Taniar

Hi there,
wonder if anyone can tell me how safe Florida is for families, hoping to visit in the Summer and as never been before wonder if anyone could give me the benefit of their experiences.

Ta

Pulaski

Watch out for the gangs of marauding unemployed plumbers, they are vicious, desperate men.

They think nothing of kidnapping people and holding them to randsome until somebody finds them a leaky faucet to fix and charge $80 for.

brisray

That's the funniest reply I've seen in ages.

Tanier, Florida, on the whole, is probably as safe as anywhere else. As with any place where's there's lots of tourists just be aware of what's going on around you. Where there's tourists there are people around to help relieve you of your wallet, camera etc. etc.

If you're heading for Miami then be aware that the crime rate there is higher than in most of the US, see http://miamifl.areaconnect.com/crime1.htm
Although it seems scary, these figures don't tell the whole story. Remember that a lot of these crimes are drug and gang related, so just be a little more cautious.

From your previous post about wanting to live in Florida. If you're off to Orlando, remember that this is really tinsel town for tourists, and isn't anything like the rest of the state.

My wife's parents are "snowbirds". That is, they spend the summer elsewhere (it gets far too hot in Florida for them) and go to the area around Lake Okeechobee for the winter. Lake Okeechobee is that big hole in southern Florida you can see on the maps. When we visit them, we'll drive all the way through the state. I like most of Florida and the people there except that most of it is very rural (quite boring unless you really like swamps) and it's got more rednecks than the mid-west. My wife especially, doesn't like the towns you can pass through where you're hard put to find anyone who speaks English, even the version of it that Americans use.

Ray

Ray

Umm.. reading your figures from that link. it would appear that Orlando has more crime than Miami per 100.000 people, but serious crime is more prevalent in Miami... Of course the powers that be never mention the crime rate in Orlando, not good for the tourist industry.. But I would rather walk the streets of Orlando than some areas in merseyside..

frrussre

Taniar, I have been to Florida, one of my favorite places in USA, many many times. Never had any problems, as the others have said: Like anywhere in the world you need to take care. Stay on the beaten track. Stick to the big places, well lit with plenty of other people. If you are going to Miami, then keep to the main areas, not the side streets. Florida, has some of the wealthiest people, multi million houses & $30 million boats. But you can very easily turn the wrong way & see Confederate Flags. Plenty of Red necks. Still you can have a fantastic vacation & some great deals. Always plenty of Europeans and Asian tourists etc. Great Water Parks.
Don’t forget the Sun Lotion, that sun can get intense.

Taniar, do you have any special places in mind. I’m big on Universal Studios, myself. Others swear by Disney, MGM, Epcot.

Frank R.

Brisray, you ever drive through "Christmas" FL?

Pulaski, nice one.

frrussre

One other thing, watch out for the "Time Share Boys & Girls", usually good looking, polite & pushy. That's worse then getting mugged. Even if it's raining, say no, even for a free Cd player say no, Even for a day at Disney free, say no. They tell you , the tour will take 30 minutes, 5 hours later you will still be trying to escape. JUST SAY NO.

Reg. Frank R.

Florida_03

I see a recurring mention of "red necks" in relation to crime. What is this correlation between "red necks", confederate flags and crime???...or is it that some feel less comfortable around those perhaps more parochial than themselves???

frrussre

No, No correlation to Crime & Rednecks whatever.

But seeing as this board is full of immigrants, asking advice, some not all Rednecks may take a disliking to them.
Reg. Frank R.

Ps. The Confederate Flags, may scare the heck out of some visitors/tourists.

They don't bother me, then nowt does.

Patrick

Everyone knows its not the rednecks, its the mexicans and cubans that are responsible for all the crime! For petes sake lets not start rumours that whites commit crimes, even rednecks!

You people are plain weird! I'm with Florida_03 on this one, whites rule, the sooner the USA looks South Africa circa 1989 the better.

Florida_03

So a "redneck" whoever the hell they are...and the representation of a confederate flag are synonymous with racially related crimes? Boy you must have read more words than I typed.

Patrick

Who said anything about race related crime! What is this fixation you have with the confederate flag - no-one mentioned it yet you won't let it lie! Let it go, the south lost - you just concentrate on blaming all crime (whether it be racial or not) on the mexicans and the cubans - what is wrong with you, you can't start talking about how whites aren't responsible for any crimes then change tac - keep with pro-white propaganda!

Florida_03

I have absolutely no idea what you are talking about...but your arrogance is clear...

frrussre

Florida_3, all those campaigns & marches we read about up North. The ones where descent people from minority groups, want the Confederate flags removed from atop of the Town Hall etc. Is that all nonsense? Are we reading something that’s not really there. Guess we should allow Swastika’s to be plastered everywhere. I’ll get hem to put one on top of City Hall NYC
Wow! My apologies.

Frank R.

Patrick

Thats the excuse the Nazis used at Nuremberg, good your practising early, now try "I was just following orders meine herr"!

Florida_03

Let's get this clear...I have no idea what you are talking about...

I am an Australian living in Australia, planning on moving to Florida in August and you guys are on my case...forget it this forum is too ego heavy...