>The only time the FHP were around was at a construction site and then they were standing around yakking.

State law requires that at least 1 uniformed (and, I believe, sworn) officer and marked car be on certain construction sites. Off duty state, county, and local cops are hired for that purpose; gives them a bit more income. Unless it's something flagrant, they ignore traffic and simply read, look pretty, or, as observed, yak.

Come to Boston for some driver training....

The elderly are definitely a big part of the problem. We call them "Cotton Tops" or my brother's favorite: "Q-Tips", cause all you can see from behind is that darling mop of cottony white as they make a right turn from the left lane.

One of the best stories is about the 80-something couple who drove down the AIRPORT RUNWAY in St. Pete a few years ago, and RIGHT INTO THE WATER (which was only 3 feet deep). They thought they were on the entrance ramp to the interstate (a couple miles back). TRUE STORY. Could've been my dad...

Yes- i was in Fl that week and it is a true story! The week before that, an old man ran into a bus stop. the police told him he ran over a man....he said "oh, that's nice!" He was senile and confused and could not identify his car. Then you have the road raged young people and rednecks- if I never step foot in Fl fine with me. I'd rather visit the Caribbean anyway.

As a Boston driver, Florida has always seemed to me incredibly easy to navigate. The major routes that are labelled North and South actually go north and south. On secondary roads there are actually left turn lanes. Traffic lights are often timed. I95 and the Turnpike are flat with breakdown lanes. But, I agree, the drivers are nuts. I also agree with above poster that said go to Boston for driver training - here, the drivers are only semi-insane, but the it is the road system that is nuts.

major problems with FL driving:
1. apparently turn signals are an option on cars here, as few people bother to use them. makes it tough for the rest of us to read their minds.
2. if the speed limit is 70, a driver
frequently plants himself in the left lane and goes 67, remarking, I'm sure,
about all the "speed demons" who pass on the right. These drivers, then, will not move over even if the upcoming car flashes its lights - so that driver is left with no options.
3. people driving trucks and behemoth monster SUV's in the left lane, so the cars behind have no line of sight ahead.
4. the "death turn lanes" that are on most FL non-interstates. One lane separating the two directions, and cars going both ways wanting to turn into a store or something have to play chicken in the middle of the road.
5. old drivers who will NOT stay to the right, will not go over 40, and will not signal.
6. young rednecks in their trucks who think driving is a sport, not a responsibility.
other than that....

As an opposing point of view...my parents live in a retirement community near Leesburg, about an hour north of Orlando. When I visit there, I spend a lot of time as a passenger, and truthfully, the drivers we see up there have been very courteous and accommodating. Maybe it's because they're away from the tourist and city hullabaloo. There are some bad drivers, of course, but overall, no real problems. People signal, don't drive excessively fast (or slow), yield to other drivers or are willing to let someone in if traffic is tight.
Also, I live in Brussels, and if you want to see some truly maniac drivers, come on over!! The worst have diplomatic immunity.

Has no one ever dealt with Roman drivers or Quebec-ers?

you must have been driving in front of my husband.
our roads are boring, there's nothing to look at and we know that where ever we are going is going to take us longer than we want to go.
we also have to allow time for the horrible traffic and the accident on the road that will slow us down
so we have to go fast when we can til we get to the next traffic jam
no matter what city I drive in I'm always amused how people advise me of the traffic. houston, dallas, pasadena, in the past two years have rush hour traffic equivalent to a Sunday afternoon in South Florida. On a non-Dolphin game weekend.

you just have to react quickly, pray, stay alert, WEAR your seatbelt. it helps if you have good insurance.

nothing worse than getting into an accident with someone with only basic no-fault insurance....

it is easy to drive here but risky.

if it rains - forget it - the traffic and accidents multiply.

remember we have to hurry when we can, our roads are not conducive to relaxed scenic driving.

we also have lots of impaired drivers whipping in and out of traffic

it's still safer than drving the mountain in Colorado where I thought I was going to die on every curve..

I've lived in florida for 8 years and Boston for 8 years. Boston drivers are minor leagues compared to florida drivers (though boston roads are worse). Florida drivers are unbelievably incompetent. ANd I drive fast - 80 mph doesn't bother me. 80 tailgating weaving utterly incompetent jackasses do bother me.

I'll take Florida's highways (and drivers) over snow/ice covered Northern highways any day!

You have a couple problems in Florida.

- Elderly drivers who should have their licenses taken away but are still on the roads. It's hard to blame them. Florida is tailor made for a great public transportation system but it has nothing except for a few buses in the cities.

- Gulf Coast crackers in their pick-ups who think every road is a country road.

- New York City transplants who have brought their aggressive, pathetic driving skills down with them. These are the worst of the bunch typically.

Someone asked about Florida driving, well here it is.....it is dangerous and risky...you take your life in your own hands there. I have never been so nervous anywhere in the world as I was in Florida driving due to all of the things in this thread. Be WARNED! IT IS DANGEROUS!!!!!

You should come see how all the Florida drivers handle the mountain roads of Asheville, NC. Up here, everyone knows following someone with a Florida license plate means you'll be driving way UNDER the speed limit.

Kel - "...because of all the Jew snow birds..." you need smacked. When I lived in Florida the tourists were the worst problem. Even had to find alternative routes to work to avoid them. Hated it when motorcycle week came and the NASCAR races were in town. I'll take the snow and ice anytime compared to Florida drivers.