Hey all,

Was just curious if I'm alone in this feeling/experience, or if others have noticed it as well. I've had my MINI for a week and change now and I can't help but feeling like I've noticed more road rage type incidents directed my way than any other car I've had before. This isn't my first new car, it isn't my first small car, and it isn't my first performance oriented car, nor have my driving habits changed, but I've either had some bad luck for the first week and change, or the MINI is just a target for more road rage. I'm not talking about "fear for your life" type road rage, just the more common stuff.

I'm really not an aggressive driver in day-to-day situations. I don't send out post cards and wait for a reply to merge or change lanes, but I definitely don't cut people off and I don't wait until the lane's end where I'm riding in the shoulder to do my merge, I give people room and don't tailgate, I let people over when I can, etc. When it comes to the 2 lane "back roads", I only pass when it's safe and if the driver ahead of me is legitimately doing under the speed limit (if they are driving the speed limit in the straights and crawling through the corners I pull over and wait a few minutes to get clear road rather than passing and being reckless), etc. I just feel like I've been heavily tailgated, mean mugged, prevented from merging, cut off, etc, with way more frequency in the MINI than other cars I've had.

I was thinking people might see a car like the MINI and make any one of the numerous presumptions about the driver and get pissed if you pass them, try to merge, etc.

Run of bad luck, coincidence, or real thing?

 

I've noticed it also and kept it to myself thinking that it was my imagination. That changed and now I'm pretty sure It's not.

 

Do people just think it's no problem bullying the little guy/gal on the road?

 

Glad to know I'm not alone, lol .

Not sure, but that very well could be it, especially when you live in an area that is obsessed with massive jacked up trucks and SUVs and/or muscle/pony cars like I do. I honestly don't let it get to me too much when I'm by myself and was just sort of curious if anyone else noticed it, but if I've got my wife or my 2 kids in the car with me and it happens it really rubs me the wrong way.

 

What area of the universe are you driving in. It's kind of similar to when a semi wants to take my lane, no matter what car I'm in I defer. Don't really note the issue so much with the large Countryman but I do remember it from motorcycle days.

 

Southeast Virginia (Hampton Roads area). I too used to ride and it sort of feels like that. Almost like people are pissed that you're small and agile, or they think that you think you're special because of your vehicle and want to show you that you aren't or something off the wall like that.

 

This area is just chock full of bad drivers, hot heads and complete idiots. I feel it quite often around here too, more so on my motorcycles than in the MINI, but it's definitely there then too. As bad as traffic is here in NoVa, it's no wonder there are so many angry drivers...

 

As pointed out in a thread in a forum in a galaxy far-far away, a driver's permit is much to easily gained in this country. About all you need is a pulse to get one. Take a peek at what a German DL requires and what little it takes to lose it. An old saying from my granpa's era; 'If it cost's nothing it will mean even less to you'.

 

I live in an area with the following:

1. 1%ers who think that nothing else in the world could possibly ever matter as much as they do. They drive Lexuses and Cadillacs on the low end, but there's a fair number of Teslas, Porsches, and the like around.

2. Transplants from around the country who have moved to the DC area for their first "real" job (read: that mommy or daddy got them at a law firm, lobbying firm, or even elected official with whom they have connections). They almost invariably drive a three year old BMW sedan that they bought after its first owner's lease was up.

3. Helicopter parents who will literally murder you if they think you made little Timmy 23 seconds late for his 17th extracurricular of the day. They fall into two distinct categories: the bloated SUV driver who wouldn't even think twice about running you off the road and the Prius driver who is judging you as they try to kill you.

There are a few other dangers on the road, like the van driver for elderly members of a church or, well, the elderly members themselves who like to go 25 mph in the fast lane, but for the most part, these folks are benignly dangerous and aren't actively trying to kill you.

 

I noticed immediately after purchasing our R53 that it seemed to be a magnet for tailgating and general intimidation by all sorts of mouth breathers. In an attempt to lessen the tailgating, I installed this: http://www.waymotorworks.com/3rd-bra...ulsar-kit.html and it has helped. Nothing replaces the simple "see and avoid" for basic road safety.

 

Right now I dont have a Mini. (researching in the hopes of buying one soon. Might test drive tomorrow)
I do have a 1 ton 4x4 diesel dodge and a Harley. I also am a Truck Driver ( Im talking the big ones) I often notice the phenomenon being discussed while riding the bike. I think it may just be an increased sensitivity to bad drivers because of feeling vulnerable. I notice bad driving in the big truck, but it doesnt bother me as much because if they crash with me more than likely they will die but Ill be fine. Same with the P/U. But on the bike if they crash with me I'll die.
I think you might be perceiving the same sort of feeling behind the wheel of the mini.

 

MINIs attract bad behavior from homophobes.

 

That is the one thing I loved about my MINI, it pisses people off.

 

A certain demographic gets easily offended if you have the audacity to pass them, usually resulting in tailgating but occasionally the idiot tries to follow you around the next turn to their hilarious regret.

I've also received my fair share of homophobic remarks, perhaps speaking to the aforementioned imagined affront.

Then you have the "I'm going to push you out of the way because I'm in a big car" bafoons, or the ones who can't be bothered because your driving a "toy" car.

Is it any wonder I tend to drive a little faster than the flow of traffic, that way the craziness is only coming from the front instead of from all sides.

Even with all that I would never give up my MINI.

Drive defensively and try not to let it get to you.

 

I'll give my two cents on this question.

I believe that driving in a small car makes everything feel a little closer and thus it will feel that often people are intentionally tail gating when in fact they just do stupid things as usual, but the perception of distance feels different, and other vehicles feel closer. I'm a strong believer that keeping your distance is more important than speed, but somehow no one seems to have gotten the memo.

Secondly, I do think some large vehicle drivers, especially pickup trucks and large square SUV have taken a bad bus driver habit. If you've been on a bus a few times you know that the ability for the bus driver to stop very close to the car in front of them is very tempting from increased visibility. Now buses don't drive fast, have very good brakes (in proportion to the load they must handle), and cannot accelerate quickly. So it is no big deal for them. But drivers of pickups and boxy SUV get that similar temptation while they can do all these other things. That's a bad combination imo.
My wife got rear ended this last winter exactly because a pickup truck thought he could get close and then didn't have the brake power to stop on time (with cold wintery conditions where average tires hardens and loose grip). He blamed failing brakes. Right...
It's quite frustrating.

Other than those two points I don't feel especially more targeted by road rage in the MINI than in other cars. To me it's more an issue of increased perceptions and people's bad driving habits.

If anything I'm ashamed to say that sometime I might be the one who's more agressive (in terms of flowing and working with traffic). The rush hour has increasingly brought the worse of me over the years to a point where it makes me want to stop driving all together at times. But being in the MINI makes it sometime quicker and easier to merge, pass, push your way in, etc... because of the small size

Anyway my 2 or more cents

 

I just recently experienced a classic example of road rage on I-35 in KC during rush hour. A very large pickup was indignant to the fact that we were ahead of him and after several minutes of counting the bent fins in his radiator and listening to his maniacal attempt to shorten the life of his horn, we had to take evasive action to avoid him swerving at us as he passed. Was it our size that provoked this knuckle dragging psychopath, hard to say. But in my advanced stage of longevity I do dutifully subscribe to one of many of Sir Alec Issigonis's design philosophies for his original Mini--it is far easier to avoid an accident than to survive one. Hence our MINI continues to prove that better than any other auto for the money. For that I truly thank my lucky stars.

 

After riding a motorcycle for over 60 years I developed a strong inclination to be a defensive driver. I've pretty much driven small cars most of my life and I haven't noticed any difference with my MINI than I experienced with other cars such as FR-S, Miata, etc.

 

I haven't noticed any road aggression towards my MINI. But then I live in the Pacific NW, where people are maybe even overly polite on the road. It is not unusual to get stuck at a four way stop, while everyone is waving everyone else through the intersection and no one is taking the right of way.

 

Are you gay? Are you advertising? If so, maybe its not the car?
If not, how do you know its homophobic?
Just trying to figure out this comment.

 

I'm not gay or bi. I've owned 22 personal vehicles (and counting). I only hear these accusations flung at me when I'm driving a MINI. Well, there was this one time with Mary whom I really wasn't into.

Oh, wait, this really isn't any of your business is it? Rather quick to assume the victims are at fault here?

You're not aware that self-described real men (insert red-neck, V8-drivin' stereotype here) think the MINI is a girl's/girly/hairdresser's car? Seriously?

This image may not be entirely unearned. My brother bought a MINI in Indiana. At some point in the conversation with a female "motoring assistant" he mentioned that it would be in his wife's name. She reportedly said, "Oh that it explains it. So far all of my customers have been gay or women."

It takes a big man to own a small dog.

Motor on.

 

I just had to chirp in on this conversation.

I've got an 03 JCW and 07 Shelby GT500 plus a sport bike.

When I drive the JCW, I find a lot of drivers don't see it very well and I get cars coming into my lane, almost as much as when I'm on my motorcycle. I always brake late in all my cars, but the Mini is more prone to almost being rear ended than the stang.

I have one friend who's been rear ended five times in his Mini over 10 years during his commute.

When I drive the GT500, people gawk and pull over when I'm behind them, without tailgating. The odd mini van and pickup truck, will pass me like an idiot and of course everyone want to race.. I really don't understand why drivers become idiots when they're around what might be perceived as a fast car.

Grem....

 

Im not assuming anything, Im simply asking questions to try and understand your comment.
And as the Redneck, V-8 (well, 6 cylinder turbo diesel), P/U driving stereotype.............. No, I wasnt aware.
And no, I am not over compensating for something either. (referencing a different post from a different poster).
So, I guess I got that to look forward to.

 

While just motoring around town, I've definitely been targeted by guys with something to prove many times. They're jealous, and when I see their car I usually know why.

 

Over the years, it wasn't only the stepped up road rage, but also more attention from police. I have driven many types of cars: some quite flashy, but none get the attention, or garner the tickets that the MINI does.

Of course, maybe that's the way I drive the MINI...

 

I had to drive to Virginia this weekend. I think every single person in that state was trying to murder me. I have never been cut off, tailgated, or drifted into as much as I was yesterday on I-66; it was completely outrageous.

At least once I was off the interstate and onto back roads, there wasn't anyone who could keep up with me to cause issues.