R50/53 Size Schmize!!
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4th Gear
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 506
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From: Vancouver, WA
I am reeeeaaalllly tired of hearing comments about how "small" the MINI is and how "unsafe" that it must be. People won't be able to see us, blah, blah, blah.
I don't buy that the MINI is a hazard because of size. To begin with, it is a relatively WIDE car. It is as wide as a mini-van (don't worry, that's the last comparison I'll make to a mini-van
). When someone is coming at you from the front, visually it is a full-sized car. When someone looks in their rearview mirror, it would be the width of the car that makes it visible, not the length. Next is the fact that there are MANY cars that sit lower than our MINIs. Mazda Miata, Chevy Corvette, MG (any model), just to name a few. I passed an MG this morning, and the driver was sitting at least 10 inches lower than I.
Did any of you catch the Dateline(??) special last week about the insurance industry's testing of side impact collisions by SUVs? Apparently, the government doesn't test side impact collisions, and certainly not impacts caused by SUVs (increasing in numbers as we speak). Basically, most cars rank very poorly if there is no side airbags. Although the MINI was not tested on the show, it was clear that those with the side airbags have far superior safety than those without. Ours have them. Vehicles like the LandRover and the Honda Element resulted in sure deaths as the driver's and back seat's passenger's heads hit the grill of the oncoming vehicle (going 31 MPH).
I swear I will scream if one more person says my MINI is unsafe because it is small!!
Is anyone else experiencing this frustration?
I don't buy that the MINI is a hazard because of size. To begin with, it is a relatively WIDE car. It is as wide as a mini-van (don't worry, that's the last comparison I'll make to a mini-van
). When someone is coming at you from the front, visually it is a full-sized car. When someone looks in their rearview mirror, it would be the width of the car that makes it visible, not the length. Next is the fact that there are MANY cars that sit lower than our MINIs. Mazda Miata, Chevy Corvette, MG (any model), just to name a few. I passed an MG this morning, and the driver was sitting at least 10 inches lower than I.Did any of you catch the Dateline(??) special last week about the insurance industry's testing of side impact collisions by SUVs? Apparently, the government doesn't test side impact collisions, and certainly not impacts caused by SUVs (increasing in numbers as we speak). Basically, most cars rank very poorly if there is no side airbags. Although the MINI was not tested on the show, it was clear that those with the side airbags have far superior safety than those without. Ours have them. Vehicles like the LandRover and the Honda Element resulted in sure deaths as the driver's and back seat's passenger's heads hit the grill of the oncoming vehicle (going 31 MPH).
I swear I will scream if one more person says my MINI is unsafe because it is small!!
Is anyone else experiencing this frustration?
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4th Gear
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 506
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From: Vancouver, WA
>>the Mini's unsafe 'cos its small. 
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRHRRRRRRRRRRRRHRHRHRHRRHR HRRRRRRRRGHGHGHGGGGGG!!!
(Sounds....glass breaking, wood splintering, hair pulling, I'm turning GREEN. Oh no, my jeans are splitting, my muscles are breaking through my clothing, I'm 12 feet tall!! I'm the HULK!!!!!)
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRHRRRRRRRRRRRRHRHRHRHRRHR HRRRRRRRRGHGHGHGGGGGG!!!
(Sounds....glass breaking, wood splintering, hair pulling, I'm turning GREEN. Oh no, my jeans are splitting, my muscles are breaking through my clothing, I'm 12 feet tall!! I'm the HULK!!!!!)
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4th Gear
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 506
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From: Vancouver, WA
>>I'll take "It's sooo small" instead of "It's sooo cute" anyday !
Fortunately, I don't mind the "so cute" comments
If I did, I'd really be screaming.
Fortunately, I don't mind the "so cute" comments
If I did, I'd really be screaming.
Banned
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 2,782
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From: los angeles/san francisco
>>I am reeeeaaalllly tired of hearing comments about how "small" the MINI is and how "unsafe" that it must be. People won't be able to see us, blah, blah, blah.
>>
thats because over the last 5 years the SUV craze has gone array, and all the people compare it to suv
a mini compared to a suburban/tahoe is of course small
so its the other people comapring that are messed up in the head
the mini is perfect size :smile:
>>
thats because over the last 5 years the SUV craze has gone array, and all the people compare it to suv
a mini compared to a suburban/tahoe is of course small
so its the other people comapring that are messed up in the head
the mini is perfect size :smile:
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Banned
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 2,782
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From: los angeles/san francisco
>>A date of mine got to stay home because she said " that car is too small for me to ride in". OK -Buh Bye...
brad you should have said:
"well, the thing you NEED to ride on, is much bigger, dont worry about the car"
brad you should have said:
"well, the thing you NEED to ride on, is much bigger, dont worry about the car"
6th Gear
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 2,010
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From: Austin,Texas
The MINI is 66" wide. same as my old 85 Nissan 280zx, same as my 92 Toyota MR2, same as a Miata, etc... Where it's small is in length. It's only 12 feet long. where the Miata is 13.5 feet long, etc.... So it's 1.5 - 2 feet shorter than the average sports / compact car.
I say if a friend says they can't ride in my MINI because it's too small, well, ok, that's 150 lbs less weight in the car! Buh Bye!
_________________
Formerly Known As Austin !
I say if a friend says they can't ride in my MINI because it's too small, well, ok, that's 150 lbs less weight in the car! Buh Bye!
_________________
Formerly Known As Austin !
6th Gear
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 38,578
Likes: 2
Yeah, the car, for some reason, seems to define us....or at least something very important about us. Don't like my MINI...see ya!!! Ya "don't get" my MINI, ya "don't get" me! (...no comments red03miniS! )
)
6th Gear
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 7,062
Likes: 1
From: Boston, MA
>>Next is the fact that there are MANY cars that sit lower than our MINIs. Mazda Miata, Chevy Corvette, MG (any model), just to name a few.<<
How about Eclipses, Integras, Celicas, older Saturns? A lot of really common cars are significantly shorter in height than the MINI, and thus less visible. The MINI is just as tall as an Accord! The visibility thing is way overemphasized.
How about Eclipses, Integras, Celicas, older Saturns? A lot of really common cars are significantly shorter in height than the MINI, and thus less visible. The MINI is just as tall as an Accord! The visibility thing is way overemphasized.
1st Gear
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 27
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From: Northern California
I'm with you Needler, I get many comments about the MINI, it's size and "is it safe?"
I now use the Hummer H2 as a comparison vehicle to answer their saftey questions. The H2 requires almost an entire football field to stop from a speed a 70mph. This is under ideal testing conditions. Rain, snow, ice, cell phones, etc. would increase this distance. The H2 also has the worst handeling charactieristics of any production vehicle sold in the U.S.
So let's say you are headed for a "typical" accident. The most common accident on the road is a solo accident, with the vehicle hitting a stationary object. (NHTSA). Apparently, roadside trees are common victims.
Given the H2's stopping and handeling stats, you'd better hope that sucker is as heavy as it looks, because whatever it is you are headed for, you are going to become part of. Stopping and/or swerving out of the way are not options.
On the other hand, a MINI has several options.....
I now use the Hummer H2 as a comparison vehicle to answer their saftey questions. The H2 requires almost an entire football field to stop from a speed a 70mph. This is under ideal testing conditions. Rain, snow, ice, cell phones, etc. would increase this distance. The H2 also has the worst handeling charactieristics of any production vehicle sold in the U.S.
So let's say you are headed for a "typical" accident. The most common accident on the road is a solo accident, with the vehicle hitting a stationary object. (NHTSA). Apparently, roadside trees are common victims.
Given the H2's stopping and handeling stats, you'd better hope that sucker is as heavy as it looks, because whatever it is you are headed for, you are going to become part of. Stopping and/or swerving out of the way are not options.
On the other hand, a MINI has several options.....
6th Gear
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 4,556
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After driving a Miata for 6 years, I feel totally safe in my MINI. First of all it's got a roof!!!! 
And I don't get truckers looking at my legs & blowing their horns.(although I guess that's not a bad thing) The MINI just overall feels bigger than the Miata & I know it's safer!!!
Motor on
Lois
And I don't get truckers looking at my legs & blowing their horns.(although I guess that's not a bad thing) The MINI just overall feels bigger than the Miata & I know it's safer!!!Motor on
Lois
1st Gear
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 47
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From: Tacoma, WA
>>>>I'll take "It's sooo small" instead of "It's sooo cute" anyday !
>>
>>Fortunately, I don't mind the "so cute" comments
>>
My fav is "Is that car electric??"
>>
>>Fortunately, I don't mind the "so cute" comments
>>
My fav is "Is that car electric??"
5th Gear
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 890
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From: Denver, CO
I do tire of the "I wouldn't want to be in an accident in that" talk. Do you want to be in an accident in ANYTHING? I didn't think so. It's called avoidance. I remember one night I was out in my mom's Honda instead of my own '61 Olds 98 (It was in for a transmission job at the time). I came right around a corner and this girl, 16-18, pulls out of a parking lot turning left across the street about a half block up from where I just turned onto the street. She didn't even look to her left until she was in the street. She saw me, panicked and slammed on her brakes (she would have been better off slamming the throttle down) and stops right in front of me. I managed to stop before collision. I noticed she had no seatbelt on and, had I not stopped, I would have nailed her right in the drivers door. Had I been in my Oldsmobile, I would have hit her, it couldn't have stopped that fast, and the impact probably would have severely injured, if not killed, her since she didn't have her belt on. My passenger and I would probably have been fine in our vehicle with greater inertia.
Banned
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 2,399
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From: Berkeley, CA
>>I'm with 2minis on this one, the new MINI is dramatically larger than the old Mini.
It's HUGE compared with the original Mini, and big compared with most other sports cars of 30-40 years ago. One of the key characteristics that makes the best of those cars still feel great, even compared to far more sophisticated modern counterparts, is weight. That's the one dimension on which the MINI feels much too big to me. I think shaving off about 500lbs would be a good start, and 800lbs would be incredible!!
It's HUGE compared with the original Mini, and big compared with most other sports cars of 30-40 years ago. One of the key characteristics that makes the best of those cars still feel great, even compared to far more sophisticated modern counterparts, is weight. That's the one dimension on which the MINI feels much too big to me. I think shaving off about 500lbs would be a good start, and 800lbs would be incredible!!
5th Gear
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 726
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OK first off, let me say this: I love America...I love Americans...I'm about to BECOME one in a couple weeks.
That said, I'm seriously not vibin' with the American obsession with big-a$$ cars. I just don't get it. I come from a land where small, efficient, sensible transportation reigns supreme. Small does not necessarily equal inferior.
More specifically, I just don't appreciate or understand the utter disdain or lack of respect towards smaller vehicles so prevalent in this otherwise great nation.
What's the deal?
That said, I'm seriously not vibin' with the American obsession with big-a$$ cars. I just don't get it. I come from a land where small, efficient, sensible transportation reigns supreme. Small does not necessarily equal inferior.
More specifically, I just don't appreciate or understand the utter disdain or lack of respect towards smaller vehicles so prevalent in this otherwise great nation.
What's the deal?
2nd Gear
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 125
Likes: 0
From: Brooklyn, USA
Calvin:
Here's the $5 Quickie American Sociological History Lesson;
Pounded into American minds for 200+ years is the physical length and breadth of the country; [the continental US is 3,000 miles wide!]. We've been told over and over of the 'wide open spaces'. etc., etc. Since we were lucky enough to have all this room and domestic supplies of cheap oil [remember that one, everybody?], cars could be made bigger and bigger. Bigger, of course, was seen as 'more manly'. In Europe, where cities were older and streets were based on 17th Century designs, AND all oil had to be imported, cars were necessarily smaller, more efficient, etc.
The Hummer 2 is just the final mutation in a long series of vehicles designed just for show; to impress people, to make them gape in wonder. Many of us wonder what got into the head of the guy who bought one. The answer is a lifetime of propaganda and mind control telling people what 'real men' drive. As gas prices rise and reality set in, these behemoths will be relegated to museums, next to other extinct animals.
Here's the $5 Quickie American Sociological History Lesson;
Pounded into American minds for 200+ years is the physical length and breadth of the country; [the continental US is 3,000 miles wide!]. We've been told over and over of the 'wide open spaces'. etc., etc. Since we were lucky enough to have all this room and domestic supplies of cheap oil [remember that one, everybody?], cars could be made bigger and bigger. Bigger, of course, was seen as 'more manly'. In Europe, where cities were older and streets were based on 17th Century designs, AND all oil had to be imported, cars were necessarily smaller, more efficient, etc.
The Hummer 2 is just the final mutation in a long series of vehicles designed just for show; to impress people, to make them gape in wonder. Many of us wonder what got into the head of the guy who bought one. The answer is a lifetime of propaganda and mind control telling people what 'real men' drive. As gas prices rise and reality set in, these behemoths will be relegated to museums, next to other extinct animals.