No. The MINI really has been in the U.S. for a number of years--since 2002. It is now 2008.

People getting worked up about not being acknowledged while driving sounds symptomatic of some sort of self-importance, such as only-child syndrome. That being the case, contrary to what some seemed to have been raised to believe, other drivers really are not obligated to care about any one of us just because we drive MINIs. Given the economy, some MINI drivers have more important things to worry about than whether every Justin/Brittany/Courtney/Megan/Shauna/whatever driving a MINI feels that the world loves him or her enough.

 

I think it's reasonable to believe the following:

- Don't expect other MINI drivers to wave first.
- Don't expect that you will be able to wave at every MINI you see. (You might be paying attention to more important things. Driving, for instance.)
- That having been said, basic courtesy suggests that if someone says "hi," you at least say "hello" back. This transcends MINI ownership. However, if you are the one waving first, don't expect a wave-back (see second point above).

 

Yes. You are right here. Up until this year it was very much a niche car -- and remains so at the moment (perhaps not for long with fuel prices what they are).

While I agree that people shouldn't get upset about not being waved at (heck..most of the time I'm paying so close attention to driving that I don't notice what others are driving unless they are in my driving radius), you are taking it to a more antagonistic level when you make comments like that.

First part is again true -- no obligation there. But second part again antagonistic.

Paired with this -- and you are borderline trolling. This is a community website, where people come to create a community for this car. Why shouldn't they have camraderie here?

 

Well, hell. I wave at every MINI I see (have since 2002), and will continue to do so. Those that don't like it can drive with their eyes closed so it doesn't bother 'em. I even smile at people I don't know. Payin' it forward every chance I get.

 

More of the pattern I've been seeing since Mark's attempt to temper the tone of the site--members employ terms like "trolling" when responding to posts that disagree with theirs to try to establish cause to get others put on hiatus. Sad and bad for the site. I hope such obvious attempts at moderator manipulation soon become unfashionable.

Either intentionally or not, you have taken that quote way out of context. The discussion was about MINI drivers acknowledging each other while driving their cars, not about this website .

 

Man, someone got up on the wrong side of the bed. Talk about grouchy...

I gave up waving 3 years ago...MINIs are ubiquitous here, and no-one waves anymore. I'm so used to not waving, that if someone does, I usually am so taken aback that I forget to wave back..

 

Do I really need to re-quote the three things I had issue with?

"symptomatic of some sort of self-importance, such as only-child syndrome"

"Given the economy, some MINI drivers have more important things to worry about than whether every Justin/Brittany/Courtney/Megan/Shauna/whatever driving a MINI feels that the world loves him or her enough. "

"People are sick of that faux camaraderie crap."

You could honestly have just said "you know there's a larger install base so there is a growing number of people that aren't aware of or aren't a part of our community". Instead you chose to take the tired old 'hey-I'm-cool-on-the-internet-because-I-can-belittle-people-by-trying-to-sound-intellectual-while-doing-it' approach. It's trolling.

 

Yeah, no reason to get surly......no one is really getting bent out of shape about waving, people do what they do...I think deep down we all recognize that. I do also think it is fair to foster some sense of MINI community out there, though, I don't care how long the MINI is around. In light of this, one may or may not find a lot of folks who are into this....and inevitably people vent about it here (where there is some level of MINI community). No harm done.

 

Vacationing in San Fran. You'd literally wreck trying to wave at all the MINI's out here. 1 in every 10 cars is a MINI (not exaggerating).

 

Were I'm from, we wave at everyone, regardless of what anyone is driving. The plates there say, Friendly Manitoba But now that I have moved, there is very little waving, MINI or otherwise, but I still wave. You can take the rural Canuck out of Canada, but you can't take the Canuck out of him, eh

Mark

 

Hey, I wave at you

What about the day, 3 MINIs drove by the house & they ALL waved at you & you weren't even in the MINI Us Yanks aren't all bad

Lois

 

I was referring to folks in general waving, more MINIs than not wave back around here. And when you wave at me, I always wave back

Mark

 

 

Uuum, not feelin' the love here, Mark...

 

ngwiebing, I am sorry if i missed your wave back and miss spoke here in this thread. I apologize. I will ask my gf if she remembers you waving.

What color Mini were you driving?

reelsmith, I don't get down to the Ridgefield area very often, it's been at least ten years now and i don't see my self getting down that way anytime soon but take this post a virtual wave . But i do hope to see you on the road someday so i can get a real wave in.

Actually I go to Mini of Boston for service. With a new Mini and free service for 3 years it gives me a day in Boston to have fun. It's only about 55 miles so if I leave the house at 6am I am at the dealer at 7am when they open and then i walk down to the Boston Common and have breakfast, take in some sightseeing, then walk up Newbury Street do some window shopping, get ideas for christmas projects etc. and back to the dealer mid afternoon and off I go to get home before the rush multi hour traffic.

 

20+ years ago when Harleys were hitting the road in big fashion, everyone waved. Now it's like what we're experiencing with the Mini. The masses don't share the passion. I do still wave whether on the Harley or in the Mini. Do I get irked when the wave is not returned?--nah. It's simply a friendly greeting. Remember whenever you wave, you are the class act. If the wave is returned, they join your act.

 

I have to agree with Buzzsaw, over 25 years ago weather it was a Harley, or Porsche people waved, Then it kind of stoped for a while. I still wave weather on the bike or in the Porsche but it is not what it was years ago. I have only had my Mini for 2 months and every one I see I wave at, I have to say here in NJ almost everyone I see waves back even on the highhway at 75 MPH I have had people wave.
I dont think age matters ,young or old some of us middle age people were as I said waving years ago with other cars. Some people just loves cars and make them personal, (that is me, every ride I have had and it is over 20 has been made personal )Others buy the car as a need and dont understand or want to understand the culture behind it. I think that is what is going on right now, with the price of gas over 4 and close to 5 in some area's and the Mini in the top 5 for MPG, you are going to see more and more on the road. As I said earlier I wave at everyone,, if they flash or wave back great, if not I dont care. I enjoy my car everyday, weather I am heading to work at 2 AM or just out for a drive, I look foward to getting behind the wheel meeting new people and doing some events. The car is excellent, dont get me wrong, but it is always the people who make a great club.
Its all good for me

 

It's just a car, not a cultural identity.

Do you wave if you see someone wearing the same shoes as you?

 

The car/brand does have a cultural identity, is iconic, and waving to others has been historically established as a part of that culture. I don't think that can be reasonably denied. The same cannot be said for shoes, no matter how iconic the shoes may be, so I do not recognize the validity of that analogy. As has been pointed out, waving is a part of Harley/biker culture and Porsche culture.

Now, whether people choose to be a part of it or not is another matter. People can choose to treat it as just a car, but I do think there should at least be some level of appreciation for the history of the marque. As the car becomes more mainstream, it is natural that it loses some of what made it unique--but I would not go so far as to deny it ever had a cultural identity in the first place.

 

Have you ever heard of another car company putting out an owners manual that suggests waving at other owners of the same vehicle. If so i would like to see one.

The mini is an iconic car.

The "Italian Job" would not be such a great movie if it was not for the Mini. Either the original or the remake.

How many other cars would have worked in "The Bourne Identity" - None.

George Harrison and John Lenon drove one in "The Magical Mystery Tour"

Peter Sellers owned one that was used in the movie "A Shot In The Dark" again a different car would not have worked.

And then just look at the customization of the Mini. No other car can come close.

 

Don't forget winning Monte Carlo more than once--that's worth a lifetime of me waving in itself.

 

That one is just to obvious, as is the fact that there were over 5.3 million sold. The largest by far in the british isles.

and don't for get Mr Bean

and sitting in the garage of finely crafted cars in "Lara Croft - Tomb Raider"

and "Goodbye Pork Pie" from New Zealand

and...... How many more should we name?

Oh and then we have famous owners Steve McQueen, Enzo Ferrari and the likes

Shall I go on?

 

Mark

 

I doubt people who wear walmart shoes would but... if I saw another woman wearing the same Christian Louboutin's heels I paid $600 (and change) for, I'd probably be annoyed for a couple of second then I would nod and acknowledge her good taste!

 

Man it must be a b***h to heel-toe in those things.

My wife once tried to drive in her similar McQueen's with disastrous results.