Hiya, Twitch! I'm in Los Angeles, too! I wave/flash headlights/honk at other MINIs! As for the NAM sticker, go to the NAM store and buy the official decal for your MINI! It's awesome!


Clover

 

I wave , I flash head lights, I always do and I always will.I find I run about 10% on the people who reciprocate, but that won't stop me.Yesterday I came up to a guy on the highway who had MY CAR, same model color scheme ....everything! I honked as I went by and got...... NOTHING didn't avert his gaze from straight ahead,let alone aknowledge my existence. HEY FELLA! WE GOT A COOL CAR........HELLOOOOO! ANYBODY HOME? ... .. ..

 

That B****!!! Here in Ohio, MINIs and Minis are few and far between. We don't care what year, what kind, old, new, etc., we are go nuts each time we see another MINI. Only one time was I dissed by another driver, again a woman (and I'm a girl, too!), but she was too busy on her cell phone.

So here in mid-west Ohio, we still wave and wave back. Sometimes we ride together if we can, and we also flash lights and honk horns....

Sometimes, living in the mid-west has its bonuses....

 

I am sure that most folks that visit this site and spend any amount of time scrolling through the various threads can be considered to be either serious MINI heads or MINI head wanna-bees (thinking about a MINI, have a MINI on order, or had a MINI once and regret having it lost, wrecked, sold, or stolen). Therefore the discussion of waving, flashing, thumbs-upping, peace-signing, and/or horn beeping are really a matter of preaching to the choir.

The MINI marketing effort is certainly not to blame for this sorry lot as MINI pushes the concept of MINI Individual Motoring Interactions (my acronym, thank you) very well, and short of forcing buyers to sign a contract agreeing to perform one or more of the above noted acknowlegments when within eye contact of a fellow MINIphile, I doubt that there is much more that they can do.

Perhaps there are bigger issues grinding on the American psyche that we are above (or below) that we just don't get. Perhaps we are just more sensitive, fun loving, carefree, liberal, or stupid. Perhaps it is the conflict in Iraq, perhaps it is the dissolution of the nuclear family. Maybe it is fluoride in the water. Perhaps too much television. Perhaps it is due to low carb dieting putting people in a foul and patently unfriendly mood.

It is a sad thing to think that on a percentage basis, Yugo owners probably honk, wave, flash, and gesture to one-another more than MINI owners. All five of them.

Humvee owners probably wave (or more likely, salute) but you generally cannot tell because of the heavy window tint required as a part of the signature Hummer "Power and Domination" image.

I re-affirm and commit myself, as a New Year's Resolution, to wave, honk, flash, thumb-up, and / or peace sign every MINI (new or classic) that I see henceforth, and as long as I may be fortunate enough to drive.

Wave-On MINI America! Wave-On, MINI World.

REDWORF
2003, CR/B MCS-JCW

 

Thanks,thats was what I was going to say.
But I will add this.Even when my MINI needs something fixed,and I think,was this a good choice?
I try and think of another car to go and buy,nothing comes to mind,can't afford anything worth more,don't want anything in the same price range.
So fix the problem,and let me go motor is my mind set.
If no one waves at me ever again,
I DON"T CARE,I'm happy with my MINI

 

I used to think that it was rude to deliberately shift eye contact when passing someone (as a pedestrian) on the street... and then I moved to New England, where being generally unfriendly is not just a hobby, it's a way of life.

So, while I continue to wave and honk at MINI drivers in the area, I also expect the majority of them to completely ignore me. Oh well. I'm pretty sure I'm going to live longer and have fewer facial wrinkles.

I understand that some people take the stance that "it's my time and I don't owe you anything." You're right.You don't. Of course, being perfectly honest, I also think it's an obnoxious stance, considering that basic human kindness/acknowledgement takes all of 1/10th of a second and has no adverse side effects. But I mean, if you're really that important/busy/troubled/etc. then far be it for me to impose...



So many people just can't be bothered with other people... and I think that's obscene in any context. Not just MINI waves.

 

[QUOTE=OmToast] ...I also think it's an obnoxious stance, considering that basic human kindness/acknowledgement takes all of 1/10th of a second and has no adverse side effects. But I mean, if you're really that important/busy/troubled/etc. then far be it for me to impose...



So many people just can't be bothered with other people... and I think that's obscene in any context. Not just MINI waves. [/QUOTE]


Hear, Hear! ~~
I concur wholeheartedly.

Don't know what I've done to "deserve" it, but I AM GRATEFUL for the warm/caring/generous/inter-connected people I somehow managed to luck into having be part of my life. One of my relatives was asked, in a newpaper article, why they did this "work", and gave/volunteered so extensively... His answer: "because it's THERE, and it needs to be done".

Well-spoken, dad-in-law , I love you,
Tatt

 

You are trying to return to the good old days, perhaps more the '60s, when (we) owners of BL cars flashed lights at each other. When my 02 was new, it was just like a time warp, but as time wore on, a kind of sad realization dawned on me, (somewhat ridiculous, I should admit), but it is rare to be acknowledged now. Ah, our little club, its seems like, is admitting members who just aren't willing to allow themselves a little foolishness- apparently it is too embarrassing for them. 'Tis a shame...

 

My recollection of the "good old days" suggests that the sense of community between persons driving British Leyland products was more out of need than out of brand loyalty. Face it, the Lucas electricals were bad, dealerships were few and far between, everyone owned multiple cars for the purpose of canibalization, and you often relied upon the collective mechanical skills of friends and family when it came time to do any major work on your ride.

You kept friendly relationships on one level as a survival tactic and the bond that held it together was the "us against the world" altruistic / underdog / someday-the-rest-of-the-world-will-come-to-their-senses liberal arts, environmentalist, etc. mentality.

That is how I justified it anyway - and still do to some degree. Only the cars today (with the possible exception of Geo Metros and the Yugo) are a damn sight more reliable.

The situation was similar for almost any import in the early days.

K. Duke

 

That's great !! Do you know of any gathering places here in LA for MINIs ? The only time I get to discuss the MINI is here on NAM, so it would be kind of nice to see other people that share the same enthusiasm for the MINI!

 

Here in the semi-rural South, everyone waves. Guys in pick up trucks wave!

When I had my MR2 Spyder other folks in Spyders almost always waved to each other. I think it was because there were so few of us. I think that if someone in a Spyder didn't wave it was because they were so shocked to see another Spyder that by the time they figured it out it was too late.

I've only passed a few MINIs since I got my Cabrio and have usually gotten a wave and a long stare. I think the stare comes from me driving with the top down in freezing cold weather. One guy motioned for me to pull over so he could check out my Cabrio!

 

I am spending too much time reading these posts. I was going through Royal Oak yesterday and saw a DS/B pulling out of parking lot just East of the post office. I started waving like an idiot and was TOTALLY ignored.

Then I remembered, my MINI does not get here until spring!

 

I just wanted to let all of you know that when I get my mini, or even now really, I will wave, honk, flash every mini I see while driving. I should see my mini by the beginning of April, but before then I'm driving an estoril blue M3 convertable....so if you see some crazy girl in an M waving and flashing, it's just me!!

I never understood people not waving or flashing back, they're all just stuck up. And unfortunatly with the booming popularity of the mini (I've only seen 3 or 4 in my area), snobby people are going to get them because they are trendy. When I first got my M, there were only like 4 other BMW's in the area and we would get all excited when we saw each other. Now, it seems that every other car is a Bimmer.

Alli

 

Some people don't deserve a Mini... simple ..

I wave .. always... even when I am on foot..

MD STREGA2

 

Dang i passed by two minis today and none of them wave at all. one was the same color as me but with a white top and he just looked and sped by through. the other parked right near me at the grocery store but that guy just took a quick glimpse and walked right by and i even said hey to him too and still didn't say anthing !

 

I was waving at MINIs when in Hawaii while driving an Oldsmobile rental peice of ... junk
Felt kinda of dorky, but I am in the habit.
No one waved back but most likely no one noticed since I was passing them on the other side of the road

 

I don't care if they like it or not I flash every Mini I meet headon with all freekn 8,000,000 watts of "HELLO MINI" Most flash back and pass with a huge smile and waves...other drivers look like they're mad that I flashed them I'm not worried about them driver cause they'll be moving on to the next "hot car" in a year...fashion morons

 

That is some serious candle power you got there MSFITOY ! I'll too either wave or run from you in fear !! Looks real good though !!!

 

Awww Mannn...you caught me editing Seriously...I'm not flashing people at night with these lamps (not that I could see a Mini coming my way in the dark anyway).

 

I knew there was literature on tthis matter !!

 

I totally agree with your statement about the next "hot car". I think that's why I waited to get a mini, waited for the verts to come out and to get the engine I wanted, etc, instead of jumping just because. I made sure it's what I wanted because I plan on owning it for a long time.

And I love the scorecard twitch, where did you get that?? Too cool!!

 

Yeah, what he said :smile: !!

 

Well, you make a good point, but I don't remember signaling to other BL drivers because of the mechanical issues you mention, (although, yes, I DO acknowledge you are right about those--- had I not had a family member who was consistently available to work on my Spitfire, I woulda been done for...!). Still, I do remember fondly how EASY the car was to work on, (the entire bonnet lifted away from the engine, the mechanic could actually "step into" it by straddling the wheel), which, considering the troubles I've had with the electrics and electronics on my MINI, hmmm, perhaps I am nostalgic for more than just acknowledgement from other drivers...

 

A couple of weeks back I pulled up to a stoplight next to a brand new C/R MCS with a young lady behind the wheel. She TOTALLY ignored me. I even rolled down my window to ask her some questions about her new car but she wouldn't even look my way. I backed off trying not too look too much like a stalker. MINI's are still kinda far between here. I did have a LY MC honk at me the other day though.