Quote:
Originally Posted by dhdallas
“I’m mad as hell and I’m not going to take it anymore” ranted Peter Finch’s character, Howard Beale, in the film “Network”. I feel the same about the relentless snide remarks & overt negativity directed at and about snowbirds. Let’s look at some facts & common complaints.
We increase traffic congestion.
Hard to argue with that one but we also reduce congestion by leaving for 6 months or more so is the glass half full or half empty?
Snowbirds are bad drivers. Really? Snowbirds come to Florida from all over the U.S. & Canada, driving thousands of miles. How are we able to do this without causing accidents & chaos? It’s really very simple.
We are healthy overall; without vision & hearing problems, coordination deficits, mental lapses or dementia.
We keep our speed at the level of the posted speed limits or with the natural flow of traffic.
We keep to the right lane unless passing.
We use our turn signals.
We can properly & legally park a vehicle (as in between-the-lines & without blocking other vehicles, fire lanes, handicap spaces, etc.).
We put down the phone in order to pay attention to our driving.
We drive defensively.
We practice patience & courtesy.
Floridians seem to think we are clueless as to navigating roundabouts. Newsflash! Florida does not have a monopoly on roundabouts. We have many in my home state & an accident in a roundabout is actually quite rare & never a daily/weekly occurrence as it is here.
Snowbirds living in The Villages pay the same as full time residents in regard to amenity fees, bonds, insurance, property taxes, school taxes & more, yet we are here less than 6 months. We do not vote or influence local & state elections & leave the politics, policies, laws, etc. to the permanent residents of Florida. It is the politicians you have elected who continue to approve new developments attracting more snowbirds to Florida. “If you build it, they will come”
Snowbird money is important to Florida. In 2019, snowbirds contributed over $95 billion to the Florida economy. That equates to 1.6 million jobs in Florida.
To summarize, people love a scapegoat & snowbirds make an easy target but look at the facts:
We are safe drivers.
We pay the same for year-round services.
We benefit the economy.
We leave the politics to you.
We go away for at least half of the year.
Of course there is one way that we snowbirds could put an end to the complaining; we could all just move here permanently. Now, there’s an idea!
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Take a deep breath. It is most likely folks who are either snowbirds, renters, or someone not familiar with not entering a roundabout when someone is in it, who is parking right smack dab in front of Publix........or it could be folks from another planet, but I don't give much credence to that. Many of us FROGS. .(here til' we croak) think that it is the snowbirds from Manhattan, all wealthy and successful who don't own a car who is to blame for not even curtsying at STOP signs. We think it is Folks from the coastline who never drove a tractor or saw a cow up close and personal. We people who like to talk among ourselves about snowbirds are the ones with the red necks and the hay sticking out of our collar according to SOME..................but you just can't label people. Nope. It's wrong.
So let's start again and let's be nice because 2025 is coming straight up and believe me, I am one who is ready to kick 2024 in the fanny.
We really love you snowbirds. Act nice now.