You're right brg, that saturn has just an a$$ that felt he had something to prove. I prayed that there was a cop up ahead. If he got pulled over, I would have pulled right behind him to 1) tell the police of his ignorance and 2) laugh at him. Oh well...

 

I've noticed that other drivers' reactions do have a lot to do with the car I'm driving, particularly since my driving style is pretty consistent, i.e. fast but not foolish - don't stay in the #1 lane on freeways except to pass, don't cut in front of others, use my indicators, even allow imbeciles to enter the freeway without slamming them. That said, I used to drive a C5 Corvette. People would invariably pull into the slower lane when I approached. Ricers would also invariably want to race me to prove their souped up ratmobile could take on a Vette. Before that I drove a Jag XJS. Beautiful, nearly stately convertible. Every dipsh*t on the road would cut in front of me thinking I had this nice car I didn't want to get trashed. In my current ride, a BMW 330CI, I'm pretty much ignored. Of course I'm in the LA area and Bimmers are like Chevys in the mid-west. Still, it's hard to believe people look at a MINI and don't just want to hug it. I know I do.

 

Plugot, Hey I agree with your post 100%. I do think the car you drive can evoke different reactions from other drivers. I used to drive a M Roadster, and it seemed everyone wanted to race.

When I come up behind another car on the freeway in the wifes 528I, most cars tend to move over.

But in the MCS, most cars I pass, just seem to speed up and go around me. They just don't want the Chili Red MINI to be in front.

I'm still in the break in period, so I will let em go around for now.

 

Similar thing happened when I floored it from a green light (got the tires to spin a bit too ) and there was a BMW M5 behind me... well, he was a little offended and quickly had to speed around me to prove his powerful M5 would not be left behind. Funny, beacuse I didn't even know he was there when I did it.

 

Everyone on the highway is trying to smell my bumper !!!! I mean everyone !!
Civics, Echos, Malibus, Explorers...... I guess its because my mini is so red and bright people are so attracted like a bee ! hahahaha ....
But I have being "PUSHED" by like MB CLKs and some BMW Coupe .... I just move alway ... and stayed safe ...

But when I bring out my CLK55 ... OMG ... it was time to watch those car shrink like a bug from my rear view window ..... I didn't have any rpoblem passing people or have them catching up to me at 140 MPH something ... Ehhh ....but I still love my MINI !

 

I sure hope not, as I tend to pass most drivers!

I have had folks speed up, slow down, cut in front, along side, behind me to check out the car. That can be both annoying and dangerous.

I do like the look of disbelief on the mugs of drivers of Mustangs and Corvettes when I pass them at 90+ mph. (Although I'd never really do something like this.)

 

This is so true....but I had a theory about this.
See...I am not used to driving a hatchback. This is my first one. So I am wondering if maybe people seem like they are alot closer only because they can get just that much closer. Every car I have had before the MINI had a trunk so other motorists had more of a separation.

As far as the passing thing is concerned....well I haven't really noticed people getting p.o.ed at me passing, but I've had people like freak out because I got in front of them in traffic (and I don't mean cutting them off...I mean signaling and giving them alot of warning)....as if me not being there is going to get them to their destination any faster.

 

After +6 months of ownership I have to admit that I haven't encountered any irate drivers, tailgaters, or road rage from SUVs or others vehicles....none! To be honest, I'm kinda shocked about this! However, I do live in Arlington, TX and I do ride mass transit to work and back, and I just avoid the highways as much as possible because of the NUTS out there...especially in DALLAS!!!!! (IMHO )

What I HAVE noticed...which is equally weird...is that when I am courteous in traffic or make an effort to let other drivers on the road, they seem even more grateful than before....waving, smiling, and having that "oh-god-thank-you!!" look on their faces. Maybe its a combination of cheeky MINI charm (not to be underestimated) combined with the fact that they know I could probably blow them off the road...and obviously choose not to...that elicits this reaction. Who knows?

 

Is there a touch of conspiracy mentality going on here? I get cars trying to pass me in my MCS and tailing too close but I'm sure they just want a closer look! Who could blame them? People LOVE this car. Not a day goes by that someone doesn't roll down their window at an intersection asking me about it, or stopping me in a parking lot to tell me how cool it is. I do get muscle cars trying to goad me into racing from the red lights. There is power in ignoring them, but some times.... Once some kid in a flat black Camero revs his engine from the right lane which ended 500 feet after the intersection. I demured, but he gave it all he had. When it was over, I was zipping down the lane and he was on the side picking up the pieces of his plastic air dams that had blown off! Too funny.

 

>>What I HAVE noticed...which is equally weird...is that when I am courteous in traffic or make an effort to let other drivers on the road, they seem even more grateful than before....waving, smiling, and having that "oh-god-thank-you!!" look on their faces. Maybe its a combination of cheeky MINI charm

Driver courtesy in traffic goes a long way...figure it makes up for the time I go screaming by their house located on my favorite twistie...

Once saw a Renault actually blow up when it tried to pass a Ferrari I was traveling in across Canada...the only ones to pass were the RCMP at 160 saluting as they went by!!!

 

>>Once saw a Renault actually blow up when it tried to pass a Ferrari I was traveling in across Canada...the only ones to pass were the RCMP at 160 saluting as they went by!!!

The humorous part is that the Ferrari was stopped at a light and the Renault was at its max speed of maybe 5 mph.

 

>>Dealing w/ the subject, I have an odd story:
>>
>>Alright, I'm on an interstate highway and decide to move over in the left lane b/c people are getting on the highway. I'm already going 65 on a 55 road that I know cops petrol, and some guy in a red saturn is tailing me BAD! I can't move back over b/c all of the cars that just got on the highway were in the rt. lane and I already thought I was going fast for that road. When I finally get the chance to squeeze (and I mean squeeze) into the rt. lane that saturn nearly pushes me into the rt. lane. NOW, the odd part. As he (the ugly red saturn) zooms past, the passenger gives me an odd rowing motion out of his window :???: . I had no recourse but to lay on the horn. I was MAD yet confused!!! What did that rowing motion mean? What? Anyone know???

Cooptime,

Remember there are always 3 sides to every story, YOURS, THEIRS and THE TRUTH

Let me offer another possible point of view.

In most states the left lane is reserved for PASSING, not for traveling. The laws seems to vary slightly, but the basic idea is that slower traffic must yield and move to the right.

You already stated that you were going over the legal speedlimit, so you're in no position to throw stones and make a judgement (it would be a bit hypocritical) as to whether or not the driver of the Saturn should slow down. According to the relevant part of the traffic law, it was your responsibility (morally, as well as legally) to yield to the faster traffic.

Now, you didn't say, but some drivers don't check their side/rearview mirrors very often, so perhaps the Saturn was behind you for some time. In this scenario, he was close because you'd failed to move over. If a driver wishing to pass is not noticed and then falls back to a safe distance, the lead driver may not realize he/she wants to pass.

On the other hand, if the Saturn driver came up on you while the merging traffic was blocking your ability to move out of the way, then he should have held back a little until you were clear to get out of the way.

And, if he wasn't stuck behind you for a while when you could move over but opted not to, then his gestures (hey, at least they were rowing motions and not a single-fingered salute, thank God for small favors) were rude and out of line.

Just thought I'd look at it from a different angle...

 

Well for the first month I had my Chili Red/White Coper, I have been definetelly challenged a few times.

Here in NYC, SUV's seem to hate to be blown away by a small car or be behind one. I think it has to do with the same insecurity that made them buy one in the first place :smile:

Just last night on the LIE a Durango was squirming and trying to get in front of me on a 2 lane exit, for no apparent reason.

But I do enjoy the most is when a 80K Benz, a boy in his hooked up ricer and me are at a light and all eyes and smiles of the pedestrians are all on me ... freaking priceless ... feel like laughing my *** off every time.

 

I think it's all those darn little stickers on the side of my car....
Seriously though...People just hate getting passed by a LITTLE car. This is especially true of truck and SUV owners. I think they feel like they own the road! You can tell that sometimes it just bothers them so much that my Mini can weave in and out of traffic and leave the land barges in the dust. Technically speaking I think they suffer from "Lackafunitis" :smile:

 

Most drivers hate being passed by anything. They will only go 25mph to 35mph in the twisties where your MINI would have no trouble going 2 to 3 times their speed and then when there is an opportunity to legally pass on the straights they miraculously learn how to drive at speed. If you can’t or won’t drive the limit (and a little over), then pull over for those of us that like to and can!

 

KevM, this is the TRUTH. The saturn was not behind me for any amount of time. I'm a very alert driver that's aware of his surroundings. Infact, I don't believe there was anyone behind me until I came upon that onramp. My guess is the saturn was one of the last cars in the row to get on the highway, got poed b/c everyone in the "slow" lane was too slow for him, got in the fast lane, speed up, and picked on me for being nice and yielding to the onramp. Yes that's right, I YIELDED to them even though they have the yield sign. It is common courtesy though. Going 10 mph over the limit is pretty generous for this guy since I couldn't move to my right that second. Also keep in mind two members of my family already got stopped on this road. It's not like I made the saturn wait for a mile or so before I moved over for him. I got over fairly quickly since I didn't really want trouble. I did all I could do in the situation and THAT's how he says thank you ? Well, my way of saying your welcome is that I hope he got a ticket.

 

>>KevM, this is the TRUTH. The saturn was not behind me for any amount of time. I'm a very alert driver that's aware of his surroundings. Infact, I don't believe there was anyone behind me until I came upon that onramp. My guess is the saturn was one of the last cars in the row to get on the highway, got poed b/c everyone in the "slow" lane was too slow for him, got in the fast lane, speed up, and picked on me for being nice and yielding to the onramp. Yes that's right, I YIELDED to them even though they have the yield sign. It is common courtesy though. Going 10 mph over the limit is pretty generous for this guy since I couldn't move to my right that second. Also keep in mind two members of my family already got stopped on this road. It's not like I made the saturn wait for a mile or so before I moved over for him. I got over fairly quickly since I didn't really want trouble. I did all I could do in the situation and THAT's how he says thank you :smile:

 

Kev, why do you insist this is my fault? I know what happened and never thought for a minute this was my fault. I just posted my story and you try and give the saturn's view? I may be being critical, so let me clear some things up that may sway you to my side. I was actually going 60 in the right lane, saw the onramp up ahead with a myriad of cars on it, and say to myself, "I'll move over to the left so the ppl of the onramp can get on the highway." This is YIELDing to on coming traffic. They, since they have the sign, should yield to me. I, however, was being nice. Now about the 65 part. I speed up to 65 b/c I was in the fast lane. Ok, I don't guess anymore, I know the saturn was a later car on the onramp to the highway. He wasn't behind me, no one was. His pattern was onramp, left lane, and then my right lane. He was so cloe that I thought if I tapped the brake, he'd hit me. That's just out of the question no matter how anyone can explain it or whatever. And that's it, the guy was impatient for nothing. They were just 2 *********s joyriding and looking for trouble.

Sorry if i'm so critical, I just don't want you to think i'm the bad guy.

 

...saturn's view... No pun intended.

 

Hey Coop...

I'm really not trying to insist that this was your fault, so much as point out possibly scenarios where it could have been.

OK, based on those additional facts, you've convinced me, if he got on the highway, jumped over to the left and tailgated, not giving you any chance to accelerate or get back then it was NO DOUBT, DEFNITELY, his fault....

Like I said, I'm not trying to upset you, I just read the story and saw room for scenarios in which your actions may have contributed. And, no, I don't see you as (nor am I trying to make you out as) the bad guy.

I still say that no-one should ever SLOW down and get in the fast lane, but I totally understand what happened and how you describe it.

However, I guess my first point was the most important. There are still 3 sides to every story. Butthead or not, I bet that's not how he'd tell it. I guess we all need to keep that in mind when we're making decisions on the road, or just plain trying to avoid the buttheads.

Well like I said, THANKS FOR DRIVING alert and courteous. (and thanks for explaining yourself further, you certainly didn't NEED to, so I appreciate it).

How about I apologize for the butthead, would that help?

Motor On!

 

Thanks for being sucha good guy Kev. You motor on as well .

 

>>...You're in no position to throw stones and make a judgement (it would be hypocritical) as to whether or not the driver of the Saturn should slow down. According to the relevant part of the traffic law, it was your responsibility (morally, as well as legally) to yield to the faster traffic.
>>
I WISH more people understood this. Some self-righteous prigs think it is their responsibility to enforce the speed limit.

Twice, on the four-lane limited-access arterial I use to get to work, I have been cruising along in the left lane with nothing behind me and come up behind a left-lane bandit going EXACTLY 35 mph... not wanting to pass on the right I settle in behind her, not tailgating but not dropping back either...

... and suddenly the car slams on its brakes! Not once, but twice in a mile? WTF?

I believe the driver was saying EVERYONE should be driving at HER speed, and she was willing to court a rear-end accident to prove it...

(BTW, in both cases these were older women driving older VWs or Toyotas... in one case I did pull out to pass her on the right and her face was contorted with rage as she watched me go by... )

Totally irrational control junkies. And the irony is that if I did plow into her because of her erratic self-righteous driving it would technically be my fault...

 

>>D.J.
>>
>>I hate to admit this (because I live here too) but it's 'cause you live in freaking California. Sorry, but drivers here are the worst :evil:
>>
>>Woody

you obviously haven't been to Boston. Holy moly! Talk about insane drivers. Now I hate California drivers too, but I thank dog that I don't have to drive in Boston. It seems that traffic laws are non-existant.

 

Boston is bad? How about Philadelphia? I've spent a week there twice in the last month. They tailgate worse than Los Angeles. In fact there are road signs saying Don't Tailgate. They also have signs saying You can't afford a DUI. In a matter of minutes, I saw so many traffic infractions. Someone turning left on a Red Left Turn signal.

To me, any state that recognizes they have bad drivers by having to post road signs to drive properly has some big issues.

So what's it like in Boston?

 

>>To me, any state that recognizes they have bad drivers by having to post road signs to drive properly has some big issues.
>>
>>So what's it like in Boston?

In Boston:
1) red lights are just suggestions.

2)The right lane can be used for parking.

3)Always drive first, then check your mirrors.

4)Make sure to turn off the roatary from the LEFT/Inside lane. Note: see #3 for further instructions

5) and remember - YOU are the most important driver on the road. Feel free to stop at greenlights to ask directions, veer into other lanes without any warning and generally pizz off everyone around you. It is your city after all.

It really seems like a free for all. The point is to get into the tinest space possible, as quickly as possible without any regard for the drivers around. Mostly, so you can all stop at the next red light together... sometimes.

i'm not from the city proper and these are just general overviews. But, can't say i'm looking forward to driving my MINI there. Though, it will make getting into those tiny spots easier.