Man in white van 'an urban myth'

[snopes]

In recent years, many media reports about men in vans attempting to snatch children off the streets has played on a parent's greatest fear.

But criminologists say most of the reports are false, and the story about the man in the white van has become an urban myth.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2...16/2572552.htm

Around here, men in white vans are more likely to try and sell you a stolen surround sound system or stolen power tools than snatch a kid. Saying that, there was a report the other day in the news of a guy in a van trying to snatch a child not too far from my house.

In Australia, it's usually beige panel vans that child snatchers drive.

[Little Pink Pill]

Originally Posted by snopes

But criminologists say most of the reports are false, and the story about the man in the white van has become an urban myth.

It's been an urban joke for a while now.

[Mr. Billion]

Somebody apparently attempted to abduct a kid in Wichita, KS about a week ago by luring her near his vehicle with candy. Not a white van, but "a black pickup, possibly a Chevrolet, with red stripes, tinted windows and two large antennas."

http://www.kansas.com/690/story/806238.html

[Richard W]

Is that what "white van man" means in the USA? In the UK it's just a small tradesperson who probably cuts you up in traffic while reading The Sun.

Originally Posted by Richard W

Is that what "white van man" means in the USA? In the UK it's just a small tradesperson who probably cuts you up in traffic while reading The Sun.

Could you imagine placing an ad in the 'Jobs Wanted' section of a local paper for a 'white van man' hehe.

[Mr. Billion]

Originally Posted by Richard W

Is that what "white van man" means in the USA? In the UK it's just a small tradesperson who probably cuts you up in traffic while reading The Sun.

Speaking of alternative meanings for the same term: "small tradesperson who probably cuts you up" to me seems to describe somebody who attacks you with a knife. I'm guessing getting "cut up in traffic" means having another vehicle that's slightly ahead and to the side of you move directly in front of you, forcing you to brake. But I'd honestly never encountered that form of the phrase. Usually around here people say "cut off in traffic," which actually sounds even more gruesome.

[James G]

Originally Posted by Richard W

Is that what "white van man" means in the USA? In the UK it's just a small tradesperson who probably cuts you up in traffic while reading The Sun.

I've seen a few people with the user-name 'whitevanman' online. I'm just wondering what various Americans must be thinking. (Or possibly they were American and I had the wrong end of the stick)

[DemonWolf]

I think that the legend probably arose because it seems that the majority of commercial vans, especially the kind with no windows at all, are most often white. That type of van would also be perfect for staging a kidnapping. Large entryway, windowless cargo area, large enough for the kidnapper to enter with the victim to restrain, etc.

[llewtrah]

Originally Posted by Richard W

Is that what "white van man" means in the USA? In the UK it's just a small tradesperson who probably cuts you up in traffic while reading The Sun.

White van man (a tradesperson) is such a common stereotype in the UK that a Ford Transit TV ad used white van man images and a Slade soundtrack and showed white vans on a motorway equating to the spine (as in vital nervous system) of Britain.

Cat-stealing by people in small "light-colour" vans is often reported in this area. I always dismissed it as a myth until a friend saw one of her cats claw free of a person who'd grabbed it and was getting into a light coloured van (Astra type). She lost a couple of her other cats at the same time, believed to be to the same people (it was reported to local police)

[llewtrah]

Originally Posted by James G

I've seen a few people with the user-name 'whitevanman' online. I'm just wondering what various Americans must be thinking. (Or possibly they were American and I had the wrong end of the stick)

I was a "white van gal" here at work, because I helped some colleagues move from one flat to another, or pick up furniture/appliances, and they hadn't held a licence long enough to hire a van. So I did the van-driving for them

[Andrew of Ware]

Originally Posted by llewtrah

I was a "white van gal" here at work, because I helped some colleagues move from one flat to another, or pick up furniture/appliances, and they hadn't held a licence long enough to hire a van. So I did the van-driving for them

Bah. So you're the one who cut me up on the A414.

[purpleiguana]

Ahh, but the "man in the white van" thing was used on L&O: SVU. Doncha know that if it happens on TV, it's true?

[Richard W]

I just noticed the story's from Australia, not the USA.

[A Turtle Named Mack]

Originally Posted by llewtrah

Cat-stealing by people in small "light-colour" vans is often reported in this area. I always dismissed it as a myth until a friend saw one of her cats claw free of a person who'd grabbed it and was getting into a light coloured van (Astra type). She lost a couple of her other cats at the same time, believed to be to the same people (it was reported to local police)

How does one get one's house on the route of this most sanguinary service?

[Aud 1]

A local kidnapper used a white pickup truck. Not close enough?

[llewtrah]

Originally Posted by Andrew of Ware

Bah. So you're the one who cut me up on the A414.

Not guilty - I was on the A132

I love driving white vans.

[snopes]

Originally Posted by Altered Statesman

Around here, men in white vans are more likely to try and sell you a stolen surround sound system

Or a legitimately obtained, cheap, crappy sound system that buyers mistakenly assume is stolen and therefore must be an expensive, high quality one.

[llewtrah]

Originally Posted by snopes

Or a legitimately obtained, cheap, crappy sound system that buyers mistakenly assume is stolen and therefore must be an expensive, high quality one.

When someone's offering new Arcam kit (or other top-of-the-range name) from the back of a van very cheap, it's very obviously stolen or counterfeit. The Arcam amp I coveted cost more than my entire rack system hi-fi (none of which was a cheapo brand).

[snopes]

Originally Posted by llewtrah

When someone's offering new Arcam kit (or other top-of-the-range name) from the back of a van very cheap, it's very obviously stolen or counterfeit.

And when someone's offering a cheap, non-top-of-the-range sound system out of the back of a van, they're often expecting that ignorant buyers will assume it's a stolen, valuable, high-quality one and pay accordingly -- a rip-off that has the added bonus of not being (as) illegal as selling actual stolen goods is.