• Got the Contributing Memberships stuff finally worked out and made up a thread as a sort of "How-To" to help people figure out how to participate. So if you need help figuring it out, here's the thread you need to take a look at -> http://www.corvetteflorida.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3581 Thank you, everyone! Rich Z.

How did you come to live in Florida?

I guess people born and raised in a warm climate just don't know the pleasures of living in cold country:

  • Like being a kid standing in line waiting for the school bus and it's 16 degrees out. And one of your "friends" flicks your nearly frozen earlobe.
  • Your face is so cold that you don't even know your nose is running because your upper lip is numb.
  • Ever lick an icecube and have your tongue stick to it? Well when it is REALLY cold and your hand is moist, it will stick to metal objects like hand rails. On some cold nights, you will REALLY regret not having gloves when you stop for gasoline and grab that pump handle.
  • The hairs inside your nose can freeze to the inside of your nostrils.
  • Sometimes the air can be warmer then the ground and rain will instantly freeze upon hitting the road surface. Sometimes the ground is just barely warm enough to be wet, and then an instant later the wet road is ice. Nothing like spiraling down a roadway doing 360s and absolutely NOTHING you can do about it.
  • Snow looks great in photos. After about 10 minutes of shovelling, it doesn't look so great any longer.
  • For some reason, the road departments use salt to help melt ice and snow on the roads. Ice and metals don't mix well. Parts of your car, being metal, don't last long when splashed with salt water frequently.
  • Some people go insane when it snows or the roads ice up. I have seen people just barely able to walk to their cars without slipping on the ice get into them and then try to drive like they thought the cars would get more traction then their feet are getting.
  • No matter how careful you are driving there will be 10 other vehicles around you whose drivers are less careful and likely to lose control of their vehicles at any moment. The most common cause of an accident is when someone feels their steering getting loose because they are on ice and they slam on the brakes in panic. If they are able to stop or slow down, you, being behind them, probably won't be able to. If they are beside you, there is a good chance that their car will start spinning the rear towards the side of your vehicle. Your skill will be no match for bad luck and fate.
  • What might normally be a 15 minute drive home from work could wind up taking you 4 or more hours in a major snow or ice storm.

The last few years I lived in Maryland, I had a full sized 4WD Bronco. This was REAL 4 wheel drive as I had limited slip differentials front and rear. Even with that, and some rather aggressive tires, there were still a few instances where the roads were SO slick and I was on a slight incline that I just could not move at all. I had to find alternate routes that were more level. The biggest problem was getting around other vehicles that were STUCK but good.

Honestly, I don't miss that crap even one little bit. I haven't seen snow (except maybe a couple of flakes a couple of times) in about 15 years and have absolutely NO desire to ever see it again as long as I live.
 
man last time i was in colorado i luved the weather. no humidity, nice cool weather. and it was in july. and with the altitude and the blood thinning everyone was nicer up there. if u bumped into someone you didnt have to worry about getting ur butt wooped.
 
:wavey: My parents moved us here in 1973 .1 year later we moved back north to Indy and we went through the blizzard of 78. My folks said the hell with this, we moved back to Sarasota and been here every since. The wife and i do own a home in the mountains in North Carolina . That place is awesome in the summer :dancer01: .But would suck:thumbsdown: not being able to drive the vette. My road :crazy03: to the house requires SUV or Pickup. So i'm here in Florida until a huge Hurricane wipes out my area :hehehe:
 
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Moved here with my parents in 78 and just stayed... Love the weather, but hate how flat it is. I guess you can't have both unless I move to Hawaii!!
 
We’ve been visiting for about 10 years. We have been looking for a place to have a second home and eventually move permanently. We considered a few places in Florida as well as Hilton Head and Grand Cayman. We decided on the Naples area two years ago and contracted to build a house that we will close on (hopefully) tomorrow. We have to wail till our daughter graduates HS (07) till we could make any permanent move.
 
Born in Tampa, raised & lived in the Ft. Lauderdale area for 30 yrs, and then made the escape to Jax. 10 years ago!
I'm convinced that i'm finally home.:yesnod:
 
Parents decided to move to Florida in 1991. I was only ten at the time, so didn't have much say in the matter. Can't complain though, life has been pretty good in Florida so far :thumbsup:

I actually went to visit relatives in upstate New York back in December 04. Plenty of snow on the ground and can't say I missed living in it. I figure it is easier to go visit it when I want than have to deal with it on a daily basis for five to six months.
 
In 1978 I was selling cars in Youngstown Ohio. I sold cars so I could get a demo to drive back and forth to class in college. I went on a weeks vacation to Naples. The deal with my sales manager was that I would be at the sales meeting on Monday morning. I never made it back to Ohio and stayed here. I did not return to pick up the vette for 3 months.
 
Let's give this thread a bump up. I'm interested in how some of the newest members came to live in Florida. Let's hear it folks..
 
Originally moved down here to look after my grandfather and just never left. That was just over 10 years ago.

I like it here but may one day move back up to the carolinas.
 
I was born and raised in Mass. Since 1982 I have been going to Disney every Christmas, so myself, my wife and my dog decided to move here. Sorry to you natives, biggest mistake of my life. I thought the taxes and cost of living was expensive in Mass, I got a rude awakining, it is just as expensive here and then some. This state absolutely taxes you to death. When I moved here and registered my three cars it was an absolute joke, first time registration fee $100.00 per car, I paid $1400.00 sales tax to the state of Mass but because I owned it less than six months, and the sales tax rate in Mass is 5% and here 7%, I had to pay 2% sales tax to the state of Florida to the tune of $400.00. Then to add insult to injury 2 months later they notified me that I had to pay an additional $454.00 in sales tax because I got a $6000.00 rebate when I purchased the vehicle. In a civilized state they don't charge you sales tax on factory incentives. Just like paying sales tax on necessities of life like clothes and footwear is an absolute gaff. To be honest when I get screwed I like to get kissed. I absolutely hate it here and can't wait to move back. With the exception of the beautiful women I really can't say anything good. Ya nice beaches and nice weather six months of the year but the summer months are absolutely horrible heat and humidity wise, bugs, bugs, bugs, lousy water, mental drivers, horrible food and surely absolutely no shortage of crime and murders. In the process of working with a real estate broker as I type this. The only good thing is that I stand to make about $130,000-$150,000 on the sale of my three year old house here. Don't want to piss anyone off but on a scale of 1 to 10 I would have to give good ole Florida about a 2. Go ahead, flame away I have my fire suit on but get ready, I just heard on the news they are going to put a tax on the sunshine as of Jan 1.
 
Initially I moved here right out of high school to get out of my parents house. I returned to FL in 94 as I reported for flight training. I am still here since I am stationed here as well as I left my family in PCola as I was deployed out of Norfolk VA a couple times.
Although I like FL I do not plan on retiring here. I need to get into the midwest ot southwest so when I dig a hole in the back yard it is dirt and not sand! I need real trees that change colors in the fall and cold crisp fresh air as my log home is surrounded by thousand of trees.....ah the dream
 
Nytro said:
I was born and raised in Mass. Since 1982 I have been going to Disney every Christmas, so myself, my wife and my dog decided to move here. Sorry to you natives, biggest mistake of my life. I thought the taxes and cost of living was expensive in Mass, I got a rude awakining, it is just as expensive here and then some. This state absolutely taxes you to death. When I moved here and registered my three cars it was an absolute joke, first time registration fee $100.00 per car, I paid $1400.00 sales tax to the state of Mass but because I owned it less than six months, and the sales tax rate in Mass is 5% and here 7%, I had to pay 2% sales tax to the state of Florida to the tune of $400.00. Then to add insult to injury 2 months later they notified me that I had to pay an additional $454.00 in sales tax because I got a $6000.00 rebate when I purchased the vehicle. In a civilized state they don't charge you sales tax on factory incentives. Just like paying sales tax on necessities of life like clothes and footwear is an absolute gaff. To be honest when I get screwed I like to get kissed. I absolutely hate it here and can't wait to move back. With the exception of the beautiful women I really can't say anything good. Ya nice beaches and nice weather six months of the year but the summer months are absolutely horrible heat and humidity wise, bugs, bugs, bugs, lousy water, mental drivers, horrible food and surely absolutely no shortage of crime and murders. In the process of working with a real estate broker as I type this. The only good thing is that I stand to make about $130,000-$150,000 on the sale of my three year old house here. Don't want to piss anyone off but on a scale of 1 to 10 I would have to give good ole Florida about a 2. Go ahead, flame away I have my fire suit on but get ready, I just heard on the news they are going to put a tax on the sunshine as of Jan 1.
Click to expand...

I too, am actually quite tired of this state. I call it the 4 H's. The heat, the humidity, the hurricanes and the homeowners insurance. When you add the gas prices to the mix, I'm going broke. Working on getting out of here myself. Probably won't be for at least a year though.

I'll give it a 3, just because I like the other 6 months of the year! :hehehe:
 
Nytro,

First,I have a LOT of friends from "up north" that have retired with huge pensions and moved here to live well;).

Most tell me it's because where they are from the cost of living is so high. Subsequently, the salaries (and subsequent pensions) are comparitively higher.

Since I've never lived in any of these places as you have, I really can't address the issue intelligently.

I have however, been in Florida all my life and can say that I wouldn't want to live anywhere I have to store my Vette for the winter.

I constantly read on other forums how guys are planning mods for the 6 months(+/-) that the can't drive thier cars:thumbsdown:

No disrespect intended, but if more of the retiree's, etc. felt like you,

*maybe I could still buy a small piece of beach or waterfront property for less than a million $$
Supply and demand my brother. Simple as that. We have the supply and the snowbirds have created the demand.

*Maybe our roads wouldn't be so damed congested, every time I call the police, fire, or other gov't agency, I wouldn't feel like I had teleported to the Bronx! and

*maybe, just maybe, I wouldn't be constantly bombarded with "Up Nawth we do it blah blah blah!..."

Although you're right that the state taxes us to death, there are others that are equally as bad or worse and have less to offer. If we didn't have so much to offer, so many northerner's wouldn't be moving down here by the busloads.

I'm NOT defending the State; however, they have to pay for the infrastructure somehow? What would you suggest they do? How should they/we pay for the entitlements you enjoy?

People sometimes say, "if we (northern retiree's, etc) didn't move here, you'd still be living in the woods."

Fact is, I grew up here and recall most of the places you drive (Valrico/Brandon, etc) as small, 2 laned (one each way), semi improved roads, dirt and gravel roads.
I remember the Courtney Campbell Causeway as a 2 lane black top road. The area of Bruce B. Downs (fka: 30th street) and a street racing location on friday and saturday nights. It ended at the county line and there was nothing there but pasture and woods.

I recall Dale Mabry as a small road with little more than a convenience store north of waters avenue and nothing opened after midnight except Foxes corner in Odessa.

I remember when most of the subdivisions you live in and now make 130k+ on resale, to be cattle and SWAMP land (ever wonder why the drainage sucks in some parts of the county and is hardly ever a problem in others?) *Hint*: Ever see an orange grove flood?:lmao:

The Brandon Town(e) Center...was a cow pasture!

Personally, I was just as pleased with that lifestyle, maybe moreso than I am with the current state of affairs.

See, if everyone that retired from some cold assed part of the country, didn't automatically relocate to "sunny" Florida, then we wouldn't have the need (or maybe the inclination) to widen and improve our roads, build more shopping centers, restaurants and subdivisions.

Less shopping centers and restaurants means less traffic and sewage. Less sewage and traffic requires less enforcement and repair, less waste disposal and water treatment.

Fewer subdivisions equates to fewer people a resulting decrease in crime stats, the lessened need for more water and sewage use and disposal needs and traffic.

Less public service requires less $$ to maitain. Less $$ needed equates to less taxes needed. Get it?

So, the bottom line is, it's your fault for our higher taxes! Just kidding sorry, just had to throw that in there. :lmao:

Ya know, I've never had the desire, unlike the bumper sticker says, to retire, move north, buy a big car and drive real slow in the left hand lane ...NEVER!

If I moved anywhere, I'd either head to Tn,, N.C., Ky. or Arizona (I know, radical extremes, but hey!)
Very little in the way of long term foul weather patterns, beautiful scenery, multiple identifyable seasons and decent infrastructure.

Funny part is, if you watch the boob tube and study the patterns of people, you'll see that Ga. and Tenn. were the hot spots until land got so rediculously high (again, because mainly of the retiree relocations-over half of my former S.O. squad now live in Tenn and North Ga.), that people couldn't afford them. I just came back from a road trip covering all of those states and part of Alabama. In some places in the mountains, land is starting to get as rediculous as it is here:(. It's just a matter of time.

Spoke to a guy that lived "on the mountain" all of his 50+ years. says he pays less than $500.00 year for property taxes, no state income tax, and the Sheriff's dept. is "on call" after midnight.

Give it about 5-10 years...that'll change...just like it did here...buy now;).

I'm guessing, that if we (Southerners) suddenly went mad and started moving to Mass...en mass...you'd see the same thing happen there as here.

As for my northern friends, all but a couple really enjoy the Florida lifestyle. Less hustle and bustle (since they're retired), and since the majority of them are from either NY or NJ, most seem to sense less crime and better environmental control (cleaner). Most like the ability to drive thier cars year round, have sold thier snowblowers and broken thier shovels. Some maintain a dual residency but most are here to stay. The heat gets to some, but from what they tell me, in NY(City) it gets pretty damned nasty in the summertime as well.

The hurricanes are a problem here, but every place has it's weather issues. The insurance industry is the chief "problem" with hurricane season here. They want your $$ but don't want to pay. WTF is wrong with that picture?

Besides, didn't you know we had them when you moved here? You'd have to have been living UNDER a rock no to know.

Finally, last I heard, 75 was still open in both directions:wavey:

...hows the fire suit holing out?
 
Well I'll be honest with you I am having second thoughts about leaving now, I mean with all this pending legislation about allowing dogs to be able to join their owners at restaurents, well that is important legislation if i ever saw it, and it is extremely comfortating to know that the dogs will not be allowed to eat off the same plates as us, unfortunately they will probably still piss and crap when they feel like it, being dogs and all. Your right, tax dollars are needed to offset the ever increasing population growth here for infrastructure, police and over water usage, the only thing that grew faster than that is the greed by builders, land owners and politicians who failed to plan properly for this population boom. The builders don't care how they tax the exsisting resources as long as the can jam 500 homes in a 10 acre parcel of land. And I didn't move here to retire, I am not retired, I am just lucky that I made enough money in my 30's and 40's so I don't have to work. That doesn't mean that I have to give it away to pay for roads and schools while greedy businessman and builders make a killing and whine all the way to the bank and could care less if there is enough services for the amount of homes they build. Poor planning, poor road planning, poor school planning, poor planning by the pea-brained politicians who see nothing but dollar signs, but plenty of shopping malls and cheap restaurents. And to make $130,000 in profit on resale, well thats ok but back home I built my house in 1982 for $75,000, sold it in 2003 for $695,000, now that was a good investment.

Tennessee, North Carolina, Kentucky, I heard the only virgins left in those states are the girls that can outrun their brothers.
 
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