Not getting a sense of a MINI community on the road
1st Gear
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 11
Likes: 0
From: Atlanta, GA
I just got my 05 MCS here in Atlanta, and I've given and received some good waves in the first week. I was merging onto the I-85 yesterday and had an woman in an indi blue cooper honk and enthusiastically wave while her teenage daughter just laughed. It made my day!
5th Gear
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 1,054
Likes: 0
From: USA
Is it just me, or do other Mini drivers not like waving/flashing their headlights at other Minis on the road? I noticed most other people driving Minis around here are, for lack of a better term, yuppies, but even the younger Mini drivers don't seem to acknowledge me.
Maybe it's just the people in MA. Minis seem to be oversaturated here. I don't see nearly as many in NY, so maybe the community is better there. Or maybe I'm a fool for wanting to wave to other Mini drivers, but with other cars I've owned, there seemed to be more of a community on the road. Maybe the Mini is just too common for that up here.
Maybe it's just the people in MA. Minis seem to be oversaturated here. I don't see nearly as many in NY, so maybe the community is better there. Or maybe I'm a fool for wanting to wave to other Mini drivers, but with other cars I've owned, there seemed to be more of a community on the road. Maybe the Mini is just too common for that up here.
Neutral
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 7
Likes: 0
you know, i have to agree with you! i live in orlando florida and every time i pass fellow mini drivers i always waved and flashed my lights and the looks i get...well let just say they were not friendly ones. the first few years of driving minis were different, i get waves, flashing lights or honks from smiling faces behind the wheels all the time. maybe they didnt read the pamphlets, i dont know.....perhaps they need a course in mini etiquite (sp) 101....
2nd Gear
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 69
Likes: 0
From: SoCal
Not all younger drivers are so oblivious!
I know around my area there is a pretty well modded mellow yellow R53 with a white roof that waves and flashes its lights at me. I love the whine of the super charger...LOVE IT.
Anywho..back on topic. I wave and give the thumbs up to many a MINI. Personally, it saddens me that people buy a MINI for the gas millage only..
Go get in a Yaris Foo's!
No but seriously...I've been known to leave a card on a couple minis that say "Lets acknowledge our fellow motoring go-karts and keep the spirit of all that is MINI alive. Let's be nimble. Lets Be Quick. Let's get united. Brought to you by the Save The Wave foundation."
Am I obsessed? No.
I believe it's love! Though...I could be wrong.
I also want to give a shout out to a SCMM MINI who stopped at a mobil gas station a couple days ago in a little town called westlake. I didn't get a chance to wave back! (I'm the dark sliver w/black roof you honked at!)
I know around my area there is a pretty well modded mellow yellow R53 with a white roof that waves and flashes its lights at me. I love the whine of the super charger...LOVE IT.
Anywho..back on topic. I wave and give the thumbs up to many a MINI. Personally, it saddens me that people buy a MINI for the gas millage only..
Go get in a Yaris Foo's!
No but seriously...I've been known to leave a card on a couple minis that say "Lets acknowledge our fellow motoring go-karts and keep the spirit of all that is MINI alive. Let's be nimble. Lets Be Quick. Let's get united. Brought to you by the Save The Wave foundation."
Am I obsessed? No.
I believe it's love! Though...I could be wrong.
I also want to give a shout out to a SCMM MINI who stopped at a mobil gas station a couple days ago in a little town called westlake. I didn't get a chance to wave back! (I'm the dark sliver w/black roof you honked at!)
3rd Gear
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 227
Likes: 0
From: Charleston SC
Absolutely you are!!! 
(I didn't mean for that to sound prejudiced or anything, btw...I'm a young girl - depending on your definition - and I wave, it's just that most of them around here don't.)
(I didn't mean for that to sound prejudiced or anything, btw...I'm a young girl - depending on your definition
- and I wave, it's just that most of them around here don't.)
3rd Gear
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 227
Likes: 0
From: Charleston SC
[quote=SorryI'mTheDJ;2345396]No but seriously...I've been known to leave a card on a couple minis that say "Lets acknowledge our fellow motoring go-karts and keep the spirit of all that is MINI alive. Let's be nimble. Lets Be Quick. Let's get united. Brought to you by the Save The Wave foundation."[quote]
That's awesome
.
I rarely see parked Minis (imagine that ), but that's an awesome idea...
That's awesome
.I rarely see parked Minis (imagine that
), but that's an awesome idea...
3rd Gear
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 247
Likes: 0
From: Memphis, TN
I've seen it before; with VWs in the '60s, Peugeots & BMWs in the '70s... when they first come to the US they're unique, many people here have never seen one, and to own one makes you part of a small club of enthusiastic owners... only natural to feel enough comraderie with other owners to make you want to wave... sort of a "aren't we cool!" acknowledgement.
As more people bought these brands, and now MINIs, you see owners who are not necessarily the "early adopter" type and/or that enthusiastic about owning one... they bought them for many other reasons than we did. They don't "get it" or they don't see anything special about owning one... at least not nearly as much as you & me.
We can only hope that some of those who bought them for whatever reason will really discover their MINI, and "get it." Maybe some of the older MINI drivers mentioned above who always wave are also former VW/Peugeot/BMW owners from a generation ago, who've found a new way to "get it."
I'm starting to ramble and forgot what point I was trying to make, so I'll stop here... up too late last night with fireworks and out-of-town relatives!
As more people bought these brands, and now MINIs, you see owners who are not necessarily the "early adopter" type and/or that enthusiastic about owning one... they bought them for many other reasons than we did. They don't "get it" or they don't see anything special about owning one... at least not nearly as much as you & me.
We can only hope that some of those who bought them for whatever reason will really discover their MINI, and "get it." Maybe some of the older MINI drivers mentioned above who always wave are also former VW/Peugeot/BMW owners from a generation ago, who've found a new way to "get it."
I'm starting to ramble and forgot what point I was trying to make, so I'll stop here... up too late last night with fireworks and out-of-town relatives!
I think you must be traveling in another state. I live in MA and find over 75% of the Mini drives acknowledge me in some way or another.
Would i like it to be 100% yes but i do not think that will ever happen.
CT on the other hand has been horrible. I have been in CT for two days now and seen 17 Mini's (yes i counted them) and NOT ONE has waved or flashed lights or anything else.
mccs22004 - That is just not true. Have you attended MTTS or MOT or any of the other rally's/get togethers there is a lot of camaraderie. but by saying that yo ar probably one of the ones that does not wave or flash lights. So if i am in your area expect it from me.
I think the Mini Community is great and yes there willalswasy abe those that do not appriceiate it, but the majority will.
Niko Come out to north central MA and i will wave/flash lights you.
5th Gear
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 958
Likes: 0
From: San Antonio, Texas
Just Kidding.
hhhmm.. did i saw ya with 2 canoe on 84 west on friday daytime making a exit on farmingont ave?
i think u wave at me and i wave back.
i think u wave at me and i wave back. I think you must be traveling in another state. I live in MA and find over 75% of the Mini drives acknowledge me in some way or another.
Would i like it to be 100% yes but i do not think that will ever happen.
CT on the other hand has been horrible. I have been in CT for two days now and seen 17 Mini's (yes i counted them) and NOT ONE has waved or flashed lights or anything else.
mccs22004 - That is just not true. Have you attended MTTS or MOT or any of the other rally's/get togethers there is a lot of camaraderie. but by saying that yo ar probably one of the ones that does not wave or flash lights. So if i am in your area expect it from me.
I think the Mini Community is great and yes there willalswasy abe those that do not appriceiate it, but the majority will.
Niko Come out to north central MA and i will wave/flash lights you.
Would i like it to be 100% yes but i do not think that will ever happen.
CT on the other hand has been horrible. I have been in CT for two days now and seen 17 Mini's (yes i counted them) and NOT ONE has waved or flashed lights or anything else.
mccs22004 - That is just not true. Have you attended MTTS or MOT or any of the other rally's/get togethers there is a lot of camaraderie. but by saying that yo ar probably one of the ones that does not wave or flash lights. So if i am in your area expect it from me.
I think the Mini Community is great and yes there willalswasy abe those that do not appriceiate it, but the majority will.
Niko Come out to north central MA and i will wave/flash lights you.
OVERDRIVE
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 5,010
Likes: 11
From: Ridgefield, CT
I have to agree with your assessment though. CT is laden with MINIs and it is not at all uncommon for me to pass a dozen in a relatively short drive. Its rare to get a wave returned and when I do its from a MINI I recognize as folks that wave.
Dean.
Last edited by reelsmith.; Jul 5, 2008 at 09:39 AM.
maybe we shoudl chnage that...i wave whenever i see one
[QUOTE=reelsmith.;2345773][quote=schatzy62;2345542]
CT on the other hand has been horrible. I have been in CT for two days now and seen 17 Mini's (yes i counted them) and NOT ONE has waved or flashed lights or anything else.
If you'd have driven by me I would have made it 17 and 1.
I have to agree with your assessment though. CT is laden with MINIs and it is not at all uncommon for me to pass a dozen in a relatively short drive. Its rare to get a wave returned and when I do its from a MINI I recognize as folks that wave.
Dean.
[QUOTE=reelsmith.;2345773][quote=schatzy62;2345542]
CT on the other hand has been horrible. I have been in CT for two days now and seen 17 Mini's (yes i counted them) and NOT ONE has waved or flashed lights or anything else.
If you'd have driven by me I would have made it 17 and 1.
I have to agree with your assessment though. CT is laden with MINIs and it is not at all uncommon for me to pass a dozen in a relatively short drive. Its rare to get a wave returned and when I do its from a MINI I recognize as folks that wave.
Dean.
5th Gear
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 1,054
Likes: 0
From: USA
you know, i have to agree with you! i live in orlando florida and every time i pass fellow mini drivers i always waved and flashed my lights and the looks i get...well let just say they were not friendly ones. the first few years of driving minis were different, i get waves, flashing lights or honks from smiling faces behind the wheels all the time. maybe they didnt read the pamphlets, i dont know.....perhaps they need a course in mini etiquite (sp) 101....
5th Gear
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 1,054
Likes: 0
From: USA
Being at a MINI event is not equivalent to encountering a MINI during day-to-day driving. Of course people at MINI events are going to be more enthusiastic. When people are driving too/from work or just trying to get things done, there will be less enthusiasm.
I live in San Diego California and I try to wave to every minis as much as I can. The response rate has dropped from 75% since my ownership from 2006 to less than 50% these days. Some drivers don't even look my way when we pass by each other. I remember how my co-worker was surprised and delighted to learn that we have this waving thing in our community. And how he wished they had the same practice among his car community. And I take pride to be part of it. It's time MiniUSA to educate the new comers.
Where in SD are you? I see your new (post count) to NAM. Wanted to invite you to check out the West Coast Mini group. Great bunch of people. Welcome to NAM.
These european jerks dont wave either. To them its not a MINI its just a , method of transpo that keeps them more dry that theyre 50 year old metal fendered farhrad...bike.... The only ones who wave are my fellow Americans... The only europeans who wave are the Porsche and ferrari owners, but they dont count.
Neutral
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 7
Likes: 0
From: San Diego, CA
HI Bang, yea I am new to NAM although I registered my account here back in 07
. I am usually in around Clairemont Mesa to Mira Mesa area. And yes I'd love to check out the West Coast Mini group. You'll know it's me when you see a white MINI that's called cream soda waving at you
Recent Trip to Cape Cod
Is it just me, or do other Mini drivers not like waving/flashing their headlights at other Minis on the road? I noticed most other people driving Minis around here are, for lack of a better term, yuppies, but even the younger Mini drivers don't seem to acknowledge me.
Maybe it's just the people in MA. Minis seem to be oversaturated here. I don't see nearly as many in NY, so maybe the community is better there. Or maybe I'm a fool for wanting to wave to other Mini drivers, but with other cars I've owned, there seemed to be more of a community on the road. Maybe the Mini is just too common for that up here.
Maybe it's just the people in MA. Minis seem to be oversaturated here. I don't see nearly as many in NY, so maybe the community is better there. Or maybe I'm a fool for wanting to wave to other Mini drivers, but with other cars I've owned, there seemed to be more of a community on the road. Maybe the Mini is just too common for that up here.
On a recent trip through Upper Cape Cod, it was more like 75% of my waves were unresponsive.....
Was that you ?
I think you must be traveling in another state. I live in MA and find over 75% of the Mini drives acknowledge me in some way or another.
Would i like it to be 100% yes but i do not think that will ever happen.
CT on the other hand has been horrible. I have been in CT for two days now and seen 17 Mini's (yes i counted them) and NOT ONE has waved or flashed lights or anything else.
mccs22004 - That is just not true. Have you attended MTTS or MOT or any of the other rally's/get togethers there is a lot of camaraderie. but by saying that yo ar probably one of the ones that does not wave or flash lights. So if i am in your area expect it from me.
I think the Mini Community is great and yes there willalswasy abe those that do not appriceiate it, but the majority will.
Niko Come out to north central MA and i will wave/flash lights you.
Would i like it to be 100% yes but i do not think that will ever happen.
CT on the other hand has been horrible. I have been in CT for two days now and seen 17 Mini's (yes i counted them) and NOT ONE has waved or flashed lights or anything else.
mccs22004 - That is just not true. Have you attended MTTS or MOT or any of the other rally's/get togethers there is a lot of camaraderie. but by saying that yo ar probably one of the ones that does not wave or flash lights. So if i am in your area expect it from me.
I think the Mini Community is great and yes there willalswasy abe those that do not appriceiate it, but the majority will.
Niko Come out to north central MA and i will wave/flash lights you.
Nice. Bit off topic but Who services your MINI out that way ? You cant be driving all the way to Peabody.