[DaniellaG]

I did not read all the responses but to me the parking lots are very dangerous. Many just pull out without looking or don't stop at the end of a lane before pulling out.

[Trusses]

Originally Posted by Nikki9947

Here are my personal driving tips for South Florida (and this is coming from a 27, non-old fart driver):

-If you are either in the far right or left lane of the expressway, ALWAYS watch for cars that may decide to speed around you using the "Emergency Vehicle" lane instead of the regular lane. (Usually occurs when the freeway is semi-packed and they don't have a lot of room to weave in and out of traffic in the regular lanes)

-Watch out for people who make LEFT turns at a red light.

-When turning right on a red light, watch out for cars that may drive AROUND you while you're waiting for the clearance to go. They will cut you off and then wait for their own chance to go right in front of you. Honk at your own risk on this one.

-Watch out for motorcycles that try to cut you off, use trickery, or tailgate your car out of impatience

-Look out for A LOT of red light runners at large intersections (always wait at least 3-5 seconds no matter how much they honk at you)

-Look out for random people driving 70 in a 45 zone.

-If you are turning left or making a u-turn in a median, there will be cars especially SUVs that will come from behind and go AROUND or in front of you to block your view while you are waiting to turn. The best way to avoid this is to go out as far as you can go without blocking people coming from the opposite direction. Otherwise they will take advantage of the open gap.

-I only use my turn signals when I want the car behind me to speed up. I don't use it if I don't want them to speed up.

-Watch out for the typical road rage (I've literally seen people get out of their cars and fight), slow people in the fast lane, fast people in the slow lane. People that look scared, people that are over-aggressive and hit and run drivers.

-Look out for expressway drivers that will try to correct their mistakes at the very last second (i.e. crossing 4 lanes to exit)

-This may be rare and I've only see this on the Palmetto late at night but look out for drivers that drive the opposite direction on the freeway.

-Last but not least, if you break down, NO ONE will stop to help you. LOL Phone a friend, and if you are new and don't have friends yet, I highly recommend getting AAA or some sort of roadside assistance before you get here. (Unless you are on the turnpike in which case the StateFarm truck will automatically ride by during certain hours.)

Good Luck!

Man, what has happened to S FL. But you know, in Orlando it's getting really bad too. In Asheville (hell, pretty much anywhere in the South), people do not do any of these things mentioned above - and there are tons of Floridians up there - imagine that!?!

I cant say that when I move back to Asheville NC I'll miss anything else about FL other than family, which I will miss the most. But other than that, I sure as heck wont miss the people and their attitudes, and the way they drive. Oh wait, the winter months temps and the beach being close - I do enjoy that part of FL. I will always love FL - I was born here as were many of my family members and many of my family members still live here - so I hope nothing but the best for FL. Maybe if I lived in the panhandle or rural North FL I would think differently and wouldnt want to leave, but living in the Orlando area or S FL (I've done both) just isnt for me anymore.

[dadeguy.]

there is no problem with drivers in FL. [mod]Personal Attack/ Trolling[/mod] This is paradise.

[ChrisA70]

I agree trusses people do drive pretty bad down here, I see it on the way to and from work EVERY day. Perfect place HA!!!!!! How thick is that wool pulled over your eyes dadeguy......?

People also need to pay attention in english class on spelling and grammar......(not you trusses, another "member").

[stars99]

Originally Posted by Nikki9947

Here are my personal driving tips for South Florida (and this is coming from a 27, non-old fart driver):

-If you are either in the far right or left lane of the expressway, ALWAYS watch for cars that may decide to speed around you using the "Emergency Vehicle" lane instead of the regular lane. (Usually occurs when the freeway is semi-packed and they don't have a lot of room to weave in and out of traffic in the regular lanes)

-Watch out for people who make LEFT turns at a red light.

-When turning right on a red light, watch out for cars that may drive AROUND you while you're waiting for the clearance to go. They will cut you off and then wait for their own chance to go right in front of you. Honk at your own risk on this one.

-Watch out for motorcycles that try to cut you off, use trickery, or tailgate your car out of impatience

-Look out for A LOT of red light runners at large intersections (always wait at least 3-5 seconds no matter how much they honk at you)

-Look out for random people driving 70 in a 45 zone.

-If you are turning left or making a u-turn in a median, there will be cars especially SUVs that will come from behind and go AROUND or in front of you to block your view while you are waiting to turn. The best way to avoid this is to go out as far as you can go without blocking people coming from the opposite direction. Otherwise they will take advantage of the open gap.

-I only use my turn signals when I want the car behind me to speed up. I don't use it if I don't want them to speed up.

-Watch out for the typical road rage (I've literally seen people get out of their cars and fight), slow people in the fast lane, fast people in the slow lane. People that look scared, people that are over-aggressive and hit and run drivers.

-Look out for expressway drivers that will try to correct their mistakes at the very last second (i.e. crossing 4 lanes to exit)

-This may be rare and I've only see this on the Palmetto late at night but look out for drivers that drive the opposite direction on the freeway.

-Last but not least, if you break down, NO ONE will stop to help you. LOL Phone a friend, and if you are new and don't have friends yet, I highly recommend getting AAA or some sort of roadside assistance before you get here. (Unless you are on the turnpike in which case the StateFarm truck will automatically ride by during certain hours.)

Good Luck!

Are you sure this isn't Baghdad or Beirut you're talking about? Do you guys have to carrry a grenade launcher too? I'm glad things aren't anywhere this bad in Orlando, although I've seen a few of the things you mention.

[Granny Sue]

Put loud pipes on your motorcycles so you can be heard over the idiots cell phone conversations.

[doggiebus]

Some in the Miami section probably now my most shocking moment about driving in Miami. I was on the 826 expressway heading north in the far left lane (I think it has 6 lanes???) We were going about 60-70mph can't remember now. When four cars ahead of us, a car car slams on the breaks and slows down to a complete stop. He then proceeds to get the other lanes of traffic to stop some how, so that he can make a u turn (now heading south on the northbound lanes) crosses all lanes of traffic to get to the exit he missed. He couldn't get of later, had to get off at that exit. Making the entire expressway come to a stop for him. While he drives the wrong way on the expressway???? Luckily he didn't create a mass pile up accident. But this is one example of the fabulous drivers here in Miami.

[Trusses]

Originally Posted by OrlandoRE_Miracle

Are you sure this isn't Baghdad or Beirut you're talking about? Do you guys have to carrry a grenade launcher too? I'm glad things aren't anywhere this bad in Orlando, although I've seen a few of the things you mention.

It's getting there.

[EnjoyTheSilence]

Originally Posted by doggiebus

Some in the Miami section probably now my most shocking moment about driving in Miami. I was on the 826 expressway heading north in the far left lane (I think it has 6 lanes???) We were going about 60-70mph can't remember now. When four cars ahead of us, a car car slams on the breaks and slows down to a complete stop. He then proceeds to get the other lanes of traffic to stop some how, so that he can make a u turn (now heading south on the northbound lanes) crosses all lanes of traffic to get to the exit he missed. He couldn't get of later, had to get off at that exit. Making the entire expressway come to a stop for him. While he drives the wrong way on the expressway???? Luckily he didn't create a mass pile up accident. But this is one example of the fabulous drivers here in Miami.

826 is a nightmare at the best of times. Funnily enough, I prefer to use it during rush hour, when there's so much traffic that people can't drive like homicidal maniacs. I was actually late getting out of work tonight and got on 826 around 8pm. Let's just say that it was like Too Fast, Too Furious gone wrong.....saw 2 near crashes, I was tailgated while doing 70mph (which is still above the speed limit) and witnessed several instances of cars drifting across 3-5 lanes of traffic at high speed, or people slamming on the brakes for no reason.

I always ask myself "Where the hell are the police?". If we had semi-decent law enforcement here, they'd make a fortune from issuing a billion tickets a day to these reckless, careless knuckleheads who don't care if they live, die, or take others down with them.

826 is probably the most dangerous stretch of expressway in Dade County. Not even I-95 (as busy as it is) has quite the same levels of lunacy.

The golden rule -- don't use that expressway to hell anytime after 7:30pm, unless you get some sort of adrenaline buzz out of the sheer white knuckle ride that is SR-826, otherwise known as the Palmetto Expressway.

[Trusses]

My wife and I were coming back from Key West and were headed northward and on the Palmetto Expressway for a bit. This is when I was living in Asheville NC and not in Orlando yet - and OMG. They were driving 85-90-95 mph and riding one another's a$$. It was like another world driving down there compared to Asheville where everyone drives normal and is very courteous. Now we live in Orlando where it's far more similar to down there, but not as bad as the Palmetto Expressway. Why anyone would live down there and put themselves through the headaches is beyond me. It's a good thing everyone down there is so friendly and crime is low - or it wouldnt be the "paradise" some think it is, lol.