107 replies to this topic

[Paulwhitt20]

Does anyone else feel that other road users don't respect you when driving your mini?

It always feels that other road users don't respect you and treat you like a toy car. They don't wait for you at parked cars and try and overtake at the earliest opportunity even though You are doing the speed limit. The worst are Audi drivers but most drivers seem to treat the mini as a joke as if it is not there. Maybe it's so small they don't notice it. I don't get many stares from pedestrians either.

Is this the same all over the country or are people in Cheshire particularly disrespectful to small cars?

Paul

[HarrysMini]

I find this a lot, with other cars too. One example is at roundabouts, people look at you and think you are driving a slow car, so pull out in front of you. 

 

It's the complete opposite when I've been a passenger in cars that have more road presence, or look faster. People give way to you, and give you loads of space. 

[robminibcy]

Cant say I've noticed any difference in other drivers behaviour if I'm in the mini. In fact if I'm waiting to pull out I think I more likely to be let out in the mini than any other car.

[coopdog]

I feel I get more respect in the mini,

When I'm in the Lexus I'm waiting for ages to pull out onto a road but in the mini, people always let me out haha

But deffo a +1 on the roundabout thing!

Edited by coopdog, 13 September 2014 - 06:49 PM.

[Tamworthbay]

I don't find it any different but I do throw mine about a bit. If idiots want to overtake that's fine, as long as they are happy to have me up their chuff when it comes to the twisties. I used to get it more in the MGB GT, I think they assumed it would be driven by a grandad and were a bit surprised when it flew past them.

[Miniminx71]

Everybody's rude to everybody these days I think, no matter what you drive. BMW and Audi drivers seem to be getting worse though. If someone's going to charge up a queue of patiently waiting traffic and then try and force their way in at the top, 9 times out of 10 it's either a Beemer or Audi.

[megamini_jb]

When in the mini I usually have cars pulling out on me, whereas other car hardly ever

[HarrysMini]

Everybody's rude to everybody these days I think, no matter what you drive. BMW and Audi drivers seem to be getting worse though. If someone's going to charge up a queue of patiently waiting traffic and then try and force their way in at the top, 9 times out of 10 it's either a Beemer or Audi.

Or a Ford Mondeo/Vauxhall Insignia that thinks it's a Beemer, I have noticed.

[mab01uk]

Not just Cheshire as London and Surrey seem to have the same atitude towards classic Mini's which I don't get with my New MINI or my 3-Series BMW........thats why it always surprises me when members on here mention lots of happy smilely people waving at them in their Mini and letting them out into traffic, etc as it is quite the opposite in my experience.

However when driving my modern cars I do hate being behind some classic cars as they often seem to be running very rich or as if on full choke filling my car behind with their fumes in traffic. There is a nice MGB GT I sometimes see on my daily commute and I often let cars out of side turnings in front so they can have a dose of his exhaust pollution instead! Or maybe we have just got used to cleaner exhaust emissions on cars?

Edited by mab01uk, 13 September 2014 - 07:10 PM.

[Tamworthbay]

Everybody's rude to everybody these days I think, no matter what you drive. BMW and Audi drivers seem to be getting worse though. If someone's going to charge up a queue of patiently waiting traffic and then try and force their way in at the top, 9 times out of 10 it's either a Beemer or Audi.

if they try that and have their windows open, I make a point of saying very loudly 'I hope he is insured, because I'm not and I ain't stopping', it's not true but a surprising number give you a lot more space suddenly. Or just buy a Volvo 240 estate (rustier the better) and then no one cuts you up!

[MaxAndPaddy]

I find this a lot, with other cars too. One example is at roundabouts, people look at you and think you are driving a slow car, so pull out in front of you. 

 

It's the complete opposite when I've been a passenger in cars that have more road presence, or look faster. People give way to you, and give you loads of space. 

 

Its probably the L plates and they are busting a gut to get past

[Tamworthbay]

I find this a lot, with other cars too. One example is at roundabouts, people look at you and think you are driving a slow car, so pull out in front of you. 
 
It's the complete opposite when I've been a passenger in cars that have more road presence, or look faster. People give way to you, and give you loads of space.

 
Its probably the L plates and they are busting a gut to get past

I thought Harry's learner burner was a Fiat?

[cal844]

I find this a lot, with other cars too. One example is at roundabouts, people look at you and think you are driving a slow car, so pull out in front of you. 
 
It's the complete opposite when I've been a passenger in cars that have more road presence, or look faster. People give way to you, and give you loads of space.

I agree completely!!

[MaxAndPaddy]

I have pondered this one, the last time I did a motorway trip in the mini, I did find myself being tailgated a lot and it started to bug me. I couldn't tell whether I noticed it more because you feel more aware of your environment in your mini as you are a lot more vulnerable or whether it was actually happening more than normal.

 

I'd like to think that people were just getting a closer look, but I do think there were other occasions when people were thinking "I'm not getting stuck behind and/or passed by that"

 

I have noticed something similar in my daily commute in the Clio where people suddenly speed up when I'm passing them, not wanting to be passed by my beaten up car.

[HarrysMini]

 

I find this a lot, with other cars too. One example is at roundabouts, people look at you and think you are driving a slow car, so pull out in front of you. 

 

It's the complete opposite when I've been a passenger in cars that have more road presence, or look faster. People give way to you, and give you loads of space. 

 

Its probably the L plates and they are busting a gut to get past

 

Yeah, they make it even worse, but even with other people driving you can tell people have a different attitude towards you depending on the car you're driving.

 

 

 

I find this a lot, with other cars too. One example is at roundabouts, people look at you and think you are driving a slow car, so pull out in front of you. 
 
It's the complete opposite when I've been a passenger in cars that have more road presence, or look faster. People give way to you, and give you loads of space.

 
Its probably the L plates and they are busting a gut to get past

I thought Harry's learner burner was a Fiat?

 

It is. And that's worse than a Mini, being small and bright yellow, with L plates on it to top it off. I don't think you could get much worse to be honest.