5 Van Facts
Every day we see plenty of vans hitting the streets of Britain, transporting people, possessions, items of trade, and coming to the rescue when we need it most. But there is more to the world of vans than van insurance, being hired to move our goods from one house to the next, or delivering our weekly shop of groceries. Here are five van tit-bits that you may not have known before:
Postman Pat
Postman Pat is well known for his black-and-white cat Jess and his trusty red post van trundling about in the Lake District, but now the show has undergone a makeover. It is now targeted in a fast-paced and high-octane format, where Pat works in a sorting office and rides a helicopter, motorbike, and eco-van [1]. Many would agree that the original show was much more heartfelt, with the red van being a memorable icon.
Van of the Year
What Van? has announced that their Van of the Year 2010 is the Nissan NV200 due to its TARDIS like appearance, as it fits it more than it looks like it would [2]. The only thing is doesn’t manage to achieve is the Doctor Who time travel.
Security is top priority
Out of a survey of 1,200 people, 36 per cent said that security was the most important factor when choosing a new vehicle [3]. In the 2009 Vehicle Security Awards, the Peugeot 207 was announced as the most secure small van.
Specsavers
Our favourite postman resurfaces again, as the original Postman Pat features in an advertisement for Specsavers, where he drives (erratically) around in the countryside delivering vegetables instead of packages and letters [4].
Peace be the journey
In the 1960s and 70s campervans gained a countercultural symbol when their owners expressed anti-war sentiments. This was done by painting their vans different colours, and replacing the VW logo with the peace symbol.
[1] Times Online. (2008). Postman Pat in hi-tech spat as he relocates from Lake District post office.
[2] What Van? (2010). Vans of the Year.
[3] Earth Times. (2010). Which Van for Security?
[4] Campaign Live. (2009). Specsavers ‘Postman Pat’ by Specsavers