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ultralite Samba Member
Joined: January 10, 2011 Posts: 570 Location: GA
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Posted: Sun Jun 17, 2018 4:19 pm Post subject: Ever owned anything else that made strangers so happy? |
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Today I took my Bus and kids to a “cruise-in” for Fathers Day.
On the way there, you know the drill; honks, waves, gleeful shouting out windows “I love you van!” (With you smiling and whispering “it’s a Bus”) Today, I even got a thumbs up from a cop.
At the cruise-in/show, folks can’t wipe the smiles off their faces. This was mainly a show of American V8s. So the Bus stood out.
There it hit me “you know, I can’t really do anything else that makes this many strangers this happy, and all I’m doing is driving my favorite vehicle”.
It almost feels like charity _________________ Godspeed
'76 Beetle (sold)
'69 Beetle (sold)
'72 BMW 2002 (RIP)
'69 Westy
'02 BMW wagon AWD w/stick shift(sold)
'67 Beetle (sold) |
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SevenOaks Samba Member
Joined: April 24, 2012 Posts: 264 Location: Friendswood, TX
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Posted: Sun Jun 17, 2018 4:31 pm Post subject: Re: Ever owned anything else that made strangers so happy? |
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That’s my experience, too. When I drive my bus I often make it a point to notice the people smiling, waving, thumbs up, etc ... especially kids.
It’s a little different when I drive my single cab - along with all of that, people want to stop, talk and take pictures. _________________ David
1974 9-passenger bus
1969 Single cab
1966 Beetle |
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cmonSTART Samba Member
Joined: July 15, 2014 Posts: 1915 Location: NH
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Posted: Sun Jun 17, 2018 4:47 pm Post subject: Re: Ever owned anything else that made strangers so happy? |
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Yup, it makes people smile! _________________ '78 Bus 2.0FI
de K1IGS |
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h~moto Samba Member
Joined: November 19, 2008 Posts: 317 Location: Northern Virginia
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Posted: Sun Jun 17, 2018 5:43 pm Post subject: Re: Ever owned anything else that made strangers so happy? |
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I went to a flea market in Arlington, VA in my `71 Bus. They were having some special events there to celebrate the flea markets 30 year anniversary. As I pulled into a parking lot, off in the distance was a marching band from a local school. One member of the band turned and saw me in my Bus then turned back to the other members and apparently alerted the others. Next thing I know is there is an entire band waving & cheering.
The best moment though was when I was driving my lowlight Ghia. An elderly lady with a European accent approached me. She said that she and her husband had toured Europe in a Ghia for their honeymoon. Seeing my Ghia brought back the memories. She was quite emotional and even thanked me for driving a Karmann Ghia. |
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Oilspot11 Samba Member
Joined: July 31, 2014 Posts: 135 Location: Green Mountain Falls, Colorado
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Posted: Mon Jun 18, 2018 5:02 am Post subject: Re: Ever owned anything else that made strangers so happy? |
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Great post.
From the waves and thumb's-ups and shouts, to folks tapping friends to get their attention and pointing… To people walking up to you at filling stations with "the story", these vehicles bring a lot of memories to others. I simply love it. |
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TDCTDI Samba Advocatus Diaboli
Joined: August 31, 2013 Posts: 12860 Location: North Carolina
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Posted: Mon Jun 18, 2018 5:56 am Post subject: Re: Ever owned anything else that made strangers so happy? |
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Mk1 mini. A Eurovan loosely painted as the Mystery Machine. _________________ Everybody born before 1975 has a story, good, bad, or indifferent, about a VW.
GOFUNDYOURSELF, quit asking everyone to do it for you!
An air cooled VW will make you a hoarder.
Do something, anything, to your project every day, and you will eventually complete it. |
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sodbuster Samba Member
Joined: August 08, 2004 Posts: 1086 Location: wherever my baywindow takes me.
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Posted: Mon Jun 18, 2018 6:57 am Post subject: Re: Ever owned anything else that made strangers so happy? |
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Yes I do. but people don't get to see that stuff nearly as much as they do my buses. That other thing is my collection of old BMX bikes. When I bust a few of those out I've seen grown men turn back into a 12 year old the moment they lay eyes on them. Fun to watch actually.
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Randy in Maine Samba Member
Joined: August 03, 2003 Posts: 34890 Location: The Beach
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Posted: Mon Jun 18, 2018 10:05 am Post subject: Re: Ever owned anything else that made strangers so happy? |
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A bunch of Samoyed puppies is also high on the "cuteness" scale
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ultralite Samba Member
Joined: January 10, 2011 Posts: 570 Location: GA
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Posted: Mon Jun 18, 2018 10:08 am Post subject: Re: Ever owned anything else that made strangers so happy? |
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Oilspot11 wrote: |
Great post.
From the waves and thumb's-ups and shouts, to folks tapping friends to get their attention and pointing… To people walking up to you at filling stations with "the story", these vehicles bring a lot of memories to others. I simply love it. |
Completely agree. My absolute favorites are when someone wants to walk down memory lane. I’m glad to stroll along with them.
Once in a parking lot a much older couple froze in their tracks in unison. Smiled ear to ear and waited for me to get out of the Bus.
They bought one brand new in southern CA, raised 3 boys in it, and each summer visited a national park.
That particular couple is still my favorite. That story is still the most common. A family raising their kids and exploring with it. _________________ Godspeed
'76 Beetle (sold)
'69 Beetle (sold)
'72 BMW 2002 (RIP)
'69 Westy
'02 BMW wagon AWD w/stick shift(sold)
'67 Beetle (sold) |
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cmonSTART Samba Member
Joined: July 15, 2014 Posts: 1915 Location: NH
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Posted: Mon Jun 18, 2018 10:14 am Post subject: Re: Ever owned anything else that made strangers so happy? |
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Ya, everyone seems to have a story about one. The other day a former owner and I were comparing our whopping HP numbers, trading stories about hills.. _________________ '78 Bus 2.0FI
de K1IGS |
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jtauxe Samba Member
Joined: September 30, 2004 Posts: 5780 Location: Los Alamos, New Mexico
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Posted: Mon Jun 18, 2018 11:31 am Post subject: Re: Ever owned anything else that made strangers so happy? |
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To answer the OP's question, another hobby of mine is railroad modeling. I find that most people do enjoy running a model railroad, so there's another thing that generates joy.
Another is music making which has the potential to generate a lot of joy. _________________ John
"Travelling in a fried-out Kombi, on a hippie trail, head full of zombie..." - Colin Hay and Ron Strykert
http://vw.tauxe.net
1969 Transporter, 1971 Westfalia, 1976, 1977, 1976, 1977, 1971, 1973, 1977 Westfalias,
1979 Champagne Sunroof, 1974 Westfalia Automatic, 1979 Transporter, 1972 Sportsmobile, 1973 Transporter Wild Westerner, 1974 Westfalia parts bus, 1975 Mexican single cab *FOR SALE*, 1978 Irish 4-door double cab RHD
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Glenn Mr. 010
Joined: December 25, 2001 Posts: 76940 Location: Sneaking up behind you
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Posted: Mon Jun 18, 2018 11:40 am Post subject: Re: Ever owned anything else that made strangers so happy? |
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Babies, no one can resist.
_________________ Glenn
74 Beetle Specs | 74 Beetle Restoration | 2180cc Engine
"You may not get what you pay for, but you always pay for what you get"
Member #1009
#BlueSquare |
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The Dubbernaut Samba Member
Joined: June 01, 2011 Posts: 163 Location: Kennewick, Wa
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Posted: Mon Jun 18, 2018 11:41 am Post subject: Re: Ever owned anything else that made strangers so happy? |
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If you are a Washington bus driver, you can get classic plates and drive EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. thanks to the new rules for collector vehicle plates! They took away the "maximum yearly miles" rule too!
http://www.dol.wa.gov/vehicleregistration/spcollector.html
May be driven:
To and from auto shows, circuses, parades, displays, special excursions, and antique car club meetings.
For testing purposes.
For the pleasure of others without compensation. _________________ 2012 Tiguan 4motion
2 Corrado's
3 Beetle's
76 Bus
2 Baja's
66 Pigalle Squareback
80 Rabbit
80 Rabbit Pickup
and still collecting! |
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calebmelvin Samba Member
Joined: July 19, 2006 Posts: 3140 Location: Seattle, WA
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slave1pilot Samba Member
Joined: February 22, 2010 Posts: 943 Location: Tehachapi CA
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Posted: Mon Jun 18, 2018 1:36 pm Post subject: Re: Ever owned anything else that made strangers so happy? |
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all three are mine (and the cheerleader is mine too )
Brought joy to countless kids and adults for several years before I retired them. _________________ My Photobucket for my Herbie Project - http://s1288.photobucket.com/user/TK-439/library/Herbie?sort=3&page=1
Currently:
1963 Ragtop Beetle
Previously:
1967 Beetle
1968 Beetle
1970 Beetle |
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ultralite Samba Member
Joined: January 10, 2011 Posts: 570 Location: GA
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Posted: Mon Jun 18, 2018 7:02 pm Post subject: Re: Ever owned anything else that made strangers so happy? |
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slave1pilot wrote: |
all three are mine (and the cheerleader is mine too )
Brought joy to countless kids and adults for several years before I retired them. |
Man, my kids are going to flip when I show them this. Awesome!
Curious, did you ever meet Triumph? https://youtu.be/7CzbXA53I24
"I keed! I keed!" _________________ Godspeed
'76 Beetle (sold)
'69 Beetle (sold)
'72 BMW 2002 (RIP)
'69 Westy
'02 BMW wagon AWD w/stick shift(sold)
'67 Beetle (sold) |
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Spezialist Banned
Joined: July 01, 2005 Posts: 1941
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Posted: Tue Jun 19, 2018 6:30 am Post subject: Re: Ever owned anything else that made strangers so happy? |
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Surprise any 60’s van gets the same reaction. Dodge A100, Ford Econoline and even little chevys. _________________
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Wildthings Samba Member
Joined: March 13, 2005 Posts: 50352
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Posted: Tue Jun 19, 2018 6:42 am Post subject: Re: Ever owned anything else that made strangers so happy? |
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Sometimes I just want to be able to buy gas without having a ten minute conversation on VW's |
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richparker Samba Member
Joined: November 24, 2011 Posts: 6983 Location: Durango, CO
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Posted: Tue Jun 19, 2018 6:52 am Post subject: Re: Ever owned anything else that made strangers so happy? |
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Wildthings wrote: |
Sometimes I just want to be able to buy gas without having a ten minute conversation on VW's |
Tru Dat!!
Over the years my wife has grown to hate stopping for gas. _________________ __________
’71 Westy build
Adventure thread
’65 Deluxe Build
’63 Deluxe Build |
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KentABQ Samba Member
Joined: September 11, 2016 Posts: 2406 Location: Albuquerque NM
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Posted: Tue Jun 19, 2018 8:05 am Post subject: Re: Ever owned anything else that made strangers so happy? |
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Wildthings wrote: |
Sometimes I just want to be able to buy gas without having a ten minute conversation on VW's |
Just put on some earbuds, and people will just give you a thumbs up. If they start talking anyway, just say, "hold on a minute" into the mic on the cord as if you're talking with someone on the phone. Then the person usually just makes a nice comment and walks away. That trick works well with those %#€¥ solicitors outside stores. It doesn't work on spouses, though... _________________ -Kent-
1976 Riviera, 1.8l FI chrome yellow VAN - "Chloe"
"I must say, how can you be in a bad mood driving this vehicle full of vibrant color.
Cars of today are so bland in comparison. It's like driving a celebration!" ---WildIdea
Bus ownership via emoticons:
---williamM |
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