Florida apologizes to Canadians for driver’s licence mix-up

Better to be safe than sorry, even though Florida is already begging forgiveness from their Canadian compatriots.

The Canadian Automobile Association is suggesting drivers who visit the southern state carry an international driver's permit, despite a recent about-face from the Florida government that says we don't need to take the precaution.

"It appears that things are moving in the right direction in Florida. However, the law remains in effect," the CAA wrote on its website this week.

"In the meantime, there is some uncertainty on how insurance companies and Florida car rental agencies will interpret the law."

[ Related: New Florida law makes many foreign tourists illegal drivers ]

Fine and good, better safe than sorry. One in the hand, two in the bush.

But the real story here is that a whole State of Florida has actually apologized to Canada for a temporary inconvenience.

The Sunshine State introduced new laws at the start of the year that required all foreign drivers take the rare measure of obtaining international driving permits.

The goal was to make sure all drivers had English licences, which is not an issue for the flock of Canadian snowbirds that fly south every year (3.6 million Canadians visited the state in 2012).

[ More Brew: Time for Air Passengers’ Bill of Rights to take flight in Canada ]

NBC News reports that Florida lawmakers issued an apology to Canadians, Brits and other English-speaking visitors and announced Florida Highway Patrol would no longer enforce the requirement.

That's right, you'd better apologize. We don't need your sun. We'll go to California.

Most bizarrely, it appears the rule may have been reversed because it broke the Geneva Convention — a code of human conduct enacted in the wake of WWII.

Who would have guessed that?