Drive time to the beach? (Sarasota, Siesta Key: real estate, month to, buyers)

[bbronston]

Those of us who've been on C-D for awhile have seen that question a million times. This website seems to be pretty accurate, if not a bit conservative. Thought I might post it and let you all take a look and see what you think. Like it, tear it apart, whatever you like...

Isoscope - Your cruising radius

[63SeaRay]

Hard to negotiate, site is too sensitive. Doesn't account for lots of variables here in Florida, such as emergencies, school bus stops, disastrous traffic light timing, seasonal drivers, downpours of rain, constant road construction, and other factors.


In short, it's not that helpful at all.

[Picshooter]

It takes as long as it takes. Like 63 wrote, too many variables. Add in the Diverging Diamond, or getting distracted by the bling at UTC. And getting there is only part of the fun. You have to find a parking spot.

[bbronston]

Geez...I didn't say it was miraculous.

Using my location, I found it was pretty much dead on for the places I drive to under what I consider normal conditions. So, yeah, I'm not accounting for zombie apocalypses and meteor strikes. I think they expect users to do that for themselves. OTOH, most people don't ask here for that kind of info. They want to be within x minutes of whatever and I think they are talking about under normal conditions. I'd call normal conditions to be outside those circumstances where weather, emergencies, snowbirds, etc. cause worse conditions. That's not to say they shouldn't be forewarned of those factors. It's just a tool for buyers to use.

[kiggy]

Thanks for posting it, B. Some people are ungrateful.

[63SeaRay]

Originally Posted by bbronston

Geez...I didn't say it was miraculous.

Using my location, I found it was pretty much dead on for the places I drive to under what I consider normal conditions. So, yeah, I'm not accounting for zombie apocalypses and meteor strikes. I think they expect users to do that for themselves. OTOH, most people don't ask here for that kind of info. They want to be within x minutes of whatever and I think they are talking about under normal conditions. I'd call normal conditions to be outside those circumstances where weather, emergencies, snowbirds, etc. cause worse conditions. That's not to say they shouldn't be forewarned of those factors. It's just a tool for buyers to use.

Well as a salesperson of real estate feel free to recommend the site to THEM. No worries. For most very long time residents of Sarasota-Manatee, we realize that the "what ifs" and unexpected variables come in to place well over 50% of the time, thus we wouldn't find that site reliable or very useful. It might be used as a "selling tool" for a salesperson trying to act informed, but for the everyday intra-county traveler, we would know better. Most of us would just trust are own daily, weekly, seasonal experience thus knowledge. Newcomers wouldn't know any better so they might buy in to it.

Far more useful data affecting time of travel when it counts is Google's real time traffic flow "radar screens", or FHP's own data...or of course on-board traffic NAVs.

I suggest this point of view because traffic patterns, road conditions etc are changing much too quickly here in Sarasota-Manatee county practically from week to week or month to month, for a site like that to be reliably CURRENT even if they use various theoretical algorithms...which never reflect reality on the street - never.

[beach43ofus]

I drove from State Road 70 and I-75 (Braden Woods) to Siesta Key most weekends departing at 9 am for 3 years and it took me 45 minutes to get there via 72 Clark Road, and longer to return due to heavier volumes around 2PM. This was 20 years ago though. I suspect it would take a little longer now.

[bbronston]

Just another tool on the toolbox, Shekkie. I use Google, too.

[motordavid]

I thought that all the Full Timers enjoyed the Africa Hot/Humid summer time for easy access to all of the empty beaches?
GL, mD

[loves2read]

Funny, MD...

Anyone use Waze--the phone app? I find it helpful when we travel our TX/Fl route and have used it a few times when there have been very slow conditions on 41...
People I know in DFW who commute use it daily...