MoparThunder
Well-Known Member
I am investigating a transfer to those two areas. I used to live north of Tampa awhile ago but I'm sure it changed. Give me some pros and cons to both areas.
Who here lives near Tampa or Fort Myers Fla?
- Thread starter MoparThunder
- Start date
dieseldazzle
Well-Known Member
I moved here from the Bay Area of California. I love it here and will never go back. I work 6 miles from the beach in Melbourne not too far from Orlando. I also have a place up north 30 mins west of St Augustine. Cant beat it. Come on down. Plenty of car activities down here too. Watch the salt spray living near the coast. Other than that life is great.........and housing, taxes, vehicle reg is great.
Insurance is a bit more.
Insurance is a bit more.
MoparThunder
Well-Known Member
I lived off of Sunshine Grove Road probably not to far form you back in the day. back when there wasn't much out there. I have a good friend that lives in Spring Hill. I like that area but might be a good drive ofr me to get down to work in Tampa now.
brogers93
Well-Known Member
I live in Brandon, just east of Tampa and work at MacDill AFB. To be honest, I can't stand the traffic here. Seems like there is always traffic everywhere. I came down here planning on retiring from the Army and staying, but now I'm really thinking about somewhere else. Houses (with any amount of land) are more expensive than I thought they'd be. My mother in law spends the winters in Ft Myers and we visit occasionally. Again, a lot of traffic during the winter months but not nearly as congested as Tampa.
Bb70charger500
Well-Known Member
I hate fl. It's very hot lots of traffic just about everywhere,know one knows how to drive (it's seriously like bumper cars in most areas) auto insurance is high here, also it's very hard to get home insurance any more and if you do have it they like dropping you when ever they feel like it. But houses are cheap witch is a good thing I would say taxs are low but there slowly creaping up (deff not as high as n.y.) did I mention it's extremely hot 99% of the year , and when the snow birds are down stay off the roads it's not safe .that's just my opinion
And sorry if anyone is a snow bird that can drive I wasn't talking about you it's the rest of them .
I am on the east coast but have been everywhere in this state there's a few nice places but the admission to get it will make you broke ($560xxx for a little 3- 4 bed house south of Tampa) good luck
And sorry if anyone is a snow bird that can drive I wasn't talking about you it's the rest of them .
I am on the east coast but have been everywhere in this state there's a few nice places but the admission to get it will make you broke ($560xxx for a little 3- 4 bed house south of Tampa) good luck
wahya
Well-Known Member
Cons: traffic, traffic, traffic. Pros: near water? I grew up in Miami in the 50's and 60's. It was paradise back then, I don't even like driving through it anymore. If you are working in Tampa, I can't imagine living in Ft. Myers and commuting every day. It might be a little better on the north side. As far as the comment about nobody knows how to drive in Florida, I agree, 90% of the drivers are from somewhere else.
MoparThunder
Well-Known Member
I work for the Corps of Engineers and the Tampa office is just south of the I4/I75 intersection. The Fort Myers office is south of downtown Fort Myers near the Page Field airport. There is a better chance of going to Fort Myers but I was looking more at Tampa since I know that better. Traffic doesn't excite me, especially since I deal with the Philadelphia traffice for 2.5 to 3.0 hours a day.
YY1
Well-Known Member
I'm from Ohio, so I'm used to horrible winters and horrible summers.
I've always said I'd rather have it 100* than 10* and it seems I've gotten my wish.
I found cost of living to be about the same.
I miss sidewalks and basements.
I agree on the bad driver issue but not necessarily the cause.
My argument ender is usually- "Have you ever driven on ice or snow?"
Lots of folks here will putt out in front of a car going 70MPH.
They can't be from "up North", because if the y did that on ice or snow, they would die.
I've always said I'd rather have it 100* than 10* and it seems I've gotten my wish.
I found cost of living to be about the same.
I miss sidewalks and basements.
I agree on the bad driver issue but not necessarily the cause.
My argument ender is usually- "Have you ever driven on ice or snow?"
Lots of folks here will putt out in front of a car going 70MPH.
They can't be from "up North", because if the y did that on ice or snow, they would die.
I was driving in Lakeland today. Mid-day traffic was light in this part of town. The drive to Tampa International Airport on I-4 is not too bad since the third lane all the way was added. Warm and humid today compared to home. I like it. Sure is green.
Bruzilla
Well-Known Member
I love Florida, and like YY I'm from the same area (PA vice OH). Yes, it gets hot down here, but it's usually hotter up North. It's common to see temps back in Pittsburgh about 10 degrees hotter than here in Jacksonville during the summer. It stays warmer longer down here, but overall it's usually cooler during the summer due to most of our weather coming in over the Gulf of Mexico. And Virginia still has the most hot/humid summers I've ever lived through.
I was in the Tampa/Clearwater area for several years, and traffic is bad, but having spent nine years driving in Washington DC traffic I know this stuff in FL is nothing. Down here people think a "long" commute is ten miles or more. They have no idea what a long commute is. Winter driving gets worse because all the Snow Birds from up North, especially Canada, come to the state to get away from the horrible weather.
Housing costs are pretty low, but it all depends on what you want and where it is.
Pros are no state, county, or city income taxes (and that's a BIG pro), no auto inspections (safety or emissions), lax gun laws, lots of activities and attractions, beaches everywhere, great BBQ, car events every weekend, no potholes, very few hills, and it gets cold in the mornings during winter but warms to 50-60 during the day.
Cons are pretty much the same general cons you find anywhere.
I was in the Tampa/Clearwater area for several years, and traffic is bad, but having spent nine years driving in Washington DC traffic I know this stuff in FL is nothing. Down here people think a "long" commute is ten miles or more. They have no idea what a long commute is. Winter driving gets worse because all the Snow Birds from up North, especially Canada, come to the state to get away from the horrible weather.
Housing costs are pretty low, but it all depends on what you want and where it is.
Pros are no state, county, or city income taxes (and that's a BIG pro), no auto inspections (safety or emissions), lax gun laws, lots of activities and attractions, beaches everywhere, great BBQ, car events every weekend, no potholes, very few hills, and it gets cold in the mornings during winter but warms to 50-60 during the day.
Cons are pretty much the same general cons you find anywhere.
wahya
Well-Known Member
Argument ender? Hardly. I can't understand how somebody can drive on ice and snow and can't drive in a little rain. Apparently a few of the folks survived the cold. Depending on what statistics (year) you look at, Florida is at the bottom of the list of native born residents. Only about 33% of the population was born here and when you exclude the number that is not yet driving age, its a lot lower than that. Compare that 33% to the percentage of Native born New York residents, about 82%, I think you would have to agree. I would say that the Ft. Myers area has one of the highest percentage of retirees from northern states in Florida. The northwest part of the state has the least number.
I'm not saying that I am a better driver for being from here, just don't blame the "Floridians" for the bad driving.
Bruzilla
Well-Known Member
There is an issue with rain here though. When it rains in Jacksonville, you can pretty much bet there will be several accidents on I-295 or I-95. I don't know what the deal is except for the problem of oil leeching from the hot pavement that is like black ice in the first few minutes of a rain storm when it mixes with water and hasn't run off yet.
I remember driving my Gran Torino here in Jax in the early 80s when I was based here. I was driving back from the base and a really light rain started and I tried to stop for a red light and just went sailing right through the intersection... right in front of a JSO officer.
I got the car stopped on the far side of the intersection and thought my brakes had failed, and the deputy explained about the issue with leeching oil. I had grown up driving in Pittsburgh, and thought I knew about driving on slick surfaces like ice, but this was all news to me.
I remember driving my Gran Torino here in Jax in the early 80s when I was based here. I was driving back from the base and a really light rain started and I tried to stop for a red light and just went sailing right through the intersection... right in front of a JSO officer.
I got the car stopped on the far side of the intersection and thought my brakes had failed, and the deputy explained about the issue with leeching oil. I had grown up driving in Pittsburgh, and thought I knew about driving on slick surfaces like ice, but this was all news to me.
Grew up in Allentown. As said above, no trip to Florida - and there have been many - replicated the miserable stinking heat and stagnant air of the Lehigh Valley summers. Think of a wet sponge over your nose and mouth at 99 degrees. Winters sucked too. Spring and Fall were usually about one day each. Always a trade-wind in Florida.
YY1
Well-Known Member
Now that Bru mentions it, the biggest con I can think of is that in the late spring through early fall, it rains pretty much EVERY DAY.
Most often about 3-5 pm, or right after you get out of a hot day at work.
Sometimes the whole night, and sometimes for a couple days straight.
Of course sometimes it's only for 10 minutes or an hour.
Can spoil evening plans, especially car or motorcycle related.
Re: winter, it's a crapshoot.
Sometimes it's 3 weeks of 50*.
Sometimes it's 3 months of 45* with 3 weeks of 33* right in the middle of that.
Another topic- natural disasters:
Biggest in FL is hurricanes.
Given the choice of earthquakes, tornados, mud slides, tidal waves or hurricanes, I choose hurricanes.
Why?
Because you usually get weeks notice and a fairly solid plot of the most likely route.
Those others typically get zero notice.
* note that we do also get tornados, but most of those accompany hurricanes.
Most often about 3-5 pm, or right after you get out of a hot day at work.
Sometimes the whole night, and sometimes for a couple days straight.
Of course sometimes it's only for 10 minutes or an hour.
Can spoil evening plans, especially car or motorcycle related.
Re: winter, it's a crapshoot.
Sometimes it's 3 weeks of 50*.
Sometimes it's 3 months of 45* with 3 weeks of 33* right in the middle of that.
Another topic- natural disasters:
Biggest in FL is hurricanes.
Given the choice of earthquakes, tornados, mud slides, tidal waves or hurricanes, I choose hurricanes.
Why?
Because you usually get weeks notice and a fairly solid plot of the most likely route.
Those others typically get zero notice.
* note that we do also get tornados, but most of those accompany hurricanes.
MoparThunder
Well-Known Member
Thanks for all the responses. If there is a possibility I have been told it won't be available until at least July. So we'll see then. I have pretty much had my share of crappy winters up here. I currently live in SE Pennsylvania. I deal with Philly traffic everyday. Came to the realization why do I waste 5-6 months out of the year looking outside and not being able to do anything I enjoy. I do ski but that isn't often.
Lets Roll
Well-Known Member
I grew up in the St Pete / Tampa area it just got too crowded for my taste. I live on the East Coast now just north of Daytona . One of the things I love about this area is A1A runs for many miles along the ocean with just beach on the ocean side. Thank god for the sea turtles or there probably would be condos on the beach by now. Its pretty much the last stretch of road along the ocean.
wahya
Well-Known Member
Just north of you is Flagler county. I used to hunt there years ago. Nothing but woods, it was ranked number 61 out of 67 counties population wise and was noted on the license plates. My wife used to spend the summers at Flagler Beach back in the 60's. Palm Coast really changed that area.
Bruzilla
Well-Known Member
My grandmother had a place in Ormond Beach when I was in the Navy, and she only lived there in the winters, so I stayed there a LOT when she was up north. If I could live anywhere, it would be either Daytona or Ormond Beach. And if I'm not in a hurry to go to Daytona, I always go over to Ponte Vedra, pick up AIA, and make the slow drive down the coast that you mentioned. No better drive for a classic car in the lower 48.
- - - Updated - - -
Hey YY, if you have a big swimming pool like we have, that rain is definitely not a con. It's a huge plus because it means I don't have to pay money to top off the pool from the hose.
Sadly though you guys, and the folks in Georgia, are getting all our rain this year. Seems like every storm system that goes by is either going over Orlando, Ocala/Gainesville, or Brunswick, and we're in the middle getting nada.As for hurricanes, we haven't seen any of those since 2004, and I think we've only seen one or two tropical storms since then. Now that we're in a cooling cycle, there's just doesn't seem to be enough heat to make many of them anymore.
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