[gregoryx]

I'm sure a significant enough front impact would bring things coming toward the cab. I don't know how significant that would need to be. And I sure don't want to find out. But I don't feel LESS safe with my aluminum framed cabinets bolted to the walls than I would in a Winnebago or the like - those things look pretty scary. I'm pretty confident that anyone assuring that any RV-ish setup is auto-manufacturer safe is... uh... wrong.

So... safe priority? Add the partition. RV-like comfort and convenience priority? No partition.

If you do decide to crash-test both, do me a favor and also add a front bumper setup with the big bull-bar things and hit a deer or an elk. I'm really curious how that holds up as well. Thanks!

 

[gregoryx]

When comparing an RV to a build, I hadn't thought to consider that the baseline of an RV isn't secure, so that throws that out the windows.
...

It's one of the funny things about ALL our safety concerns on building these: none of us are (intentionally) crash-testing them, so we're basically full of crap and betting our lives and our loved-one's on our guesses; and the real-world standard by which we perhaps should be measured (RVs) enjoy little to no testing for the most part. So, yeah... do whatever you feel good with?

 

[gregoryx]

Says the guy that drives a 4.5 ton vehicle at 83 mph (in the mountains?)

While @surly Bill mentions, "overly generalized Libertarian mindset," as a general thing... that's basically my vibe. I am comfortable with my risks; I make them, I prefer them, and I accept the outcome of them. I prefer "eyes wide open" even if it means accepting that I do dangerous stuff at times. I /try/ not to project this on others... so I'm always confused by the over-the-top attempts to make these vans "safe." But I'm a young mid-50s and a lot of folks here are a bit (or a lot) older than that and perhaps more risk-averse. Or just more risk-averse in general.

And 83 is just what the cruise-control is set to. In the mountains. I love to see it hit 95mph when I'm passing. Or 70+ on the snow. 😁

 

[gregoryx]

I wasn't using Libertarian as a pejorative...

I, for one, didn't even consider that it might be meant as such. I have learned to be more private about how I see my world, as it doesn't match many people's sense of security / comfort... and I have no intent to suggest mine is preferable any more than vice-versa. Though the, "follow the rules," mindset is strong in many and anathema to me; we are all necessary parts of the collective. As I think you may have quoted previously, I believe in freedom of choice (and action and thought and behavior, etc) but not freedom from consequences; we live in the world we live in and I like it.

 

[gregoryx]

I wonder where we would be if our ancestors were as risk averse as the majority of our forum members?

Not sure I'd have the money to be building a van if I were as risk averse as many of our members. But, obviously, that's just projecting what I tell myself got me through life this far versus the alternatives that don't really appeal to me; I'm pretty sure our more cautious members would have predicted death for me many times over in the last few decades - and financial ruin many times over as well.

My recognition that I'm becoming more cautious runs toward my physical activities: I currently plan to shift from climbing boulders to roped-up stuff when I turn 60; and to take up ultra-marathons instead of the faster short stuff at about the same time - maybe a couple years later after I get a shot at a couple national races as a fresh 60s. I'll probably be building another van by then as well. I'm not sure taking up back-country split-boarding or mountain-biking again at 54 is a good idea... but here I am. 🤣