describe the people in tampa (crimes, school, place to live)

[smoothwaitress]

Originally Posted by NYC1DAY

I posted a thread about this about a month ago and I got very few responses. The responses that I did receive did not help much. These are pretty direct questions.

I am considering moving to the Tampa Bay metro area in about 2-3 years.

Currently, I live in SC and I can't stand the people here. I have not met one person from SC that was not a redneck. Also, it has the good ole boy/small town/country feel.

My Questions

#1 Are there rednecks/hicks in the Tampa metro area?

I think you know the typical redneck = nascar, hunting, fishing, country music, mudding, etc.

#2 Would you consider Tampa the Deep South? Do you see stupid bumper stickers like "Southern pride", "the south will rise again" and "rebel flags"?

#3 I know that Fl is known for snowbirds. Is the Tampa Bay metro area considered apart of the snow bird community?

I moved to tampa three years ago. I am moving back to NJ in 2 weeks ( work related). Having said that. Keep in mind Tampa is a vacation spot. You will meet alot of people from all over the country. You will be treated like an outsider for awhile. The Area gets invaded every year by snow birds, some natives are hesitant to open up to you, with good reason. People are always coming and going. Look at it from their point of view, why invest alot of time and effort to make a friend when they are just going to leave. I have had some good and bad experiences here, which you willl experience anywhere you live. Try to embrace the local traditions and explore the area and see what you like. Tampa is a young city so it doesnt have the history that places like Boston or Philadelphia have. It reminds alot of a smaller verzion of LA withiout hollywood.

[RiWrites]

Smoothwaitress you said it perfectly. Tampa like a lot of places in Florida have people coming and going all the time. I didn't have trouble with being treated like an outsider because I knew people who were natives here.

You can tell when snowbirds and others come to Florida it is a migration. They come in the fall when it starts to get cold up north and leave after Easter when it starts warming back up. We also get people from all over the world.

I lived in LA and Tampa is a cleaner version of LA. It has a history all of its own. It isn't as old as Boston etc but it has been around a long time. There were pirates that landed in Tampa, the Cuban immigrants brought cigar making to Tampa.

The best part of Florida is you can get to the beach in a short time, if you want a change of scenery head up to Northern Florida. That is where all the horse and cattle ranches are. There is history all over the state. I get tired when people think Miami is the only thing in Florida. And if you want to get to the Caribbean it isn't that far away. Just take your time when you move here. Maybe come on a trip and check out for the perfect area for you to move to.

Smoothwaitress are you sorry to be moving back to NJ?

[smoothwaitress]

As far as moving back to NJ. I will be honest. I am looking forward to moving back. I have made some wonderful friends in the short time I have been here. I have children in NJ and we miss them alot. The employment situation will be much better for me in NJ. I will miss the beaches and the sunsets. November is a wonderful time to be in Tampa as well.We are already scheduled to return in March of 2010 for a wedding. I hope our new friends will come visit us in NJ, although I am sure it will be in the summer. They all have already told us no winter visits lol.

[RiWrites]

Since you have family in NJ than I can see making the move. The employment situation in Florida isn't great right now. A friend even applied at McDonald's and the manager showed her a 2 inch stack of applications that he took in just a few days.

I loved the sunsets in Florida but I miss the change of seasons. I am originally from Ohio and loved it when the seasons changed. As for winter, I don't know if I could survive one. The thought of digging my car out of snow is too much for me. LOL Have a safe move back to NJ.

[flor'da]

who cares? rednecks are fun. drink cheap beer, play in the mud, shoot guns...sounds like a good time! anyways if anyone's gonna annoy you it won't be the rednecks, it'll be all the new yorkers!!

[NYC1DAY]

Originally Posted by flor'da

who cares? rednecks are fun. drink cheap beer, play in the mud, shoot guns...sounds like a good time! anyways if anyone's gonna annoy you it won't be the rednecks, it'll be all the new yorkers!!

I disagree!!!

The rednecks are the ones that bother me and i will hang out with a NYer and day

[cpt757100]

New yorkers are rude and have no manners! Florida rednecks are genuine and would stop to help you in an emergency! New Yorkers would not pee on you if you were on fire!

[algia]

With such title, such answer:

Two heads, both red in the back ready to bite you in the a***! take that literally if you drive 30 miles an hour in a 55 miles zone! that's why we are thankful for the big trucks, they get these snails off the road in the RIGHT lane where they belong!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Stop complaining about the big trucks.....call Ford and tell them to stop making them! and see how far you're getting.........Then, buy a Mini Cooper and haul you lawn equipment with it.......see how THAT GOES! lOLOLOLOLOL

[cpt757100]

New Yorkers think New york is so great however, they refuse to move back! New Yorkers are morons!

[algia]

Awesome said and very true..........

Originally Posted by smoothwaitress

I moved to tampa three years ago. I am moving back to NJ in 2 weeks ( work related). Having said that. Keep in mind Tampa is a vacation spot. You will meet alot of people from all over the country. You will be treated like an outsider for awhile. The Area gets invaded every year by snow birds, some natives are hesitant to open up to you, with good reason. People are always coming and going. Look at it from their point of view, why invest alot of time and effort to make a friend when they are just going to leave. I have had some good and bad experiences here, which you willl experience anywhere you live. Try to embrace the local traditions and explore the area and see what you like. Tampa is a young city so it doesnt have the history that places like Boston or Philadelphia have. It reminds alot of a smaller verzion of LA withiout hollywood.