This chapter explores the Accent Van strand of the Manchester Voices project – an innovative, mobile recording studio used to engage the public in conversations about language and identity across Greater Manchester. Travelling to each of the ten boroughs, the van served as both a data collection tool and a vehicle for public engagement. The chapter details how participants were interviewed about their linguistic identities, attitudes towards local accents, and perceptions of regional belonging. It outlines the collaborative and often unpredictable nature of conducting fieldwork in public spaces, including challenges posed by weather, logistics, and the Covid-19 pandemic. Drawing on the recorded interviews, the chapter identifies recurring themes such as pride, identity and authenticity, status and social class, and change. These narratives offer insight into how people position themselves linguistically and socially. The chapter demonstrates the value of informal, in-situ linguistic research that privileges people’s own reflections on who they are and how they speak.