The picture of speed and danger, a 1965 VW Kombi van eorge Orwell miscalculated the date by 14 years, but 1984, his novel about totalitarianism, could become more reality than fiction in our immediate future.. Petty government restrictions are already beginning to strangle society. For example, take the case of the 19-year-old David Lam student and his beloved Volkswagen van, a 1965 Kombi in good running condition. A few months ago, an overly-offi- cious police sergeant pulled the vehicle over—not for speeding. Despite a reliable 1972 engine, this Volksey can boast of only being “capable of low speed pur- suits.” Not for flagrant safety violations either. The old van may not handle the tight circle of the Cariboo freeway exit at 80 km, but it’s hardly a death trap on the road. However, Port Moody’s ‘finest’ managed to find a flickering tail light (noto- rious problem on these vans), a misaligned headlight, a non- existent licence plate bulb, and—horror of horrors—a windshield crack, which the student had already arranged to have repaired. The officer gleefully ‘discovered’ enough viola- tions for the vehicle to require a safety inspection before it could be re-insured by ICBC. 1984 plus 14 Annette Martin will probably lose them the goodwill of their customers. Our David Lam student, anticipating a few problems, spent several hundred dollars ' upgrading his old, but reliable, van, then con- fidently took the vehicle in to be tested. After all, how unsafe could it be? The tires were ne the steering and suspension had been worked on by a Volkswagen specialist, there was no loose, flapping bodywork, and brakes, wind- shield wiper blades and running lights all worked well. Those of us old enough to remember the time when every vehicle needed an annual inspection can probably recall that the emphasis was on these safety features. What is wrong with the van, according to the British Columbia Government safety inspection report, includes faulty windshield visors; oversized bolts holding down passenge seat-belts which the safety-conscious student had had installed when he purchased the van; and the notorious (almost nonexistent) VW heater system. Oh yes! And when the student had work on the vehicle don at a body shop last year, bolts for the engine compartment door had been unavailable, so the substituted, make-shift hinges are another ‘no-no’—despite the brand new lock holding the engine door securely in place. Other failings include the student driver's personal air-conditioning sys- tem—a hole in the floor—and those infamous, blinking tai lights (already ‘fixed’ twice b professional VW mechanics. Options for the student include: taking all modifica- tions (like seat belts) off the vehicle, thus restoring it to 1965 factory status which, while being less safe, would exempt it from some of the safety test requirements; applying for collector status, thus rendering the vehicle inoperable after dusk (not a viable option when it is his only means of transportation from lat shifts at his part-time job), or fixing all recommended mod: ifications which have been estimated to cost anywhere from $2,500 to $6,000. So much for saving tuition fees! Apparently, no flexibility exists in the Motor Vehicle Branch regulations to account for quirky, almost-antique vehicles like this one, which, for economic reasons, are bein driven daily during the slow process of restoration.