The warm weather and fabulous beaches are reasons enough to love Miami—and also why we overlook things like perpetual traffic jams and daily rain showers. Locals even find these things charming. If braking for peacocks and foregoing all driving decorum feels normal to you, consider yourself a local. You’ve lived in Miami long enough to ignore this list of absurd city behavior only a true Miamian would disregard.
1. Greeting everyone with a kiss on the cheek—even strangers
Photograph: Courtesy CC/Flickr/Claire
2. Being called “mami” or “papi”
3. Turn signals—using them, respecting them, remembering to turn them off
Photograph: Shutterstock
4. Store employees and servers greeting you in Spanish
5. Women in curlers and/or muumuus on the street
6. Shopping carts on the sidewalk
7. Saints and religious statues as lawn ornaments and home décor
8. Daily thunderstorms
Yes it's raining. That doesn't mean I have to wear glasses and a helmet though, does it? #onlyinmiami pic.twitter.com/jeFVV4vy8o
— Miami Beach 411 (@MiamiBeach411) January 22, 2016
#Miami #rain #weather #Miamirain pic.twitter.com/iHkTtZT38U
— Rodney (@DJTriumph) May 20, 2016
9. Mandatory coffee breaks
ok☕️ #onlyinmiami pic.twitter.com/vKI45wI08r
— . (@areyouevenhuman) February 25, 2016
10. Peacocks and roosters roaming the streets
So why DID the chicken cross the road? #onlyinmiami #mehueleasanteria pic.twitter.com/9E10rgV0j6
— Betty Alonso (@bettyalonso_) August 18, 2015
11. “Keep off grass” signs
12. Traffic
Photograph: Shutterstock