Is it just me, or do other Mini drivers not like waving/flashing their headlights at other Minis on the road? I noticed most other people driving Minis around here are, for lack of a better term, yuppies, but even the younger Mini drivers don't seem to acknowledge me.

Maybe it's just the people in MA. Minis seem to be oversaturated here. I don't see nearly as many in NY, so maybe the community is better there. Or maybe I'm a fool for wanting to wave to other Mini drivers, but with other cars I've owned, there seemed to be more of a community on the road. Maybe the Mini is just too common for that up here.

 

Yeah, it seems we're past that "Band of Brothers/Sisters" that was so prevalent a few years ago. I'm sad about that.

 

I think that, generally, there are two kind of owners: the ones who are obsessed and those who purchase a MINI because of fuel economy without really dwelving much into the history, ability or community.

I wave at every one I see (actually, I even wave when I am driving my Jeep or walking the dog) some wave back, some ignore me, some looked quite puzzled but the most enthusiastic wave back I got was from a driver with a heavily modded yellow mellow - it was the wave and smile that said "you get the MINI, too!"

 

I still wave at other Minis and if they give me that blank, "wtf are you waving at me for?!?" look, I vigorously point at their rear tire. That'll teach them some manners.

 

I've noticed lately that the older the driver, the more likely that driver will wave or flash lights. Rarely do the younger drivers I come across wave or reciprocate.

 

Good one! I should try that. I guess it doesn't help that I'm 6 years late to the party, or I need to find some NAMers on the road

 

yeah i think ppl now buy MINI for fuel economy and not for LOVING MINI..

i wave everytime i see a MINI

 

I wave or give thumb's up to other MINIs whenever on the road. In my area, most wave back with a smile, and some who didn't probably didn't notice me. But the more MINIs on the road, the less special they are, so we will lose a bit of that sense of community.

Best thing to do is keep waving and with any luck some of the newer motorers will begin to pick up on it.

CROC 411

 

I hold Mini of Peabody responsible. They have sold too many!

I use to see one every few days back in '04, now I may see five or more in a single day.

I agree with every observation offered thus far - we the crazies are not necessarily the majority.

I still wave though, and take my chances....

 

Since the unenthusiastic masses have infiltrated the ranks, that WTF look is more prevalent. I still wave no matter the response of the recipient. Those without a passion for their Mini are clueless--it's just another car.

 

I have noticed the same thing down here in South Florida, There are Minis everywhere, one out of ten will wave or flash there lights. When I got my first Mini, it was near eight of ten.
When fuel prices go down, arms will go back up, and we will get back to normal.

Larry

 

If fuel prices go down...

 

I have noticed the same thing in the San Diego area..

Alot of younger people (I am only 31) driving the cars around and not following the unspoken "wave" rule. Its a treat when I see a Moded mini driving around town. I have noticed a Mini with if I remember right, silver paint and red fenders. I wanted to wave badly but I am still in my rental car while the mini gets fixed.

 

They are all over, it is not better. I'm a young MINI driver and I always wave after weaving in and out of traffic to catch up! It is sad that people are so confused why waves.

 

That's one thing I love about the rural upper Midwest...MINIs are still relatively uncommon among the Ford and Pontiac masses. Total strangers tend to stop, stare, and wave quite frequently. It is a rare day that I don't get a "nice car" or "awesome MINI" comment from someone. Of course, I also find myself now and then pointing out that it's not an electric or a hybrid or a Smart car...

Waves and "" from other MINIs around here are the rule rather than the exception. I'd estimate only one out of 20 encounters result in a lack of acknowledgement, and some of them are probably just due to the other driver being slow on the uptake.

The waving seems to fall off once you get near the local metropolitan centers, with the Minneapolis and Madison MINIs a bit more "wavy" than the Chicago area.

I think the wave rate is inversely proportional to the local MINI density. With a little more data, we could even see if the relationship is linear or non-linear.

 

After sitting in the showroom watching people shop for MINIs there were a number of them I just wanted to escort out (OK, I wanted to throw them out). They were buying a car not a culture. As more MINIs get out in the wild, as a community we will have to figure out how we can best educate new owners.

 

I always wave, whether I'm in my Clubman or riding as a passenger in my husband's Civic. Most do not wave back . I have noticed that older drivers are much more likely to wave...if it's a young pretty girl you can just about guarantee there will be no wave (myself being the exception !). Seriously, the Minis I see in the "richer" parts of town never wave. There has been the rare occasion that I have actually not seen a Mini going past (husband points them out afterward)...and I assume that at least some of the missing waves were caused by those drivers not seeing me. I haven't gotten a WTF look yet, at least!

 

I got the pretty young girl wave yesterday, I must be special!

 

I also live in South Florida like Larry Parker and when I first got my MCSa in April I was waving and flashing my lights like a **** to every MINI Cooper that I saw which was a lot!! Even when I drove to Minnesota and back I encountered many of them but not a single response.

Although I did get a wave from another CR MCS close to where I live and I waved back and smiled but nothing since.

Honestly I have a feeling that the 1st Gen got most of the recognition because the car was so new and different but now they seem to be very common especially since the gas prices have skyrocketed.

Sadly I no longer wave or flash my headlights at other MINI's.

 

I've only been motoring for about 5 weeks, and I'm thinking that the wave is a myth: not one wave returned during that time.

However, a guy in a Yukon waved at me this week. I was so surprised, that I didn't think to wave back until we had passed each other. Maybe his other car is a MINI. Or maybe he was enviously acknowledging my gas consumption.

 

I live in San Diego California and I try to wave to every minis as much as I can. The response rate has dropped from 75% since my ownership from 2006 to less than 50% these days. Some drivers don't even look my way when we pass by each other. I remember how my co-worker was surprised and delighted to learn that we have this waving thing in our community. And how he wished they had the same practice among his car community. And I take pride to be part of it. It's time MiniUSA to educate the new comers.

 

I felt the love on Wednesday. I traveled to Nashville along a great two lane road...US 31E, and I met a beautiful CR MCS that went way out of his way to wave and flash at me in my PW Clubman. It was great!

 

Sometimes I'm so distracted by trying to avoid the other morons on the road that I don't respond to waves. If you wave at a pure silver Mini with black stripes in the Annapolis area, and the driver doesn't respond, you now know why. I wave whenever I actually see a Mini, however.

 

Consider every post on NAM something of a virtual wave!!! Even if I don't get any waves where I live (and I do), it's nice to know it does happen to others.

 

i am trying to make ppl wave again...so i wave to every MINI i saw and tell them what it means if they dun know