Questions about a bus ?

[email protected] · Samba Member Joined: February 25, 2002 Posts: 41

i have read in many places about the bus. and in gettting in a wreck the drivers legs are the first defence ? is that realy true how bad does it have to be to affect i have a bus but i want to keep my legs and one know if its a big problem or anone been through it i just want to know.

Matt

truckersmike · Posted: Tue Jan 21, 2003 9:35 am Post subject: Questions about a bus ?

I've driven both an early split window bus and '72 bay window bus. By far, the bays are more structurally sound. They have thicker metal and they are just built tougher. I know first hand because I was in a wreck with my bay and it didn't take out my legs. Now if I was in the same wreck in my '66 split, there would have been a lot more damage and I could have been hurt more then I was. The main thing you always have to think of, kind of like when you're on a bike, is you can't expect that you know what the other guy is going to do. Keep your breaks in good working order and for god's sake, Slow Down! Driving defensively is the best way to avoid a terrible accident.

79SuperVert · Posted: Tue Jan 21, 2003 12:42 pm Post subject: Questions about a bus ?

Yeah, I have to keep remembering how vulnerable I am in my beetle and how much longer it takes me to brake. Comes down to spending more time in the slow lane. But then, when I'm in the beetle I want to prolong the fun anyway so what's the use of driving fast?

wgargan · Posted: Tue Jan 21, 2003 3:24 pm Post subject: Questions about a bus ?

driving fast sucks. unless you have a huge engine, then its fun.

Andrew · Posted: Tue Jan 21, 2003 7:59 pm Post subject: Questions about a bus ?

I figure that the risk is a small price to pay for the enjoyment that I get from driving my VW's.

Andrew
'58 Panel Bus(for sale)
'60 European Beetle
'67 Deluxe Bus

j.pickens · Posted: Tue Jan 21, 2003 9:36 pm Post subject: Questions about a bus ?

John Muir in the idiot book highly recommended mounting your spare tire on the front of your bus. He figured that it would take a lot of force out of a front end collision.

But just be careful, you're much more likely to be hit from behind. Buses don't catch up to cars very well.

Andrew · Posted: Wed Jan 22, 2003 3:46 pm Post subject: Questions about a bus ?

Somebody want to explain how mounting the spare tire on the front would help to reduce the damage to either you or your bus in the event of an accident? I would think that it would not help at all, possibly even cause more damage. If you've got a tire rim against the front of your bus, i would think that the front of the bus would cave in before the rim would.

Andrew
'58 Panel Bus(for sale)
'60 European Beetle
'67 Deluxe Bus

ChrisM181 · Samba Member Joined: February 13, 2002 Posts: 181

I am willing to bet my life (and I do every time I drive a type 2) that a VW van is safer than any 1949 to 1979 van made by any other company! Think about the fact that there is much, much more leg room in a VW van, I will take all of that extra space in a crash as opposed to my legs getting smacked against a damn engine cover. There is no where to go in those vans, and the thing I find funny is the fact that directly in front of your feet in lets say a Chevy 2D van there is not anymore, if not less material and space between you and a crash. People should not fool themselves into thinking that a Chevy etc. van is any safer than a VW.
Don't even get me started on the subject of rollovers! Get a flat tire in a VW van you pull over and change it, get a flat tire in a big 3 van you rollover and die!

j.pickens · Posted: Wed Jan 22, 2003 10:54 pm Post subject: Questions about a bus ?

The spare is supposed to spread out the force of the collision over a greater area, thereby reducing the liklihood of damage entering the cabin and crushing the driver. It is NOT to protect the bus.

Lind · Posted: Thu Jan 23, 2003 12:38 am Post subject: Questions about a bus ?

A head on collision will suck no matter what you are driving. Buses are well constructed and very solid. I have two strategies. Don't wreck and wear your seatbelt. If the first doesn't work, the second should help. I rolled a 63 bus at highway speeds and walked away without a scratch.

[email protected] · Samba Member Joined: December 08, 2002 Posts: 38

Well, I recently had a somewhat head-on collision with a little crappy ford and the front tire really helped. The downside was that the tire pushed the whole front panel in. I've got to see if I can mount the tire mount directly to the frame instead of the sheet metal in the front. That would rule.

Chase

skippytheleglesshobo · Posted: Sun Jul 06, 2003 2:56 pm Post subject: Questions about a bus ?

i wrote a bio on a wreck i was in, in a 72.
link, if anyone's interested
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forums/stories/forum.php?screen=msg&mid=114

Friedpotatoes · Posted: Wed Jul 09, 2003 12:46 am Post subject: Questions about a bus ?

wow i didnt think this thing was still living i hope all is well with up van guys

type34inKY · Samba Member Joined: May 30, 2003 Posts: 243

Check out this link for crash test data on a vanagon:

http://www.vanagon.com/info/safety/volvo-crash/

crofty · Posted: Wed Jul 09, 2003 3:51 pm Post subject: Questions about a bus ?

Hey Andrew don't read that book or anything related to it in any kind of print, It's for Idiots. That's why it doesn't make any sense to you! Join us over at the Bentley forums....

Andrew · Posted: Wed Jul 09, 2003 10:33 pm Post subject: Questions about a bus ?

Bently forums?

Andrew
'60 European Beetle
'67 Deluxe Bus

crofty · Posted: Thu Jul 10, 2003 10:51 am Post subject: Questions about a bus ?

It was a joke....

[email protected] · Samba Member Joined: December 06, 2002 Posts: 14

Although Ralph Nader did some good things, was an advocate for paded dashes, getting sharp points off the front of cars and such. He also did some bad things, one is a book called "The Design Flaws of the Volkswagen". I think I remembered the book title right-was at my local liberary. He wanted Volkswagen to buy back every VW Bus ever made! But in his defense, he stated that front end collisions take there toll on all forward controlled vechicles. This includes Ford Econolines and Chevy vans. It's a risk we all take. I think the improved visibility of being up front decreases the number of bus driver accidents, but that still doesn't save you from the idiots trying to hit you!
As for our beloved John Muir and the spare tire on the nose. It just might disperse some of the energy of a front end collision. But I have mixed emotions on it. Not to many people are nice enough to hit you square dead on, when they hit you. My fear is the tire acting as sort of a lever and actually pushing one side of the nose even further. What to do? Wear your seat belt-Ralph talked about a lot of driver ejection with VW Buses. Watch for the other guy!! And enjoy driving your bus!!! If the split windows scare you, the bays have crush zones in the front. I got my first splittie in the late 70's and still have both legs and they work, we will however not discuss the lack of tan on them.......
Peace,
Frank
Retired Auto Body Tech
Eugene, Oregon

Friedpotatoes · Posted: Wed Jul 30, 2003 10:18 pm Post subject: Questions about a bus ?

we will however not discuss the lack of tan on them
##########################################################

hehehehehehehhahahahahahahahahaha thats good i know what your sayin man


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