OK,
has anyone else noticed this:
The last couple times my wife has let me drive Gromit, I've seen a couple '07s drving around. When I give them a hearty MINI wave, no reaction, nothing, completely oblivious to their fellow MINI owners. I've also noticed several pre-07 owners around Monterey who are ignorant of their fellow MINIs as well.
What gives?!?
I can understand this behavior to some extent when I'm driving my Element (I started a similar thread on www.elementownersclub.com) but not when I'm driving my MINI, which is purple and silver and really hard to miss

 

Oh, I think the MINI-apathy encompasses all models at this point.

 

I'm new to the MINI scene, but would agree. I thinks its not because of the '07s at all (I have an '07), but just because they've been around a while. I was a Subaru Impreza driver, and we all did the same thing for years, but after a while they became more common. People stopped waving. On my motorcycle, especially the Ducati, people definitly still wave.

I think the "wave" was common for early adopters with any unique product. I've had the same happen with my old cell phone even. Early adopters usually share a unique passion for the things they buy, and the wave is a sign of mutual understanding...

 

I'm also in the Monterey/Seaside/Salinas area, and I see about 6-10 MINIs a day driving to and from school. I wave at all of them, and get return waves about 75% of the time. The times I don't, I'm pretty sure they just didn't see me. I've never made eye contact with another MINI driver and *not* gotten a wave back.

 

alot of times i pass by MINI drivers they dont even look at you or even give you a smile.. they own a MINI because its just a car they want to own.. but they dont have the MINI spirit!

but also alot of MINI drivers wave back!

 

Also, I think there are a lot of drivers that don't see much except the car in front of them when they're driving, so they may just not see you at all if you're more than a few car-lengths ahead, or if you're going in the opposite direction.

If you're constantly scanning your surroundings and consciously looking further down the road, it really widens your field-of-view, and you notice a lot more neat cars on the road.

 

If they're yakking on the phone, they won't be able to drive and wave.

A lot of times, folks don't see the waver until they've passed. I also have found that if I can make eye-contact, the other MINI driver waves back, nods, or otherwise acknowledges.

 

To be honest, when I'm driving in heavier traffic I tend to pay attention to cars around me (behind, in front, beside) going the same direction so I don't get hit in the little car that many people don't seem to see. Many times I just don't see another MINI coming toward me in another lane until it's too late to wave.

Of course if you're referring to roads with little traffic it could just be they bought the car b/c they wanted a small, gas efficient car and couldn't care less who else has one.

 

I had a fun one this last weekend. I was in Palo Alto, and drove past a LY/W Cooper that had just been parked. The owner was standing next to the car, but with her back to me so she didn't see me coming up. After I got past, I looked in the rearview mirror and noticed that she had seen me (another LY/W), so I waved, and she smiled and waved back. Some people still get it.

 

Waving seems pretty silly at this point. Back in 2002 I sent and received a few without feeling too nerdy, but now...

 

nerdy? how about courteous?

anyway, i pay attention to just about every car that drives by me and i see MAYBE one other mini a day

so maybe on the coasts minis are a dime a dozen but not here, and i am damn sure to wave at every last one i see

 

boy, if that isn't the antithesis of the MINI spirit then I don't know what is....

 

I've got a pretty good idea of what is "MINI spirit", from reading NAM, etc. But how about defining what IS the "MINI Spirit"?

 

Isn't that why Mini installs horns in their/our cars?

 

I've found 07 drivers to be pretty enthusiastic wavers. Maybe b/c it's still new, but enthusiastic nonetheless.

 

The moment I get my MINI (next week AAAAUGH!) I am going to make a determined effort to wave at just about everything. I am so excited!

 

I'm an avid waver, but I probably miss a wave every day. When you commute an hour each way, sometimes you tend to zone out

But I agree with whoever said they get a wave out of everyone they make eye contact with.

 

 

if you want waves... dont come to Northern VA... no one waves... i have to wait till im back in MD to get a wave... mean people in fairfax...

 

I have developed an unusual affliction of my right arm.
I find myself waving back at people like I am in a beauty parade or something. Even here in NY, the MINI gets people to wave at you.
An interesting phenomena. :impatient :impatient

 

Another Gromit!

Mini's have ceased to be a unique car, attracting unique owners. That's it in a nutshell.

 

Yeah, I seem to get missed a lot here in VA also. I'm getting over it slowly, but still trying. I did get two waves back last week out of a total of about seven sightings with waves dished out from my drivers seat.

I'd like to admit that the traffic was a major deterrent in my sightings. Sadly enough two drivers had their right hands plastered to their ear with cell phones just chatting away. Didn't really need a wave from those preoccupied :impatient drivers anyway.

Oh well, I guess we'll spend some time in the Shelby GT500 this weekend for a change. I'm actually getting more waves from other Mustang owners lately than I do Mini owners. That's not what I expected when I purchased the Mini.

 

I'll wave at anybody and everybody in a MINI, even if I'm in my wife's vehicle. The other MINI drivers I've seen around here typically share the same enthusiasm, of course in central MO, they are fairly rare. I've noticed I get a lot of stares and smiles since trading up to a MINI.

Last week after work, I was fortunate enough to play a little on the highway with another MC. It was great. His was the exact opposite color scheme of mine. They were a great motoring combo. Norton (my MC) and I were both thrilled!

 

I'm fairly certain MINIs will aways be unique...you just made Issigonis and Cooper roll in their respective graves

 

I'm an avid waver as well lol, my husband thinks we're all crazy! But i've had my car for almost a month now and there are a few in my area, we all wave to each other, I had a guy at a light in front of me roll down his window and wave frantically at me, it was awsome!! I find it funny now that my husband steals the keys when we go anywhere, he LOVES to drive it, I think that's why he tinted my windows so dark! He races go-karts and uses the excuse that he needs to practice and so he NEEDS to drive my car HAHA!! I think he's converted.