US RHD: Good answers to silly questions
 

While driving my RHD Mini in the US, I get a lot of questions. Some I would consider silly. Today I came up with what I consider a great answer.

Q: "How do you drive that thing on the wrong side?"

A: "Just like everyone in England."

I can't count the number of times I get asked, "how much does that thing cost?" I answer that a couple of different ways. If I'm pissy I might answer, "that's kinda a rude question, isn't it?" or "anywhere from $2k to $20k"

So, what silly questions have you been asked and have you come up with any good answers?

Hey look, your steering wheel's on the wrong side"

Uhm, pardon me but my steering is on the RIGHT. Therefore, your's is wrong.

"you can drive that on the road"

its a car

I'm really looking forward to getting a RHD Mini someday. I just think it's quirky and therefore awesome and very fitting to the Mini style.

A few more:

Is that one of them electric cars?

Did you build that yourself?

How do you fit in that thing?

*In a Jeff Foxworthy voice* "Here's Y'r Sign!!" :lol:

Bill Engvall

Everyone asks me if it's for sale. I always ask them "Is there a for sale sign on it?"

Here's some I've gotten in the last few months:

"What kind of mileage does that get?"

"How fast does that go?" (followed by a snicker when they see the K&N on the 1275 carb)

"How many cylinders does that have?"

Comment, not a question: "Man, that thing looks dangerous - like a shopping cart with a body. I wouldn't drive that on the street". That was from one motorcyclist to another behind me at a stoplight.

Cheers,
Jeff

The steering wheel is on the wrong side?

DAMN .... thanks....I KNEW SOMETHING was wrong.

If I'm right and one of us is wrong, which one are you?

Can You drive that here? Is it legal to drive that? Is it hard to drive like that?

Your mailman does it every day doesn't he?

I'm a mail carrier and you're making me think postally.....stand back

What does it cost / Is it for sale?

Everything is for sale....the question is how active are negotiations. What's your offer?

Where do you get your tires?

John Deer lawn tractors.

I say $25,000 and it is yours :)

My pickup is not RHD but while filling up with gas one day I heard a voice from behind me ask is that one of them peddle cars?
With out even turning around I said no I use a windup key!:)

oh here are a few....
How much gold can you get in the back of it? (props for orig italian job ref)
A: obviously not enuf since it still needs work
Hey its a vw rabbit!
A: that clown was almost slapped by his friends for the blasphemy
I dont know if i can fit in that thing!(girl overheard at a euro car show, most vw's but the classic stole the show lol)
A: after she sat in it she was blown away by the optical illusion of size...course her bf was a bit jealous since she kept going on about the mini all day long and scoffed at him when he tried to bring up his GTI in a conversation lol

My honda can beat that thing!(ricer overheard at a car meet)
A:well i hope so sparky since the engine is only a 1L...which is another draw to it since the ricers dont belive a 1L engine existed

Here are my two favorites:

"Hey the steering wheel is on the wrong side!"
No-it is on the right side. (that makes them think a little)

And the best one:

"How many clowns can you fit in that little car?"
I don't know-go get the rest of your family and we will find out!
Eric

I LOVE this thread as I've been a Mini owner for about two weeks now, and the questions have already gotten old. I was actually thinking about getting license plates that say "NO CLWNS"!!

I had one, "I'd be afraid to fart next that thing, it might knock it over!"

In my area of the country almost no one has seen an old mini. 59, right hand drive, british plates 776 OAF, full union jack roof, 850 cc engine. Everyone wants to know what I do with that thing? I tell everyone I'm a rural mail carrier and I'm waiting for them to shorten the mailbox posts. Next question
is what kind of engine does it have? answer is Lycoming.

hehe good posts. i would LOVE a RHD and wouldnt have it any other way!

I hate it when people ask me how much it costs. So freaking rude.

I always tell them 20,000 and then they shut up and walk away.

Well, you see, I put the steering wheel on the other side as a safety feature. That way the food from the drive-thru is cooler when it gets to me, and I don't get burned like the pickle lady....
I get a lot of smart aleck rednecks locally
-That thang gotta V8?
"No, I don't like tomatoes"

How many clowns you'uns got in there?
"I haven't checked under the seats, how many teeth you got in your head?"

That thang electric?
"yeah, I just put gas in it cause I like the smell..."

Is it legal to drive something like that?
"No, but you're the first one to catch me.."

Is that one of them bugs?
(to make matters worse, this question was asked in a parking lot with three VW beetles!)
"SMACK!"

How do you fit in that thang?
"Well, first I take off the velcro holding my legs on..."

It is always fun when you convince the largest guy in a group to climb in, when all his buddies can't believe an average size guy like me fits.

JEEZ guys... If you don't want to get a lot of questions about your car, drive a Ford Focus. I guarantee that NOBODY is gonna ask you questions at stoplights or gas stations in one of those. :lol:

Generally the only people that ask me flat-out how much my car cost me either preface it with a polite "If you don't mind me asking...?" or they tell me that they've been looking for one for themselves and are wondering what it's going to cost them. In such cases, I always tell them the numbers - after all, the goal is to get MORE Mini drivers in my town, not less. When driving around town in our beloved lil' cars, we are all ambassadors for the Motoring lifestyle... :)

I'm not complaining about the questions just sometimes they're really stupid ones....

I have no problem with people as you describe and certainly don't expect everyone to know as much about the car as I do. It's the rudeness that bothers me and and that pretty much applies to this situation and any other situation, really.

I don't even have a classic, and I get:
"Where'd you get that?"
I didn't even answer since the dealership was less then 50ft away...