R50/53 Do you still wave...
#202
Originally Posted by boarder054
the sexy MINI sandwich!
Second, while I've always been a waver (and a Cooper owner) I, too suspected the wave was dying around here....'til the other day. It was a nice springtime day...and I got 5 out of 6 wave-backs...in one day!!! Mighta been 6 out of 6...windshield glare obstructed my view. I'm sure there are different realities out there, but the wave is still alive and well in Arlington, Texas...it was just subsumed for a time.
#204
#205
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Back in '02 the market was flooded by real Mini enthusiasts who had probably been lusting after one since it was a concept. When it became a reality the wait was usually six months or more from deposit to motoring. Everyone had a significant emotional investment in ownership and once on the road Mini sightings were infrequent.....so we waved giddily when we spotted each other.
Today, 50% of owners buy their Mini's right off the lot.....basically no wait involved, no agonizing over specs, not much dreaming involved. For many of these people, it may very well be just a new car.....with no significant emotional connections. In large cities, they are likely to see 3-4 on the road before they ever get it home for the first time. When mine was new in 9/02 I saw one every few days and a sighting was exciting, so we expressed that feeling to one another.
This morning someone waved at me and I reciprocated.....but I generally don't initiate unless there is some kind of eye contact first or if I see a dark
silver like mine. It's no longer a big deal to see another one. Waving Mini enthusiasts are largely a thing of the past. While the loss of this phenomenon is disappointing to many of us, that's just the way it is. Oh, well. Wave because you want to share your enthusiam.....not because you want anything in return. Be cool.
Today, 50% of owners buy their Mini's right off the lot.....basically no wait involved, no agonizing over specs, not much dreaming involved. For many of these people, it may very well be just a new car.....with no significant emotional connections. In large cities, they are likely to see 3-4 on the road before they ever get it home for the first time. When mine was new in 9/02 I saw one every few days and a sighting was exciting, so we expressed that feeling to one another.
This morning someone waved at me and I reciprocated.....but I generally don't initiate unless there is some kind of eye contact first or if I see a dark
silver like mine. It's no longer a big deal to see another one. Waving Mini enthusiasts are largely a thing of the past. While the loss of this phenomenon is disappointing to many of us, that's just the way it is. Oh, well. Wave because you want to share your enthusiam.....not because you want anything in return. Be cool.
#207
Originally Posted by OctaneGuy
Yeah waving in Los Angeles is met mostly by foolishness these days.
Sometimes it's funny when you do encounter a waver and we both stare at each other as we pass, looking for who's going to wave first! Yesterday I came face to face with a MINI, she was on the phone, I gave her a small wave, and surprisingly she waved back. It's rare, very rare.
On the other hand, I have also been met with really cute new owners on the freeway screaming at me that they just got their MINI and love it--something that can be done on our packed freeways. LOL
Sometimes it's funny when you do encounter a waver and we both stare at each other as we pass, looking for who's going to wave first! Yesterday I came face to face with a MINI, she was on the phone, I gave her a small wave, and surprisingly she waved back. It's rare, very rare.
On the other hand, I have also been met with really cute new owners on the freeway screaming at me that they just got their MINI and love it--something that can be done on our packed freeways. LOL
#210
My co-worker is an early-adopter, and still has her '02 Cooper S after nearly 4 years. She was just complaining yesterday that nobody waves back anymore. She's so frustrated, and figuring she's been a MINI owner longer, instead of waving, she now pre-emptively gives other MINI drivers the finger.
I think she was joking.
I think she was joking.
#211
Waving still happens in Miami, although not as much as it used to be 3-4 years ago. There are too many MINIs down here. On a single day I can count 40-60 of them and a couple of classics every week or so.
Couple of weeks ago I was in San Francisco, CA and same as Miami I saw tons of MINIs in that wonderful city but not much waving action either.
While I enjoy waving to other MINI drivers, that is not a crucial aspect of the car's enjoyment for me. I see folks getting overly frustrated over the lack of response from other MINI owners on the road, but then again so what? This is human nature.
Rarely women wave back to men. I think most women find the waving and honking intimidating, specially coming from stranger males.
In my experience, the group of people that wave less are the Cabrio owners.
Couple of weeks ago I was in San Francisco, CA and same as Miami I saw tons of MINIs in that wonderful city but not much waving action either.
While I enjoy waving to other MINI drivers, that is not a crucial aspect of the car's enjoyment for me. I see folks getting overly frustrated over the lack of response from other MINI owners on the road, but then again so what? This is human nature.
Rarely women wave back to men. I think most women find the waving and honking intimidating, specially coming from stranger males.
In my experience, the group of people that wave less are the Cabrio owners.
#212
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Originally Posted by sndwave
I’ve been waving, flashing for almost 4 years now and always will. Sometimes people are distracted and may not see you and some people just don’t care. But there are us who will always give a wave if we see another MINI.
#213
#214
I dont know but here in Rockford, IL people still wave, I know ive only had my MINI for only 3 weeks and ive only seen 2 other MINIS driving around while I've been driving my MCS and I'm 2 for 2 so far!
And i get a lot of people giving "Captain" the stares and great comments all the time, maybe its just the region some people are at that they just dont care anymore
And i get a lot of people giving "Captain" the stares and great comments all the time, maybe its just the region some people are at that they just dont care anymore
#215
Originally Posted by capnmini
I dont know but here in Rockford, IL people still wave, I know ive only had my MINI for only 3 weeks and ive only seen 2 other MINIS driving around while I've been driving my MCS and I'm 2 for 2 so far!
And i get a lot of people giving "Captain" the stares and great comments all the time, maybe its just the region some people are at that they just dont care anymore
And i get a lot of people giving "Captain" the stares and great comments all the time, maybe its just the region some people are at that they just dont care anymore
I wave all the time.. I look like a lunatic but who really cares anyways
#216
#217
#218
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Originally Posted by skitelluride531
It's about 50/50 here for those who wave and those who don't in Austin, Texas. I always wave no matter what.
Bomboasy
#221
#222
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mhhoff.....I do understand your cynical attitude toward waving.....just not your initial way of expressing it. If you have motored 115,000 mi., you have seen it all and the present state of waving surely would feel deflating. Nice to hear from you again.
I'll be visiting my granddaughters in San Francisco next week. It is without doubt the Mini Capital of the USA. Too bad I won't have one to test the
dynamics of this issue while I'm there.
I'll be visiting my granddaughters in San Francisco next week. It is without doubt the Mini Capital of the USA. Too bad I won't have one to test the
dynamics of this issue while I'm there.
#223
I got a nice reaction last week. I was on my way to work in the morning and waiting to make a right turn onto a busier road when I saw a DS/DS coming down in the right lane towards me. Flashing lights, slowed down to let me in etc. I had the sunroof open and gave them a big thumbs up and flashed my hazards. I was gonna slow to let them pull up. When they passed he and his co-pilot gave thumbs up and then banged a hard right away from me. It was cool.
#225