How to be an awful Snowbird. (Sarasota, Naples: sales, renters, schools)

[Cer10Death]

Originally Posted by RustedFox

No, no, no. Snowbirds, not snowflakes. But I kid.



I appreciate the dissent (I would love it if more snowbirds were as you describe), but 10+ years of working in medicine leads me to politely disagree, for all of the reasons I enumerated above. Our EMS services and ERs swell with snowbirds between Thanksgiving and Easter, and they're demonstrably the most unhealthy, entitled, pushy, and inconsiderate of the lot.



Also, please don't get tangled up in knots. There are reasonable snowbirds out there. I live next to a few; and could write a companion piece entitled "How to be a GOOD Snowbird". Title says: "How to be an awful Snowbird". Therein lies the humor.

I recognize this is an old thread but in the spirit of expose', I am not from the NE or the People's Socialist Republic of Canada or retired so let me retort by penning the following "How to Be A Good Floridian". I will not write a corollary entitled: "How to be a Respectful Canadian - You're not in Canada any more, eh!" because frankly, it would be less than a paragraph long.



1) FL is the largest cattle producer of any other state (sorry TX) but that doesn't entitle us to kick our BS on everyone who choose to enjoy living in these United States. Home is where you plant your flag. Except if you're from Canada.



2) While basking in our own "lack of sophistication otherwise known as Redneckedness" recognize and appreciate that many of us have an income from the Snowbirds and that hunting Snowbirds is illegal. Unless they are Canada Geese then you need a permit. As a hospital admin, I surely appreciate the income level increase and budget accordingly. It's because of this that I can give substantial bonuses to my colleauges.


3) We should appreciate all the culture that comes with having The 'Birds even though their memories of good Eye-Talian food is more out of fondness than culinary skill of the Latino chefs that prepared their food regardless of where they lived.


4) The term "God's Waiting Room" is pejorative and I hear it a lot. We are lucky to live in a state where people want to enjoy what we have and the culture we also bring. The Long Term Care market in FL is one of the largest in the country and bring over a billion dollars to FL's economy. So we have to take the all that comes with it.


5) We should properly teach our guests the proper way to say Y'all versus Youse guys.


6) As a former ER clinician now administrator, I can say our EMS system sucks and it's not just because of the volume increase due to the bi-seasonal nature or the general unhealthy habits of those above the Mason-Dixon line. Many of the most obese cities are those in the SE US so I guess some research would be in order, psuedo-doc. Many of the healthiest cities are either in the Mid-Atlantic or Pacific NW. All those Pick Up trucks at Hardee's have mostly FL license plates and BBQ isn't the healthiest food option on the menu.

So before you cast stones, it might be prudent that you and your EMS colleagues spend a lot more time training and garnering the resources necessary to handle the predictable groundswell that occurs every year about the same time. A lot more training I say as a former medical director for EMS.

[Cer10Death]

And...I don't believe you're a physician for one moment. What's your NPI?

[ndcairngorm]

Jaysus, is this thread still alive? Must be a lot of hot feelings on both sides.

I've actually seen a very very similar thread or two about Arizona and their winter visitors.

[Cer10Death]

Originally Posted by macrodome2

Give us a hint where you practice. I want to make sure you're not one of my doctors.

He's not a doc. Trust me.

[RustedFox]

Originally Posted by Cer10Death

And...I don't believe you're a physician for one moment. What's your NPI?

Hmm. Just joined the forum. 3 posts, only on this thread. Seems odd. Oh, you want my NPI?



Here's my NPI:






Bye.

[mckenderson]

I thought the OP was hilarious.

Just my own .02 of humor:

I have to wonder if there is a "Snowbird Manual" that they use. For instance, like on page 3, it would talk about driving under the speed limit in the left lane. If they get really daring, they drive the speed limit. Especially on I-75.

Speaking of I-75, it seems like there's a million people on it at any given time during season. I come from a city of almost a million people, and it doesn't seem like it's that many people. But here in the Sarasota area, it is much more noticeable. Tampa's population is something like 335k. Sarasota under 70k. Same with the other towns such as Bradenton, Venice, etc.

I've seen a few gold chain guidos since I've been here (came here earlier this year to be with my girlfriend), and have generally found them amusing.

Getting used to the northern accents took some getting used to. Lakewood Ranch often sounded like "Liquid Ranch". Oh my God often sounded like "Oh my GOH-WAD".

I am from TN, and have a southern accent. Most people tell me that they love my accent. I love it when people ask where I'm from. I'll usually reply that I don't sound like I'm from around here, or Boston, NY, Chicago, Michigan, etc.

Speaking of Michigan...I saw so many Michigan license plates during season, I wondered if there was a Michigan Convention in the area.

There are a LOT of New England Patriots fans in the area. A LOT. Even though there are three Florida teams in the NFL.

There are a LOT of old people in Florida. I went to a particular bar in downtown Venice one evening, and noticed the influx of elderly people. Must have been assisted living patrons eat/drink free night or something.

[Saxon22]

No need to be so fond of non Floridians. Yes, they are the owners of that second home or condo. Yes they have enough mullah to eat out most of the time. Yes, that golf course was built with them in mind. Their retirement money came from a cushy union job where min. Wage was more than most locals are still years from achieving. That SUV did cost 75K and if you play your cards well, will be available for sale to you at a big discount in 10 years or so. The schools are underfunded and the teachers make what janitors make back home in NE, and that is after all those extra taxes are paid by us non Floridians. One could only imagine the school system without the support of people from NE and MW. And you can keep that ya'll to yourselves. also, fix those teeth and leave meth alone.

[craigiri]

Originally Posted by mckenderson

I thought the OP was hilarious.

Just my own .02 of humor:

I have to wonder if there is a "Snowbird Manual" that they use. For instance, like on page 3, it would talk about driving under the speed limit in the left lane. If they get really daring, they drive the speed limit. Especially on I-75.

Getting used to the northern accents took some getting used to. Lakewood Ranch often sounded like "Liquid Ranch". Oh my God often sounded like "Oh my GOH-WAD".

I am from TN, and have a southern accent. Most people tell me that they love my accent. I love it when people ask where I'm from. I'll usually reply that I don't sound like I'm from around here, or Boston, NY, Chicago, Michigan, etc.
.

Here's a "mid-south" snowbird hint.....which you reminded me with GAWD.......this has happened to us three times so far....

So we will be somewhat in public - maybe the salad bar or Myakka State park....and, all of a sudden, we will hear the nice Southern Accent you are talking about. But it tends to come from one man....who may be with a group of people. Yet 90% of the words are all coming from this one person!

And so, as any normal person would do, my ears tune in to figure out what the heck this person could be talking about....that is so important that it doesn't involve a two or three-way conversation.

Have you guessed yet?

I say you haven't. Well, what these people are doing is have "one way scripture discussions" right in the middle of public places where they are delving deeply into the details of some particular part of scripture...and, obviously, the people they are with (family and friends) are too civil to tell them to shut up. And so they go on....one guy did it through an entire dinner. Spewed and spewed.

Please put that in the manual. No sermons at Sweet Tomatoes. Thanks!

[Peter the Brit]

Snow birds do crowd the place for four months but they help the economy give us more property taxes so we have better paid teachers and good schools and their money encourages the growth and variety of shops and restaurants. We go north in the summer and get revenge and crowd their towns!

[holmesbulldog]

Originally Posted by Cer10Death

I recognize this is an old thread but in the spirit of expose', I am not from the NE or the People's Socialist Republic of Canada or retired so let me retort by penning the following "How to Be A Good Floridian". I will not write a corollary entitled: "How to be a Respectful Canadian - You're not in Canada any more, eh!" because frankly, it would be less than a paragraph long.



1) FL is the largest cattle producer of any other state (sorry TX) but that doesn't entitle us to kick our BS on everyone who choose to enjoy living in these United States. Home is where you plant your flag. Except if you're from Canada.



2) While basking in our own "lack of sophistication otherwise known as Redneckedness" recognize and appreciate that many of us have an income from the Snowbirds and that hunting Snowbirds is illegal. Unless they are Canada Geese then you need a permit. As a hospital admin, I surely appreciate the income level increase and budget accordingly. It's because of this that I can give substantial bonuses to my colleauges.


3) We should appreciate all the culture that comes with having The 'Birds even though their memories of good Eye-Talian food is more out of fondness than culinary skill of the Latino chefs that prepared their food regardless of where they lived.


4) The term "God's Waiting Room" is pejorative and I hear it a lot. We are lucky to live in a state where people want to enjoy what we have and the culture we also bring. The Long Term Care market in FL is one of the largest in the country and bring over a billion dollars to FL's economy. So we have to take the all that comes with it.


5) We should properly teach our guests the proper way to say Y'all versus Youse guys.


6) As a former ER clinician now administrator, I can say our EMS system sucks and it's not just because of the volume increase due to the bi-seasonal nature or the general unhealthy habits of those above the Mason-Dixon line. Many of the most obese cities are those in the SE US so I guess some research would be in order, psuedo-doc. Many of the healthiest cities are either in the Mid-Atlantic or Pacific NW. All those Pick Up trucks at Hardee's have mostly FL license plates and BBQ isn't the healthiest food option on the menu.

So before you cast stones, it might be prudent that you and your EMS colleagues spend a lot more time training and garnering the resources necessary to handle the predictable groundswell that occurs every year about the same time. A lot more training I say as a former medical director for EMS.

This is one of the most factually incorrect post i've ever seen on here