I am going to try the flicking of the rear fog now! Could've used that last night on the humongous Ford truck that wanted to ride inside of the hatch.

I wish I had a LED sign I could put messages with in my rear window. BACK OFF BUB!!!! lol.

 

I totally agree on that one! I drive past the giant 'Welcome to Disney World' sign every morning on my way to work and let me tell you more than few people start to break and cut across 3 lanes of traffic in a panic because they just have to stop a get a photo in front of it. Great place to stop on a 4-lane highway in the middle of traffic. grrrr!

 

I've had my MINI for 3 years and have never noticed a diffference in other drivers' aggressiveness whether I'm in it or my Tahoe. Maybe people around here are a bit more polite behind the wheel.

 

Can't say that people drive any more aggressively around the Mini then other cars I've had. Actually the BMWs we've had seemed to bring out the racer guys more.

 

Basic sentence structure, spelling, and grammar apparently not being taught in Kansas notwithstanding, the point that some MINI drivers might have victim mentalities is probably a valid one. It is not unusual to feel besieged when surrounded by >=5000 lb SUVs while driving.

 

Maybe some of them are just trying to get a look at our cute cars?

 

Wow, that's exactly what I've experienced...that "must pass the MINI" thinking must be everywhere!

 

I had a '95 325i before my mini and everyone and their mother (not kidding, soccer moms in vans) wanted to race me off a stop light. I gave it to my dad when I got the mini and recently detailed it for him. At the first light while driving home to give it back guess what? A escort is taking off from the light peeling out and ragging the hell out of his engine to beat me to the next light. I just don't get it.

edit: I invite this to happen when I get a e36 M3 and turbo it.

When I drove a bonneville nobody even gave me a second glance.

 

I want to mount this but I don't know if it's kosher in WI...also, maybe it would just invite more trouble.

 

OMG I SOOOO WANT THAT! Hey I grew up there in WI. You staying thawed out up there?

 

There is a valid reason why Mini drivers will sometimes move in front of SUV's and the like: So they can see the bloody road! I myself hate being stuck behing a rolling wall, whose reflexes I will have to depend on because I can't see what's up ahead. In a normal sized car, you can see ahead, even by looking through the windows of the other car. Not so with an SUV, PU, or Mini Van.

 

I have noticed that aggressive driving increases around me when I am driving my MINI MCC. I drive my wife's minivan sometimes (like when I have to pick up a bunch of kids from school) and have noted a fairly big difference.

for example...

The other day, about 5:30AM I am on my way to work. Its two lanes on either side of a divided road. I am sitting alone at a stoplight with some guy in a Dodge Neon (ohhh ahhh!!) to my left. The light turns green he PEEEEELS out, bolting off like a scared cat. Okay ...no big deal. So what. I am sure he impressed the heck out of himself in his ...Dodge Neon (ohhh ahhh!!). But a couple of miles down the road, as we both approached the next stop light, he is about a car-length in front of me, slowing down for the red light and suddenly ...BAM! he jumps into my lane directly in front of me causing me to brake hard (love the brakes on these MINIs!!) and slide left into HIS lane in order to miss him.

There was no traffic, no ...anything. The butthead just wanted to demonstrate that he was in front of me (as if I was supposed to care or be impressed by him and his, ..y'know Dodge Neon - ohh ahh!!)...at the risk of an accident, and possibly injury.

I guess some people have to proove something to themselves in their, y'know ...Dodge Neons (ohh ahh!!)

oh brother...

-B

.

 

Pretty funny that he decided to prove himself against a car that has another dodge neon engine inside

 

I've noticed that I have to deal with more 'racers' with my JCW than with my previous Cooper. I guess that the 'racer' folk see a hood scoop and decide that I want to race.

Just the other day, I had a GTI catch up to me when I entered a highway, then proceeded to pull up to me, blast past me, slow down until I caught up, then raced past me all over again. Annoying!!


-Paul!

 

One thing I love about my early MINI is that if I am so inclined, I can flip up the plastic piece that covers the rear wiper arm mounting nut. It also contrains the washer nozzle. Beneath the cover, in the center of the wiper shaft, is the fitting that transfers the washer fluid to the nozzle in the cap. The fitting looks like a grease fitting, with a smallish hole in the center. Periodically it's a good idea to flip up the nozzle/cover to clean out crud that seems to accumulate there.

But why is this related to the topic at hand, you say?

The exposed fitting is at the perfect angle to completely douse a following car with washer fluid at the touch of a button (okay, a twist of a ****).

 

I would figure such behavior was brought on by the other drivers seeing your jaunty beret and assuming you to be a spirited motorer.

 

There was a woman in the DC/VA area who was prosecuted in court for chucking her fountain soda at another driver, apparently it went IN the other car's window! (lol) So be careful if you decide to hurl Slurpees! Though I would be seriously impressed if anyone managed to rig a "desktop trebuchet" to their dash that could fling rotten cherry tomatoes upwards out of the roof to hit the car behind. That would be most impressive!

 

For every problem there is a engineering solution. Give me the weekend.

In fact, I think you can buy those already, let me look around.

edit: well that was easy

http://www.firebox.com/index.html?di...1767&src_t=wnp

 

Muhahahaha I knew someone here would accept the challenge! Yup, I've seen those toys marketed for us office grunts, now wouldn't that look sweet on your dash?

 

Hey Greatbear,

Sorry to derail the topic, but I hope you don't mind - I used one of your MINI photos (cruising down the mountain road with significant other) as my screensaver! AWESOME SHOT!!!

Now on to topic. Don't worry MINI owners, when I drive my AMG, I make sure I tailgate those SUVs...they shouldn't be in the fast lane to begin with. And I get tailgates from Porsche owners all the time. All in all, it really does happen to all car owners.

I think a better idea is to put a bumper sticker, "If you can read this, I hope to God you have car insurance!"

 

MINI forum. People talking about MINIs. MINIs are small cars. Need medication?

 

I commute on a two lane, winding mountain road with no passing zones and a scarcity of pullouts. The road is so twisty that many drivers can't maintain the speed limit. People often pull over for faster cars. When I'm driving the truck, I often pull over half a dozen times in the 15 or so miles.

I have noticed people make way for the MCS less often than they did for the (slightly slower) bimmer I used to drive. I'd like to tell some of these folks, "no really, the Mini is a little faster than your Jeep".

 

+1!

 

I think Stupid.com sells trebuchets that hurl cattle and pigs and scream "Fetchez les vaches!"

 

Ooooooh! I like this idea, mauberley!!





Here's a cute mini-catapult from www.acornonline.com! You can be tough and fling peanuts at tailgaters!