My only REAL experience with the MINI getting 'less' respect is in New York City Traffic, where merges (onto bridges and into tunnels especially) are a game of INCHES.

You have thousands of cars going from 10 toll lanes down to 2 tunnel lanes in about 50 yards.

WHEN I used to drive my Jeep Wrangler, everyone let me in no problem. When I am in my MINI, I have to 'compete' for a spot like everyone else.

My Theory:

When driving my Jeep, all the other vehicles saw when I started to merge was a HUGE KNOBBY TIRE and some steel and running boards.

In all other vehicles, there are 'fenders' and 'painted bumpers' and 'quarter panels' - that could get scratched, marred, dented, etc. -but not in the Wrangler.

I think that vehicle got respect because there seemed to be nothing to lose for ME if I bumped, or scraped into any other vehicle, while they would have to deal with some amount of damage.

The MINI, or most any other vehicle for that matter, runs a bigger risk of getting 'damaged' in those situations, and other drivers KNOW it.

-B

 

It's been an eye-opening experience for me as well. I've been driving a F-150 until i got my Mini. But this is a truck-dominant area with a large urban hillbilly contingent (see Jerry Springer for examples).
I wonder if a beefy grill-guard would make the Mini 'look' more menacing and get respect?
Do they make them for Mini's??

 

The only issues we have are with big semi trucks not giving the Mini any respect and trying to dominate the highway.

 

Holy back-from-the-dead thread!

The respect I get is directly proportional to my driving, my position on the road and ability to interact with traffic. Related to that, I believe

- 33.3% of driving is how well you play by the rules, drive in a disciplined manner, obey the laws and customs. This involves 10% "situational awareness" embedded.

- 33.3% of driving is how well you can handle your vehicle, both in driving/shifting/braking/turning smoothly, knowing your controls, and keeping concentration on the road. This also involves 10% "situational awareness" embedded.

- 33.3% if driving is getting inside the other driver's head, and predicting what's going to happen - before it happens - so you can react accordingly. This ALSO involves 10% "situational awareness" embedded.

The remaining 0.1% is dumb luck. (yes, mathematically that's 1/1000th of the driving experience, and even THAT is giving "luck" too much effect).

And yeah, another 30% of driving is situational awareness! But it's embedded in all the above tasks. Except the "luck" part.

 

Just leave em in the dust :D

 

I take the Fried Green Tomatoes approach. "I'm older and I've got better insurance."

 

I too have a moto license and I too think of the MINI as a 4 wheel motorcycle hah

 

True.

For 20 years I have have driven Range Rovers as my main transportation and within a few months of acquiring another one I set to fixing it up for savage off-roading - the bull bars and winch tackle on the front, lifted, etc, so that Biff and Buffy in Scottsdale take one look at my truck before pulling out in front of me and say to themselves -"That is a RR, and he has hit stuff in the desert with it, lets let him go first". I left some coyote fur in the grill for about 6 months, that got some respect.

The Mini gets no respect, it almost looks like an economy car and sadly, I have grey hair too and ride with the seat all the way back which I imagine makes me look through the tinted windows like a senior citizen snowbird that can barely peek over the steering wheel on her way to bingo,....

 

I get zero respect in my mcs, my girl friends 19 year old brother says "I'm sure it's fast for what it is..." Can't wait til spring to take him around some bends.