Cardinal RV Club

Jan. 1st, the Florida State Legislature passes a law stating that Canadian drivers must have an international driver's license to drive in Fla.
In the middle of snowbird season, Florida publicizes this regulation to Canadians. Mass panic ensues.
Florida Highway Patrol announces that this law will not be enforced as it contravenes the Geneva convention regarding foreign driver's licences in the US.
Florida announces that the rationale for this regulation is because of language difficulties for officers reading the info on driver's licences (English is one of Canada's official languages - licences in Canada, save for Quebec are printed in English.)
Some rental car agencies in Florida begin requiring the new licence, others do not - many insurance questions - more confusion ensues.
Some local law enforcement begins enforcing regulation - others do not.
Florida Tourism associations, blindsided by this surprise, flood the transportation dept. with angry calls, letters and demonstrations.
As of today, Florida has decided to suspend the new law until the mess has been sorted out. Many Canadian travel agencies report mass cancellation of Florida travel plans (during school holidays, more than 1 million Canadians pour into Florida bringing lots and lots of cash money...)
Sorry for the vent but I have spent many a month in Florida enjoying my trailer at more rv parks than I can count.
I have just finished viewing a "come on down" add featuring Florida's governor touting the attractions and friendliness of the state...

That's amazing!

Rob

I read that and couldn't believe it. Just another way for the state to make some more money. Or Florida is trying to get the English language back to a majority.

That could have an adverse effect for the state of Florida financially if all the Canadians who normally go to Florida for the winter now go to Texas.

Texas Governor Rick Perry was just in California encouraging employers to move to Texas. Now his next trip maybe to Florida to convince the Canadians to winter in Texas.

Don

Travelers wrote:I read that and couldn't believe it. Just another way for the state to make some more money. Or Florida is trying to get the English language back to a majority.

John Those few French speaking Canadians would not do it! They would have to send all the Cubans back to Fidel and do away with all farming and send the workers back to Mexico and Central America to get the English language back as a majority!

Don

Further update: various Florida tourist operators and associations are considering lawsuits against the state according to local media.

Isn't greed wonderful......cut their own throat I think

The times in the past few years that we have been down in the RGV area of south Texas (Rio Grand Valley) along the "Brownsville, Mission, McAllen, Phar" areas we have met a LOT of Canadians and REALLY enjoyed our meetings - My Paternal Grandmother was born in Millaca, Minnesota, and lived in Edmonton, Canada growing up. How we all ended up here in North Central Illinois is still a mystery, but hoping to learn more on our "Alaska bound trip"......

They all seem to be seeking the same weather as lots of us - warm winters and friendly folks!

Seems to be a VERY silly law - just hoping the Florida legislature realized that ALL visitors to the area are contributing to the tax base....in the way of purchases of food, fuel, etc..... Hope some of this makes sense.. the new "Law" does NOT make sense to me!!

I'm going to check with my brother on this, he lives in Florida and is a city councilman so he's probably at least heard about the new law. In the meantime, COME ON to Texas, it's great place to be in the winter!