La camionnette blanche, a photo from Picardie, North

Photographer's Note

A collection of bad pictures, I know, because they were all taken en passant, as the French say, but hear me out because the story behind "the white van" is pretty funny.

Every day on the way to work up the N16 between Creil and Clermont we passed this white van and came to the conclusion it must be an unmarked police radar speed-trap. From then on we made sure we slowed down until we heard that the van does not actually belong to the police - but to a local prostitute !

Clients pull up in their cars (sometimes there are even people waiting for the previous client to finish) and then I suppose they do the deed in the back of the van !!!

Passing this van every day on the work was quite reassuring, an unchanging contant that became part of my daily life, so I was quite upset(!) to learn last month that the van was burnt out !

But the prostitute now has a new van. A blue one.

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As a few of you noticed, yes, the first picture is taken from the other side of the road. The white van is the little blurry blob in the middle - I think !

Isabelle, Philippe, AndrewGarn, photo, gadinga, Steely, Darren, Jebelis has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

Isabelle (9044) 2004-03-27 12:12

well, i really don´t mid the (lack of) quality - if we can say so - of this composition, jamie!
i would give you 100 smileys for the notes, if i could!
thanks a lot for sharing ;)

Philippe (11836) 2004-03-27 12:22

The pictures are rather blurred, but your story makes up for it, Jamie! To me, it sounds like a private eye's report. The poor detective had to work in difficult conditions to bring back a few shots of an adulteress, and this is the result.

Ebbe (9617) 2004-03-27 12:36

Yes, we learn about the world here everyday. Getting correct and readable information to the motorist so they can plan their driving ahead, and hence not make sudden stods or turns and cause accidents, is very important in todays traffic. I would love to see the smart an quickly readable symbol on a sign the authorities can think of to illustrate this service.

zimchris (403) 2004-03-27 14:55

Gret story. Great composition. Could almost be a rack of CCTV monitors - as if the police where watching this van.

gadinga (606) 2004-03-27 17:35

I like that in the lower right picture you can see a "client" parked in front of her van. I am not quite sure what to make of the first frame though. Are you on the same side of the road as the van or is it on the other side. I wonder how long it will be before somebody burns her new van. I remember people in Creil saying it was a good thing to get rid of her "office". But I guess since prostitition is the oldest profession in history it will take a little more than burning her van to get rid of it. Good shot though Jamie, you have captured a piece of history that isn't there anymore. Now if you can just track down her burnt out van you can add it to your burnt out cars theme.

Steely (895) 2004-03-27 20:56

Muahahahahaha, Good Story Jamie!
Muahahahaha!

Darren (6823) 2004-03-27 21:10

Great story and an interesting series. The blur adds to the story I think, sort of an under the cover of darkness type feel to the whole thing. I don't really understand the top left shot, I don't spot the van. The bottom right shot is great and the second and thirds shots are good too, although a little too similar. what a good idea to put these together.

doitashimashite (0) 2005-06-07 16:03