Sticks of Fire: a Tampa blog

AutoVantage Road Rage Survey Finds Tampa “Most Likely to Multi-task, and Eat and Drink”: 

The commute to work can be an unpleasant one for people across the country, and the road seems to be getting even bumpier for Tampa drivers.

The third annual In The Driver’s Seat Road Rage Survey, commissioned by AutoVantage, a leading national auto club, found that Tampa drivers, tied with Baltimore and New York, ranked No. 1 for being the most likely to observe other drivers eating or drinking while driving every day, compared to 24 other major American cities.  Tampa drivers are also most likely to observe other drivers multi-tasking (like putting on makeup, shaving or reading) while driving ever day.

Overall, Tampa was named the ninth least courteous city in terms of road rage in the survey.

Thank your gods McDonald’s stopped serving that McDLT (some assembly required). But seriously, you people have to manage your time better. You can’t be eating while driving. After all, your children are watching.

Bonus link for our friends over at Stuck in the 80’s:  Jason Alexander (aka George Costanza) sings his way through a McDLT advertisement, looking a bit like a Miami Vice extra.

For the last three years, AutoVantage has measured road rage for America’s biggest cities, and then listed those with the rudest drivers along with the nicest.

In 2006, Miami had the rudest drivers in the nation.  In 2007, Miami had the rudest drivers in the nation.  In 2008, Miami has the rudest drivers in the nation.

In 2006, Minneapolis had the nicest drivers, while the most considerate drivers were found in Portland in 2007.  This year, Pittsburgh beat out Portland for title of most courteous.

Believe it or not, Tampa’s drivers were ranked 10th nicest in 2007 (Tampa wasn’t included in the 2006 list).  But they fixed the calculations in 2008, and found that Tampa has the 9th rudest drivers in the US (tied with Dallas).

We’ll get to the reasons why Tampa ranked there in the next post.  In the meantime, check out the 2008 Road Rage National Results.

Rudest:

1. Miami
2. Boston
3. New York
4. Baltimore
5. Washington, D.C.
6. Atlanta
7. Los Angeles
8. Phoenix, Ariz.
9. Dallas and Tampa, Fla. (tied)

Most Considerate:

1. Pittsburgh
2. Portland, Ore.
3. Seattle
4. Minneapolis
5. Cleveland
6. Cincinnati
7. Sacramento, Calif.
8. Chicago
9. San Diego
10. San Francisco

One of your most basic needs is transportation. In order to get those wonderful things you want, see all there is to see, and get to work to afford all of that, you gotta find your way around town.

Unfortunately, the price of gas in Tampa Bay is as high as it has ever been, and in Forbes’ recent report of the Best And Worst Cities For Commuters, the Tampa area ranks #6 in worst commutes:

No. 6: Tampa, Fla.: Tampa commuters are victims of urban sprawl. As late as 2005, 25% of area properties were classified as investment properties; this rate was almost double the national average. What does this have to do with commuting? It’s a good sign that the city is spread out. While Tampa exhibits a very low population density, commuters are stuck in traffic delays 45 hours a year, and 7% take more than an hour to get to work.

There are alternatives to driving, but they are not as easy to find as you might think. Here is an quick list of local transportation websites that may help you in your search for a better or at least cheaper way to get around.

Bay Area Commuter Services, Inc. (BACS) is one of the Florida Department of Transportation’s nine commuter assistance programs within the state. It is a private, non-profit organization founded and funded by the State of Florida Department of Transportation to promote transportation alternatives to the single-occupant vehicle in the Tampa Bay area and surrounding counties. The agency operates in Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco, Hernando and Citrus counties. Their stated mission is to enhance the region’s economic prosperity by actively influencing the reduction of traffic growth and air pollution by promoting commute options and developing new programs to help reduce peak hour traffic congestion for businesses and the community.

BACS helps publish the Tampa Bay Commuter. The TBC is a publication that encourages alternative transportation for commuting to work, such as mass transit, carpooling, and riding your bike. The Tampa Bay Commuter is independently published by 2Plus, Inc., a private non-profit corporation, in cooperation with Bay Area Commuter Services, and is supported by funds from the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), grants, and through the Hillsborough and Pinellas Metropolitan Planning Organizations. It does not reflect the official views or policies of FDOT or BACS.

Use the Tampa Bay Commuter to find ways to share rides (carpool) around the Tampa Bay area.

And then there is mass transit.

The Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority (PSTA) is in charge of busing you through Pinellas county, which includes the tourist-friendly beach trolley. Hillsborough Area Regional Transit (HART) runs mass transit for Hillsborough County. Three weekday buses travel between the two counties - PSTA’s 100X and 300X, and HART’s 200X.

You can also use the TECO Line Streetcar to get from south downtown Tampa to Ybor City. The USF Bull Runner runs five routes within the University of South Florida and over to the University Square Mall. All USF students, faculty, staff and visitors can ride the Bull Runner for free.

HART’s schedule is featured on Google Transit, but PSTA’s is not.

Finally, there is the promise of a regional transportation plan coming in the future.

The Tampa Bay Area Regional Transportation Authority (TBARTA) - was created as an agency of the state on July 1, 2007 to plan, develop, finance, construct, own, purchase, operate, maintain, relocate, equip, repair, and manage multimodal systems in Citrus, Hernando, Hillsborough, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas, and Sarasota Counties. The authority’s purpose is to improve mobility and expand multimodal transportation options for passengers and freight throughout the seven-county region.

But we’ll see about that.

Reader Karan contacted us to let us know that Forbes Magazine says Tampa ranks #8 in best cities for clean water according to Forbes.  Most cities have high levels of some contaminants and low levels of most.  It sounds like the drinking water in Tampa Bay includes average numbers of all contaminants:

While this sunny spot came in eighth on our list, none of the individual contaminant levels examined were low enough to make it in the top 10. The Tampa-St. Petersburg- Clearwater area was only among the top 15 for its haloacetic acid and lead levels, and its bacteria level was well above average among the cities on our list.

Forbes.com found that the cleanest water can be found in Des Moines, Iowa, and Miami came in 4th cleanest.  Pittsburgh is 9th.

Brendan McLaughlin found that the metro area of Tampa currently holds the title of “worst cheating quotient”.

Uh.. uhmmmm….. uh..

San Diego is almost as bad? And St. Louis too?

TripAdvisor says that Fort De Soto Park’s North Beach is the top beach in the entire United States.

Dr. Beach told you that years ago. He also said that Caladesi Island is number two.

After hearing how miserable Tampa Bay is for walking, we get this from Visit St. Petersburg/Clearwater:

Charming Florida Town Named America ’s “Most Walkable”

Dunedin’s Top Ranking Debunks Brookings Institution Study

The Pinellas County town of Dunedin was voted America ’s “Most Walkable Small City” on Dec. 7, the result of a survey sponsored by RunThePlanet.com, an influential runner’s Web site based in Seattle, Washington.

The city’s abundant sunshine, mild year-round climate, pedestrian-friendly thoroughfares and compact downtown area landed it the top spot in the survey’s “Small Community” category. Boulder, Colorado and Washington, DC were voted the country’s most walkable medium and large cities, respectively.

“We’re excited to receive official recognition of what we have known all along,” said Dunedin Mayor Bob Hackworth, whose tree-lined, 108-year-old municipality near the Gulf of Mexico is internationally famous for its Scottish heritage and links to the PGA Tour. “This is an immensely walkable and liveable city, and we’re proud to be at the top of the list of America ’s best,” he added.

Frank Roy, co-owner of Meranova Guest Inn in downtown Dunedin, says the town’s walkability is a hit with visitors, too.

“Our guests are often surprised that they can walk everywhere they need to go, whether it’s for shopping, nightclubbing, or five-star dining,” he said, adding that the town’s pedestrian-friendly nature is advantageous for local restaurateurs as well.

The survey’s results came in stark contrast to a study released earlier in the week by the Washington, DC-based Brookings Institution, which ranked the Tampa Bay Area last in “walkability” among America ’s top 30 metropolitan areas. That study used mass transit figures and demographic statistics to support its conclusions, whereas the RunThePlanet.com ranking relied on a survey of visitors who had actually visited - and walked - cities and towns across America.

“That the Brookings study relied on statistical analysis rather than actual experience of visitors shows how raw data can be misleading,” said DT Minich, executive director of Visit St. Pete/Clearwater.

“There’s much more to the St. Pete/Clearwater area than any spreadsheet could ever convey, and we’re pleased that Dunedin was voted number one by people who actually know it,” he added.

Links: Brookings Institute - Walkable Urban Places, Run The Planet - America’s Most Walkable Cities

I’ve been ignoring this story, figuring the odds are just too great for it to actually happen. But after 12 attempts in the 2007 NFL season, The Miami Dolphins still has not won a game. In this day and age of NFL parity, it’s virtually impossible to A) win every game or B) lose every game. Of course, this is Florida, where we buck the odds every day (hey! There’s a slogan for ya!).

Back before 1978, NFL teams only played 14 games per year. The 1972 Miami Dolphins won all fourteen, two playoff games, and the Super Bowl to go 17-0, creating the NFL’s only perfect season. The New England Patriots won 21 in a row (18 reg. season) spanning 2003, the ‘03 playoffs & Super Bowl, and 2004. The Patriots are currently on a 12 game winning streak for this year.

But let’s take a look at the other side. The 1976 Tampa Bay Buccaneers lost every single game, and ended with a final record of 0-14. Furthermore, the Bucs lost the first 12 games in 1977 for 26 losses in a row, a record that stands today. Miami is currently 0-12 for 2007, and with a season-ending loss last year, they have 13 losses in a row. They are unlikely to lose the final 4 games this year, and even more unlikely to lose the first nine games next year. So it would seem the 0-26 record is safe.

But even though it will be difficult for Miami to lose the next 4 games, it is certainly a possibility. The Carolina Panthers lost 15 in a row in 2001, after winning the season opener. Members of the ‘76 Bucs say they don’t want anyone to suffer through a winless season. Batman Wood wouldn’t wish that on his worst enemy. I don’t want any other team to have a winless season, either. But not because I care about their feelings. I just love the notoriety of laying claim to being the absolute worst at something.

Go Miami!

The first annual HealthSaver Caffeinated Cities Survey, commissioned by HealthSaver, a national emerging health care discount service, found that Tampa is the second most caffeinated city in the country, compared to 19 other major American cities. Chicago ranked No.1 as the most caffeinated city, while San Francisco/Oakland was the least caffeinated.

I found this out by reading the Tampa Tribune, where Damn Fine Writer Jeff Houck went to get a couple quotes from a local coffee seller. But it ain’t the coffee that puts Tampa Bay near the top.

As you would expect, Seattle drinks the most coffee, while Tampa comes in 7th in the percentage of coffee drinkers. Chicagoans eat the most chocolate sweets, while we here in Tampa rank 6th for chocolate consumption. The chocoholics in Chicago likely wash down those sweet goodies with caffeinated sodas - they are number one in the soda category too, while Tampa has the 5th highest consumption (by %) of sodas - just behind the Coca-Cola hometown of Atlanta (#4). Riverside / San Bernardino / Ontario drinks the most energy drinks, and Tampa Bay is just above the average at number nine. Finally, Miami residents claim to have five times the average ingestion of Caffeine Pills. This is the only category where Tampa Bay is below average, at number 13 overall.

Apparently, the reason Tampa Bay is ranked number two overall is because we are ingesting caffeine-laden pain relievers and washing it down with a cold, refreshing glass of Iced Tea. Tampa ranks number 2 in both of those categories. Miami drinks the most tea (includes hot teas), folks from Phoenix are popping the most pills. Affinion Group Media has the entire National Survey report online.

I sip coffee most every morning, and generally consume about 55 ounces by noon. On most days, I’ll have just a half of Coke (never Pepsi) in the afternoon. I’m not a big chocolate eater, but I’ll enjoy a candy bar or milkshake now and again. I typically drink a tall glass of milk with dinnertime meals at home, and iced tea when eating out (maybe twice a week). I see no need for energy drinks or caffeine pills, and had to look it up to find out that my preferred pain reliever Naproxen Sodium (Aleve) has no caffeine.