# White van man > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/White_van_man > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/White_van_man.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_van_man > Source revision: 1311240431 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{about|the British slang term|the confidence trick|White van speaker scam|the television programme|White Van Man (TV series)}} {{short description|Stereotypical British independent tradesman}} [[Image:White vans Oxford.JPG|thumb|right|Reconstruction work on [Mansfield Road, Oxford](/source/Mansfield_Road%2C_Oxford), with assorted white vans]] [[File:Mercedes sprinter 2 v sst.jpg|thumb|right|A [Mercedes-Benz Sprinter](/source/Mercedes-Benz_Sprinter), a typical white van]] '''"White van man"''' or '''"a-man-with-a-van"''' is a stereotype used in the [United Kingdom](/source/United_Kingdom) for a [Luton van](/source/Luton_van) and smaller-sized commercial [van](/source/van) driver,{{cite web|author=WARREN HOGE |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2000/07/14/world/leatherhead-journal-the-white-van-man-of-england-oh-he-s-a-devil.html |title=Leatherhead Journal; The White Van Man of England: Oh, He's a Devil! – New York Times |work=[Nytimes.com](/source/Nytimes.com) |date=2000-07-14 |access-date=2013-08-05}} typically perceived as a selfish, inconsiderate driver who is mostly [petit bourgeois](/source/petit_bourgeois) and often aggressive.{{cite web|author=Leo Benedictus |url=https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2006/jul/07/leobenedictus.features11 |title=The question: Can we ever love White Van Man? | Life and style |work=[The Guardian](/source/The_Guardian) |date=2006-07-07 |access-date=2013-08-05}} According to this stereotype, the "white van man" is typically an independent tradesperson, such as a [builder](/source/Construction_worker), [plumber](/source/plumber) or [locksmith](/source/locksmith), self-employed, or running a small enterprise, for whom driving a commercial vehicle is not their main line of business, as it would be for a professional freight-driver.{{cite web|last1=Shaw|first1=Esther|title=Watch out for White Van Man!|url=http://www.moneysupermarket.com/car-insurance/blog/watch-out-for-white-van-man/|publisher=[Moneysupermarket.com](/source/Moneysupermarket.com)|access-date=22 July 2015|date=25 April 2013}} The "white" refers to the archetypal and most common colour of the van, not the driver himself. ==Usage== The first recorded use in the British press was in an article titled "Number is up for White Van Man – scourge of the road." published by ''[The Sunday Times](/source/The_Sunday_Times)'' on 18 May 1997 and written by Jonathan Leake, that paper's then-transport editor. Later in 1997, it was used by [BBC Radio 2](/source/BBC_Radio_2)'s [Sarah Kennedy](/source/Sarah_Kennedy). She was made honorary president of the First [Ford Transit](/source/Ford_Transit) Owner's Club in 2005.[http://www.carpages.co.uk/ford/ford-transit-03-06-05.asp carpages.co.uk – Ford Transit Owners Club] ''[The Sun](/source/The_Sun_(United_Kingdom))'' newspaper ran a regular "White Van Man" column for some years;{{When|date=July 2016}} in the column, the driver of a light goods vehicle was interviewed in his van on the issues of the day. These columns were accompanied by a picture of whichever driver had been interviewed leaning out of his cab.{{cn|date=July 2016}} The term was used in 2010 as part of [road safety campaigns](/source/Road_Safety) by the [Freight Transport Association](/source/Freight_Transport_Association).{{cite web|url=http://www.handyshippingguide.com/shipping-news/freight-transport-association-warns-white-van-man-of-overloading-freight-dangers_1867 |title=Freight Transport Association Warns White Van Man Of Overloading Freight Dangers – Latest industry shipping news from |publisher=The Handy Shipping Guide |date=2010-06-24 |access-date=2013-08-05}} ==See also== * [Essex man](/source/Essex_man) * [Pickup truck](/source/Pickup_truck) * [The man on the Clapham omnibus](/source/The_man_on_the_Clapham_omnibus) * [The Man in the White Van](/source/The_Man_in_the_White_Van) ==References== {{Reflist}} ==External links== * [https://www.bbc.co.uk/archive/working/5037.shtml BBC Radio 4 documentary on White Van Man Speaks] * [http://philica.com/display_observation.php?observation_id=10 Academic study of white van overtaking habits around cyclists by Dr Ian Walker] * [http://www.sirc.org/publik/white_van_man.html SIRC report: White Van Man] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120606170753/http://www.sirc.org/publik/white_van_man.html |date=2012-06-06 }} {{DEFAULTSORT:White van man}} Category:Culture of the United Kingdom Category:Stereotypes of the working class Category:English phrases Category:Stereotypes of working-class men Category:Social class in the United Kingdom Category:Socioeconomic stereotypes --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [White van man](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_van_man) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_van_man?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.