[NoMoreSpidersAntsDrinkers]

Originally Posted by redsynner

I have been reading all of the posts from Palm Beach County on up to Jacksonville-east coast to west coast and everyone seems to be saying that all of the towns we've been looking at-Palm Beach, Palm Coast, Naples, Cape Coral, Fort Myers, Jacksonville, St. Augustine... the gamut.... are all not safe to live in, raise a child, walk on the street, etc.

Is there a community for a couple looking to rent a home, NOT BUY ONE, to enjoy the sun and snow-free winter while living on a modest salary and be able to not hear their neighbors blasting bass-based noise or beer bottles breaking with profanities shouted?

People who know about Florida and live there and are not completely biased against living there... can you please answer...

Thank you.

________________________
SW Florida (why I hate it):
I 've only lived here for about 3 & 1/2 months, but I can't take another day of it.

1)-- I can't handle these 3 & 1/2 inch spiders and all the rest of the nasty spider types overtaking the inside of my house and the oustide of my house, Me and my pets feel like prisoners from it, literally. This also includes the huge 'Fire Ant' hills that I can't get to slow down in my yard.

2)-- The most favorite and popular activity around here: are bars, drinking every day, and staying indoors bored to death.

3)-- The fact that I can not take care of or grow a veggie garden well because they will get destroyed by either super high winds (from almost every day, nasty storms), or super heavy downpours of rain, threats of hail, excessive nonstop population of 'plant eating' bugs.

4)-- Excessive amount of black wasps, that continuously live near the underside of your roof.

5)-- Barely no forests or woods to walk through, and what trees there are around and near here is impossible to even walk through, (a horrible thing for a nature lover that tremendously loved trail walks).
Barely 'no' parks. And you can't take your dog anywhere (parks and other places do not allow dogs).
You have to cross a bridge, after a hurried and crazy drive to get to one, and have to pay $4.00 - $6.00 every time you cross over one, just so you can get to a beach.

6)-- No where outdoors to go to and hang out at in relaxation for the nature lover.

7)-- The fires that get created around here and surrounding areas due to lightening or irresponsible smokers or the dry weather is excessive, ... for a few days I could'nt even breath well and that fire was many many miles away.

8)-- People don't have any fun outdoors (every one is either in bars drinking, out sea fishing, or stuck in their houses). ... You can't do bonfires and you always have to watch your surroundings and where you are stepping or walking (because something might get ya on the ground. Example: variety of huge spiders, fire ants, snakes, excessive amount of mosquitos, etc).

9)-- No lakes to fish at, and if you find one, you cant keep the fish because they are polluted with lawn and insect chemicals.
And also you might get attacked by an alligator if your too close to a lake.

10)-- Your dog hates Florida as much as you do, he is afraid to walk on the grass outdoors (hmmm, could this be due to the excessive and beautiful biting insect problem?), and find he rarely takes the time to go to the bathroom often because of it.

11)-- Expect to be taking your dog or cat to the vets often to 'try' to keep the nasty and strong Flea problem half under control.

12)-- Expect to hire some one to head to your house to bring in your plants into your porch or house (ones that need at least 4 hours of sunlight) while you are at work during the hours that the nasty storms come through every day, otherwise your plants (that need to be outdoors and need sun) will get destroyed during those storms when you are at work.

13)-- Own a large Pick up truck with a nice cap on it? ...Alot of the houses have garages that aren't made high enough so that you can fit your truck with your nice cap into that garage.

14)-- Your neighbors don't come around and be neighborly, they are pretty much non existed except for when you hear fighting or yelling going on outside.

15)-- You will see vehicles breaking down and left on the side of the roads. You will see alot of wierd sports cars with loud, pounding, wall shaking music driving by. You will see lots of disrespect and rushiness
with the drivers.

16)-- The teenagers who have lived here for quite awhile, think they are the hottest sh*t around and would not hesitate to beat the living crap out of you.

17)-- High theft rate.

18)-- Moderately high rape rate.

19)-- Need to get something fixed, repaired, built? ... You'll need to have that same thing done 3 times by who ever you called, before it is repaired, fixed or built to correctly.

20)-- All stores or indoor places to go to (which aren't many), close by 9:00 pm!!

21)-- The person at the gas station will make fun of you if you screw up on pumping your own gas, and after you tell them you are from New Jersey and that you never have to pump your own sh*t there, they will argue with you and say "you should know how to pump your own gas, parts of New Jersey pump their own gas!"...
Wow the intelligence and respect here (In New Jersey you "DO NOT" pump your own gas).

22)-- It is ugly here, not just boring. ... Barely no trees, passible forests, or barely no parks.

23)-- Watch out when you go to one of the numerous bars or pubs, pray that the evening you are there that there wont be a gun shooting.

24)-- Find a park or dock by the ocean that you want to visit and hang at? ... You wont be able to remain there for more than 10 - 15 minutes from the high humidity mixed with the hot temperature.

25)-- Plan to get caught in downpour and lightening storms often. If you get caught in one when driving home from work or what ever, you "won't be able to see anything" while you are driving.

26)-- Oh if you find some where to hike and you don't run across a poisoness snake or huge nasty spider, be sure to not run into a large female 'wild boar' or large pig who has babies with her (you can imagine what you'd be in for). (Do you own a rifle?).

27)-- Your neighbor might just be one of those who's hobbies are drinking at the numerous bars, and stays home almost every day, and on occassion comes out to fight with his girlfriend/wife to tell her he's going to kick the living sh*t out of her, all the while she is being calm and talking nicely.

28)-- Coming to SW Florida?... Good luck, and hope you have 'better luck'.
_______________________

[hollys0822]

Just saw your post and your issues with housing in Florida. Same case here in New Hampshire and also in Massachusetts. Don't come to New England. Yes, it is beautiful but unless you raise your own chickens and grow your own crops you can't live. Alright, I am exaggerating a little, but it is tough here. My husband and I are both professionals, make decent salary and just can't keep up.

But jobs are very hard to find unless you commute to Boston from central NH

Not only housing has gone up here but everything else as well. Pay has not., so we are looking to get out of NH.

I have read many good things and bad opinions about Florida. It is unclear as to where you live now that is so high.

Do you know anything about the Tampa area??

[silvio]

Sarasota is nice

[Ladywithafan]

Originally Posted by silvio

Sarasota is nice

Yes, I agree....people that move here, need to realize:

1. Florida still is a swamp.

2. In the swamp, you find spiders, ants, snakes, scorpions and other assorted swamp dwellers.

3. Being on vacation in Florida is totally different than living here full time...full time means you will never leave food of any kind out on a counter longer than five minutes.

4. If you're here longer than two years, you might not ever be able to adapt to "up north" life again...why? because once you've lived in Florida, it's a lot harder to move back into the the snow....even though you're broke, at least you're tan....lol!

Florida is not for everyone...if you can't take the heat, humidity & hairy spiders, don't let the door hit you on the way into GA....

[kristimc25]

Very well said!!!! Crime happens everywhere and unfortunately, we tend to half listen to the latest stats and stigmatize an entire state for the drug and violence problems of the 1980s. Crime is everywhere. Everywhere. Also, we tend to have more law enforcement here in Florida than many states, and when you have more police, your crime rate typically increases due to reporting likelihood. Just do not fret, and use the UCR as your guide and pay attention to the areas you visit or move not just the overall statistics. Finally, if you do not want to be a victim, then follow some common sense and pay attention to your surroundings whether you are in Miami, Niceville, NYC, or small town USA. It is all relative!

[Bert]

To Floridabound09
You, like everyone else, totally missed my point*sigh*
So its a nasty habit, So is drinking, cussing, Spitting, picking ones nose and The attitudes of some people.
OK, I guess its OK for someone to pour a bottle of Cheap perfume (Which causes me sever sinus infections ) on ones self and stink up the whole restaurant. I can't count the number of times I have had to get up and leave a place before I was finished with dinner. Maybe I should try to get a law passed on that??
Al Gore is into Global Warming ???
My information on that comes from scientific data from many sources.

[sunrico90]

The Guardian Angels, a national crime fighting group, is taking a more visible approach to their patrols of International Drive.

Last month, the group started mobile patrol along the tourist area, in response to the recent rise in crime.

This weekend, the Guardian Angels will be back on I-Drive, but this time they will be on foot patrol.

The groups say it's doing this in response to recent comments by Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer that the group's efforts are not having an impact along I-Drive.

[firemed]

Originally Posted by sunrico90

The Guardian Angels, a national crime fighting group, is taking a more visible approach to their patrols of International Drive.

Last month, the group started mobile patrol along the tourist area, in response to the recent rise in crime.

This weekend, the Guardian Angels will be back on I-Drive, but this time they will be on foot patrol.

The groups say it's doing this in response to recent comments by Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer that the group's efforts are not having an impact along I-Drive.

The Guardian Angels came to Fort Myers and were shocked at the crime. Now this was in east Fort Myers but its still Fort Myers. We hide all the facts to sell the area or say how bad it is somewere else and so on. The fact is we can't keep sugercoating the facts. If we upset the tourist at the price of safety I don't see that as a bad thing.

[Floridabound09]

Originally Posted by Bert

To Floridabound09
You, like everyone else, totally missed my point*sigh*
So its a nasty habit, So is drinking, cussing, Spitting, picking ones nose and The attitudes of some people.
OK, I guess its OK for someone to pour a bottle of Cheap perfume (Which causes me sever sinus infections ) on ones self and stink up the whole restaurant. I can't count the number of times I have had to get up and leave a place before I was finished with dinner. Maybe I should try to get a law passed on that??
Al Gore is into Global Warming ???
My information on that comes from scientific data from many sources.

So its a nasty habit, So is drinking, cussing, Spitting, picking ones nose and The attitudes of some people.

None of these will cause me to lay in a death bed like my father in law did gasping for every breathe, smokers are generally nasty and rude, forceful and arrogant, I cannot stand them in most cases, they are ruining my air, drinkers, well...... they do not put disease into my lungs, although some can be a pain in the butt, smokers are a breed all of there own, they dont care what they are doing to themselves and certainly could care less what I think.

Perfect bumper sticker I recently saw in Columbus Ohio

I will hang up my cell phone when you stop smoking up my air !

Did you know global warming is caused by all the nasty habit smokers in the world !! Yup, they did it, they ruin the air and polluted earth.

Anything Al Gore says I always believe the opposite, he needs a straight jacket, the man is insane !!


NoMoreSpidersAntsDrinkers - We have those same people here in Central Ohio, I think they all came from Florida then because we even have red fire ants too and lots of big nasty spiders.

1)-- I can't handle these 3 & 1/2 inch spiders and all the rest of the nasty spider types overtaking the inside of my house and the oustide of my house, Me and my pets feel like prisoners from it, literally. This also includes the huge 'Fire Ant' hills that I can't get to slow down in my yard.

They are not only in Florida, they are almost everywhere !

2)-- The most favorite and popular activity around here: are bars, drinking every day, and staying indoors bored to death.

I dont do any of that and have a blast when I am in Fla, a total blast !!

3)-- The fact that I can not take care of or grow a veggie garden well because they will get destroyed by either super high winds (from almost every day, nasty storms), or super heavy downpours of rain, threats of hail, excessive nonstop population of 'plant eating' bugs.

BIL ( Ft Lauderdale ) has a super nice veggie garden, no problems at all. Infact the record breaking pumpkin was just grown in FLORIDA

4)-- Excessive amount of black wasps, that continuously live near the underside of your roof.

I cannot get rid of the yellow jackets in Ohio

5)-- Barely no forests or woods to walk through, and what trees there are around and near here is impossible to even walk through, (a horrible thing for a nature lover that tremendously loved trail walks).
Barely 'no' parks. And you can't take your dog anywhere (parks and other places do not allow dogs).

My kids love to go to Sunset Beach Park, we were just there last month and had a blast, a picnic and grabbed some awesome shells.
We find nice parks in Fla all the time.

You have to cross a bridge, after a hurried and crazy drive to get to one, and have to pay $4.00 - $6.00 every time you cross over one, just so you can get to a beach.

You have to drive throuhg West Virginia of all places to get to Florida and it cost me 9.00 dollars to drive through this jungle.
On the way to Ocean City we have to pay 15.00 on the PA turnpike just to drive through Pa

6)-- No where outdoors to go to and hang out at in relaxation for the nature lover.

Silver Springs, Cypress Gardens, Sunken Gardens, and many more are just awesome !!!!

7)-- The fires that get created around here and surrounding areas due to lightening or irresponsible smokers or the dry weather is excessive, ... for a few days I could'nt even breath well and that fire was many many miles away.

Move to Calf, they have them all the time, not just once in 5 years.

8)-- People don't have any fun outdoors (every one is either in bars drinking, out sea fishing, or stuck in their houses). ... You can't do bonfires and you always have to watch your surroundings and where you are stepping or walking (because something might get ya on the ground. Example: variety of huge spiders, fire ants, snakes, excessive amount of mosquitos, etc).

9)-- No lakes to fish at, and if you find one, you cant keep the fish because they are polluted with lawn and insect chemicals.
And also you might get attacked by an alligator if your too close to a lake.

My buddy lives in Sebring and is on his boat all the time fishing and eats his catches...

10)-- Your dog hates Florida as much as you do, he is afraid to walk on the grass outdoors (hmmm, could this be due to the excessive and beautiful biting insect problem?), and find he rarely takes the time to go to the bathroom often because of it.

My 2 pound pup loved the last trip to Fla, he wears his Florida Gator Doggie Sweater in the winter here in Ohio because he can get frost bite easily.
His little toes get numb if he has to potty for long periods of time.
11)-- Expect to be taking your dog or cat to the vets often to 'try' to keep the nasty and strong Flea problem half under control.

12)-- Expect to hire some one to head to your house to bring in your plants into your porch or house (ones that need at least 4 hours of sunlight) while you are at work during the hours that the nasty storms come through every day, otherwise your plants (that need to be outdoors and need sun) will get destroyed during those storms when you are at work.

DW plants are dead from going away over the last weekend, dried up from the sun and 98 degree temps.

13)-- Own a large Pick up truck with a nice cap on it? ...Alot of the houses have garages that aren't made high enough so that you can fit your truck with your nice cap into that garage.

Dont buy a house with a tiny garage

14)-- Your neighbors don't come around and be neighborly, they are pretty much non existed except for when you hear fighting or yelling going on outside.

Someone lives in a real bad area............

15)-- You will see vehicles breaking down and left on the side of the roads. You will see alot of wierd sports cars with loud, pounding, wall shaking music driving by. You will see lots of disrespect and rushiness
with the drivers.

I wont even touch this, but ask the parents of those goofy kids why they act the way they do. Many young people have no respect for anyone and its the parents fault, they want kids and do not teach them how to act !

16)-- The teenagers who have lived here for quite awhile, think they are the hottest sh*t around and would not hesitate to beat the living crap out of you.

We got them here too, our mall is packed full of them, and yes, they will thunp you if you look at them crossways, they are a product of the non parenting culture of the 80-90's.

17)-- High theft rate.

Not even close, many states beat Florida badly. Besides the Fla crime rate is not for real, it is jacked up by your authorties

18)-- Moderately high rape rate.

Again, far worse in other towns with huge colege campuses

19)-- Need to get something fixed, repaired, built? ... You'll need to have that same thing done 3 times by who ever you called, before it is repaired, fixed or built to correctly.

Got that too here in Ohio, here they will over charge you 3 times and not show up for the job.

20)-- All stores or indoor places to go to (which aren't many), close by 9:00 pm!!

They should close by 9 pm, it isnt safe to be out after that.. right?

21)-- The person at the gas station will make fun of you if you screw up on pumping your own gas, and after you tell them you are from New Jersey and that you never have to pump your own sh*t there, they will argue with you and say "you should know how to pump your own gas, parts of New Jersey pump their own gas!"...
Wow the intelligence and respect here (In New Jersey you "DO NOT" pump your own gas).

Yes they do.

22)-- It is ugly here, not just boring. ... Barely no trees, passible forests, or barely no parks.

Ugly.... wow, looks pretty damn beautiful to me, cannot wait to come back when I leave. Drive into Central and Southern Ohio if you want to see ugly

23)-- Watch out when you go to one of the numerous bars or pubs, pray that the evening you are there that there wont be a gun shooting.

Stay away from the bars...

24)-- Find a park or dock by the ocean that you want to visit and hang at? ... You wont be able to remain there for more than 10 - 15 minutes from the high humidity mixed with the hot temperature.

Love it hot and humid !! Here you go out for 3 month a year then you are STUCK inside for 9 months

25)-- Plan to get caught in downpour and lightening storms often. If you get caught in one when driving home from work or what ever, you "won't be able to see anything" while you are driving.

26)-- Oh if you find some where to hike and you don't run across a poisoness snake or huge nasty spider, be sure to not run into a large female 'wild boar' or large pig who has babies with her (you can imagine what you'd be in for). (Do you own a rifle?).

Killed a snake in my garage last weekend.

27)-- Your neighbor might just be one of those who's hobbies are drinking at the numerous bars, and stays home almost every day, and on occassion comes out to fight with his girlfriend/wife to tell her he's going to kick the living sh*t out of her, all the while she is being calm and talking nicely.

I wouldnt live in an area with people like this, I would move or wouldnt have choose that area to begin with.

No one forces anyone to stay in places they hate, if you dont like the place you live, MOVE.. No sense in being miserable all the time when you can just move.
Its sad when someone sees any place like this and has never seen far worse places to compare it to. I have been in almost every single state and have seen way beyond and far worse then anything of this nature above.

[kberr32]

Originally Posted by florigidge

i second that orange+blue (go gators).

the more i think about it, maybe it's a good thing to dissuade people from moving to florida. i mean, i loved growing up there and i loved living in gainesville as an adult.

but maybe the less people who move there the better. who knows. maybe that is the intent of those who post such outrageously negative and reactionary posts.

I agree with you!!!! I live in Michigan and i'm thinking of moving to Florida. The economy in Michigan is horrific right now. A lot of people are moving. Michigan is pretty safe but i know where to stay away from. I 've been to Florida several times and those people don't know how good they have it,.( weather, quality of life, etc) they write these things to keep people like me from moving, although i already formed my own opinion of Florida and not much will change that.