Posted on the wrong thread, I see?

 

That's too funny! I say jeoulousy!

 

Everybody is laughing this off but is there more to the story? I live in a Golf Course Community where there are usually a number of people out walking, riding a bike, walking their dogs, driving a golf cart, etc most of the day. A young lady in the neighborhood recently bought a black S that is quite gorgeous. She seems to love driving through the neighborhood at about twice the 30mph speed limit. I know they are fun and fast but in the right places!

 

I think if the OP was doing 60 in a 30mph zone they might have been honest enough to mention that here. LOL. And, IMO, putting a sign on someones car telling them to "slow down stupid" is just, well, stupid! If someone makes a habit of racing through your neighborhood at unsafe speeds, take down the license plate and call a cop.

 

I agree completely....nobody likes aggressive drivers on public roads. I gave up on that whole thing.

I think a note on the windshield is better than calling law enforcement...consider it fair warning and slow down!

 

I'm the OP.

The funny thing is that I believe I am a pretty conscientious driver, do mind the speed limits and in no way consider myself to be an aggressive driver. Speed a little on the highway (who doesn't) but nothing crazy (75 mph in 60 mph zone). Speeding in urban areas is a big no-no in my book.

There are lots of little kids on my street and in my neighbourhood and I find myself holding back speeders quite often - I quite enjoy it, actually.
I know that in the future, I'll be the old guy sitting on his front stoop brandishing his cane or walker and shouting at the "young punks" to slow down.

The only place I really open the MCS is when I'm on highway access ramps with no one in front of me. I like to get up to speed ASAP (and like to hear the supercharger scream, of course).

I really like seeing that many posters are concerned with public safety

 

Yeah, because somebody who gets a note on their windshield immediately obeys the note and slows down, rather than posting it on a public forum and laughing at it.

Seriously, if someone is doing 60 in a 30mph zone "where there are usually a number of people out walking, riding a bike, walking their dogs, driving a golf cart, etc most of the day" do something that may actually resolve the situation, notify law enforcement.

 

Hey I may own a mini, but I will double park like a bmw owner.

 

Always an option, but I think a note is a reasonable, less extreme, even more polite first step....yes, even if the word "stupid" is employed.

 

If there is a person consistently driving SIXTY MILES AN HOUR IN A 30 MILE AN HOUR ZONE WITH CHILDREN PRESENT, as the person above mentioned, I don't want you to be "reasonable, less extreme or POLITE." If the person runs over my kid, I won't be thanking you for the polite note you left on their windshield.

 

I suppose if we are talking consistently and at those (or any) extremes, sure....but my own assumption (perhaps I am wrong) is that the infraction was far, far less than this? I do know of neighborhoods where this sort of thing does go on repeatedly (sadly, via certain MINI owners) and there I think you are probably right about taking a much more direct approach, and for the exact reasons you mention.

Personally, the aggressive-driving-thing is something about general car culture that I detest and utterly refuse to participate in. I do not think it is amusing. Now at the track, that is another matter.

 

OK, I am going to back up on the 60 MPH. lol It is really hard to accurately judge speed when standing on the sidewalk as they go by. Never the less, their pace far exceeds what is safe and or normal.

On the other hand, there is nothing humorous about getting a note to slow down. If it was found at home, obviously it was a neighbor and if at work a co-worker. If someone took the time to do this, the OP is probably not as completely innocent as he claims.

As to jealously being the motivator, REALLY? A MINI? All my friends want to know when is business going to get better so I can buy a full car instead of a half one.

 

I started getting comments from people who had seen MINIs driven recklessly and these folks thought less of the car and it's culture because of it. This was back in 2003-2004. I guess this openned my eyes to the perspective of "the other guy" and I started noticing how uncalled for all this was, save on the track. I started using the MINIs superbly nimble handling to drive for accuracy and precision, not for speed or thrills at other's expense.

Drivers of other cars do this too, of course....I just hated seeing MINIs look down upon as a symbol of reckless driving. I'm sure most MINI drivers are quite sane behind the wheel....even the lunatics with JCWs.

 

What is easy and safe in a MINI sometimes looks dangerous to the uninitiated. Cornering at 30+ MPH is one such maneuver. I remember angry panic on the face of a guy at an intersection, who had thought he was going to be MINI-fodder. So now I tend to drive Molly like a Prius when other drivers or pedestrians are nearby; would hate to cause a panic accident while enjoying Molly's agility

 

We have two different infractions, the supposed infraction of the OP who got the note, and then the comment by jallen4 that "there are usually a number of people out walking, riding a bike, walking their dogs, driving a golf cart, etc most of the day. A young lady in the neighborhood recently bought a black S that is quite gorgeous. She seems to love driving through the neighborhood at about twice the 30mph speed limit. I know they are fun and fast but in the right places!"

Now for the OP, not only would I not say "call the police," I wouldn't put a note on his car either. Someone puts a note on my car the first thing I do is tear it up into little pieces and throw it to the wind. If I'm doing 75 on the freeway instead of 65 and you don't like that, you are invited to keep your opinion, and your notes, to yourself.

BUT, for the second one, if someone is actually driving that fast through a residential area that is serious. I am not going to guess how fast the person was really going, and trust me, I work at a law firm, I have been in court with an officer on the stand testifying about how fast a car was going when it passed him as he stood on the side of the road, and how heavily he was cross-examined. I am just going with what the poster said, and if that is the case, in California you could be charged with not just speeding, but reckless driving. If someone did that through my residential neighborhood a few times, I would have their license plate number and a cell phone in my hand very quick.

 

Totally agree

 

Ha...I had the exact same experience!!! I decided it was not worth causing terror even though the MINI wasn't even breaking a sweat.

 

Now that is interesting! I see where you are coming from on this...perhaps it is a regional thing. I would actually take the note to heart. Let's hope they feel the same in Canada (the note in the OP was sill intact)!

 

I hate to derail the thread, but I did find this truly interesting. Question to everyone, not just gokartride, if someone puts a note on your car telling you to slow down, would you take that to heart? And if so, why?

Maybe there is just too much 'tude in California? But the first thing I would think is "who died and made you speed monitor of the road?!"

Seriously, though, I know how to drive. Been doing it since I was 16 (that's 32 years to save everyone the math). If I am speeding, I made a conscious choice to do so, and I take the risk. I'm not reckless in traffic, but if I choose to drive over the speed limit in the left lane, why should anyone else have anything to say about it. If I get a ticket, its my own fault.

And if I see someone on the freeway speeding, I may think to myself "what a jacka**" (depending on how fast they are going), but even if I saw that same car parked later, I would never put a note on their car telling them to slow down. Who am I to tell them what to do?

So I'm curious, do I just have an attitude, or do other people think that way too? If someone left a note on your car, do you (a) pay attention to what they suggested, or (b) think its kind of cheeky and toss it?

Oh, and gokartride, my guess was the OP saved the note not because they valued the advice, but because they thought it was funny and wanted to post it on the site!

 

Yes, and it had surprisingly nice caligraphy for a note containing the word "stupid." Those Canadians!

FWIW, I would be somewhat embarassed to think that someone was bothered enough with my spirited driving to take time to handwrite a note (nevermind one that is fairly nicely done) and physically place it on my car without causing any damage. From what I have heard, MINIs have been keyed for less than this. Around here this would be considered a less in-your-face way of making a point....a somewhat neighborly shot-across-the-bow, so to speak.

That said, I live in Arlington and not Dallas (where the people are much more crazy). Why, here even the SUV drivers are friendly to MINIs!

I confess, I am visualizing the whole episode from my own particular vantage point. From the stories I hear, things can be quite different elsewhere.

 

My response would depend on the note. "You could have killed my son on his tricycle when you made that turn! Slow down!" would have me in shame. "White-haired idiots and their toys! Park it, old man!" would have me grinning, but abashed: What did I do

I would tape the note to my computer monitor. Sometimes, others are right.

 

Because about 3 weeks ago as I was leaving the parking lot at my place of employment a large 4X4 truck came roaring down the drive without any regard for other people in the parking lot.....I made a "mind note" of the truck and the driver.....so last night I got cut off on a four lane highway by the same truck who came right around me and roared up the off ramp....Yep...he definately needs the note.....nothing wrong with driving fast but it needs to be done in the appropriate place....residential streets...at intersections or parking lots are not appropriate......

 

Maybe someone with a little too much caffeine in their blood and time on their hands?

 

Maybe its because I live in Cal? Regardless of whether others might be right, I think its kind of dangerous to point it out. I guess as long as nobody saw you leaving a note, but if they did? Here? Tire iron to the head? A real shot and not just across your bow? People are nuts, and there is no longer any telling what they will do when you "politely" let them know they are doing something wrong. This is an example from the news today:

TOLD TO SLOW DOWN, FORT BRAGG DRIVER ALLEGEDLY TRIES TO RUN OVER FAMILY IN THEIR TENT

By Mary Callahan Press Democrat, Santa Rosa
Posted: 08/12/2011 08:26:39 AM PDT
Updated: 08/12/2011 08:28:38 AM PDT

A Fort Bragg woman who had been asked to drive more slowly because of young neighbors in the Wildwood Campground was so incensed she tried to run her car into a tent Wednesday in an attempt to kill the 2-year-old inside, authorities said.

The child's father, Richard Washburn, 29, was injured when Cheri Lynn Martin drove into their campsite, the Mendocino County Sheriff's Office said.

Martin, 52, was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder a short time after the incident, officials said. The toddler and her mother, Tiffany Washburn, 21, were uninjured, authorities said.

Sheriff's Capt. Kurt Smallcomb said Martin had been driving fast the night before in the parking lot of the campground off Highway 20, about two miles from Fort Bragg. She also ran over a child's bicycle, he said.

Martin is related in some way by marriage to the Washburns but was angered when they told her to drive more slowly and exercise caution because of children in the area, Smallcomb said. Martin and the Washburns have been living at the campground.

Throughout Tuesday night, Martin yelled repeatedly at the couple and threatened to kill their daughter, he said.

Wednesday around 6 a.m., the Washburns were in their tent when they heard a commotion and realized she was trying to run her car into the tent, authorities said.

Trees and other obstacles prevented her from reaching it, the sheriff's office said. Martin changed course and tried to ram the Washburns' car, but "she was definitely focused on the child," Smallcomb said.

Richard Washburn had left the tent by then and attempted to intervene; the car struck his legs, Smallcomb said. Washburn was taken to Mendocino Coast District Hospital for treatment.

Martin left the campground but was quickly apprehended on Highway 20 outside Fort Bragg, authorities said.

 

Holy smokes. That lady needs some serious time with a shrink.