After three straight years of huge, disorderly, mostly intoxicated crowds during spring break, including two fatal shootings on Ocean Drive last year, Miami Beach launched a campaign called "Breaking Up with Spring Break," letting visitors know there would be curfews, bag checks, restricted beach access, DUI checkpoints, expensive parking fees, and lots and lots of police. And it seems to be working. There are still spring breakers around, but not in such large numbers, and the atmosphere is much more subdued. For a lot of these college students, the final straw was a Thursday through Sunday midnight curfew during the month of March, and many have headed to Fort Lauderdale instead, where it is evidently spring break as usual. Imagine having to stop partying at midnight? What is the point of even partying if you have quit so early? The City of Miami Beach says arrests are down 8% this year, and that the initiative is a success. However, bars and restaurants say they are losing a fortune having to close at midnight, and what's the big deal about a few dozen extra shootings, anyway? That's Florida for you. In any case, I took the photograph above of my sister Susan on Ocean Drive in Miami Beach back in August of 1994. There were still big crowds back then, but no shootings, at least while we were there. And no, we did not stay until the wee hours of the morning. Bet that surprises you, doesn't it?
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