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sabjut | 6 months ago

Funny how a completely ordinary and incredibly useful vehicle ends up with such a skewed image in the US.

In Europe, a Ford Transit is just what the local plumber or electrician drives. It's a no-nonsense work tool. In America, thanks to what I assume is decades of media tropes, the same van is portrayed as the getaway car in a heist or the “creepy unmarked van” parents warn their kids about.

It’s as if a hammer were seen as suspicious because it could be used in a crime.

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master_crab|6 months ago

You’re thinking of the Econoline or E-Series in the US. Those are the panel vans that have been stereotyped as “creepy vans”

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_E-Series

tshaddox|6 months ago

Yep, the fourth gen E-Series cargo vans are the ones with "creepy kidnapper" vibes (along with the third gen Chevy G-series). And even then it's only when they're beat up and don't otherwise appear to be for commercial use.

Ford Transit vans have absolutely no such negative connotation.

alistairSH|6 months ago

Huh, maybe I'm in a weird bubble, but when I see a Transit (or a Sprinter), I think "that would make a cool camper".

But, you're correct that we don't see as many plain old work vans in the US. It's either big pick-ups or box vans.

bookofjoe|6 months ago

Indeed. A friend of mine has lived in his for many years, all over the country.

hibikir|6 months ago

A very high percentage of businesses which in Europe would be running a Ford Transit are instead using pickup trucks. It's not everyone: Electricians really want their cargo area to not get wet, but if there's a choice between a van and a truck, very often the American contractor is driving a pickup truck, even installing shelving and extra storage.

lupusreal|6 months ago

> In Europe, a Ford Transit is just what the local plumber or electrician drives. It's a no-nonsense work tool.

Its the same way in America. White vans are ubiquitous, used by plumbers / etc. IRL, people don't even take note of them because they're just unremarkable and extremely common.

The media trope is mostly just that, a media trope. Insofar as white vans have any real association with crime it's probably just because criminals will favor whatever windowless vehicle is the least attention grabbing and white vans are strong contenders for that.

extraisland|6 months ago

> Insofar as white vans have any real association with crime it's probably just because criminals will favor whatever windowless vehicle is the least attention grabbing and white vans are strong contenders for that.

It says in the article. It was because they were relatively quick because they were light (it is just panels) and had lots of room.

There are also legends in my local area of a Transit with a v8. Apparently nothing can could beat it on the road. Considering how fast truck cabs are unladen I can believe it.

There are other British Cars that were favoured by criminals because of their sear speed. The Lotus Carlton being another one and the infamous 40RA number plate.