I'm from MASS and I know we're regarded as "massoles" in our ways of driving but I would hope those of us that own Mini's would have the common courtosy to give a wave while passing by! Like 1 in 10 drivers will give me the complimentary "Nice to be in the club" wave! Or at least a head nod! Is it like that all over the country or just in my state? Some feedback would be nice...
~New Mini owner

 

Here in "Misery".....ummm I mean Missouri, we have our fair share of waivers, and then there are those that just bought a Mini because "everyone else had one" or "I saw my neighbor had one and just had to get one myself". I think it should be in the owners handbook, Everyone owning a Mini is required to wave at another Mini owner!

 

I know, right?! Thanks for your input!

 

There have been many posts about how waving has gone 'down' over the years--some due to the very reasons you've mentioned--in addition 2 the great gas price hikes that occurred in '08 and there seemed 2 be a mad dash for anything that got better gas mileage than the previously-popular SUVs, etc.

All we can do as MINI enthusiasts is keep the wave alive; try not 2 get too disheartened and give up. I wave at every MINI I see in my travels. Sometimes I see them wave back, sometimes I might not, depending on what's happening in front of me at that moment. Trust & believe, if I see u, I'm wavin'!

 

I rest my case!
See this post: https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ml#post2969598

 

ROFL!!! That was too funny!!!

 

I'm in Mass. as well, but do a fair amount of driving in NY too. I would say wavers are down below 50% these days, but I'm still trying to keep it alive.

 

I wish you would tell the rest of them in NYS...

 

Keep waving, I'm getting about 1 return out of 4 tries here in Utah.

 

Keep waving!!!

Boston has a lot of MINI owners not so much for the "MINI club", but just as a "small car". Those people have no idea of the social aspect, it seems.

but keep waving... have them ask a friend, or google "wierdo waved me in a MINI" and then let them learn!

 

Maybe 1:10 here...

 

Lots of minis in CT and I keep waving...with little response. But it's great to hear some of us are trying to keep it up. I was stuck behind a bus and watching the kids get off (wishing I wasn't stuck behind the stinky bus). This little boy turned around and gave me a big . I was shocked....this little boy about 6/7 years old is giving me a thumbs up. Holly smokes. Of course I waved back - completely shocked, since I can't get a mini owner to wave. That little boy made my week

 

I knew I had seen it in something that MINI was putting out about proper MINI etiquette, and after a brief search online, I found this in the "dictionary" at the end of a build sheet:

MINI-loha: The usually understated (yet sometimes
grossly enthusiastic) greeting MINI Owners give each other on
the road. Also called “MINI PDA,” this affection among MINI
Owners manifests itself in the form of a honk, headlight flash,
nod, wave or thumbs up.

It also talks about APBO (Always Park Bonnet Out), Phantom Parking, and a couple other MINI-related terms. Anyhow, a diligent MINI owner who has read what the manufacturer is putting out there should know what is expected of them, so there is no excuse from the non-wavers.

My personal waving policy is this: if I see that the other MINI driver has seen me, I will wave; if they've never looked my way (or are in a world of their own, as many Southern California drivers are), I don't bother. I would have to say that of the drivers who see me that I wave to, about half wave back, so not too bad.

 

Look for the bonnet stripes. You're far more likely to get a wave returned from the driver of a MINI with the stripes.

Not the results of a scientific study. Just personal observation.

 

MINIs have become too common is some areas for the wave. When a car has a certain level of rarity, everyone waves. As it becomes more common, fewer people wave. Happens with any car.

 

I only wave at the S models. Ive gotten a wave from only ONE non S driver since ive had my car. All the other waves are from S drivers. I can just tell when I pass by an enthusiast and wave at them. So far 100% of the time I have been right.

 

I wave whenever I see one! Sadly I'm more likely ot be a passenger in a Beetle, a Wrangler or a van than in my own MINI ... sooooo most of the time they're not returned. Get some funny looks though!

I think I've had three waves back since I've had my MINI (8 months in two days). Kind of a bummer, but hey! At least I got three!
(I've forced my dad to, whenever he drives my MINI, wave at other MINIs he sees. It's funny because you can tell he's quite embarrassed.)

 

I used to only wave at 1st gen MINIs.

 

I am in the Albany, NY area and wave at every MINI I see! I would say I get half or a little better waves back.


On the way back from buying the car (used at a non-MINI dealer), we saw two MINIs and waved just 'cause we were so happy to be motoring. We got waves back. It was only later that I found out MINI owners were instructed by MINI to wave at one another.


The MINI is very popular with kids in school buses. I get lots of waves and always wave back to them too. It usually starts with one kid waving and then a few others joining in.


I didnt get the memo about always parking bonnet out. I usually look for "pull through" spots so I end up bonnet out but I wonder why MINI wants us to park that way? I think our boots are mighty cute!


I swear I see more MINI's when I am in our Nissan Cube. I will forget I am not in the MINI and still wave. So, if in the Albany, NY area you see someone in a Cube waving, please wave back!

 

I have the exact same experience when I'm in my Scion xB. I don't wave at MINI's then, but I see so many compared to when I'm in the MINI. How do you like your Cube? Do you know about the MPG (MINI Performance Group) in Albany? If you take the MINI out tonight, probably should keep the top down unless you like frostbite!

 

veggievet--Sometimes I stop myself before I wave, but usually it just happens before I remember I am not in the MINI. The Cube is my husband's car and we both like it a lot. We were coming from a 2001 CRV and a 1996 Dodge Neon so both the Cube and MINI seem to be luxury vehicles compared to our previous cars! I have been to several of the MPG meetings and activities. We are planning on going Tuesday. Will you be there? If so see you then!

 

When I'm driving the xB, I can't possibly forget that I'm not in the MINI, no matter how hard I try! I wasn't sure if there was a meeting this Tuesday since they're having their 'souper' bowl party a week from tomorrow night. Do you know for sure?

 

veggievet--there is so much headroom in the Cube that it is easy to forget you are even in a car...and since I try to have the top down whenever possible, the MINI is often the same! (OK, I will admit the top has been up more than dropped lately but a girl can still dream...)

I just heard from Jamie yesterday and she made mention of a meeting on Tuesday so I assumed it was on but I havent received the usual email reminder.

I had emailed her about a MPG grill badge idea. I put in a thumbnail below. Is that something you would be interested in? They would be about $10 from Cooperflags.

 

I like the design of the badge, but the colors don't go with any of my MINI's, unfortunately. I'll catch you at one of the MPG meetings down the road.

 

I was thinking orange just because MINI tends to use that color in alot of their promotional stuff and merchandise. I dont have it in a format that would be an easy to change color right now. If I can get a clearer image of the general logo, I could change that but as it is right now, I had to go in and do a lot of pixel-by-pixel editing. My photo-editing program isnt the best for some things.