On another note, I've just had my MCS since December. I have a 60 mile round trip drive to work, and the S makes it a blast most times. If I'm near others I drive with the flow of traffic, and pay attention to what's going on around me. Driving a service van for years taught me to do so. For what ever reason, people are desperate to race me if i am passing them in another lane. From old Caddy's to BMW's, Audi SUV'S to clapped out Corollas, if they can't pass me, they try and force me out of the lane by cutting over. Its so weird, I've had other sports cars and classics and have never experienced anything like this. I'm thankful its so responsive or I would have already been in a wreck. FYI, it's a box stock '11 MCS in Pepper White.

 

I have almost 6yrs. of those stories to tell you, it seems to be getting worse!! I think it's because I have an Alta Sticker on the boot; yes, I have a 22mm Rear Sway Bar and Alta Endlinks plus some other mods. I really hate to have to show people how to drive...but yeah...I'm the whole time!!

 

Happens to me all the time...ALL THE TIME. I just blow them off by driving calmly averaging 34mpg combined orrrrr...since I bought the JB+ I just have a little fun with those people. Their face drops because they think, "Oh, it's just a small car". My father proceeds to race me in his GL450, I told him that he couldn't catch me with that heavy thing.

But really, people think small car so I'm bigger than them, I'll take the road over. I wish these drivers here in America would drive in Europe, it is far worse haha. Enjoy the trips in your MCS, I still look at my MINI and turn back to say, "WOW, I love you"

 

What is the JB+, I've seen it a couple of places here on NAM, but not quite sure what it is.

TIA!!

 

The best is totally losing other cars around turns that we don't need to brake for.

 

If you have a N18 engine, it gives you at least 20hp/30tq on pump gas (92 octane). Piggybacks on one sensor in the engine bay. If it applies to you, it is highly recommended :-)

 

It's called a juice box or they probably changed it. But Burger Motorsports(from the BMW world) has a few piggyback style tune for the N18 MCS/JCW/GP/Countryman/Paceman/Coupe. It's a fun little plug and play for $300. 20-25whp/30-35wtq.

 

Absolutely yes!

 

They definitely do. Maybe they think I'm threatening their masculinity? Even a truck with a huge engine felt the need to try and race me the other day. We were basically stopped at a light and getting ready to turn left. He was in front of me. Light turns green, he not only waited several seconds to take off, but he just drove like a senior citizen. I was getting impatient, so I accelerated and passed him on the inside lane. When we came to the next light, he nailed the gas to try and race me. I hit the sport button and left him as a little dot in my mirror. Perhaps he was surprised? Who knows. I also have the JCW, so it was hardly an even matchup, although his truck was surprisingly fast.
People just feel threatened IMO.

 

I have it where cars and trucks (doesn't matter what kind) speed ahead of me, cut me off, and proceed to go slower than I was originally going. So now if that happens I blast by them and cut them off right back. I have also noticed that since lowering my car every Scion owner on the planet feels the need to rev up and try to get me to race them. It's annoying and I share the frustration but at least we all have smiles on our faces.

 

I've seen this quite a bit with the three MINIs I've had over the years, and my current one is a Countryman, so it's a little bigger. My observation is that there seems to be a general bully mentality in this country. You see it in the way people treat each other, in politics, and in the "It's all about me" attitude. People don't say "I'm sorry" anymore, they say "My bad", which is not admitting responsibility. Courtesy seems to be a lost art.

People in full-size crew cab pickups and SUVs seem to show this bully mentality more than others (at least in South Florida, where I live), although they are certainly not alone and many of them are very good, courteous drivers and I have seen my fair share of a-holes in Priuses. Being inside a car does give people a sense of anonymity and makes some people do things they might not otherwise do. Plus, if the car is bigger than a MINI (and it usually is), they feel they can push us around. I just stand up to the bullies and don't let them push me around. As I like to say, my car may be small, but I know how to use it!

 

Man seems like you all get driven off the roads. I don't seem to have that issue here in SoCal. I rarely even get a thumbs up! I'm completely aware of my surroundings so it's not like I don't see aggressive driving behaviors, but I don't think it's meant towards me, I think it's just sh*tty drivers in general.

 

Oh ya, it happens often. I get it from big farmer 4x4's and SUV's as well as any car that has the new car sticker in it to see how their car will do. I don't race, but will loose them quickly around a corner!

 

It's always the new car that thinks he owns the road....I do see those.

 

nothing like that here.. minis are oddly very common

 

I think they cant see you in the lane most of the time. Ive noticed the same thing with cars trying to move over in my lane. The Mini is a little bit smaller so is not easily seen.

 

Kind of along the same lines. Recently I was at a dead standstill on a so Cal freeway waiting for the traffic to move again. I was sitting in my 2013 BLK over BRG 2013 JCW Hardtop. I had the window down and engine off listening to my favorite C&W CD. Up pulls a CHP officer on my side. Rolls down the window and asks across "How fast will it go?" I look over at him and reply "65 in Cali and 163 in Germany. He rolled up his window, and that was the end of the discussion. Maybe I'm in the wrong thread. Maybe the "Silly things people say to you" but, I couldn't resist to say it here.

 

I think the concept of consequence is lost on most drivers these days, or at least that's my observation with Colorado drivers. I can't tell you how many times I see someone camping in the fast lane, holding up other people, only to realize in that moment that they need to make a right turn. So they cut everyone off and almost cause a wreck and put everyone in danger because they HAVE TO turn at that moment. The thought of going a block further or something and back tracking safely doesn't occur to them. But I have noticed people 'single me out' when I'm in the MINI to the point where it's a noticeable attitude. Maybe there are so many driver aids these days that people have forgotten to be courteous on the road (or maybe just in general).

I will say this: I don't see MINI drivers doing stupid and dangerous driving on the roads. Could be just my experience in Colorado, but you all make up for the other jerks on the road, so happy motoring MINI drivers!

 

In my area of Colorado I drive daily on a road with constant construction, pot holes and Prairie Dogs. I've come to know the areas in my path to brake or slow down for. Not always but at time's, there will be some nut behind me just laying on the horn and loving every minute of it.
I was tickled to see one of those nuts, who'd really flown past me earlier blaring his horn, pulled over by an officer with his lights flashing.

 

Here's something you don't see every MINI day...I had a (probably) empty U-Haul panel truck try to get on it next to me as he wanted to turn right 2 blocks up at a green light. Are you stinking kidding me?? Of course it didn't happen and actually had to step on the gas just a touch! I'll bet you all have not had this happen!! Wow! He turned right and flashed his high beams at me!! Huh??

 

I honestly believe that there may be a certain stereotype associated with MINI drivers...at least here in NYC. So much of what you see here are luxury coupes, sedans and SUV's driven by a bunch of morons who seem to think that a hefty pricetag = road dominance. I think they believe that MINI's are just these little, slow cars driven by folks to just "get around". *Most* of the time, I just let them go on about their business. They'll unfortunately be the cause of their own demise later on down the road. Hopefully, they don't take someone else out when they do!

 

Thanks for all the great replies and insight! Here in Ohio, we have lots of distracted drivers, plenty of the wealthier than thou road dominators, and a silly amout of the "how on earth did you get your license?" drivers!
I do get a great deal of pleasure out of dusting people but the aggressive , horn honking, and flipping off still puzzles me. Many, many times I've wanted to follow them to their destination. Not to yell at or hit them, but just to ask questions to try and determine what their dysfunction is. I'm a very large and imposing looking man, so I doubt anything positive would happen lol.

 

Tonight I got the POS Honda that had the Rice Cooker Exhaust, I gave them no never mind, he'll be losing his hearing by the time he's 30!! LOL

 

Interesting thread. The value of the vehicle seems to be directly proportional to driving ability. The drivers of 10+ year old family vans, SUVs, and pick ups seem to possess the poorest driving skills. May be they are angry they have a crappy car, don't know and don't care; improve your driving skills and be safe.

A nice lady in a newer muscle car talked to me at a stop light and said she wished her MINI was as good looking as my Roadster. The lesson... watch out for crap cars driven by angry people.

 

Here in South Florida, we have a mixture of really old people who drive slower than molasses moving uphill in winter, young punks aggressively driving Hondas with fart pipes, and people from other countries who don't speak English (and as a result, can't read the signs) who bring bad driving habits (like stopping in the middle of the road) from their home countries. Add in the fact that many people don't even have a driver's license or insurance, and you have a spectacle you could charge admission to see!