It only makes it more gratifying when you do get a wave though, because you know that that driver must be a nut too!

 

Obviously that is the case. But, I don't think this thread is necessarily about NAM members not being able to see what bag they are in....its more an expression about how much they wish others could see the wonderful bag that we (NAMmers and other club members) are in. And, you put the words "criticize" and "clueless" in quotes. I don't believe anybody used those words. I'm not exactly sure what you feel the need to defend the 190,000 or so people who are not members of Mini clubs....

 

 

I agree with the opinion that not everybody that drives a MINI is part of the 'cult'...
However, when I started riding a motorbike, the internet was just starting.
I also never went to biker meets and wasn't part of a club.
I assume other bikers weren't either.
And still we wave when we pass each other

 

I've had my MINI for a couple of months now and I owned a classic many years ago. My wife recently observed "I thought we were buying a car, I didn't realize were were buying a lifestyle"

I've joined the local club, and participate in all of the club activities and have even initiated a few myself (2 track days at Heartland Park) as well as posting here and on the local MINI club site - so I guess I fit the "enthusiast" description, but then I've been a carnut all my life. We even have a website - Carnuts.us

I'm enjoying being a part of the club, almost as much as I enjoy driving my MINI. If others prefer just to buy a car and not a lifestyle as well, it's OK by me...........it's their loss............

 

I am neither defending them nor not defending them. Nobody may have actually used those words in this one thread but just read the many other threads on the exact same subject. It's not like this is the first time someone posted about the "waveless" MINI owners ... the threads go back years.

You put a positive spin on people inside the bag wanting to express their happiness ... thats cool But go read some of the threads and some people dont come across that way ... or perhaps they are kidding, dunno.

Can 190,000 owners be wrong? (just kidding there). However, I do not buy into any line about if your not in a club, your not an enthusiast (no you didn't say that nor was it inferred). Lots of people simply could care less about "runs" but focus on "competition" or simply enjoy their cars in their own ways.

 

I see Chow's point. (How's that Chowsie, long time...no post, but I'm still watching ) Back to the point, pl4y, you did say its one of your pet peeves, no Major pet peeve, was the wording because someone didn't want to join your camaraderie. Well, I'm an enthusiast...got 2 of them (MCS's), but I'm not a joiner. I'm a waver; I'm a flasher....err...lights, that is and I'm not concerned that I may be the object of your peeve-ity. Not to dis you but there is room in the spectrum for different types of NAM'ers and non-NAM'ers.
Oh, and Chowsie...this may be the beginning of a beautiful alliance.....defenders of the many, agree'ers with the few. I have awoken...err..awakened...aww heck..I'm up!

 

Well thank you.

You just made the entire point. If your "inside the bag", all you see is your own POV. pl4y doesn't like that the other MINI owners don't like HIS idea of camaraderie.

Life isn't quite like that. I think MINI marketing does a great job. When I first bought the car, I read a bit on the OL. A lot of it was lemmings .... "oh my ... so and so didn't wave". "They don't have MINI spirit" ... blah blah blah. Big deal, get over it. I guess its normal for humans to bond over common interests but not waving in NO WAY makes someone less an enthusiast. Maybe they had a bad day and couldn't be bothered when they got their own problems to worry about. Or maybe they just don't care and get their pet peeve is those other people who keep waving at them ...

Its all a matter of perspective. thats what I'm saying

 

I think I have a problem with your tone. Don't appreciate being lectured about 'life'. I am very much for a wide spectrum of peoples. I will not be misrepresented as one who is ignorant or intolerant. I have never been one to judge, exclude, or discriminate. However, my pet peeve (which i realize is silly and hence a peeve and not a prejudice) is not that people are not like myself, but when people dont have the common courtesy of waving back when they are waived to....especially so if I try to say 'Hello' when they have their door on my fender (going back to the original sentiment of the thread).

 

Could be a lot of factors. If female and alone, I would not expect her to wave back. In fact, it might be kind of creepy.

If a guy ... who knows, maybe an introvert. If your an extrovert, you have no idea how annoying it can be for extroverts to bug introverts. Extroverts gain inner strength by association with others. Introverts LOSE inner strengthy by association with others. Waving at an introvert just may irritate the crap out of them.

Then again, they may just be rude too.

 

...if MINI drivers don't wave. In L.A. there are so many MINIs now that I could easily spend upwards of 20% of my seat time waving on any given day. I think a lot of enthusiasts here no longer wave, as MINIs have more than made their mark in So Cal.

On the other hand -- and I don't care whether someone is driving/getting into/getting out of a MINI, a Bentley, or a Yugo -- idiots who are careless in parking lots are a pet peeve of mine. They should have a sledge hammer taken to their door every time they touch another car's flank (whether that part of the car is painted or plastic -- it matters not to me -- it's the principle of respect for another's property).

I am a firm believer that bad behavior, carelessness, thoughtlessness and negligence all merit consequences. That is all that motivates improvement in most persons' behaviors.

 

I wave. I receive waves. (they have to wave when they see my basketball palming sized left hand stretched out the driver's side (or sunroof) window. ;-)
I bought the MINI because it looked different, it was the opposite of an SUV and it was SO much fun to test drive... And now I own it. 55,300 miles since June 1st, 2005.
My Cooper S is the best, most fun vehicle I've ever driven. I get to drive to work again in a few minutes. :-)

 

As a driver of another "cult car" I can confirm that there are only a very small number of people who want to hang out with other people based on the car they drive. There were approx. 15K Marauders built and there are about 500 active members on the forums. There are similar percentages in the dog clubs and probably in the knitting community. There are people who enjoy all aspects of being in the cult and others just like the car.

 

Say, has anyone ever put a NAM Spotter Card on another MINI and then known the owner to actually show up here on the board ?

I'm about 0 for 25, myself.

 

I've heard of one instance of it happening in Chicago. You might still find the post somewhere in the CMMC forum...

 

I know that I'm already over the top with trying to pass along the spirit.
Giving the thumps up to passing MINI with dealer plates while driving in a non MINI

 

Got to play with an "S" this weekend and honked when I passed him on the Interstate...My wife even waved at him!! She is usually a little shy, but she knows that I like the cars so much, that she played along. The MINI that I passed even decided to keep up with me for about 30 miles in a line, we traded places a couple of times, but finally he decided that he'd had enough of that NA Cooper and just faded in my rear view mirror.........I don't think he expected my car to be that responsive, LOL

Drive it like it can be driven!

Chad

 

Drive it like you stole it.

 

It would be nice if you could always get a wave back, but it still feels good to know that you were friendly even if the other person wasn't. Besides, this type of behavior confuses those that don't "get" what it's about and that can be a reward too.

 

Hey - I actually like that...

I like "Do, or do not. There is no 'try'" -Yoda

 

+1...I like it too. Well said!!

 

I confess to being a pretty avid waiver. And it seems to be about 30/70 wave/no wave down here. At some point, I think I started to be able to predict if I was going to get a return or not. Tinted minis(few and far between here) are a good source and "S" drivers as well. Any obvious exterior mods are usually a good start.

I'm trying my hardest not to label drivers but this is what I've seen, at least around here. There's a pretty good population of minis here but theyre mostly used for cute, weekend cars

 

I think there is a smaller percentage of MINI wavers compared to other "cult" cars. I drove a Miata for nearly 8 years and from the first day of ownership I noticed other Miata owners gave me a wave and I waved back, I felt like I was part of a club. Through those years, it seemed about 80 percent of Miata owners waved.

I've owned my 04 MCS for 2 months now and have passed at least 2 dozen other MINI's and have yet to get a wave back! Now I don't issue a crazy hyperspeed wave or anything like that, just a casual "hey, nice car" wave. It's really making me start to think that most MINI owners are sort of snobby. Maybe it's just my area, I live in central Pennsylvania. Everyone here at NAM seems really nice and friendly, it just doesn't seem to translate to the "real world" in my area.

 

Just when I thought I was never going to get a wave on my long commute (even though I pass an average of 4 MINIs every day), I came over the crest of a hill last evening and what's coming just 150 yards away ? Another CR MINI... this one a convertible with black roof and stripes. Had never seen that one on my commute before.

Not only did I get a wave, I got a very enthusiastic one. Made me look like this: