I LOVE this thread it is great and quite funny as well Keep sharing your stories as long as no one gets hurt. [I am not suggesting anyone to go make new stories to tell]

 

It does seem like some drivers seem to be "intimidated" by others. I admit there are times that I want to make the other driver understand what their vehicle can/can't do (which I have done on occasion) but you have to think about safety!

 

Hey just remember the all-important rule - It's only fun until somebody gets hurt...then it's a sport!

 

Classic fable!! Love the moral of the story , LOL.

 

Great Story I just love it when the masses underestimate the capabilities of the Mini. I have had plenty of cars ride my bumper on onramps.......to simply see me pull away.........priceless Damn I love this car!!

 

Yes many people underestimate the Mini. I was one of them until we test drove one. We (my wife and myself) went just for fun. She really wanted one and I was eyeing the M3 next door at the BMW dealer (still am eyeing it :smile: ) After the test drove the Mini I was surprised how well it handles and how quick it could be!

 

It's an amazing car. Clearly it's more than the sum of its parts. But it also offers a fantastic platform upon which to customize, personalize & modify. It can be whatever you want it to be. Should I call mine "MINIHemi"?

 

One of the things that attracted me to the MINI was its innocent looks. Under those bright shiny headlights and "smiley" grille lurks a corning monster.

I love these stories of people trying to outcorner a MINI. Especially those who have SUVs - those guys deserve to be taught a lesson. Never could figure out why you'd need an SUV when you're not going off road. Visability perhaps, but at the cost of handling like a tank? No thanks.

 

[QUOTE=eMINI]That's exactly why I confine my truly sporting driving to the track. At least there, if someone screws up, there's no oncoming traffic and fire/rescue are already present.

I suppose I'm going to have to be ready to make concessions to the dumb animals out there. They drive all kinds of cars, some of them very desirable.

The thing is, I sympathize with the guy. I made my share of aggressive driver mistakes along the way before I found a safe outlet and grew out of my misplaced aggression. It's all part of growing up.[/QUOTE

I too take the mini to the track and the drag strip to get my Hot Rod fix. Afterwards I really don't feel like I have to prove that the Mini can kick SUV butt because I know it can. I would encourage all to do the same. For 25 bucks or less you can push your mini to the limit at a local scca event a whole lot cheaper than a ticket. Average ticket 100.00 That would be 4 events at an scca event. scca stands for sports car club of america there is a chapter in your area check it out.

 

The MINI does get underestimated quite often. I think a lot of people lump it in the VW Beetle PT Cruiser category of rolling style machines with little to no substance backing it up.

I remember my first test drive, the sales guy was going through a long righthand sweeper in an industrial park and I thought to myself "Wow we're taking this turn really fast!!" Then he added another 10 mph and went through the turn with no effort whatsoever. it was awesome :smile: If I wasn't already sold on the car (I'd been eyeing it since around 2000 and got it in 2003) that would have clinched it

 

Best thread I have read in awhile, thanks eMINI. Thanks everyone for sharing, I will check back for more great motoring stories.

 

BTDT=> $6,000 worth of damage from a HVAC repair van, direct hit, no brakes, about 30MPH into the MINI The MINI was fantastic! A little tank! Since then feel MUCH safer. The MINI can really take a hit!

My best was having a Lexus 430SC play bumper tag until he tried following me into a long decreasing radius ramp @ 70+mph....he was cool for about 150 feet, then discovered he was arsehole-over-elbows and WAY over the Lexus' capabilty. Last I saw he was locked up sliding towards the guard rail....

Should've saved some of that $60+K for new underwear....

 

Driving around a parking lot at relatively slow speeds is really boring to most people.

I wish there were real road courses around the US the public could jump on, like The Ring

 

OK, so I drove past the scene this afternoon to survey the damage. I was blown away by what I didn't see at the time it actually happened. On the left side of the road, there's a house where the owners apparantly operate a business. I say that because they have several large delivery trucks...
and a huge steel security fence.

Our boy, Hemi, really put that fence to the test, let me tell you. It's probably 12 feet high and has closely-spaced vertical bars. You could see the skid marks in the grass leading straight to the fence at a shallow angle. Where Hemi "greeted" the fence, there's now a large pocket in it probably 12-15 feet wide and easily 3-4 feet deep. Not pretty. But better than a tree! Lucky in lots of ways, really.

From the looks of things, he probably hurt that truck pretty badly. And I would imagine that the repairs for the fence will be quite expensive as well. Hopefully the owners of the house saw or heard what happened and called the police. I wouldn't trust him to do it, especially if the truck was still driveable.

On the bright side, the fence seems to have performed very much like the SAFER barriers made famous by NASCAR. I'm still assuming no one was hurt since it didn't make the news.

Thinking about it now, I'll bet the MINI saved Hemi's life. :smile: I mean, if that didn't teach him, what will?

 

Ideal bumperstickers for baiting Hemis:

Here Hemi, Hemi (Seen on various Mustangs and the like).

Slippery when wet

Not subject to the laws of physics

A man's got to know his limitations (from a Dirty Harry flick)

Yeah, It's got a Hemi (picked it up from a Dodge dealership, fits the MCS to a T.)

You've been MINI'd (classic 1960's sticker)

 

I actually thought that all the challenges and agression would have been left at the lot when I traded in my civic si for the mini. I was way wrong. After telling a co-worker at a bmw/mini lot about the crazy things that have happened since I got the car, he said, "yeah, minis insight violence". I think these urban red-necks think that they are picking a fight with a girl scout, then the girl scout knocks them on thier butt and they just can't handle it.

I got so tired of confrontations that I actually pulled over to get out of someones way. The goofball pulled over too and started yelling at me. I told him I stopped to let him go by. He just kept spouting about how he was going to "punch me in da grill". My passanger couldn't understand why I didn't kick his butt until I pointed out that he had a 3year old son in the car. I just imagined how the kid would be affected. People are stupid.

 

I was challenged by sub-compact tuners fairly often when I first got my MCS, now they're usually respectful of the MINI; but there's still plenty of meatheads with ginormous Dodges who don't understand the balance of the world.

 

What a story!

There are, not quite as grand as the Nurburgring, and not the free-for-all that the Ring is reputed to be, but plenty of fantastic road courses can be driven by people like us at organized events.

 

If you're not into autoX, why not join the BMWCCA? The local chapters hold track days and HP driving schools at many of the great U.S. road courses. (Watkins Glen, Elkhart Lake, Laguna Seca, etc.)

 

ya. hemi is lucky to be alive. I just hope he didnt run and not pay the fine.

 

Great stories - all of them.

In the month that I have had MINI, I have been challenged and tailgated more than I ever have in my 20 years of driving. Either they think they can bully the girl in the tiny car, or they have an idea of what the car can do, and want to beat the 'S. I normally do not play with them, although I have thrilled myself with the acceleration you get out of Mini even in 6th gear. I think that suprises the tailgaters and on-ramp challengers.

I did have a big ole HEMI challenge me on a country road when I first got MINI. Hubby and I were out in the desert, and I tried to beat HEMI off the line and lost - big time. (I wasn't used to the gear box, and I was still in break-in......and my last car was a stock Civic LX).

Hubby proceeded to explain HP and torque and why the behemoth could beat me off the line in the straights, and, knowing the road, told me that we'd be passing HEMI in the mountain twisties a 1 mile ahead. Sure enough, we did. In fact, HEMI had pulled over to let cars pass. At least he knew his limitations.

In the month since, I feel very confident in my ability to avoid trouble in MINI - more important than "beating the a-holes" on the road. Her construction, handling and peppiness keep me out of trouble - and gives me a lot of smiles!

I love MINI!

Carol

 

And, I'm sure MINI loves you, too.:smile:

 

"The moral of this story is: Be kind to dumb animals."

 

Nothing near me.

 

Because I'm not about to spend hours and hours driving to and from an event, or more likely - spending a whole weekend doing it.