Sometimes You Have to Be Juvenile

[dklawson]

I love using my Mini as my weekend car. I drive in a fairly conservative manner as I like to set the "right impression" for my kids. Sometimes though... you just have to have some fun and make a point at the same time.

Today I was running my errands driving on a two-lane road. I was keeping a safe 2 second following distance to the car ahead of me. Apparently the guy behind me thought I was going too slow and must have thought by passing me in a right-turn lane he would get where he was going faster. I saw him pull into the turn lane and start accelerating. I threw the Mini into third and floored it. I halved the distance to the car in front of me before the guy knew what had happened and he had to fall back in behind me. I experienced a true moment of juvenile delight knowing I had shut the guy out. I don't like people passing where they aren't supposed to and it's nice having a little Mini with mid-range power to surprise people. As my wife said once "that's a darn quick little car".

 

[Bruce Bowker]

Doug - good show!!!! I had a similar experience with my Min. A really tight 90 degree turn on a very rural road, a young kid on my tail at 50 mph in some red rice rocket. Left him 200 feet behind me after the turn.

Bruce

 

[Bugeye58]

I can certainly appreciate that! Fellow forum member Tim Hollister and I left a C6 Corvette spinning off into the weeds after he tried to follow us through a flat, 90 degree right hander last summer. Seems that Corvettes don't corner quite as well as our Midgets do. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif (and we <u>were</u> , too!)
Jeff

 

[AngliaGT]

I love it!

- Doug

 

[Steve]

Don't blame you.....overtaking where you shouldn't is a pet peeve of mine. Besides, if you can't drive a Mini in a juvenile manner, what can you drive in that way? The perfect car for it, if I may say so.

 

[aeronca65t]

You have described a "normal" driving practice here in New Jersey (and I can tell you, I hate it....passing in a turn lane is an obnoxious thing to do). I generally react as you did.

 

[dklawson]

My wife hates it when I do things like that. (I think it's because she's in the passenger seat)!

 

[Bruce Bowker]

[ QUOTE ]
You have described a "normal" driving practice here in New Jersey (and I can tell you, I hate it....passing in a turn lane is an obnoxious thing to do). I generally react as you did.

[/ QUOTE ]

I could not agree more.

Bruce

 

[GB1]

It happens all the time here in New York also, if the situation can be potential dangerous to a third party I usually let them go, if not they look small in the rear view.

 

[kennypinkerton]

LOL!!!!! Just make sure no one's gonna get hurt (chit happens quick). Sounds like the Corvette guy might've hurt his ton and a half car though.

 

[Tim Hollister]

[ QUOTE ]
LOL!!!!! Just make sure no one's gonna get hurt (chit happens quick). Sounds like the Corvette guy might've hurt his ton and a half car though.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah! I'll probably never forget the sight of that 'Vette spinning in my rear view mirror! It was about dusk and the 'Vette had his headlights on. Jeff went around the corner as I followed. The 'Vette's headlights flashed in my mirror instead of staying visible -- that's what got my attention. Now looking into the mirror, here is the 'Vette going around and then a huge cloud of dust!

Had just about made up my mind to go check on the guy when he came back onto the road -- and you guessed it -- heading back the other way! Somehow I don't think he wanted to see any more of Jeff and me. LOL!

BTW, I doubt the 'Vette was hurt. I checked the site of spin a day or two later. Just some roadside dirt and into short weeds and all on flat ground.

Sure was humorous though -- then and now!! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/driving.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif

Tim

 

[dklawson]

Last week a guy in a Porsche Boxter was in front of me. He punched it going arond a flat right-hand turn. Just as I was thinking to myself "geeze that car is fast", I saw him start to fishtail. His right front wheel dropped of the inside of the turn and threw the car into a spin. He sailed across the drainage ditch and did two complete spins (apparently under power) finally coming to rest straddling the drainage ditch he crossed when he left the road. I stopped long enough to see he was OK then went on. I figured the kid could ask the owners of the business he was now stuck in front of if he could use their phone to call the wrecker.

 

[AngliaGT]

At least he (thought he)knew how to drive!

- Doug

 

[John Morralee]

This title suits my question but in a different context! I have found a Mini (I suspect 1963or4) abandoned: very!! ,in a field. It has been 'modified'by cutting off the roof giving it a dune-buggy type of appearance, maybe even shortened in length. Imagine the worst type of state (after a few Canadian winters outside) with most of the bits there, engine,box wheels etc. Is it reasonable to think that a body could be obtained and the poor old thing resurected.I have just finished restoring a '63 Austin-Healey 3000 MK II to go with my 1929 Austin 7 and am looking for another project.What would be a reasonable offer for it?Is the engine alone worth much?Any advice welcome.

 

[kennypinkerton]

Aren't minis just a body with an engine? I think you could do better finding a different unmolested mini with an engine - that needs work.

 

[dklawson]

John, PM sent.