I know this topic has been discussed to a varying degree, but have you noticed other drivers in more expensive car won't let you pass on the high way? or even in local 2 lane street?

I've noticed people in Corvette and Mercede, especially. Actually when I think about it, people with honda (or other ricer or modified cars) seems to be more curtious and seem to be interested in your car. or is this my imagination.

 

You know, I don't think there's much to be gained by attempting to derive psychological insights from people's driving styles or choice of cars. Who knows what they think...and who cares?

I can say that the MINI is often hard for inattentive drivers to see. Also, people in locomotive-sized SUVs/pickups can easily overlook most objects smaller than buildings. Both of these facts add up to the MINI driver's need to be rather defensive in terms of looking out for other, larger, objects.

 

Interesting story... I was driving home one night, and there is the off-ramp towards my house, and at the end of it is a light and a sharp left turn. I take the offramp at 65-70mph, and don't touch the brake. There is this lowered silver Honda Accord or Civic or something which I catch up to REALLY fast, so I slam on my brakes. I can see the light ahead turn green, so I pass the Honda on the left when another lane opens and do my left 90 degree turn like I usually do, at around 30mph. I think nothing of it, and in my rear view mirror I see the Honda try to keep up with me on the turn. He turns wide, goes into the right lane of the two lane road (while I'm in the left lane from my sharp left turn), and I can hear him squealing his tires. There's another light ahead which just turns red as I hit it, so I stop. This jackass in the Honda apparently thinks he's got something to prove, so he runs the red light after I've stopped at it for a good 5 seconds.. Man, I was hoping for CHP to be around. Oh well.

In terms of encounters with Mercedes and Corvettes, I haven't really had any bad encounters.. Most of them don't care. They've got flashy cars cruising in the left lane, and don't want to chase me. I don't speed excessively on the highways anyway, so if I do pass them, they're going off a ramp or just merging.

 

I’ve never noticed that.

If they’re going so slow you feel you want to pass, just do it. It makes no difference what they drive and what’s behind me doesn’t matter.

 

>>I can say that the MINI is often hard for inattentive drivers to see. Also, people in locomotive-sized SUVs/pickups can easily overlook most objects smaller than buildings.<<

I still don't buy this argument, at least in such a way that MINI drivers need to be any more careful than, say, Jetta drivers or Civic drivers or Corolla drivers or Impreza drivers. The MINI is basically as wide and tall as all of these cars, just short lengthwise. The only way in which MINI drivers would seem to be at more of a disadvantage is that it's easier for us to get trapped in someone's blind spot without 2-3 feet of car overhanging each set of wheels. I think the low visibility argument is unnecessarily accommodating to drivers of larger vehicles. They have mirrors; they've been to driving school.

_________________
"In all matters of opinion, our adversaries are insane." -Oscar Wilde

 

I'm tempted to note that mirrors don't help much when the driver's head is where the sun don't shine...but that would be rude.

Alls I'm saying is that while there's really no excuse for inattentive driving, I'd rather not have to make this point to some bozo who has driven over my car. So, if I can avoid them first, I'll do it.

 

No I don't mean that they don't see you. Its just that it happened couple of times with corvette and few times with mercedes in NJ turnpike or I295 (in nj).

As I'm gaining up on them, they speed up (may be they were going about 65-70) to 75+ then slow down when there are few cars in the right hand lane - just about the point where I could over take them, but can't. Then they slow down again... Arrg.

Again, I'd just happened to remember those cars, but am sure other model/make also do the samething.

By the way, I do drive 3 series BMW also, but I don't notice same phenomina(sp?). I'm sure it happens, but most of my experience has been that they move to right when they see you gaining up fast.

Again, it could be my imagination or I am more alert since I'm driving a smaller car.

 

As an elephant fears a mouse, MINI's are just
too small for some to be comfortable around.
Add to that the idea that every modded Honda
driver has a chip on his shoulder, and what do
ya got? .... It's a jungle out there!

Dogspeed.

 

leer - you're right, it does happen. I don't know about Vettes or Benzes specifically, but definitely with nicer cars. The MINI seems to instinctively challenge them in some way that I actually find humorous (except when I'm in a hurry!). I love picturing them driving along, and then seeing the approaching MINI in the rear view, and then seeing their face twist into a grimace of malice as they stomp on the gas and grab the wheel in their fiendish grip, determined not to let it go by...

 

People have tried to race me lots of times.
Actually 2 or 3 weeks ago I was coming home at night with my friend in the car and a guy was very mad at me for passing him....he was clearly intoxicated and wasn't driving a noteworthy car...it was just some sedan. But I passed him and he apparently freaked over it and decided he needed to pass me and cut me off going about 90. Since I saw he was swerving (it was later at night and we were coming from downtown so I figure he must have been drinking) I let him have a big lead....I didn't want to be around him if he wiped out.

Either way, he got off at my exit. I turn left at the end of the exit so I had to stop at a red light. He was next to me in the right lane, but still turning left. Then just as the light for the oncoming traffic turned yellow...he floored it and totally ran the red light...and then PUT HIS HAZARDS ON. (For anyone that has ever seen the stupid fast and furious movies that my ex boyfriend forced me to watch...that means HA HA I BEAT YOU in ricer speak.) Yeah.....so he beat me and by running the light no less. I was so ashamed.

 

No mini yet, but I can definitely say that when rolling up behind people in my M3, I was given the right away in the fast lane almost always (9/10 times). People in Atlanta aren't the most polite about the "slower traffic keep right" rule, despite it being posted in several locations, but some will eventually move over if you 'push' them down the highway a little.

In the M, people would merge right before I got within 3 car lengths in most cases - sooner if I had the xenon lights on. I think it has something to do with the aggressive (or lack thereof) look of certain cars.

Doug

 

Well, there is a great ramp to get on the interstate around my house. You have to wait for a green light before you can make a left turn and hit the ramp. The turn is quick, but the ramp is long, so if you're going fast enough, its almost like a space shuttle liftoff or something. There are two lanes at this light, and they eventually merge into one during the course of the ramp. I always like to get up to the front of this light and get the jump on the other car, no matter what it is. I will sometimes even bark the tires in 2nd gear as I fly up this ramp. Anyway, in this particular instance,I was in the front of one lane at the light and there was a 2003 Corvette in the other lane, except it was behind a POS, 15 year old van. The light turns green, I lay on it, and the van eventually putters up the ramp, too. As I'm watchin' for the redline going up the ramp and checking my mirrors, I look back and see this Corvette going back and forth tryin some how to get around the old van. I'm quite a bit ahead, and on the interstate, when the Corvette finally gets around the old van. This Vette was so ticked that I was able to show him what I could do up this ramp, he comes at me going at least 110+. Not kidding. I look up and he's behind me all of the sudden about to clip my driver-side back end. I was only doing about 80 when he came upon me like that. After he passed me, he cooled down and went about 80 as well. I guess he just didn't want to be shown up. I thought it was incredible to see the power of his car as he zipped by me, though. Sorry that's a little long, but I hope it made sense.

 

NEVER race on the street, NEVER. Go your own speed.....if someone wants to pass you let them, if they tailgate you, make them pass you, NEVER RACE on the street.

 

A nice, new Viper pulled up next to me at a light yesterday. Big guy driving with his wife primping in the mirror in the passenger seat...hair, lipstick, visor, etc. I revved the engine a few times to get thier reaction I rolled down the window (dark tint) and told him "Nice ride" since it didn't seem obvious to them that I was playfully admiring thier car

They gave me the thumbs up and we all went away happy

 

Humm, he must have had his hearing aid turned up.