In the 'No, I'm not making this up'--a thread about no one waving--in a MINI forum

[witcombusa]

Originally Posted by Bruce K

58k +/-

bk

You got about 20k to go....

[Bruce K]

So 2023....?



BK

[gbcoupe]

I also had an early 2002 S. One of the 1st few in town. People would ask about it pretty much any time I stopped, even at red lights. Had a guy follow me into my driveway once to ask me questions. That was a bit much. Anyway, as others have said, the wave was common for a few years. Only happens a few times a year now.

I had so many problems with mine that the dealer bought it back and gave me a 2004 at no additional cost. Started having some of the same problems with the 04, so I sold it and bought my 99 MCoupe. Still have that and love it.

After a Toyota pickup and a BMW 318ti, I bought another MINI as my daily. a 2007 "justa". I've had no problems, just wear and tear maintenance. Still can't believe I bought another after the experience with the 1st two. Nothing else ticked all the boxes. They are fun and very carry way more than you'd think... oh, that's another thread going on here.

[smontanaro]

Tri geeks never seem to wave. I assume that's because they are always on their aero bars no matter how slow they are going and don't want to risk loss of control by waving.

[Mzilliox]

nobody in here waved either everyone just started talking

[benb]

The Mini enthusiast thing always seemed way way artificial to me because it was brand specific.

Maybe just because BMW put on a wicked hard core marketing push to create it... very astro-turfy.

I knew numerous people who were way too artificially enthusiastic when the Mini's first came out. Acting like they were British when they weren't, just way too into it. Meanwhile all of them got bent over by BMW over and over on those early ones as they were basket cases. And they were not car guys and then overnight started playing "I"m a car guy".

It's totally different than cyclists waving. It's not like Trek owners only wave to Trek owners... cyclists tend to wave at cyclists, same with motorcyclists. Even the H-D faux-badazz not waving guy is somewhat of the exception. There were a lot of H-D faux-badazz guys back when I motorcycled because their was a huge poseur Harley Bubble from the late 1990s that started fading in the 2010s but that was still never the actual core H-D guys/gals. Meanwhile if you were riding a Honda and waved at some guy on a Suzuki/Yamaha/Kawasaki/Ducati/Aprilia/BMW/Triumph/Whatever they were very likely to wave back.

I know at least back in this same time period there was a lame thing with Jeep guys turning their noses up at people who were into off-roading but didn't own Jeeps and such. Again all brand specific nonsense.

The whole cycling waving thing is semi-played out anyway. If I'm going real fast I might not wave. Too busy riding. And there are tons and tons of cyclists now, I don't need to wave 100 times in 20 miles. When I first started riding I might ride 500 miles (1 month or more) without seeing anyone, so when you saw someone you waved, and if you were heading the same way you probably struck up a conversation and worked together.

[Bruce K]

Our local dealership still has a VERY active owner’s group - they still do.

Rallys, road trips, event get-together. This thing is what you make it.

I don’t know too many folks who truly thought the new Minis were British. Several of the early owners actually had one of each!

It is/was what it is/was....

BK