Vannin' Home Forums General Discussion General Discussion What is it with you and Vans?

A friend's girlfriend asked me that question. It was totally out of nowhere and had nothing at all to do with the current conversation. Her exact words were, "What is it with you and Vans? Why can't you just drive a normal car or truck like everybody else?" I didn't even know how to respond to a question like that. What I mean is, a question that F---ing stupid! Is she implying that something is wrong with me? I'm some sort of freak because of what I choose to drive? Is there something really strange or unusual about Vans? I guess it's a good thing that she hadn't met me when I still had my hearse!

No, I would view as the worse question ever, is the one never asked...She asked, so educate her on why !

Perfect recruitment chance !!

No, unfortunalely I don't think she could be converted. she had a look of total disgust on her face when she asked!

You should have looked at her and said if youve never been vannin you havent lived. That has to be the stupidest question ever.

Sometimes the First response is the Most truthful, and a blessing in disquise, other times it just takes time.

Her loss !!!!!!!!!!

For those who understand, No explanation is necessary.
For those who don't, No explanation is possible.

try to explain it the best you can if she still doesnt thrn her loss

I would ask her what's with you and your lack of vans.. make her explain HER views . I usually do that if someone gives me that your a freak cuz of this type approach. Idk she might be one of those conform to the norm type chicks ... not a big loss if you lose her as a person/friend

Hmmm, I kinda feel sorry for her 'cause she has NO idea what she is missing! You will never find me driving anything BUT a Van

tell her i'm not a sheep so why act like one (like everyone else)

Don't let it bother you, she just doesn't get it... and probably never will. Hey, at least it wasn't your girlfriend's parents that asked!

ive been asked that question by a few friends, and a couple being girls and even my girlfriend..my response to that is freedom..space..comfort and endless possibilties to express your self.. not be a drone clone like everyone else does and then i offered for them to see it for them self come to a van run atleast once..i was shocked cuz they said ok and did attend..and they actually loved it and got to understand from it! haha charlie,ken,wookee you know this as youve met them and now know them good, also as a few of you others have met my friends and opened their eyes to a different lifestyle...they always talk about the fun and goodtimes they have ever since theyve been coming and with that i say offer them a chance to come and see, if they dont..its true they dont and wont know and they havent lived!

ive been asked that a million times. I explain it the best i can, and if they dont see it, too bad for them.

i think galaxy said it best ( For those who understand, No explanation is necessary.
For those who don't, No explanation is possible. ) as for me i just say we all have our thing that we love & enjoy ~~ this is mine ~~~ if you don't get it oh well

born on a mountian raised in a cave truckin and f---in is all that i crave

I've been bugged by this question as well, just how my friends and family get a funny gaze on their face when I start talking vans. it conjures the A-Team their heads.

But when I scan the busy road, alllll the cookie cutter cars people are coerced to buy and drive -none stand out except maybe the way overpriced. they're all the same. A CUSTOM NICE RIDE is what I choose to drive. take your clones and GTFO.

Some folks just have closed minds like robots. Part of life.

Any Vanner who also rides has heard "why do you ride a motorcycle?" as well as "why do you drive a Van? It's because we enjoy it. We can give rational reasons but the real reason is easy to explain. All I know is that I love driving my Van and riding motorcycles because it makes me happy. Isn't that a good enough reason?

That is part of :

The Vanner's Creed
I don't try to explain why I am a vanner.
For those that understand, No explanation is necessary.
For those that don't, No explanation is possible.

ask her, why not drive a van. What other vehicle can be customize in SOOO many ways, from full on show car to a work truck to a house to a comfortable traveling vehicle, to... you get the idea.

Rev_Don, I didn't know we had valley girls in Detroit...

You showed admirable restraint by not throttling that one! I would probably have formulated a significantly savage response concerning her apparent need to follow the crowd with her cookie cutter car, followed up by a "why don't we go for a ride..."

;0)

They're not going to learn except by example if their minds are already full to the point of echoing only their own uninformed opinions.

A hearse, eh? I bet that was a trip!

Well look on the bright side

1st: there is absolutely nothing wrong with driving, owning a van and having a vanning interest / hobby, like anything in moderation I'm sure its healthy.

2nd: It's your buddy's girlfriend and not yours that means he has to tolerate her negativity on a regular basis and you don't. Next time you see her ask her what her hobbies / interests are that should be interesting.

I wont even tell you what of my freinds said to me this past month . Even tho they where Joking it was not very nice and i had to point that out to them .
I see why some times people get out of Vannin .

VANNER CREED!!!!!! Says it all

You got it Monica!!!

Thank you Thank you!!!!!! I try I try!!!!!!!

This says it all!

Cause it's art, blank canvas waiting for the artist to take over! It's going back in time to when life was much easier and simple!
She can always read this little bit http://theselvedgeyard.wordpress.co...heels-the-1970s-van-customization-craze/

MY ONLY RESPONCE TO HER WOULD BE "WHAT IS IT WITH YOU AND CARS"....turn and walk away to let her think about the crap that just came out of her mouth .....go down the the auto store get a full tune-up kit, oil change & a full tank of gas

I'm hit with that a lot, as vans use more gas, but I love the room, decorating the inside to make it comfortable, make it where I can hang out in it without missing anything, has everything I need.

GOOD Answer, my wife sometimes asks a Stupid such as this, my answer is Usually the same, because I WANT To.

Some locally grown inspiration:

"Why Vans?"

https://www.vanning.com/threads/ubbthreads.php/threads/showflat/Number/140510

I figure with all the new members, it's about time that thread resurfaced...

;0)

Ask her if she wants to go camping in the car or the van....
Ask her if she wants to go on a road trip in the car or the van...

Hell I could park her car in my van....take them both

LOL!!!

The majority of the "in" vehicles will fit in my van.

Why not invite her and her boyfriend to an evant? Let them figure it out for themselves.

I am a woman with a VAN addiction!
Only four in our yard right now, we don't have it as bad as some others we know!

No re-hab for that, so I guess I'm stuck!!!

I hate having to defend my vehicle choice--I wonder if she has ever asked someone that owns a Focus--what is it with you and Fords?!

I say direct her to this thread

Or, just invite HER to an eVANt and she will figure it out!

There is no such time. Interesting, how the human brain filters the bad and recalls the pleasant.

Sorry to ear that buddy. Keep doing what you're doing. It'll all turn out in the end.

In the ever popular words of Ron White...... "I got a place to F*ck your sister!!!!!

Ahahahahahahahah! I love that schtick from him. "Ron, I can't believe you didn't buy a Mercedes-Benz."

"They don't make a van..."

Here it is.... funny chit!

My canned response is; "Climb in the back and I'll show ya!"

Tell her if you ain't a Vanner you ain't Sheet

You guys ever hear of the Mercedes Sprinter vans? Then they sold them under the Dodge name for a while.Any ways, I think most people think of stalkers and kidnappers when they see a van these days.

That was hilarious! "The James Bond Button"
Hey I got one of those

I'll have to pass on that for two reasons. She's my friends girlfriend, and he likes the bigger women...

Maybe ewe ought ta tell ewer buddy to put a muzzle on his bitch! Sounds like he's gonna have lottsa problems down the road if he don't straighten her out. By the way, I used to drive a '67 Caddy Hearse. Got more looks than anything that I have ever driven. Had people (Ex-In-Laws) tell me to never drive that thing to their house again!..... I never went back!.....

I had a girl, Amber, ask me the same question .... so I took her for a ride in big red. The people waving, yelling "nice van!", I stopped to get gas to take her out to Plaster City (offroad area) people were coming up to her & ask her questions (one's she couldnt answer) .... She handled it pretty well & then out to the desert & I jumped the van 4 ft in the air & she ripped off the door handle tryin to hang on, her bra even broke on that one ! .....LOLOLOLOLOL

Got her back to her house, she was like she drank a Gallon Of Adrenalin .... couldnt stop talkin about her 3 hr ride or the people she met. She has NEVER said that again. But will go riding any time as long as its in my van !

Man Ive heard that one 100 times or more myself. How to respond is easy. Just say you like (love, gotta have, etc.) the versatlity of the most practical vehicle ever designed and enough said. What else can you drive that you can move your apartment or home furnishings in, camp out in, sleep it off in, have whoopy in, party in, move lumber home in, temporarily keep the dog happy in (ventilated with water and food of course) live in off grid in a pinch in, run a business out of, rescue the injured and needy in, etc., etc., etc.. Not to mention customize into whatever floats yer boat. I agree, what a stupid question? Myself, I couldnt live without one. But I can live without that knarly question and the funky attitude that often gets delivered with it. Just remind them not to call you when they buy a new big whatchamacallit machine that wont fit inside they're one size fits all, all look the same, boring thingy SUV. Funny really....because I have the same question for everybody thats NOT driving a van? I mean, like, why in the name of pete would ya drive anything else? Hm....I don't get it......

I had a car once, yep.... Then I bought a van.
1974.
Ive never looked back.
And them danged mini contraptions aint no van, just just a pregnant looking station wagon.

Another good thread for reading ...

What N Why do vans intrig you ..?

There are a TON of reasons for me, probably too many for my old arse to remember at the moment, but one thing that actually occurred to me last year is how it feels to drive one. Specifically the seating position and how you feel right over the front wheels. When I was a kid I got to make some supply runs with my pop in an old cab over semi picking up steel. It's kind of a nostalgic feeling that is fun sitting right up front in the middle of all the action. The top heavy floating over dips and bumps, sitting right on the front glass, and higher than your average Honda Civic. It just feels cool.

As many have said; it brings back so many good memories for me from 1969 to 1982. If you were lucky to have had a van back in the day; you know what I mean.
Just driving it is such good medicine for me and brings me back to a time of E-Z Living and good times. Can't wait to get it back on the road . I searched hard for my 1974 G10 Shorty;
it was my favorite of the 3; I owned back in the day ( a 1967; 1971 and 1974 )