutions. Hence, to reiterate, here are my two humble suggestions to expeditiously resolve the issue:
1. Allow anybody who presents a license and registration proving ownership of a van, a “guest” admittance into the premises for a few hours. This way, at a minimum, they can visit the vendors/friends/etc. They simply didn’t drive their van there – perhaps for reasons like mine where the van was sitting in a barn for 25 years. Charge them a fee.
2. Allow a PAID vanner to vouch for guests. Said vanner can go to the entrance gate with the “guest” wherein said guest(s) can then purchase a “guest” pass for a few hours to walk around/etc. People shouldn’t be forced to smuggle others in. You are only losing money and, perhaps worse, comradery among vanners. Indeed, I had several friendly vanners who I met at the Nationals who were legitimately unaware of any solution how I could gain entrance despite them knowing my unique circumstances.
Hence, I leave the rest to you folks who know a hell of a lot more about this stuff than a “re-newbie” like me. Feel free to do what you want with this posting – or ignore it entirely – or repost it wherever you like. However, I’m honestly not interested in debates or whatnot. Vanning is FUN. Unfortunately, gaining entrance to the inner sanctum of the show wasn’t and perhaps that should “improve.”
Respectfully Submitted,
Christopher M. Puzzele, Esq.
A “Re-newbie” Vanning Enthusiast
PS: And yes, theoretically speaking, I did leave with a visor for my 74 that I was looking for from one of the inside vendors. Those who know my story shouldn’t be surprised at my persistence. :P