I still wave ...all the time. I rarely get waves back, but I'm not giving up.

On the way home tonight I passed a parking lot with a parked MINI in it. The driver waved and I didn't have time to wave back!

I am so ashamed.

Have you ever been waved at and then got pissed off because you weren't able to return the favor?

 

Yep. Missed a couple waves now. I always wave and hardly ever get a wave back. Felt pretty bad the couple times I didn't spot the Mini in time and they waved just as I passed. At least I was smiling and looking their way at the last second.

 

I often wonder if the people that don't return my wave ever feel bad. Maybe like you, they didn't have time to respond. Probably they just think I'm a nut!! Wave real hard the next time and you'll feel better. I just noticed
I'm on my last leg to 6 gear.

 

I got a wave the first day I got my Mini. Then 3 days latter I saw 4 Minis and all of them looked at me like I was nuts :(

 

I feel like a zealot when I wave these days, but I still do it nearly everytime I see a MINI. If it looks like a MINI enthusiast I'm sure to extend a wave to them. MINIs are a dime a dozen around Seattle.. There are days when I'll see literally a dozen just on my short commute home from work. I get a wave back maybe .02 percent of the time now... ..but I do feel like a chump if I miss waving back to someone that's waved...

 

In the San Francisco area, if you wave there\'s a pretty good chance you\'ll get a wave back.

I drove Marissa to L.A. There are MINIs all over the place there, but you wave and they ignore you.

 

Hmmm SF Are you sure there waving at the MINI or are they waving at you

Havent had a return wave yet, even in a more relax setting like the national park.

Where are all the new generation MINI's hiding in NJ with three Dealers and a VDC in the state and surrounded by 6 more, you'd think I would see more of them on the road. Only MINI's I see are first generation all red with white roof is that the only color they sold in the early days? Funny but never noticed them before this year.

 

Well, I'm a chick, so probably not :P

I see a lot of red and white here. And a lot of Pepper White and black (which is what I wanted originally).

 

I'm not sure what part of N. NJ you are in but in my daily commute between Jersey City and Westfield along 1&9, 78 and the GSP, I see 5-10 on any given day. Heck, there are three of us with MINIs at my office park.

Your observations are correct though, lots of Chili Reds! Quite a few Silvers too.

 

Maybe it's because I no longer do the 9-5 commute and most owners are younger. Im 4 miles north of Giants stadium was born in Jersey City family moved out in '57. I avarage about 1-2 per week and thats only been recently.

 

I'm in Nashville and get waves all the time.. I try to make it a point to wave at every mini driver I see.. didn't know the waving thing was so wide spread.. .. David

 

i dont get many wave backs around here in spartanburg SC. i do get ones from the m2c2 club members and other enthusiasts though. Its usually either a wave from them or a friendly "lets race" art a stop light, 0-speed limit+10 and cut off usually.

 

Waving does seem nationwide, but I do notice that the R56 crowd doesn't seem to be as enthusiastic wavers as the first gen drivers do...maybe it's because the MINIs are more prevelant nowdays? I will always wave when I seen one, even waved while riding my Buell, though usually I get the "what are you nuts" look from the driver . Like the earlier posts, if I miss a wave, I do feel like I let my fellow MINIac down.

 

Um, yea. You know what's worse? When you're with a passenger, and to add insult to insult, they make fun of you for the unrequited salutation.

Pisses me right off.

mb

 

I always wave. And I of course feel bad when I don't see them or don't wave in time. I live in Las Cruces, NM and there's a few MINIs but they always wave. When I was living in Virginia the last two summers barely anybody waved....disappointing

 

Oh and I feel like an idiot when I wave at MINI drivers when I'm in my Mom's Explorer, they think I'm an idiot too ha ha

 

I, too, always wave. And most times it's returned.
And this whole thing got me wondering: how many Miata owners wave at each other? Or new VW Bugs? Or Porches? Or Bimmers? ...well, you get the idea.
I think that as drivers, we are a pretty unique group. Rejoice in the waves you get, and wave at all you see (pay it forward, maybe they'll wave at the next MINI they see)

 

I found driving my nearly antique 911, we get constant headlight flashes from most all other Porsches on the road. Much more than I get from Mini drivers. The majority I've encountered don't even look over at a stop light.

 

The other day I'm driving up alongside of a matching CR/W MINI, and we come up to a light and I can't believe the lady would not look over at me! Now come on, how many times do you see a match for your own car? I thought at least she would be curious to see what kind of aliens also prefer the MINI... Some of the drivers just apparently don't get it.

On the other hand, I often get flashes or waves from MINI's going by that see me even across a median! My wife and fellow travelers marvel at my ability to spot a Cooper from it's silhouette or it's tiny tiny shape on the far horizon. We have had great conversations with all of the MINI drivers we encounter in parking lots- how strange!

A wave is usually nice to give, always to receive.

 

I flashed my headlights at what I thought to be a MINI. It was at night on a dark road and he was on opposite traffic at a light. I saw round headlights and thought "MINI!"

*Flash Flash Flash

I get flashes back and when she drove by...it was a beetle.

 

Yeah - I find myself doing that when I'm driving my partner's Sebring convertible.. I try to get over myself and just go on!

 

I usually give a wave to passing MINIs but most seem to be intentionally looking away. I usually see the same ones passing to and from work so after a few waves, I have stopped. It is quite possible that I've missed some too so no big deal...

 

I find most don't wave. When I spot an on coming Mini I prepare by putting a hand at the twelve o'clock postion on the steering wheel. As the Mini comes within distance I lift my four fingers up leaving my thumb on the wheel. People looking for a wave recognize it as a wave. That way I have not commited to a wave that leaves me feeling and looking like fool. It also reduces the confusion of non mini owners in the vicinity wondering who you are waving at (because they do not see the other Mini waving back). I say keep the wave alive.......greet your fellow Mini.

 

Hmmm, well, I'm a persistent cuss, and I've tried to live my life on the
"pay it forward" basis. I send my joy of driving my car to every other one I see. ("Happiness runs in a circular motion.") There are a few MINI's that I've consistently seen while driving to work over the last year or so, and I never miss an opportunity to wave to them. In the beginning, most would not wave back but now, without fail, all of them do. In fact, there seems to be some competition with a young lady as to who can be the first to spot the other and start waving. Fun stuff. Lately she's been beating the knickers off me.

 

Oh, I hate that !

"Dad ...that guy waved at you and you didn't wave back"

Dean.