[GuitarNhand]

Originally Posted by verobeach

Some of the rudest drivers I've encountered were contractors in pick-ups buzzing to and from their jobs or Subway or wherever. Now that the construction industry has dried up, they've disppeared. Are they Northerners? I don't think so... Just Floridians in a reckless hurry.

I know lots of blue-collared hard working folks in construction. Many are out of a job right now. Almost all that I have met (my good friend is a GC and I help him out a lot) and I've got to know many of them, and most are either Mexican, or from New York, Pennsylvania or Ohio. A lot of them couldnt stand to work in those cold areas, that is the number one reason I heard, that, and FL was booming for a while, so they could get more work. But I'd say most of the Americans I've met are from New York. But atleast half are from Mexico.

[TANaples]

Originally Posted by GuitarNhand

I know lots of blue-collared hard working folks in construction. Many are out of a job right now. Almost all that I have met (my good friend is a GC and I help him out a lot) and I've got to know many of them, and most are either Mexican, or from New York, Pennsylvania or Ohio. A lot of them couldnt stand to work in those cold areas, that is the number one reason I heard, that, and FL was booming for a while, so they could get more work. But I'd say most of the Americans I've met are from New York. But atleast half are from Mexico.

he worked outside on the NY piers in all extreme types of weather, from bone chilling cold to brutally hot sun. What he DID have was a UNION. So when they containerized the piers, put the men out of work, most of whom were in their later years, the Union took care of them. They weren't destitute in their so called "golden years".

I NEVER all the years my Dad lived ever heard him complain about the COLD or say that if he won the lottery he would moved someplace else, as in Florida. He was happy and content with the life he had. If you ARE, there is no reason in the world to move anywhere.

[blueeyes30]

Originally Posted by verobeach

Some of the rudest drivers I've encountered were contractors in pick-ups buzzing to and from their jobs or Subway or wherever. Now that the construction industry has dried up, they've disppeared. Are they Northerners? I don't think so... Just Floridians in a reckless hurry.

I've noticed that regardless of location.

Also, guys in big pick-up trucks drive horribly everywhere.

[faithfulFrank]

Let me share a fresh observation.

My home in central Florida is in a 55+ community, mostly filled with folks age 50 or older, some retired, some not.

I have found the Leesburg area to be quite friendly...especially those in our own and other 55+ communities.

I attribute the friendliness to a few things.

One, they are from all over. some from other states, some from Florida. Most all have come from someplace else. They have worked hard and invested/saved well through the years, and are now living the life they wanted to live. They have little to prove. they are not trying to impress.

Two, their families are far away. Neighbors become sort of a "new family". Lack of family around makes one work harder to have a sense of community with neighbors, etc.

When you lived and worked a lifetime in another state, then move, you find friendship and community in your new location. When newer folks come into the neighborhood, you embrace them, as you were embraced.
You remember how it was when you were new.......

Just a thought.

I should add that I have not experienced any "northern hatred" anywhere in Florida.....I've only read and experienced it here on this forum.

Frank D.

[ngrome]

Originally Posted by blueeyes30

I've noticed that regardless of location.

Also, guys in big pick-up trucks drive horribly everywhere.

I know in IL, extremely raised pick-up trucks or ones with tires and wheels that are extremely large are against the law, at least when I lived there (that may have since changed). Use them for mudding, but keep them off the streets, don't the lawmakers know they are wearing down the roads prematurely with all that extra weight, much less not even getting optimum gas mileage with their vehicles these days? That's being really smart, but I guess they don't care, as long as they got their little monster truck toys.

Oh, and do you happen to see the pickups with the Confederate flags on their windows and bumper stickers, but they happen to be driving Toyota or Nissan trucks? That's really making a statement...

These things are literally on the road and are considered safe? I mean, they go 80 mph at a 55 mph speed limit, pass you, then suddenly slow down and take a turn at 5 mph in front of you so they won't tip over, causing you to jam on your brakes, rather than be considerate and hang back and make their turn behind you. Never mind that at night their headlights are beaming right into your rearview mirrors, blinding you and oncoming traffic in the process. Yeah, that's real safe, folks. Can you imagine guys driving these contraptions coming from a bar after a night of drinking Friday night? Yes, we got some real smart and considerate people down here.

[Coolhand68]

My first time in Florida back in '89, I was at a nightclub. I was shooting a few games of pool and one of the local girls asked if I'd like to play. So we had a fairly polite conversation until she asked me where I was from. I said NYC, and she looked at me like I had lobsters crawling out of my ears. Then she said "You're a godamn yankee!". Then reached out to shake my hand after the game, I shook her hand thinking she was just being playful about the yankee remark, but after shaking my hand she gave me a dirty look and wiped her hand off in a very animated fashion as if to imply I was dirty or repulsive, then walked away. That was my first brush with "southern hospitality".

Conversely, on the train ride home to NY, a little old woman from Georgia sitting next to me was sweet as pie, very friendly and she possessed the true spirit of southern hospitality offering me some of her cookies and crackers and indulging in some polite conversation.

[gaflsc]

Originally Posted by RVlover

General Lee would NOT be amused ! lol ....

Ah...two yankees taking pot shots at the South. How "quaint".

And one wonders why some generalize......

[Audreyonthebeach]

Originally Posted by Coolhand68

after shaking my hand she gave me a dirty look and wiped her hand off in a very animated fashion as if to imply I was dirty or repulsive, then walked away. That was my first brush with "southern hospitality".

Wow, that was wrong.
We're not all like that.
Granny you encountered, that's how my family is, and how I was raised, and my kids.
There's always a rotten apple out of the bunch, no matter where you're at, though.

[COUNTRYFRIED]

Originally Posted by dmccauley

I have read it over and over again on the threads and still haven't really figured out why. There are so many states where people from up north move to and aren't criticized nearly as much as they are in Florida. Do Floridians get the same treatment when they move to another state?

Well Floridians arent liked to well in the Mountain Towns of North Georgia and the Carolinas. They move everyone they know up and constantly talk about how great Florida was and how they did it back in Florida. Their actually ruing a lot of small country towns and just don't fit in.

[GuitarNhand]

Originally Posted by COUNTRYFRIED

Well Floridians arent liked to well in the Mountain Towns of North Georgia and the Carolinas. They move everyone they know up and constantly talk about how great Florida was and how they did it back in Florida. Their actually ruing a lot of small country towns and just don't fit in.

A lot of them aren't native Floridians. They are probably from NY, and they are probably complaining about FL because it used to be cheap, and that's why they moved here, and now it's not. And they hate cold weather and didnt want to shovel snow or whatever. FL used to be great, that I agree with.