Well I saw my very first other mini on the road today. I knew there were others out there-- somewhere. I was really excited and pulled along side (we were on the expressway going in the same direction), and gava a big wave hello and a thumbs up. The other driver smiled and kept driving.

So I thought, maybe I overdid it a little. I probably looked a little like an Irish Setter puppy with ADHD. Probably didn't help that I was in my rest my back driving position (sitting on the open sun roof, steering with my feet-- really, and the rain was refreshing... ).

So what do others do when they see another mini owner on the road. Is there a secret sign or wave? Is there a decoder ring that I should get? Is flashing lights or a beep on the horn ok? Or are we playing it 'close to the bonnet' and keeping feelings under the boot? Maybe I just encountered a less social mini owner. Maybe they thought I was going to ask what kinda gas they used in their mini...

Steve

 

Oh waving is essential! I think it is where I live, but yesterday alone I saw three, and we always wave or flash lights

 

I put my tongue out, between gently pressing lips, and blow.

 

Well.... I still have yet to see a mini on the road.. but once i do see one i'll wave and give a thumbs up! I would do more, but i don't think they'd understand the intention if i were driving a regular car...... when i get my mini, however; i'll go all out..... honking, flashing lights, waving through the sun roof..... !! LOL

 

i think a big smile, a wink

i'm starting the count down until PiP arrives in port!!

 

I tend to jump up and down, wave both hands and do a little dance. I don't think the person you saw driving the mini was the owner, perhaps an alien in a mini owner suit. :smile:

 

I don't have my Mini (yet) so it's not like one Mini Waving to another, but...

I've seen a couple out and about in my area. And I talked to an owner in a parking lot (when I was out antiqueing one weekend) as I menioned in a previous post.

But even when I get one, well unless you're on a 2-lane road, waving is rather hard because a lot of the roads here are 4 lanes.

Imagine being on I66, I95, I50, Rte 7 and the Beltway and in the outerlane and seeing a Mini going in the opposite direction in it's outer lane? You'd need a blow horn to say "Hi" as you speed past each other. And I doubt a waving arm would show in heavy traffic?

So unless you meet on 2-lane off streets, greetings are difficult in the big metropolis IMHO.

 

A good wave and flash of the lights works, if I get a chance I pull up next them, check out the car then see if they want to race !!! Mini motoring is the most fun you can have with your clothes on and in some cases better than that !

Arctic Blue Cooper S ATL GA LIC# "BIGINIT" :smile:

 

drstevej,
personally i think we ought to invent a greeting. something simple and understated that the mini owners in the know, namely us, would recognize as a jumping up and down, flashing your lights and honking your horn greeting. something you could use whilst sitting in or on top of your car getting a refreshing "rain treatment." but other mini owners merely think you were making a friendly hello gesture. something like: with your palm on top of the steering wheel you raise the first two fingers, sort of making a peace sign while holding the wheel. the approriate response to the "two finger salute", for those in the know is to honk, flash and wave like crazy. of course, this only works if you're close enough to see the other driver. in which case you should use any means necessary to get the other mini's attention. lololol

 

We've passed one Mini on the road and waved and they happily waved back. Thats the only one we've passed since we've had the car just a little over a month. It seems waving and/or flashing lights is sufficient.

 

>>Or are we playing it 'close to the bonnet' and keeping feelings under the boot?
>>
>>

That's funny.

 

>>drstevej,
>>personally i think we ought to invent a greeting. something simple and understated that the mini owners in the know
>>

Don't know if that's really possible, but waving to other Mini owners should be standard much like what Vette and Jeep owners do. They always wave to each other. Motorcyclists do this as well.

Here's the catch though, if they don't wave back, don't take it personal. Some people aren't paying attention and don't care.

Anyway, that's my two cents.

 

) sign, also known as the peace sign. In L.A., honking can be hazardous to one's well-being, unless you can make it a truly mini-honk LOL My husband, Rick, has to point them out to me, every time!

Yesterday, on a scouting run (for the Oct. 6 Caravan & MINI Meet) up to the Santa Paula Airport, we drove up Pacific Coast Hwy. and saw no less than 6 MINIs driving southbound! And each one was a different color! By the time I saw them, they were far, far away. Too late for the MINI-salute!

 

I have not seen any MINI's in my area until this week. Suddenly I keep the seeing the same Chili Red Cooper near where I work and I have seen an Indi Blue MINI. When I first saw them I immediately got excited and started waiving like an idiot. The drivers kind of looked at me like I had some mental condition. Of course, then I sheepsihly realized I was in my Jetta. Oh well, I'll have to control my enthusiasm until I get my MINI and then I'll waive to other MINI drivers without them thinking I've gone daft.

 

You all are great!! Thanks for the suggestions. I was feeling a little down after seeing that driver. Like today I noticed that for my relax my back position, I was sitting in the back seat and driving with my feet. I didn't even feel like getting out there on the sunroof. Just was not myself. A little mini-depression

I think the victory sign is a good idea. I will try that and the thumb's up when I see the next mini. I hadn't thought that maybe the driver I saw wasn't the owner. That helps me feel better. I guess I did take it a little personally-- but I pressed that multi-non-functional button on the left back side of the steering wheel, which in addition to working on yellow light, blonds, and had a moderate but significant positive effect on twins, also decreases negative feelings (call it my Zoloft button).

Well you have restored my spirits. Tomorrow will be a sunny day, says the weather station, and a great day for driving on the sunroof. Maybe I'll even go more formal, wear a tie... no shirt, but definately a tie.

And to think that they let me run loose...

see you on the road!!

Steve

 

>>You all are great!! Thanks for the suggestions. I was feeling a little down after seeing that driver. Like today I noticed that for my relax my back position, I was sitting in the back seat and driving with my feet. I didn't even feel like getting out there on the sunroof. Just was not myself. A little mini-depression
>>
>>I think the victory sign is a good idea. I will try that and the thumb's up when I see the next mini. I hadn't thought that maybe the driver I saw wasn't the owner. That helps me feel better. I guess I did take it a little personally-- but I pressed that multi-non-functional button on the left back side of the steering wheel, which in addition to working on yellow light, blonds, and had a moderate but significant positive effect on twins, also decreases negative feelings (call it my Zoloft button).
>>
>> Well you have restored my spirits. Tomorrow will be a sunny day, says the weather station, and a great day for driving on the sunroof. Maybe I'll even go more formal, wear a tie... no shirt, but definately a tie.


>>
>>And to think that they let me run loose...
>>
>>see you on the road!!
>>
>>Steve<<
:smile:

Cheers!
Clover

 

So far I have only seen one on the road and I think we susprised each other so much we just stared ........ofcourse we both started honking and waving though the sun roof!! ( I still don't know how I got my foot up there ) anyway that was the only time I have seen one one the road.

 

My MINI is not here yet (loaded on the JINGA MARU) but my first car had a "signaling" following so I've got this down. I give a "V" sign if the other car is oncoming (out the window), if the driver pulls up on my right I give a thumbs up. No prompting needed for the above. If the other driver honks and waves and goes all wacky I say to the H*ll with it and follow suit, honking and waving (though this tends to cause swerving on my part :smile: Enough said

 

Heh.

Just saw another mini next to me on the road! he just pulled up and looked at me. the weirdest thing is that everytime i see a mini i am always in my other car! but not this time! it was cool because the guy looked over and just waved and i stuck my thumb up in the air and was like AWESOME!

it's great to see other mini's on the road with their such rariety! it's pretty cool!

 

The greeting is an interesting phenomenon. When I was a kid driving around in a '59 TR3 it seemed that all British Sports car drivers exchanged a subtle wave--nonchalantly lifting the fingers from the top of the wheel. It was quite a fraternity. The other guy might be driving an XKE or Porsche--he could sell his ride and buy a bunch of TR3s or MGAs. But he still waved. My wife was one of the first to have a Miata. When they were rare people would flip the headlights up in greeting. I drive a Jeep Wrangler now and, as common as they are, most other Jeepsters wave. I've driven my wife's MINI--velvet red, black top, rally lights and every other possible option--but have yet to encounter another MINI coming toward me. Probably the subtle wave -- acknowledging the obvious intellegence and good taste of the other MINI driver.

FAB MINI

 

Hi listers
Had a nice encounter with a new mini in my classic cooper S a couple of months ago and had a race with the girls in the new one. So I'dd say hello to the mini's and race them!!lol But just a friendly wave and a flash will do just fine. I jet have to bump into a not friendly mini driver, I don't think it will ever occur.
Seeu Miniac91

 

Mine is at long last arriving in Philly tomorrow......14 months since I first saw and touched one in the parking lot at the BMW factory in Munich, 6 months since I ordered it and 29 days since it was made. After I get it on the road on Monday or Tuesday I plan to flash a V......for either Peace or Victory......take your pick. For me it will mostly symbolize 'peace' since I am of the Woodstock generation and actually attended the 1969 festival. If it's at night, I'll flash my lights. Happy motoring, everyone!
:smile:

 

I've only seen one in the month that I've had my MCS. We just waved and shot a peace sign. It's such a good vibe that you just feel the connection. I had this before in the 4 years that I had my 2 1998 VW Beetles (his & hers of course).

By the way, I'm wondering how many MINI owners either have the New Beetle or had one. It'd be an interesting statistic.

 

I had a '69 Beetle with a large orange flower on the driver's door (flower power) and
a peace sign on the rear bumper. I kept it until '79. I loved the driving position up
close to the front window.

 

I used to have a 1977 Super Beetle convertible. Bought it in 1993 and sold it in 2001, for the exact amount I payed with 50,000 more miles but not near as pretty as when I first got it. But v-dubs have been a family affair ever since I was a wee youngster. My father had a bus, my mother had a 1966 Karman Ghia convertible and a '69 hardtop, my brother also had a '77 convertible beetle and my sister had a '74 convertible bug.

MC/pepper white and top/tartan red interior/sport and premium/it's currently being checked out in the VPC!