Annoying people from New England?

[City__Datarer]

Oops--I have a rather embarrassing (maybe even a bit shocking) confession to make to my fellow year-round Floridians:

[Insert drum roll audio file here]

That is just me you've been hearing with all the the horn honking.

Yep, sad to have to own up to it, but probably a good 99% of the instances, if not 100%, have been yours truly.

I'm fine when traffic is normal (April-October), but my horn gets a major workout November to March. Bit of a Jekyll and Hyde thing going on there--traffic moves and I'm Jekyll; traffic jams up and I turn into Hyde.

I go through at least a dozen car horns a season. My mechanic is quite fond of my Hyde persona (though I suspect he doesn't have a lot of company in this). However, he has requested I work on trying to swap out the seasons (make it Jekyll-winter, Hyde-summer) as off-season is the time when he really needs all the extra business. (He doesn't understand me. No one does. It's a curse.)

Anyway, sorry, everyone (for the horn honking and the confusion). I will try to do better!!!

And a special apology to all the tourists and part-year residents who have taken the heat for my (again, very embarrassing--plan to mend my ways, really!) transgressions. (Jekyll side much appreciates your forbearance! ) (Hyde is thinking enough with the keyboarding; time to take another spin. )

[^Eagle^]

Being from NE I must say that the worst are thevisitors or recent transplants. New Jersey, New York are the most annoying/arrogant/go go go. After that the further north you get the more reasonable.

Up north there's just no value in common courtesy. Get to know someone though and they are a reliable friend who has your back.Doesnt mean they will be. polite to you. Messing around with each other is like bonding.

Down here there is a base level of common courtesy and respect. There are social rules. That is first and foremost. Follow them and find people like you and you can form an alliance. Doesn't mean your friends though. Especially if they perceive you as different. Up north that stuff doesn't matter. Its more about how much **** you have been through together, toughness, ectect.

The cultures really are more different than they get credit for. I've come to appreciate the common courtesy down here. Don't much care for the judgementalness though.

[StreetSmarts]

but theyre bringing all that down here. its getting worse. it may not be at the level of ny/nj as you say, but those ppl are all moving here, so whats that gonna do?

[^Eagle^]

While its true that there are a lot of visitors and recent transplants who "don't get it" I can tell you that overall the common courtesy here is still very prevelant and I don't see that changing much. I just got back from south Florida and there are even still pockets of the southern charm down there and that place was over run a while ago.

The people worried it will become new York here have nothing to worry about. It will never happen. I've changed a lot since I came here. The culture here is still strong. Its just not the south south anymore that's all.

[Travelassie]

Originally Posted by City__Datarer

Oops--I have a rather embarrassing (maybe even a bit shocking) confession to make to my fellow year-round Floridians:

[Insert drum roll audio file here]

That is just me you've been hearing with all the the horn honking.

Yep, sad to have to own up to it, but probably a good 99% of the instances, if not 100%, have been yours truly.

I'm fine when traffic is normal (April-October), but my horn gets a major workout November to March. Bit of a Jekyll and Hyde thing going on there--traffic moves and I'm Jekyll; traffic jams up and I turn into Hyde.

I go through at least a dozen car horns a season. My mechanic is quite fond of my Hyde persona (though I suspect he doesn't have a lot of company in this). However, he has requested I work on trying to swap out the seasons (make it Jekyll-winter, Hyde-summer) as off-season is the time when he really needs all the extra business. (He doesn't understand me. No one does. It's a curse.)

Anyway, sorry, everyone (for the horn honking and the confusion). I will try to do better!!!

And a special apology to all the tourists and part-year residents who have taken the heat for my (again, very embarrassing--plan to mend my ways, really!) transgressions. (Jekyll side much appreciates your forbearance! ) (Hyde is thinking enough with the keyboarding; time to take another spin. )

I suspect there are a lot of folks who do the same thing- really great people it's a privilege to know when they aren't behind the wheel, who turn into Godzilla behind the wheel- I guess part of it is the relative anonymity we have behind the wheel, we can't see the drivers in other cars very well, and react in ways we probably wouldn't to incidents that get to us if we were face to face with the drivers.

I spent waaaay too many years in Miami, so understand all too well why all the horn honking- and figure Orlando is the same way. I don't blow my horn at "those" drivers anymore, I guess I stopped when I started driving cars with horns that sounded like silly anemic little "blap-blaps"- didn't seem to convey the same message as those full bodied horns. I must admit I'd prefer something like a train whistle, but I don't see one forthcoming either.

I have to admit that under those driving circumstances I can turn the air blue with the cussing at the other drivers- with names that would embarrass a longshoreman. I just have to make sure I dont do it when someone else is in the car with me, LOL

[Travelassie]

Originally Posted by ^Eagle^

Sounds like you guys are saying it will be a adjustment but nothing too bad. I hope so, was surprised by how annoyed i was at stuff that was once probably normal to me.

I guess when you get out of it for a while, you lose your acclimation to such behavior. So it seems worse when you get back into it.

I found that with the mind-numbing traffic of southeast Florida.

[City__Datarer]

Originally Posted by Travelassie

I suspect there are a lot of folks who do the same thing [boldface added; excerpt, not full quote]

I was actually kidding about leaning on my horn half the year. I don't really do that. But I was just trying to make the point in a lighthearted way that probably with all of us--tourists, snowbirds, and year-round people--we would be perceived as having better manners the better (less frustrating) the driving conditions of the moment. (But thanks anyway for the kind reply )