> Driving that Cooper in Florida???  You must have nerves of steel!
>  I grew up in Ft. Myers where the blue-hairs outnumber everyone else 10:1.
>
> I wouldn't drive it around too much longer or your mini will wind
> up as a hood ornament on a Lincoln.

I have a Mini Cooper that I use as a daily driver, as well as a little Fiat
500 that I drive to work once or twice a week. (The latter looks like a
sunroof Beetle that got shrunk in the wash; 2 cylinder, rear-engined,
aircooled, with a top speed of 60 mph.)  You have to have a different
mindset when you drive a microcar.  It's like riding a motorcycle; you have
to stay alert and drive defensively, because no matter how good a driver you
may be, if the other driver swerves into your lane (such as the blue haired
lady in the Lincoln), you're toast.  That's why, for example, while I keep a
spare childs car seat in the back of the Mini just for emergencies, when I
take my 3 year old daughter with me I drive the Westy.  (Obligatory Vanagon
content :-)

- Ron Salmon
  The Bus Depot, Inc.
  (215) 234-VWVW
  www.busdepot.com

p.s. I periodically have a Mini or a Fiat 500 available for sale, if anyone
has a burning desire to become a hood ornament on a Lincoln themselves.
They're kind of a hobby of mine.  I think they're small enough to ship via
UPS.  :-)