STOP Blaming Snowbirds!
 

“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!

Even if the roads are more congested with snowbirds thank God it does slow the traffic down from being raceways!

Funny how the bad behaviors seem to peak when We-who-do-no-wrong arrive.

Is it that You bring out the worst in the non-snowbirds? If so, perhaps the non-snowbirds would be better off if that catalyst were to stay away.

OR, and more likely, the "We" you use assumes a bit more than is actually supported by reality and would be more accurate if replaced by "A few snowbirds, but certainly not all," as in:

A few snowbirds, but certainly not all, are healthy overall; without vision & hearing problems, coordination deficits, mental lapses or dementia.
A few snowbirds, but certainly not all, keep our speed at the level of the posted speed limits or with the natural flow of traffic.
A few snowbirds, but certainly not all, keep to the right lane unless passing.
etc.

Yeah, right :1rotfl::1rotfl::1rotfl:

Conflation
 

The problem is the term “Snowbirds” is generalized to identify with the entire migratory movement of people from up north? The entire group consists of new renters, new owners or whatever and then legitimate snowbirds. If the whole group is conflated into one term “snowbirds” there is legitimate reason for the thin skin. We all see the extra traffic, accidents in roundabouts and people driving like they don’t know what they are doing. This could aggravate some who quickly set them all into one phylum as “Snowbirds.”

By all means, become a "frog". Then you, too, can have fun picking on the "snowbirds".
Reality is that a lot of folks complain about a of stuff and they (often and incorrectly) choose the easy target. Don't take it personally. No one has more right to be here than anyone else. Enjoy TV.

Feel better now? :1rotfl: :1rotfl:

For sure
 

Are the roadways crowded, are restaurants packed, are their ridiculously long lines,….absolutely. The place has become a crowded cesspool in the winter. But, when they all leave for summer, we get paradise back!

Odd how the OP knows the personal driving habits of every single one of the snowbirds who come to FL.
And yes, full timers can gripe about snowbirds, and there is absolutely nothing that you can do about it other than complaining and griping about it on a message board.

You said the same thing back on 8-25 replying to a similar post but now you have created one yourself to further complain? Just go enjoy the crowed pool and relax already!

Why should snowbirds get break?

Fact check TRUE

Humans in general prefer stability, and dislike uncontrollable changes.
Humans also generalize, and find scape goats for uncontrollable changes they dislike. Xenophobia runs rampant in the world amongst cultures.

There is about 100 lbs of sh** for every 5 lb bag on the internet. The internet is a alot more bearable if one learns to ignore/not take generalizations personally when they read posts.

The world has every kind of person from a saint to a devil incarnate and everyone in between, so billions of view points versus your one, you are out gunned and out maneuvered. Just ignore it and move on if you can't or think about why their opinions are posted to understand other's usually selfish or human emotions and motivations. .

check, . . your move . .

The bad drivers happen all year round.

You’re an idiot when you pass someone, and a moron when they pass you. Just old entitled people waiting to complain about everything.

So you are saying TV is an uncrowded cesspool in the summer?
:1rotfl:

Not at all
 

I’m saying I can do walk- ons on almost any golf course; I can travel up 75 towards Ocala with way less traffic, and I can go out to eat without reservations when the crowds all have dissipated in late April. Summer is great, winter brings too many and a cesspool.

Upside: Snowbirds tend to be younger, sharper, energetic, more interesting/less vapid and more fun. Some of them from the dense cities of the Deep North are just demented/parasitic chimpanzees but they are not the majority.

Downside: General Crowdedness.

How dare you malign the noble chimpanzee!
🙈🙉🙊

Pull my finger. Mate!

Not all year round residents think this way. I have ZERO complaints about snowflakes or snowbirds. I don’t feel you bring any additional problems at all. For those who are the whiners please think about what you are saying, it’s not accurate or makes any sense.

I think there's all types of drivers no matter if you're a full-timer or part-time. I know I spent a lot of time apologizing for my driving the first time I was discovering TV. I was a newbie to 2 lane roundabouts and trying to find any address in seemingly all circular villages. I am now very confident driving here and have to remind myself that the 'bad' drivers I encounter might simply be newbies that also need a grace period!

With all due respect, I have to disagree. Driving is driving and a license to drive implies the ability to navigate all driving situations. "Newbies" get a handout on how to navigate 2 lane RBs, and there is a sign at the entrance to every RB indicating proper usage. I don't want to get killed by a "driver" who is enjoying their "grace period"

If those "drivers" have trouble with the RBs in TV, God help everyone if they ever try to "drive" in a foreign country.

Concur
 

Agreed….do we always have to live in a land of noobs and their driving habits? Because the population here does change year round.

Looking at the facts can’t wait until the snowbirds head back north. 😳

Funny.....I have been saying these very things since starting to winter here - 13 years ago. If it weren't for us, everything would be this busy and hectic all year. Blame The Villages, not the snowbirds.

Cesspool 😳 is a little strong. No one goes onto a Resturant with an empty parking lot! Crowed, yes. What has made the situation worst is the amount of new homes south of 44, without restaurants, entertainment venues and golf courses. Pitch and Putt don’t count. This puts pressure on the existing places. Then you get a seasonal influx and it gets busy.
Added factor is development around TV. They have access to the entertainment and restaurants .
It’s not just in TV. It’s all of Florida. Adding 900 new permeant residences everyday.
Enjoy life . No paradise anywhere

Snowbirds are the reason you all are getting a Cosco.

Awesome, we are getting a shipping container from China because of snow birds....I guess it makes sense, because you have to bring your stuff some how.

Hope you can find more new and interesting topics for 2025. Same old topics from same old residents.

Some of us don’t care about Costco.

Stereotyping is never helpful in describing a large group of people. Yes, there is more traffic. If you want to complain about that, feel free to rant away. Judging people by the group is for the ignorant.

Snowbirds are blamed for extra congestion. Let us not forget that full time residents also have visitors that flock into TV.

They still taste like chicken!

The more the merrier!
Isn't there enough division and hate already?
Slow down, enjoy your your retirement and, if youve forgotten how, learn tolerance and patience.

Do you feel better? Hope so. Did or will anything change? Unlikely. A more productive post would be suggestions, tips, tricks, and such to get around, get tee times, reservations, etc. easier, or getting out of the bubble for fun when things get crazy in TV.

Well said!!

Some people need to complain, it is in their soul - I don't know why. Some people need some group they are not part of to look down on - don't know why.

Air B & B people

What is the misconception about snowbirds and roundabouts? The novelty of going everywhere in a golf cart never gets old for the birds, it’s a rare day that they use their car in the Villages. The bigger issue is that after not using a car for a couple months, the birds have to resist the unconscious feeling that they should be driving their car in a golf cart lane.

That a lot of typing - I wonder how many minds you have changed. What is that saying about “bigger fish to fry” - time to relax!