I live in Cincinnati, and I must say that since I got my Mini (over a month, 1700mi), no one has really provoked a race with me. Could be the city or the fact that I don't see to many rice rockets in this part of town....

I've been back to Columbus,OH a couple times recently and I haven't seen any action there either (although I am hanging out with people that have relatively better targets - like my best friends 550+hp 93 Nissan 300ZX TT, or anothers friends 02 Vette with heavy mods and a 150 shot of NO2)

Do people try to provoke races with you? What kind of cars?
-erik

 

You bet, the last invitation was Sunday on I84 West between exits 8 and 7.
The car.................a black 1997 911!

 

I'm suprised as well with the import guys. I must say I'm impressed that they haven't tried to provoke me yet. I've only had my Mini for a month so it may happen sooner or later. There has only been twice that two people just had to pass me. Once on a two lane road and once at a redlight from behind and jumping over to pass me on a four lane road. Both times they crept up beside me only to floor it and go. I guess that is sort of a provocation of some sort but I just shruged it off. The funny thing is what they were driving. One was a new thunderbird and the other was a new BMW 3 series. Men in their 40's both times. Maybe they were upset because their wife wouldn't let them have a Mini.

 

I get provoked all the time, especially since my MINI is one of the only ones in my area and because mine is modded a little.

I'm provoked usually by the focus, VW, and civic guys. Sometimes I'll run with them but most of the time I don't. One time I was at a stop light and this ecplise next to me started to rev so I looked over and reved back. The driver smiled, probably wasn't expecting such a loud growl from a MINI. Then we had a little rev battle or whatever. He had a turbo and it sounded cooler so I think he won

 

I've had more muscle-car guys want to race than imports. I could care less, so I just let them impress themselves as they miss a shift (which happend a few times!), or make a hilarious smoking mess of their tires.

The best so far, was a Firebird that tried to OUT-CORNER me, HA!! He ended up sliding sideways and wiggling the car on its' springs, very funny!

 

I have some sick twisties right out my front door and I take them almost nightly...sometimes I will get someone in a decent ride pull up real close and try and hang but no one has yet. This includes BMW's, Prosches. Mercs, etc.

 

It seems like someone tries to get me to mix it up almost every day. It's like a like a sickness with folks. The epitome, last night a guy in a.....wait for it......
Taurus station wagon !@#%$&^ tried to drag race me up a longish onramp to the freeway. I couldn't believe it, but he was seriously into it !

Wasn't much of a challenge, but hey, that's racing!

Some peoples kids.....

 

I drive an MC but most of the ricers avoid me anyway - I think it's basically still fear of the unknown. Seems like a lot of them still don't know quite what to make of the MINI and fear the possibility of being slapped down by it.

I've only been "baited" a few times. The most recent was actually a very serious looking jerk driving an MCS!!! He apparently felt the need to put me and my MC in our place. He kept gunning it along straight sections and zooming just past and then dropping back only to do it again on the other side (3-lane road). When we got to one of my favorite twisty areas I finally decided to push it a bit. He wasn't much of a DRIVER (or had no nerve) so the curves were mine, but the straights were his and he blasted by whenever he could get a good (straight) run going. After a fairly close series of twisties he finally tired of the game (or the humiliation) and the first chance he got he blasted by but slowed down enough to make sure I could see him giving me the finger before he took a side road and disappeared.

The other memorable one was almost a year ago on the DC beltway. MINIs were still pretty rare and I was approached from the rear by a very curious Civic with a very obvious turbo. He kept weaving back and forth behind me in my lane and then switching lanes to one side and then the other studying from the rear corners. I could see the driver and passenger pointing here and there. I'm only guessing but I think they were trying to decide whether I was in an NA Cooper or had a supercharger before trying anything. After a few minutes they finally pulled along side and gave me the signal they wanted to race. I just smiled and shook my head NO....then they both flipped me off and took off like a rocket anyway.

 

Ricers don't try all that much (I'm more likely to start it with them )...

But the BMW guys, especially the 3 series seem to have something to prove. Which they don't, except for the time I missed a shift !!

~Joe

 

..................Yes........................
....By everyone, in everything...............

 

>> I drive an MC but most of the ricers avoid me anyway - I think it's basically still fear of the unknown. Seems like a lot of them still don't know quite what to make of the MINI and fear the possibility of being slapped down by it.

I get that a lot, ricers always try to figure out if mine is an S or not. Sometimes they ask if it is an S, sometimes they try to provoke a race, and sometimes they try to avoid a race thinking my MINI is an S

Just this night I was on my way to the gym when I pulled next to this young guy in a Z3 M3(?) hardtop at the light, he immediatly reved so I reved back. He took off and I took off kinda late. I could tell he wasn't going all out, he probably just wanted to see what my MC could do.

 

raced a Z4 last month. on the staight away he pretty much smoked me, until the turn, he spun out trying to make a downhill right hander at 50mph. mini took the turn at around 60, passing him.

 

I always get some Eclipse or Civic that wants to go. I usually don't race, but when an off ramp is in site, it's a lot of fun to totally dust them on a cloverleaf.

I had a Saturn try to race me - that was ridiculous.

 

All the time...and I find if I'm just cruising along passing cars, whether it be in the right or left lane, certain drivers DO NOT want a MINI to pass them...I do anyway...big grin and all!

 

people not only seem to not want to be shown up by my little car,
but if they weren't racing before i passed them, they sure are after i do!

countless times people race to catch up to me after i've passed them.
mostly too i'm just steady with my mph, cruising on the highway. i've had everything from 'ricers' to suvs to '78 oldsmobiles try to save face.

someone needs to make bumpers stickers that read:
"i'll only race you on a track, or when i provoke you"...

 

The list so far:

98 Celica

03 Mitsubishi Evo

98 Eclipse

95 Acura

Only one to win so far...the evo.

 

If you had said you beat the Evo, I would not have believed you anyway.

I don't race. I think it's stupid. When I was in OC for H20 last summer some VW's challenged me and I wouldn't. But yeah people try to get me to race.

 

>>It seems like someone tries to get me to mix it up almost every day. It's like a like a sickness with folks. The epitome, last night a guy in a.....wait for it......
>>Taurus station wagon !@#%$&^ tried to drag race me up a longish onramp to the freeway. I couldn't believe it, but he was seriously into it !

O-HA-HA-HA-HAR-HAR-HAR-SNORT-GASP-HA-HA-HA-OOOW
That's great! One of our cars *is* a Taurus S.W. (Sable actually, but same thing). My son, whose relegated to driving it now, calls it the "Silver Turd," which is appropriate to both styling and handling.

 

I had a "pullied" MCS (to remain anonymous) race me - but it was purely for fun...since the outcome is a no-brainer. I was laughing my a** off watching him pull away - very impressive.

Seems like no one wants a MINI to pass them or beat them - even the soccer moms in minivans are driving like lunatics these days (I do live in Jersey, so that may explain)

 

>>I had a "pullied" MCS (to remain anonymous) race me - but it was purely for fun...since the outcome is a no-brainer. I was laughing my a** off watching him pull away - very impressive.
>>
>>Seems like no one wants a MINI to pass them or beat them - even the soccer moms in minivans are driving like lunatics these days (I do live in Jersey, so that may explain)


SO TRUE! I had an older woman in a LAND ROVER, try and speed up and pass me once I went by her. Very funny.

 

3 times, separate Mitsubeshiti somethings pulled-up next to the wife & me lookin' to go, - they almost always have a 3" diameter exhaust & extra gauge pods sitting atop the dash.

I haven't indulged yet, - I'm a little unnerved about it.

However, assuming a car out there is stock, - which one's can our Pulley'd MCS take. [No Cold-air intake yet, or any other mod.]

1. 1.8T Audi/VW models?
2. Honda Accords?
3. Infiniti G20Ts?

I really don't know what's gonna be fair, to us or them. [/b]

-sb

_________________
MINI: The best horse for the buck!

 

There are some MCS guys with pulleys saying a stock WRX is in range - due to 4 wheel driveline loss on the WRX, it's HP rating is more like 175...

 

>>There are some MCS guys with pulleys saying a stock WRX is in range - due to 4 wheel driveline loss on the WRX, it's HP rating is more like 175...

That's a wow. I thought those things were plug-n-play road-eaters!?!

Interesting....

What about the Mercedes-Benz C230 Sport Coupe Kompressors?

 

[quote][b]Ricers don't try all that much (I'm more likely to start it with them

_________________
__Jason
03 BRG/W MCS
Deals Gap MINI Rally!

 

so who won?!!!