Two Brits murdered in Florida.

[cazzer]

Mr E Driver said:

I have been to Florida a few times and never strayed from the tourist areas and we have been fine.

Just because someone gets shot somewhere like Moss side it wouldn't stop you going to Blackpool, The Lakes or The Trafford Centre would it?

Trafford Centre, yes.
Any excuse to never set foot in the hell hole temple to mamon ever again.

[youngsyr]

Mr E Driver said:

KENZ said:

Tell you one thing. It's put me off going to Florida. This no-go area was only 12 miles from their hotel.

I have been to Florida a few times and never strayed from the tourist areas and we have been fine.

Just because someone gets shot somewhere like Moss side it wouldn't stop you going to Blackpool, The Lakes or The Trafford Centre would it?

I agree with the general sentiment, as the US is my favourite country to visit, but it is remarkably easy to end up in the wrong neighbourhood by accident.

A few years ago, the OH and I were staying near Orlando and drove over to Tampa to spend the day and watch a hockey game in the evening.

On the way back we tried to get on the highway, but there were diversions in place due to roadworks and we missed the on-ramp and took the next turning instead. Of course, under the highway is pretty cheap real estate, so instead of ending up on the highway, my OH and I, two of the whitest people you can imagine, ended up driving through the roughest neighbourhood I've ever seen in the US, complete with gangs hanging out on street corners, after dark, in a gold Chevrolet Malibu.

That is the only time in many trips that I've ever felt threatened in the US though.

[miln0039]

KENZ said:

Tell you one thing. It's put me off going to Florida. This no-go area was only 12 miles from their hotel.

Having been to Longboat Key a few times now, I really don't get how they ended up in Sarasota. It's over a significant amount of water and way out of the way of Longboat Key.

All the same, Kenz - don't be put off going to Florida, especially not Longboat Key / Sarasota area. It's absolutely STUNNING down there. Manatees, Dolphins, Rays, Pelicans (which are hugely cool to watch hunt!), white sandy beaches, great weather and the water is dead clear and the temperature of a bath!

All I'm saying is that this place isn't worth missing because of an isolated incident, people have been going here for years and years now without anything like this happening. Sadly "happy holiday" reports don't make good news stories...

[Sonic]

Mr E Driver said:

Just because someone gets shot somewhere like Moss side it wouldn't stop you going to Blackpool, The Lakes or The Trafford Centre would it?

A decrease in tourists because of the Derrick Bird shootings might have been the only upside, if only it was true.

[maxxy5]

America is a country of extremes though, in a way that England isn't. Even though we have lots of rough areas in our cities I don't think any of us would mind going through them. In the US there are places that are basically off limits.

[Mr E]

ErnestM said:

2. Florida is a death penalty State so chances are high that said scrote will be eternal dirt napping before this is over

I believe the person they're holding is under 18, so they cannot apply capital punishment.

youngsyr said:

ended up driving through the roughest neighbourhood I've ever seen in the US, complete with gangs hanging out on street corners, after dark, in a gold Chevrolet Malibu.

Sarah and I stayed in a motel just off the freeway near west palm beach. Jumped in the car, and went looking for some food. No map, no destination, just a drive locally to see what looked ok for a quick bite to eat.

Wound up in a somewhat rough looking and feeling hispanic area in a white Volvo C70 at about 9pm. With the roof down.

I chose to run most of the red lights.

[Frankeh]

There should be a tom tom add on that tells you the no go areas.

[tinman0]

Frankeh said:

There should be a tom tom add on that tells you the no go areas.

Gees, you guys are soft.

[tinman0]

Mr E said:

ErnestM said:

2. Florida is a death penalty State so chances are high that said scrote will be eternal dirt napping before this is over

I believe the person they're holding is under 18, so they cannot apply capital punishment.

Ok, so the 16 year old gets to serve the rest of his life without parole. Same difference, still dies in prison.

As for any accomplices, if they are 18 or over, they'll be fried even though the 16yo is the shooter.

[Frankeh]

tinman0 said:

Frankeh said:

There should be a tom tom add on that tells you the no go areas.

Gees, you guys are soft.

Everyone's soft when compared to a bullet.

[tinman0]

Frankeh said:

tinman0 said:

Frankeh said:

There should be a tom tom add on that tells you the no go areas.

Gees, you guys are soft.

Everyone's soft when compared to a bullet.

You best never leave your house. Ever. The risk is obviously too high.

There is streetwise, and there is stupidity. A TomTom is no substitute for stupidity, thats why people follow satnavs up railway lines.

[ErnestM]

Mr E said:

ErnestM said:

2. Florida is a death penalty State so chances are high that said scrote will be eternal dirt napping before this is over

I believe the person they're holding is under 18, so they cannot apply capital punishment.

Incorrect. They adjudicate and try him as an adult for premeditated first degree murder. (Especially one with this one's history)

ETA - from the Florida DOC website -
"Juveniles: There are no juveniles on Death Row. Death Row inmates younger than 16 at the time of their offense were adjudicated as adults in court proceedings. "

http://www.dc.state.fl.us/oth/deathrow/

Edited by ErnestM on Wednesday 20th April 13:30

[mantis84]

Mr E said:

Sarah and I stayed in a motel just off the freeway near west palm beach. Jumped in the car, and went looking for some food. No map, no destination, just a drive locally to see what looked ok for a quick bite to eat.

Wound up in a somewhat rough looking and feeling hispanic area in a white Volvo C70 at about 9pm. With the roof down.

I chose to run most of the red lights.

I had a similar experience in Johannesburg. Hillbrow, if anyone is not familiar with the area, is not the place to be in the middle of the night. In fact it is quite the opposite. Many red lights were run and I had to change my trousers when we got back to my mates house.

[Mr E]

ErnestM said:

Incorrect. They adjudicate and try him as an adult for premeditated first degree murder. (Especially one with this one's history)

Interesting. I wonder how that will go down with the liberals...

[okgo]

Frankeh said:

Reminds me how lucky we are over here. fk gangs.

There are parts of the uk that you wouldn't want to end up in, pissed, white, and in the middle of the night.

[MikeyT]

Tells you something when in this country we wouldn't even know his name as he is under 18.

Over there he is more or less convicted already.

[Frankeh]

okgo said:

Frankeh said:

Reminds me how lucky we are over here. fk gangs.

There are parts of the uk that you wouldn't want to end up in, pissed, white, and in the middle of the night.

I'd rather be in the worst part of the UK than the worst part of the US though..

[croyde]

Took the wrong turning and ended up in Inglewood cruising the streets in a rental Oldsmobile Cutlass (A long time ago), all white boys and a girl getting quizzical looks from the locals.

Same near Miami, wrong turn off the freeway but no way back on, so headed down surface roads through a very deadbeat area in a very big posh Lexus. Pulled up next to a Police Cruiser to ask the way and they told us the fek off. Probably didn't help that my mate driving had a red bandana.

Both of these were during the day but not a nice feeling.

I remember dropping a mate at the 6th street bus station in LA around midnight and then ran the red lights back to perceived safety in Santa Monica.

This was in the early 90s when my knowledge of the US was all gained from crime dramas.

[okgo]

Must be as a red bandanna in Miami isn't such an issue is it?

Thought the blood and crip gangs were mainly on the west coast?

[mantis84]

croyde said:

Pulled up next to a Police Cruiser to ask the way and they told us the fek off. Probably didn't help that my mate driving had a red bandana.

Who's your mate - Axl Rose?