It's probably like the motorcycling community. When I'm on the back roads, everybody waves--Harleys, Gold Wings, rice rockets--when I'm in Phoenix where there's a bike about every 20 feet, ya kinda get tired of waving. Back in the boonies--out come the waves.

 

Okay well I took onfense to the title only having been driving a MINI since August. I get the feeling that there are two broad types of MINI owners, those that we like to call "MINI people" and those that buy the car and it is just another car to them. The MINI people are the ones who wave or chase you down just to say "hi, nice MINI"; they're the ones who join the clubs and post on the boards and have a genuine intrest in everything about the car. The other drivers are ethier unaware or just choose not to recgonize this, they simply want to get from point A to point B. It feels unfortunate that they don't get to experiance the pleasures of having a community that finds a connection through the MINI, but mostly that is their choice, it won't stop me from waving or giving them a club business card and I'll still have a smile on my face everytime I cross paths with another MINI. Geography plays a small part IMO because it really depend on the individual you just happen to come across more regular owners when there are more MINIs around. So, thank you to all those MINI people out there making motoring more fun and to all those lurkers, sign-up say hi and get to know us a little we'll hook you up with some other MINI people, who love your MINI as much as you.

 

Regardless of the reaction you get, you just need to keep up with the waving, Flashing, etc. Even if some folks don't wave back the first time, after a while they might. Some people never will but you still need to make an effort, it's worth it in the long run.

 

Something to think about: Some people (like me) are just slow and don't respond in time. When I get a wave, whether driving, or riding a motorcycle, by the time I realize it, the person has passed and it's too late to wave back.

I always feel like crap when that happens.

 

"Most new mini owners suck"?

Get over yourself - no-one else cares what car you drive, and if someone else bought a mini, it doesn't automatically make you their friend.

In fact, with a vocabulary and attitude like yours, it very emphatically does not make you My friend.

 

just need to keep up with the Flashing?! jk sorry, just sounded kinda funny.

 

Why is everyone so hostile twards Civics?.. you guys know that 95% of them aren't riced out and stuff, right?

I have a Civic and I'd gladely wave back. I'm usually pointing and squeeling "MINI!" anyways.

 

hey, i have a 04 civic. if someone started waving at me, i'd think
my trunk was open or something.

 

 

It's kinda like what happened to the Miata waving thing; when I had one, the hardcore Miata owners would still wink their lights; then this town became full of Miatas and you didn't see too much waving anymore.
Before I got my MCS, if I saw one in a parking lot, I'd wait for the owner to come out so I could talk to them about the car. Now that I've gotten one, I'm starting to see more of them. I spotted a PW/W MC a few streets down from me the other day and yesterday, while I was detailing my car, a BRG Cooper passed the house. Last week, out to breakfast at a local spot, I go out and there is another PW/B MC 2 cars down from me. Now, it seems I see them much more often. I have only received a thumbs up from one other driver since getting mine. I waved awhile ago to a PW/B that I saw and the driver looked at me confused before he finally waved back.

 

Geez Rick, been grocery shopping lately?

 

I hate it when you are waving frantically and they just look at you and stare......
especially in my case... HELLO... I'm a PINK MINI!!!! I'm not easily missed!

 

chows, we found your bogey!

 

I think the title of this thread should be different.. It's not very encouraging to newbies on the site, even though it has nothing to do with them really... (since being on the site pretty much means we love our MINIs and know we're special )

 

I, like the rest of you, have noticed this change of atmosphere. I've been driving MINIs for over 3 years now and have bascially given up on the perfunctory wave.

Now for the wake up call. Get over it! They're automobiles . . . hunks of metal, plastic and rubber (even if ours are cuter, . . . I mean more manly). It was bound to happen. We used to be a small community of several hundred MINIs in the entire COUNTRY. Now there are several hundred in my neighborhood.

If you need that small community feeling that won't change, go buy a Pontiac Aztec . . . and wave your little fingers to the bone.

 

I'm just a bit annoyed by the rude, ill-chosen title of this thread.

Exactly how do you think that this will be viewed by a new owner who stumbles across NAM?

If they see this thread, do you think that they will take the time to read it, realize that some MINI owners are friendly folks, and stick around to find out that CNred thinks that they should wave at him because of the car he bought?

Perhaps instead, they will view the title as evidence that MINI owners are an arrogant bunch who are unfriendly to newbies, and will never bother coming back...

At best, this is simply thoughtless, at worst, an elitist, hostile comment about others who simply don't realize that CNred deserves to be waved at with more than one finger.

Take a second before you post a rude thread title like this one, and try to imagine how it will be seen by others - in other words, Grow Up!.

 

Bravo

 

um... in before the lock?

 

I think the title was just an attention-getter...I too was shocked at first!!! Reading the first post, however, set my mind more at ease. New owners are absolutely super and, in fact, lend a ton of energy and fun to NAM and to the MINI community at large! Their enthusiasm is absolutely contageous!! It's just that there are more MINIs with each passing year and the ratio between the more casual owner and the enthusiastic owner seems, quite naturally, to be skewing. This has been happening over time.

I honestly don't believe for one second that anyone on NAM or within earshot of NAM thinks new owners suck...not at all. The title is just a red herring....happens all the time on NAM. My opinion.

Now if the title had said all Indi Blue or all Cooper owners suck, oh yeah, there'd be blood in the streets!!!

 

Y?
I4BT

 

i agree.

the title imho is accurate. it says 'most' but not 'all.' (in terms of waving, that is)

 

Just because others don't get excited about cars, and don't wave, doesn't mean they suck. Just unenlightened.
Depends where you live too. I live in "eveyone's hometown" where we wave to all we know (car type irrelevant).
My parents were in at the start of the VW Bug (late 50's). Everyone waved, but it was funny when someone would try to flash the lights, and the wipers would go!
My wife recently got a PT Cruiser. For some reason "they" don't wave (prolly because you would never have your hand on the steering wheel because so many of them).

 

I'm about 50/50 myself now, maybe a little less. Although, every now and again I'll chat in a parking lot or at a stop light with a fellow owner!

And about folks not waving, I think that while waving isn't everyones' thing, it is, IMO, a bit rude to not wave or give an acknowledgement back to one. And this isn't even a MINI thing, more of a common courtesy thing. For example, at work, if I'm walking down the hallway, and someone is walking the opposite direction, and we're the only two in the hallway, I'll say 'hi'. Not giving an acknowledgement back I feel is simply impolite. Not that it ruins my day or anything, but receiving a response, and being polite, does make life a teeny bit brighter!

-Paul!

 

I almost always flash lights, wave, or honk to my fellow MINI-motorers when I see them...I get recognition about half the time here on LI. It's usually younger people, and middle-aged women that will wave back.

 

I notice it. I try to be friendly to all MINIs I see, and mostly I am ignored. Pisses me right off. I remember when my dad first brought home his '86 325, people were flickin' high beams all over the place. That's all I want.

mb