Yesterday (May 21) I was travelling north on I-270 on the East side of Columbus Ohio when I spotted another MINI (BLK/BLK MCS) coming up behind me. YAY! I thought...

The driver passed and didn't even look my way! No wave, no headlight flash, no honk, no nothin'!

I felt so sad....
Wouldn't you?

OK, it really was no big deal, but don't you make it a point to wave or flash or honk at another MINI?

 

I always do, but there are some that don't. I've encountered some less than friendly MINI drivers before. But this world is unfortunately full of jerks.

The majority of MINI owners seem to be really nice.....I've only had a run in with 2 that seemed especially sour.

 

I feel your pain.

Back in the 70's my dad worked for British Leyland here in NA. Whenever we saw another Mini, MG, Spitfire, TR7, it was like seeing a long lost relative.

When I got my MINI, I expected the same reception. Obviously some new MINI owners are too cool for all that. Shame on them.

 

there will be plenty more friendly mini drivers in your future.
i got a bunch of honks this morning!

_________________

 

Yeah, MINI drivers are typically responsive to nice gestures of Camaderie, but let's face it, some people buy the MINI because they like it but they are no interested in pursuing the social aspect of the car.

 

I always try to wave and/or flash, and usually the fellow MINI driver does the same, but sometimes there's no time. I guess in some of those cases I may miss THEIR wave and then they assume I'm a jerk.

 

I've unfortunately found ...that....there are much more non-mini-enthusiatic drivers on the roads here on LI...than one would expect.
I always beep my horn and give a friendly...peace sign... and more often than not....get no reply.
Don't be discouraged...be who you are...and never change....

Keep on motoring

Peace,
D

 

That is one of the things I like about having
the sunroof. You can wave hello and if they
don't wave back you can give 'em a digit!

 

Let's not jump the gun. Maybe the MINI driver you saw didn't have any arms.
Oh wait, that won't work... :smile:

Then, when I went to lunch down near the Southpark area, I saw one dude that waved and a nice lady in a light green MINI smiled at me and I waved back.

Yesterday, I saw a BRG MINI on Wendover Ave, and we exchanged waves.

So far, so good. Maybe the person was shy, and is using the MINI to face his fears. I know I am. I am writing my MINI off as a medical expense.

See ya,
JS

 

That's a GREAT point!

 

It seems that some of the newer MINI owners "just dont get it" too bad for them, then again MAYBE the guy was just focusing on the road and was oblivious to you (wich means that he was not truly focusing on what he was doing yes i know)

 

beep beep and a wave everytime, someitme I even drive up to them sjtu to bee beep. I even got the blow-your-horn-signal form a guy in a station wagon.... that was cool. I blew it and then blew his doors off...

 

Don't feel bad, sometimes the other driver may not see you at all as they may be focused on their motoring.

 

I've failed to make a distinctive wave one time that I can remember. It was for an oncoming MINI. I was shifting (one hand taken care of) and changing lanes (there goes the other one). By the time I had a usable hand, the vehicle had passed by. I tend not to honk as it can scare other drivers.

 

One day recently, on my way to work I noticed a BRG MC on the parkway. As I passed, I waved, and the woman driving waved back and smiled, which was nice, but then..
right then, an Audi TT flew up along side me and gave me a huge thumbs up!! That made me feel good too! and there I was, motoring on down the parkway following the TT when out of nowhere a PS/B Cooper with Rally lights comes right up behind me. I moved over to the right lane, to let the Cooper come up along side, thinking cool, another friendly MINI experience, and the woman driving DIDNT EVEN LOOK MY DIRECTION! I was crushed! I thought the MINI flying up behind me was just having a little fun and wanting to be friendly to another MINI, but nope.. I think I was merely in her way.. oh well.. But.. 2 out of 3 was pretty good after all!

 

I always way, flash, honk or give the thumbs up to other MINI drivers I see. Usually they do it back but sometimes other drivers just ignore me or look at me like I'm crazy. Theres a MINI in my neihgborhood that I see all the time and we always wave or flash our lights at each other.

YES we do need a MCO sticker! I want one for my MINI!

 

I flick them all off :smile: Just kidding. My favorite is when you see another Mini looking at your car mouth wide-open. Almost like "I wish I got that color" :smile:

T

 

The butthead - or wait was it Bat Boy with people in hot persuit.

 

I feel the same way when I don't get a wave back. We have lots of snobbish people here in Southern California. I have had a hand full of really fun experiences too though. I met a very nice lady in the supermarket parking lot the other day. We both walked up to our cars saying, "HEY ANOTHER MINI!" And just yesterday I saw a rare Pepper White while I was taking a corner at 40 mph...I saw the passenger look at me but I couldn't really give a thumbs up...

So don't feel so bad. There's a chance that the other MINI might just be caught up in motorin'!!!

_________________
BRGFROG aka Cricket

 

Yeah I was flashing other drivers, too. But a cop saw me do it one time and I got in trouble.




(I am totally kidding.)

 

Geez, I thought I was just being unreaonsable. Guess not.

Well, if I ever see any of YOU tooling around Columbus OH I will be sure to wave, honk, and flash (and a special FLASH for you, L.Mini!)...

Some people are just wrapped up in their daily grind - I understand. The thing about MINI is that if you look at the car as a technical daily driver, it's not good enough on its own merits. It's unreliable, creaky, loud, rough, sometimes doesn't start, small, blah blah blah... (of course it's fast, nimble, personal, stylish, and friggin' cool too)

There has to be something else. That 'something else' is the culture and comraderie that goes along with driving this car. When it's ignored, like it was for me, I feel like the culture/comraderie of ownership of this car is diminished.

Of course, then I come back here and you're all like FAMILY! Thanks for the pick-me-ups.

Happy motorin'!

 

I was sitting at a light the other day and saw one of the few Mini's that are in town turning from the opposite direction in front of me. I waved at the nice lady driving but she just looked at me like I was an idiot. After the realization hit that I was sitting in my Dodge Caravan and not my Mini, I kind of felt like an idiot! She's probably still trying to figure out who that weird guy was!

 

There has to be a "Curb Your Enthusism" episode in here.

I honk and wave and I'm still in the Miata. What's that 2nd cousins?

Tom