I've been MINI Motoring for about 8 months now and I have always been on the lookout for other MINIs on the highways and byways. I did see two of them, both on the same day, and I think I got a glimpse of one, I'm not sure. But that was months ago! Where are they? I was beginning to think seeing another MINI was akin to searching for the Abominable Snowman or the Loch Ness Monster. They tell me they're out there but I can't find one.

Well, today I was on the Philly Expressway and, behold, a little ways up I spot an MCS ds/blk. Wow! There goes one now! Almost as nice looking as my PS/Blk MCS! Of course I may be a little biased. Traffic was heavy so I threaded my way through with precision bobbing and weaving. I was almost along side ready to give a little toot and a thumbs up when I realized I was in the Lincoln town car. Yes, I have a Lincoln. Well, after all, I am 56 years old. I'm not a plaid pants and white shoes 56. I'm more of a jeans and sneakers 56. Don't get me wrong. I'm not apologizing for the Lincoln, it's a great car. Besides, I can take out the spare tire and put my MINI in the trunk.

Well, anyway, I figure I give a toot, a thumbs up and hold my MINI key out the window. Then, he will surely know that I'm a fellow MINI owner. Right? I get alongside and tap the horn, but no response. Again, no response. I move up a little. Nothing. I tried everything except moon him. Which I thought might be dangerous from a driving position. No matter what, I could not get him to turn his head. What a let down.

Well, nothing to do but continue my quest for the "Abominable MINI" and hope the next one is up on his/her MINI social amenities and comradery. I could have spelled that "comaraderie" but that's French. Thank's for listening.

For what it's worth.

Keep Motorin'

Dan

 

Hi Dan

Here in PHX, there's a lot of people with hopped up cars that want to race. I get a lot of people coming along side me and revving their engines in preparation for a race. I neither look nor do I race. So maybe you came across someone like me who thought you might be out to race them. Anyhow, to let you know I do salute other MINIs going down the road. I passed one earlier today and gave a gib arm wave to them. They were also waving like mad as well. We had MINIs with the same paint scheme. So anyhow, don't let it get you down. Maybe they we're tuned into a phone call or listening to their favorite song on the radio.

Happy Motoring!

 

Hi Nick,

Thanks for your reply. I appreciate your worry that I might have been disillusioned by today's experience. Actually, I was being tongue in cheek about the irony of not seeing another MINI for so long and finally being snubbed at the first encounter. I thought it was kind of funny. What ever his reasons were for not responding, are his own. The humorous part was my trying to get his attention.

Maybe I should have used a few more smiley faces in the proper places to convey my true feeling. I didn't mean it to sound so serious. I was trying to put a little levity into one of those everyday experiences. I still have faith that I will run into a lot of other MINIites in the future and that they will respond the way you, I, and all the other MCOL members would. :smile: :smile: :smile: :smile: :smile:

Keep Motorin'

Dan

 

Dan

I'm also in my fifties and when not in the MINI I drive a Land Rover Discovery. I keep a MINI model on the dash of the Land Rover and when I pull up next to a MINI I wave the model.

I've gotten positive results back and put even a bigger smiles

 

Where are YOU? I run across 2-3 MINIs everyday.

 

Oh OK...now we know why we're always getting tailgated by those SUVs....they're actually being driven by fellow MINI owners in their "alternative" rides. They're just trying to say Hi!

And geeze Greatgro, I'm glad I don't live where you live...I maybe see 2 or 3 MINIs every couple of WEEKS! It's been happening more and more often as of late though. Up until the last month or so, I'd maybe run into about 5 other MINIs total in about 5 months. (North-Central MA)

 

I think the MINI's thin out the farther south you go in NJ. I pass within a half mile of Princeton MINI in my daily commute and I'm lucky if I see 1 a week. And most of those MINI sightings have been closer to the shore on the weekends.

Since we picked up our MINI on 3/10, I've only seen one and my wife has only sighted (and received double thumbs up from) a classic MINI.

Dan is right they are in hiding!

_________________
MINI Cooper S: IB/blk with stripes. Ordered 9/9/02. Built Feb 5, 2003. Got it on March 10th. Now the fun begins.
Princeton MINI, NJ.

 

naw,
i'm just driving too fast, i'm gone before you can even see me

 

With 3 dealers in lil' ol' NJ, it's no wonder we see more MINIs. I see about one other MINI every week or so, but I'm mostly driving in the same neighborhoods. Here is what I've observed: Around town, suburban or city MINI spottings will ALWAYS result in a cheerful wave, toot, thumbs up or peace sign from other drivers. On the highway, it's a toss up. Some people notice me and wave, some notice me and don't wave, some pretend not to notice me and don't wave, and some don't notice at all. Highway behavior is VERY bizarre

 

>>With 3 dealers in lil' ol' NJ, it's no wonder we see more MINIs. I see about one other MINI every week or so, but I'm mostly driving in the same neighborhoods. Here is what I've observed: Around town, suburban or city MINI spottings will ALWAYS result in a cheerful wave, toot, thumbs up or peace sign from other drivers. On the highway, it's a toss up. Some people notice me and wave, some notice me and don't wave, some pretend not to notice me and don't wave, and some don't notice at all. Highway behavior is VERY bizarre

sometimes on the highway the road commands your undivided attention

 

There was a discussion about this just a few weeks ago on the Mid-Atlantic MINI's Yahoo group. I find that when I do encounter a MINI it's rare that either one of us have a chance to respond because we're coming from opposite directions.

Much to my surprise this morning I encountered a VR MINI with MD tags trying to clear security at the base where I work, I was enjoying the attention I was getting as the only MINI on base. I was too busy navigating around the truck bomb barricades and the security personnel to wave as I went past (if your the woman who was driving the VR MINI sorry)

 

>>The humorous part was my trying to get his attention.

I know the feeling. I've been on both sides of this.

I totally ignored a co-worker a few days back. They saw me on the street in my MINI and were trying to get my attention. They let me have it when they saw me at work later on!

 

did you post twice to get our attention

 

>>did you post twice to get our attention

Nope, just to bump his post count, on the way to 1000!

(Not unlike me posting a reply to get my count up! )

 

Clicked once and got two posts. Happens sometimes with web technologies. Wasn't intentional. See, I went back and deleted the second post.

 

>>>>did you post twice to get our attention
>>
>>Nope, just to bump his post count, on the way to 1000!
>>
>>(Not unlike me posting a reply to get my count up! )

i thought that you do a word per post

 

>>Nope, just to bump his post count, on the way to 1000!

 

>>Where are YOU? I run across 2-3 MINIs everyday.

everyday!? i wish i saw that many mini's.. i dont know why but i never see them unless im on the high way, and then i usually only see one.

 

My MINI count is around 1 every other day. And I KNOW there are more MINI's here in Chicago. Heck there is one MINI that lives 4 blocks away and I have seen him on the road ONCE! Otherwise I see him at the monthy meets.

I always try to get other Motorers attention and respond to beeps. Rarely is it someone trying to annoy or race, mostly it's parents who's kids are giving me a thumbs up. (That's soo cute, and always makes my day).

 

I see another Mini like every other week!

 

Hmmm... you know, I think it could very well be easier to see one when it's the car that you want, not the car that you have. There are 2 MCS on campus - a Liquid Yellow and an Electric Blue that I see constantly. There is also a brand new PW one, and a BRG MC that I park next to every time I get my paycheck. I see them on the road all the time, got behind one at the car wash, saw one at Dunkin' Donuts... it's like the li'l devils are taunting me. I *would* say only till August then I can put my order in, but after the career fair I went to Sat, well... so much for teaching being the only surefire job out there. No one wants social studies teachers. So, well... it might be a while before that order goes in.

 

I've had my pure silver MCS for just a lil over two months now and have only seen ONE other Mini in that time! This is somewhat understandable as there are NO dealers here in WV.

Recently, I traveled to Rockville, MD (suburban DC). That trip was a bit over four hrs. each way and I saw NO Minis at all. My trip was made for me, though, when I passed a series of three school buses w/elementary or middle school kids. As I motored past them, it was amazing to watch the heads tirm in my direction. And they all had "Wow!" expressions on their faces!

 

Dan, keep looking, they are out there, just not very mini. My wife & I play a game
on motoring trips called "BUG". It goes like this= If you spot a VW Beetle & say
"bug" you get one (1) pt. If its an original Beetle, not the new ones, you get 3 pts.,
but you must say "bug". If you say "bug" & its not a "bug", take away one pt..
On a trip last week to the Carolinas, 900 miles, we made an addition. Five pts for
a MINI & 10 pts for a Classic Mini. All total we spotted 5 MINIS, but no Classic MC.
One beautiful all black MC passed me & when he pulled over at a country story, I
pulled over. Got pictures of his car, and chatted for a few moments. MINI people
have something in common, the MINI, so we all have a special common bond. At
the "Spring Thing" in Clearwater, FL this month it was very evident.
Sorry for the long talk, I this probably has very little to do with your topic, but hey
whats wrong with a little posting.

 

see quite a few minis here in Phoenix....around the corner a few blocks from me in Scottsdale, there is a driveway that has a silver/black MC and silver/black MCS parked nose to nose in the circular front driveway. Also in the driveway is parked a new silver 350Z and occasionally a Black M3....it's driving me crazy what might be parked in the 3 car garage with the doors always down when I drive by, laugh!

 

>>I've had my pure silver MCS for just a lil over two months now and have only seen ONE other Mini in that time! This is somewhat understandable as there are NO dealers here in WV.
>>
Last month my wife and I made a whirlwind road trip DC to Gettysburg and back through WV. It was really obvious when we got into WV that there were very few MINIs. We lost count of the number of people who we saw get whiplash trying to catch a glimpse of the car as we drove down I-81 past Martinsburg and in to Winchester VA.