'C
ause like a princess she
was laying there, moonlight
dancin' off her hair. She woke
up and took me by the hand. She's
gonna love me in my Chevy van and
that's all right with me.
Ride-sharing, as evidenced by
these song lyrics, has been around
for quite some time, at least 50 years.
Singer/songwriter Sammy Johns had
his hit "Chevy Van" way back in 1975,
long before Uber or Lyft were pair-
ing up total strangers for nighttime
rides in locked vehicles. Nobody said
capitalism doesn't come with some
risks, so it is either guess or assess
the situation carefully, with both par-
ties agreeing upon fair compensation,
because nobody rides free.
Also evident in the above lyrics is
the fact that Sammy Johns certainly
wasn't a motocross racer. Otherwise,
after taking his hand, Sammy's travel
-
ing companion would've bumped
her head on the handlebar grip of his
CNIIARCHIVES
P122
VANSPLOITATION
BY KENT TAYLOR
The second
issue of Cycle
News in 1977
included a deep
dive into various
vans to see what
made them well-
suited for racers
and journalists
on the go.
In 1977,
Cycle News
sta compared
vans to see
which was
best as a bike
transporter,
mini-workshop,
storage room
and motel,
all in one.
