Nope. But if they ARE that respectably quick, I'll bet the owners are a little more like Mini owners - a big smile ....and not a burning need to prove it to everyone who passes

 

More like respectably FAST. MINIs are quick. I've seen those SRT8's on the drag strip, it's crazy how the first gens can get into the 9-10 secs in the 1/4 mile.

 

You can't deny there are plenty of 9 and 10 second honda cars roaming the streets too. Sure most of the owners are ricers but There are plenty of quick/fast ones. My last was 11.2 in the quarter with full interior.

 

Your MINI posted 11.2 in 1/4?

 

Lol I wish. My last 2000 civic hatchback.

 

I thought it was just me this whole time.

I think it has everything to do with the look/sound of your car. Any sort of aggressive exhaust note or any bit of classing up your car makes certain types think you want to race, or that it's OK to cut you off with almost no room...

I commute from Oakland to Redwood City everyday, it's a contact sport for sure. These days I've learned to spot idiots and just back off. Plus it's great to see the look on their face when they want to race and i give them the "jerk off" hand motion and roll my eyes.

 

All the time and 4x4's are the worst

 

In Southern California, it's a daily occurrence! All sort of cars but mostly BMWs, Mercedes, and rice rockets feel the need to cut me off. Oh and get the occasional spitting on my car when I don't let them cut in

 

Gotta love it when they have to speed up and cut you off when there's practically 500ft behind me with no cars in my lane haha. I just laugh and when I get the chance, I zoom by them with a HUGE smile:-).

 

It's just the aggressive mind set of SoCal. Get up to Seattle on the "rich side" of Lake Washingon in Bellevue, and you are forced to drive 10mph more than the west side due to the micosofties, game engineers making too much at age 25 that they need, and the high brow attitude of that side of the lake. It's very apparant. I have 40 years of experience in those lands. Started right when Bill Gates started up. Both sides of the lake have plenty of Mercedes, BMW's, Audis, etc, but the east side screams much harder. Maybe the old money and hippies are more hanging out on the west side. (My side 10 years ago since I was little 50 years ago). Every time I visit, the cars go faster and more aggressive! Here in Nebraska, it's just the ye-haw country-truck people or transplants from other places. Everybody here seems to run red lights like crazy without even gassing it. Yellow into red means just keep cruising. Pisses me off.

 

I also thought perhaps I was imagining this but you guys made me realize that indeed, some people are being a bit aggressive towards me (I'm in the Washington, DC Metro area). I have a Countryman S with JCW exhausts and a cheeky Dakar sticker on the boot so perhaps that entices them.

They probably do a double take when they see my child booster seat in the back and me ususally driving the speed limit. I always drive defensively which is a must in this area, known for its terrible drivers.

 

Could also be that they are threatened by my limited edition (Hampton Edition) MINI and feel the need to prove they have more money behind their car? Idk, just stupid and silly in my opinion to drive in such a way

 

I think it's because they all have tiny junk. Lmao

 

Or they think (correctly in many cases) that Mini drivers have massive egos.

 

Several days ago, I was turning left at a 4-way stop when some punk in an older Honda blew the stop sign to my right and proceeded through the intersection in front of me, giving me a "F--- you" look as he went by. As soon as he went through, I stepped on it and, thanks to a little sand in the intersection, the traction control immediately killed the throttle as if I had taken my foot off the pedal. I was pissed, but it taught me to always turn off the traction control when the roads are dry.

 

So, I read through this entire thread two days before I bought the car and now I'm going to comment three days after taking ownership. I think I've experienced just about every situation everyone has said already. It's sad.

This morning I turned out of my neighborhood and onto a main road while a silverado was coming toward me. I easily had 20+ Minis between him and me. What does he do? He guns it to try to go around me in the other lane. Because of course...I somehow impeded his progress and he wanted to be in my lane. Mind you, we all know Minis are quick. So, I'm already doing about 55 in 40 anyway...not even realizing when I see this guy trying to bust up the side. Did I speed off? No...just constantly matched his speed until he had no choice but to get behind me. Of course...once they realize you've matched their speed, it becomes a pissing contest. Instead of just dropping in behind me, he tried to push 70 (obviously at some point you do have to back off and let raging idiots, A: Get a ticket OR B: Have an "accident").

We both turned left at the next light...

*sigh* Really? Good Thursday morning.

 

Lol welcome to MINI driving!

 

+1!

 

So yesterday I was pulling into the bank, I was making a right turn. I slowed down big time because we had another snow storm but mind you the roads were icy too. Another reason I slowed down to make the turn was because there was a huge pothole when turning right. This Jeep decided to stay on my a** and honk the horn at me. At this point driving an hour and 15 mins to a destination that normally takes me 30 mins(bday party), I flick the guy off. I normally don't let things get to me, but our potholes and icy snow roads were ridiculous. Some people are so dumb when it comes to driving in this state, and that idiot proved it.


Btw, the Jeep had collisions before I could see on the front bumper haha.

 

Sounds just like New Jersey!

 

Aye!! More tickets to the raging idiots.

 

I have acutely been chased down a road for 3 miles. Usually when I'm first at a light I take off quick and accelerate fast to 5 over the speed limit so I can put the car in 6th and cruise. Obviously this doesn't sit well with other insecure drivers. A man in a Cadillac SUV thought it would be funny to floor it and cut me off for no reason, I downshifted and blew past him and sadly he could barely keep up... At the next light he got behind me to get really close on my tail, I'm honestly not sure why people do this? It doesn't scare me, it just makes me brake check you... Lol. So he chased me for a while on my tail, but finally before I took my turn I yelled "you mad bro?" Gets them everytime. He shouted something, I couldn't hear, probably something about having a small...

 

"......before I took my turn I yelled "you mad bro?"

Bahaha! CLASSIC!

 

Brilliant comeback! I'll have to use that one next time.

 

Question what is an N18 and what are the others? and how can I check what mine is.. I run 92-93 oct anyway...