However, for a few years I have noticed a decrepit VW van often parked round the corner from us and it makes me smile whenever I see it. The prefix "A" on the registration plate tells me that it has been around for forty years. In the intervening time it looks like it has never been washed, polished or repaired.
It may look like a wreck but its longevity probably means that it is an excellent advertisement for the Volkswagen company. Lord know how many miles it has done or where it has been. If it has covered a fairly normal 10,000 miles a year, that means it must have done about 400,000 miles!
And why has it got a sticker in a side window announcing, "I Love Sewage"? That's a very odd thing to love!
I will be a little sad if that very familiar van drives away and never comes back. It has such character!
P.S. I have "scheduled" the publication of this blogpost as we are now far away in Filey by the sea. Back on Thursday.
Since we live in horse country, I will use an equine phrase: She looks like she's been rode hard and put away wet!
ReplyDeleteWhy does that sound vaguely sexual to me?
DeleteDon't let Clint see what you wrote in the first paragraph!
ReplyDeleteHave you never spotted the driver getting on or off the VW van?
"I love sewage" - could be that the owner works at a sewage plant and is proud of his or her work. I have seen similar stickers here for the dustbin people, who are rightly proud of their very important job and not ashamed of their "dirty" work.
I have never seen the owner of the VW. I imagine that he (or she) will be a scruffy devil just like the van. I like your theory about the sticker. Perhaps you could affix your own sticker to OK's car: "I Love Data Security".
DeleteIts twin has been parked across the road outside Mr Snoopy's house for the past few months. Its owner lives elsewhere. I am sure Mr Snoopy doesn't mind gazing out at it from his windows each day.
ReplyDeleteHope you are enjoying your holiday.
Did Lord Peregrine buy the wreck deliberately and park it outside Snoopy's gaffe just for a laugh?
DeleteWhat bothers me about this van is that I don't see an "old" van when i look at the shape of it.
ReplyDeleteWhich just tells you that I have been around for a long time.
Does it still have a roadworthy certificate? That amount of rust would preclude one here
After 40 years it becomes a vintage car and usual MOT test rules no longer apply.
DeleteWe have had a number of farm trucks that were in similar shape over the years. It is quite enjoyable to drive a vehicle where a dent or a scratch is not remotely concerning. I'm like you in that vehicles are utilitarian to get me from point A to B but still, most of mine still cause me to wince and have regret when they get scratched or dented.
ReplyDeleteYou are a tidy kind of bloke Ed.
DeleteThat van does have character and it makes me wonder about the character that owns it. Hope you enjoyed your holiday.
ReplyDeleteI have never seen anybody get in it or out of it.
DeleteIt reminds me of the van in hmovie "The Lady in the Van" starring Maggie Smith, it was advertised with so much hype I looked forward to seeing it, but was disappointed whn I did.
ReplyDeleteOh. I loved that film. Based on the book by Roddy Doyle.
DeleteI have driven my little VW almost 1,000 miles this year, it put a smile on my face everytime.
ReplyDeleteWhy? Does the driver's seat vibrate?
DeleteHave a lovely trip.
ReplyDeleteBeen and returned. All good.
DeletePerhaps it is a plumber's van?
ReplyDeleteI sure hope y'all are having a fabulous time.
No tools in the van. In spite of the mucky windows, I was able to see inside.
DeleteI like the fierce "hot tuna" eating the christian fish! LOL!
ReplyDeleteWell spotted Steve!
DeleteThe van it taxed but its MOT expired on 1st June.
ReplyDeleteYou do not need to get an MOT if: the vehicle was built or first registered more than 40 years ago. no 'substantial changes' have been made to the vehicle in the last 30 years, for example replacing the chassis, body, axles or engine to change the way the vehicle works.
DeleteI didn't know that, not that that's surprising. I don't know lots of things. 😗
Delete