Aggressively around other drivers, no. On the windy road from Carmel Valley Village to Arroyo Seca, no comment.

I haven't had the MINI long enough to notice much tailgating (today was first day) but I have a favorite way to deal with aggressive SUV and trucks that tailgate. I don't slow down for turns or tight curves. Often they are so obsessed with going faster than me, they aren't watching what they are doing and what their car is capable of compared to mine. One has to be careful not to lead them into a situation where they would crash, but I think I've caused a few to realize they are not driving a sports car.

 

I wanted to say that I find my self also wanting to drive to the limits of what would be considered passive driving. I learned to drive in EU and there we use our cars do get from point A to B, may I add with some spirit.
Now here in US we do everything in our cars, eat, drink etc. Except drive to our destination.
Which leads me to my question.
Who would be considered an unsafe driver the one that is paying attention to the traffic and efficiently navigation through it or the one that is thinking about everything else but driving and sharing the road?

I have to add too that the closest you can get to a bike ride is in a mini, but again way different. I love curves in this car, the second gen mini is way better compared to my late 2004 mini.

 

My daily work commute is quite a bit shorter in time than it used to be but then I used to drive a large truck that accelerated slowly and felt like you were going faster than you actually were.


Gotta be careful as 55 feels like 30. Don't drive so it feels like you are doing 55 or your insurance rates will suffer.

 

Just picked mine up yesterday. My friend who drove me to the dealership followed me home and said almost word for word that I am too aggressive and that it is the mini's fault.

I pick up my mother this weekend since she is flying in for a visit, and I expect to hear the same thing.

 

Yeah, I've noticed that since the thing handles so well, I drive it a little harder. It handles so good in fact, that the speed does sneek up a bit. I won't go into too much detail, since I might violate site policy a bit by doing so...

Being so small and light, though... I have also adopted some of the defensive driving techniques I employ on the bike: Assume nobody sees you... and those that do are jelous and want to run you over, anyway.

 

Two things---the right on my a$$ at stop lights, and pick-up trucks--I've noticed a ton of that. Makes me CRAZY. (Is it an optical illusion because there is no back end?)
Thanks for the comment about driving it like it is a motorcycle--that being more aware of the car that is aiming for you. I think that is what's going on with me. I am hyper-cautious, so I am not at all agressive--except maybe off the line. Pick-ups appear to deliberately cut me off. The last one had those rubber ***** hanging off the back--I thought, yeah, right.

 

I have an SUV and I see no reason to be derided for it. Do you have a reasonable alternative for a family of 7 that goes to unpaved camp sites?? Do you suppose it is better to drive 2 separate vehicles?

 

2nd and 3rd gear in the 6-speed '07 MCS are incredibly fun, but I'm still under 300 miles right now and am still breaking the car in. However, my previous car was a 2002 Hyundai Elantra, so you can imagine how much of a difference I noticed :-D

 

i wrote:

"(sorry if any of you drive SUVs, and i know sometimes its necessary)"

LynnE, obviously you are one of cases where it is necessary. In your case the MINI cancels the SUV out.

 

Oh, but you will be around these parts. Best to take it in stride...I don't think it's serious. Just another "us vs. them" thing generally based on stereotypes.

 

or their safety? I sometimes imagine how I would feel if I caused a death, even if the other guy 'started' it. it would ruin the rest of my life.

 

Heck, I ran over a rabbit about 20 years ago and I'm still not fully over it.

 

I think Lynne is right to bring this up. the previous comment was judgmental and somewhat rude. She called that out. She is taking it in stride - her response was not over the top.

 

Lets keep on the subject of this thread please!!

 

In my life, this hasn't been an issue. Till now. When I had my 62 Cooper, it was still pretty easy to hang back because it was a tiny ten foot box with a 998cc twin carbed engine. With my Grinnall Scorpion, it's not an issue much because in the Scorpion (see gallery) you're so exposed and out there, with your butt about ten inches off the asphalt, that you have the FEELING that you're going a lot faster than you are. But with this 07 MCS with sport suspension, the car drives so smoothly and does everything so easily and quietly that I immediately realized that there were now TWO PEOPLE on the road...ME and EVERYBODY THAT IS IN MY WAY. It's just nothing to drive twenty to thirty mph over a speed limit and not even know you're doing it. When you go to pushing the car through backroads and the accompanying twisties, the car does it so smoothly, without even breathing hard, that I just feel like my driver's license is now in jeapardy every time I drive. I find myself hammering through turns at two times plus (AND UP!) whatever they're marked. I find it necessary to stay in second gear while mostly inside the city limits. Otherwise I'm going to fast. I'm learning to drive by the gear and the tach in order to stay out of trouble. This is my biggest problem with this car.
As to tailgaters, they're out there no matter what you drive. I am, however, noticing that just like with the 62 Cooper AND the Grinnall Scorpion
people LOVE To pull up six inches off your tail at a stoplight. My response to that is to sit and not move for two or three seconds or more when I finally can accelerate away. And then I GO!

 

I noticed when I first got the car how easy it was to exceed the posted limit and then I found the Speed Limit alarm in the SAT/NAV. I set it for 79 mph and now I have no excuse when I'm on the freeway, the car nanny lets me know I'm behaving poorly.

 

I've had 2 miatas, a motorcycle, my current Z4, and a small Mazda Protege.

I've also had a big ole Pontiac Grand Prix, a pickup, and my current Murano SUV (right on Lynn, BTW).

With the exception of the motorcycle, I don't think I've ever noticed a difference in how people drive around me. I attribute it to driving slightly faster than traffic and not leaving it up to them to see and react to me.

I think if you've been a fairly passive driver in the past you're more likely to notice a difference in those around you based on what you're driving.

FWIW, lots of people drive MINIs because they're fun, and not a political statement. The great mileage is a happy side effect for many, the ride is the primary love

 

Are you responding to my comment on being tailgated by SUVs and trucks? If you are tailgating in your SUV, you deserve derision -- especially if you are tailgating a car that can stop quicker, and is likely to get crushed by your huge vehicle.

If you aren't tailgating, my comment wasn't aimed at you. It was the bad behavior I was commenting on.

 

If you feel you want to get the most out of driving this very well engineered performance coupe (the new MINI) then try-

Driving school events with good instructors.
Autocross school like the EvoSchool
Autocrossing events in your local area sponsored by SCCA or BMWCCA
Track Lapping sessions on your local area track.
Driving school with a performance car (not yours).

Probably most of us can sense that this is a fun car to drive. But most of us don't have enough skill at driving to really make best use of what a MINI is capable of doing.

On the street is not the place to test performance limits no matter how good you do drive. The MINI is responsive enough that if we are not careful we can overstep safe boundaries and possibly get into trouble.

It is tough to drive the speed limit but it is possible and it's being responsible. Out on the track you can do alot more and you'll stay out of most trouble.

Maybe people that tailgate are spying on your cute MINI?
:impatient

 

I agree with those suggestions. I did a Bondurant driving course (one day) in Chandler, AZ a few years ago driving carts and Mustangs. It was great, we did the cones in the carts and the cones then the track in the cars. But this car is way different with FWD. It's easier to just power a RWD car around a turn with the throttle and back off on the wheel to straighten it out. I'd like to be able to heel/toe and move this car turn to turn without any wheelspin or oversteer at all using the gas pedal and sw, and I really can't do that now around northern Arizona (and there are plenty of great roads near here, trust me). I'll look into some instructional opportunities.

 

please delete

 

LynnEl,

gokart is correct. Just ignore the SUV comments. ...

I would imagine that some of those comments come from people who do not have families to haul, stuff to haul, places to go ... each type of car has a purpose and a reason and everyone's situation is different.

And yeah, I not saying that because I have a SUV ... its just common sense. "you know what you know" ... and you "don't know what you don't know".

Unless they walk in your shoes, they are clueless about your situation.

 

Lynn,
Such general comments about SUV's or trucks are totally insensitive. Regardless what's tailgating you, just move out of the way!

 

Hand is up but I'm alway careful and do it when there's noone around

 

I supported Lynne before, but that being said...

There is a reason why people comment on SUVs. They use a lot of gas. They tend to IMO, tailgate. They then crush other cars in accidents. Through lobbying efforts, the auto industry has exempted them from MPG, safety and emissions requirments. There is this little thing called global warming going on. All in all, there is a lot to dislike about them. There are other options out there - the dreaded station wagon for one.