Florida Oddities? What have you experienced?

[deano_hoosier]

I noticed our rain sensor for the sprinkler system was not working. I've replaced it once maybe 8 years ago so assumed old age.

Anyway, after buying a replacement and installing it I got to looking at the failed rain sensor and saw "plant fibers" in the area blocking the switch that would open the normally closed circuit when it got wet. After tearing apart the rain sensor (I'm a mechanical engineer by training and that's what we do), I found what looked a lot like Spanish Moss fibers that had grown and spread in that cavity. Took a tweezer to prize them out, but I'm sure that's what nixed the rain sensor.

Only in Florida!

[villagetinker]

Interesting, I will have to look at mine, I think I see some Clorox in the near future....

[Nucky]

It's something that when you are speaking to a Florida Native they speak quickly at the Rhythm of a person from the Tri-State area of N.Y.

Same Florida Native speaking to you about a service that they provide that involves $$ Money $$ it's a long-winded speech and they stretch out their story forever. Wanna grab them by the neck and shake them and tell them just spit it out and get it over already.

I still love it in Florida. Every place has its oddities.

[B-flat]

The restaurants in this area do not compare to what we have in my home state of Rhode Island. It certainly helps that Johnson & Wales Culinary Institue is based there.

[Nucky]

The restaurants in this area do not compare to what we have in my home state of Rhode Island. It certainly helps that Johnson & Wales Culinary Institue is based there.

My sister just moved her family from Texas to Woonsocket R.I. and absolutely loves it there. After 25 years of Texas, they are grateful to be back near the Best Seafood.

It was so cold there lately that I didn't even tease them a bit. They have no clue how I restrained myself. So many people with so much hardship, it just didn't feel good to do it.

I wonder who you are rooting for in the SuperBowl? Just remember to stay inflated. :clap2: Good Luck to ya I B-Flat! :ohdear:

[Retiring]

The restaurants in this area do not compare to what we have in my home state of Rhode Island. It certainly helps that Johnson & Wales Culinary Institue is based there.

Nor do the restaurants compare to what we have in Manhattan. I don’t believe anyone moves to TV for the food.

If I want a first class meal it means a trip to Orlando. I like Victoria & Albert's at Disney or Norman’s inside the hotel.

TV is a superior place to live in almost every category, but I don’t believe fine dining is one of them.

[B-flat]

My sister just moved her family from Texas to Woonsocket R.I. and absolutely loves it there. After 25 years of Texas, they are grateful to be back near the Best Seafood.

It was so cold there lately that I didn't even tease them a bit. They have no clue how I restrained myself. So many people with so much hardship, it just didn't feel good to do it.

I wonder who you are rooting for in the SuperBowl? Just remember to stay inflated. :clap2: Good Luck to ya I B-Flat! :ohdear:

WOW that’s unusual moving from Texas to “The Woon” as some locals call it. Tell your sister not to miss going to dinner at Wright’s Farm and also stopping at the bakery called Wright’s ( different locations and not related in any way). There are lots of other great spots too but both Wright’s businesses are located nearby. Wright’s is not fine dining it’s good family style dining with what in my opinion is some of the best chicken and French Fries anywhere.

Federal Hill is the great place for Italian dining starting with the Old Canteen, there’s Twin Oaks and Spain in Cranston. Too many others to list here.

I won’t tell you who I’m rooting for but I will say my former division office secretary is the director of the NE Pats cheerleaders.


Nor do the restaurants compare to what we have in Manhattan. I don’t believe anyone moves to TV for the food.

If I want a first class meal it means a trip to Orlando. I like Victoria & Albert's at Disney or Norman’s inside the hotel.

TV is a superior place to live in almost every category, but I don’t believe fine dining is one of them.

No you can’t beat Manhattan either.

[NotGolfer]

What strikes me if most everyone I've met in FL are "transplants". That said though they tend to compare living here to where they came from and how much better this or that was back there. Wonder if it's an "oddity" of FL or just the fact people want what they had before and don't now.

We love it here and the balance of "would we want to battle snow, ice and cold?" or love out new place for what it gives us....Sun, warmth and a slower pace of living?

[leftyf]

The nicest oddity I have found here is the Manatee

[B-flat]

We love it here, but not in the hot months. We are fortunate we have a place up north too and enjoy the nice spring, summer and some of the fall months there so we get eat all that great chow up north. I have a friend who moved to Florida about 15 years ago at the time he and his wife were both working and had jobs they could work at no matter what part of the country they lived in. At the time they rented a home in South Florida. After 2 years they both moved back to RI. I asked why, he said they missed the great restaurants and their friends.

[seoulbrooks]

transplants telling us how things are done in Florida...….

[Rapscallion St Croix]

I find the lack of safety inspection requirements for automobiles odd.

[tophcfa]

Thunder and Lightning storms. We occasionally get them up north, but nothing like Florida. We also
love a good fish market in Florida. Grouper, snapper, mahi-mahi, instead of the usual cod, haddock, and salmon.

[CWGUY]

I find the lack of safety inspection requirements for automobiles odd.

:) Made me think about it so I looked it up.

Vehicle inspection in the United States - Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vehicle_inspection_in_the_United_States) :ho:

[Retiring]

What strikes me if most everyone I've met in FL are "transplants". That said though they tend to compare living here to where they came from and how much better this or that was back there. Wonder if it's an "oddity" of FL or just the fact people want what they had before and don't now.

We love it here and the balance of "would we want to battle snow, ice and cold?" or love out new place for what it gives us....Sun, warmth and a slower pace of living?

No it’s not an oddity of FL. I’ve lived in several States. All transplants miss something from their previous city. It’s only natural to want the best of your last home and your home now. FL/TV is a nice place to live but it’s not utopia. However, the pros outweigh the cons hence we choose FL/TV.

[ColdNoMore]

The racket of insurance companies required to replace cracked windshields, with no deductible...or raising your premiums.

Since the windshield repair companies know this, it costs on average about 2-3 times as much here (with the insurer paying)...as states that don't have this racket.

I believe at last count, there were only three states that have this law (Florida, Kentucky, South Carolina).

Not to mention, that it isn't the insurance companies...that eventually pay for this scheme.

Windshield Replacement Scheme (click here) (http://wtxl.com/news/windshield-replacement-schemes-drive-up-auto-insurance-prices-in-florida/article_e2e1f550-838d-11e7-ba90-9f8e39179ba1.html)

According to the Florida's insurance commissioner, windshield replacement schemes are driving up the price of auto insurance throughout the state.

The issue is most rampant in the Tampa Bay area.

It involves drivers with cracked windshields signing over their insurance benefits to repair contractors, some of which then pursue payments from insurance companies at inflated prices.

Known in the industry as "assignment of benefits," insurers say the practice has become riddled with fraud and abuse, often at no fault of the actual policyholder.

Under Florida law, windshield replacement claims cost nothing out of pocket for insured drivers, making it a lucrative opportunity for those looking to cheat insurance companies.

"Consumers are told that there is a crack in their windshield, and 'we can replace it right here in the parking lot for you," said David Altmaier, Florida's insurance commissioner. "We just need to sign this form please.' What this is is an assignment of benefits. They replace the windshield, and there is a dispute between the windshield company and the insurance company that goes to litigation. It begins to start to drive costs up."

According to Altmaier, there were 19,000 "assignment of benefits" related windshield claim lawsuits in the state last year.

That's up from less than 500 a decade ago.

[Nucky]

We don't need no Stickin' Inspection. http://blog.consumerguide.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2012/07/1st-beverly_hillbillies_title_card.jpg

[Fredman]

Yes u do.

[pauld315]

:) Made me think about it so I looked it up.

Vehicle inspection in the United States - Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vehicle_inspection_in_the_United_States) :ho:

When I lived here in the early 70's Florida had mandatory inspections every year. That was the only time you had to show proof that you had insurance. You guessed it, all these insurance companies opened offices around the inspection stations and would sell policies that people would cancel within a month. I think they charged the people for a month.

Speaking of inspection stations. All of the inspection stations were built by and owned by the state. There simply weren't enough of them, especially in South Florida, to keep up with a fast growing population. You could wait in a line of cars for 6-8 hours before your car was actually inspected. Cars would run out of gas, overheat etc while waiting in line. Then, if you got into the station and they found something wrong, they couldn't fix it. Not even a light bulb. You had to take your car to a garage and get the repair done because you had to bring a paid receipt from a garage back when you went for a reinspection to prove the work was done. Speaking of a reinspection, you once again had to wait in a line of cars for 6-8 hours to get back into the inspection station. I think they gave you 10 days to get the repair done and the car reinspected.

As you can see, it was a mess. Due to so many complaints and the state not being able to build and staff enough inspection stations to make it work, they just did away with inspections altogether.

[Kenswing]

Armadillos..

[manaboutown]

One of my most enjoyable Florida experiences occurred in the early 1970's. I drove through Haines City and the surrounding area late at night. I had all the windows in my car down and experienced for miles the incredible fragrance of the orange blossoms in the orchards through which the road passed. It was almost intoxicatingly delightful!

I really like the pleasant central Florida accent and manner of speech.

[tophcfa]

I find the lack of safety inspection requirements for automobiles odd.

I am all for safety inspections, but what I love about Florida is there is no need for emissions inspection. In Massachusetts they will fail your car, which is completely safe and runs like clockwork, because of some stupid emissions test that requires you to spend over a thousand dollars on a catalytic converter, which will fail again in a few years.

[TimeForChange]

Being a native Southerner the biggest oddities in TV are people from up North but I tolerate it.

[Bjeanj]

No coat closets in the entry way. And then I thought .... what ever for???

[VApeople]

I am all for safety inspections, but what I love about Florida is there is no need for emissions inspection.

I very much agree with that.

The 'check engine' light came on in our 13 year old car in 2016 and I never got it fixed. The car kept running great and is still doing fine three years later.