# Fucking leaf blowers. I am so sick of this goddam shit **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [September 15, 2008, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fucking-leaf-blowers-i-am-so-sick-of-this-goddam-shit/463749 "2008-09-15T22:03:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![zenith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e19b73/32.png) [@zenith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zenith)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2008, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fucking-leaf-blowers-i-am-so-sick-of-this-goddam-shit/463749/41 "2008-09-22T13:51:00Z")
> [@BMalion](#): > > Electric, electric, [Electric!](http://www.blackanddecker.com/ProductGuide/CategoryOverview.aspx?cPath=1498.1664) > > Why all the vitriol? The problem has a solution. Idiot next door has an electric. It’s STILL noisy as Hell! ---
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2008, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fucking-leaf-blowers-i-am-so-sick-of-this-goddam-shit/463749/42 "2008-09-22T14:06:08Z")
> [@elmwood](#): > > In Doperland, where every man has a large penis, nobody drives an SUV except those that use them for hauling horse trailers over mountain passes every day, and nobody talks on cell phones in public, nobody owns a leaf blower either. > > _ **Except me.** _ Sorry, but I’ve got two mature oaks and a mature ash in the front yard, and a literal forest in my back yard. Really, it’s a half acre of woods, the leaves of which all end up on the lawn and patio in my back yard. I rake debris from storms and try to mulch as many leaves into the lawn as possible with the mower, but for fall cleaning, I have to somehow corral hundreds of pounds of leaves back into the woods. (I prefer having the leaves decompose in the woods, providing nutrients to the soil, rather than hauled off to the landfill in yard bags. The leaf blower is a must if I’m not going to spend the good portion of two weekends on leaf clearing. Ditto. 1.5 acres, half is heavy woods, half is lawn. Tons of oak and other trees of a decidedly deciduous nature. HOWEVER I do not take hours and hours, and only do it a few times in the autumn. When everyone else is doing it. The boy next door? The landscaper’s son? Who goes from season to season using one gasoline-powered entertainment device after the next? He is Satan’s Spawn. Winter? Snowmobiles. Spring? Go Kart. Summer? dirt bike. Autumn? Go Kart AND dirt bike. :mad: Cartooniverse ---
**Author:** ![Influential\_Panda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Influential\_Panda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Influential_Panda)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2008, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fucking-leaf-blowers-i-am-so-sick-of-this-goddam-shit/463749/43 "2008-09-22T14:42:26Z")
I used to do lawn maintenance in high school. Nine hours a day, six days a week behind a lawnmower, just me and my dad. I like the sound of a leaf blower now. > [@meenie7](#): > > Enjoyable? :dubious: It’s a back-breaking physical chore. > > I hate leaf blowers too, but let’s not go overboard… Back-breaking? It’s glorified sweeping. ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2008, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fucking-leaf-blowers-i-am-so-sick-of-this-goddam-shit/463749/44 "2008-09-22T14:49:11Z")
> [@FoieGrasIsEvil](#): > > To me, the thrumming sound of multiple mowers/weedeaters/blowers running during the afternoon hours of a weekend day is the music of people in my neighborhood caring for their property, nothing more or less. Like so many things, in certain amounts it’s pleasure, in other amounts it’s pain. Children laughing and playing, it’s a joy to hear, until you hear it at 6am every single day from the upstairs apartment. People mowing and blowing, it’s cool for a few hours on Saturday and Sunday, it begins to get very uncool when it’s your next door neighbor and it’s a few hours every day, when you’d like some peace. ---
**Author:** ![vetbridge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5e925/32.png) [@vetbridge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vetbridge)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2008, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fucking-leaf-blowers-i-am-so-sick-of-this-goddam-shit/463749/45 "2008-09-22T15:33:59Z")
> [@C3](#): > > I can totally block the whole racket out, except that my 2 year old is TERRIFIED of the noise. As soon as it starts up, he screams, covers his ears, and practically climbs up my body trying to get away(“Man going to get me! Man going to get me!”). Your son is wise beyond his two years. Wait till he realizes that the Man _is_ going to get him!😉 ---
**Author:** ![elmwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmwood/32/3060_2.png) [@elmwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elmwood)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2008, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fucking-leaf-blowers-i-am-so-sick-of-this-goddam-shit/463749/46 "2008-09-22T15:34:17Z")
> [@Broken\_Hoe](#): > > No, it isn’t. Ever hear of a rake? :rolleyes: > > And since this is the Pit, fuck you and your stupid fucking noise maker. It’s people like you who are degrading the quality of life wherever you go. Can’t take three to four hours of a leaf blower once a year? Fuck you and your oh-so-delicate ears. Do you demand that all your neighbors use rotary mowers or fabric scissors to cut their lawns, too? ---
**Author:** ![Labrador\_Deceiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@Labrador\_Deceiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labrador_Deceiver)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2008, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fucking-leaf-blowers-i-am-so-sick-of-this-goddam-shit/463749/47 "2008-09-22T15:59:56Z")
> [@elmwood](#): > > Can’t take three to four hours of a leaf blower once a year? Fuck you and your oh-so-delicate ears. Do you demand that all your neighbors use rotary mowers or fabric scissors to cut their lawns, too? It’s just another example of a mundane, everyday, common activity elevated to the status of “evil” by a bunch of dopers. I’m not sure why you’d bother engaging them. I live in a townhouse and have never owned a leaf blower, though I hear them all the time. Other than extreme cases, I can’t fathom thinking that all people who own blowers are assholes. What sad, sad people some of you truly are, at least in this forum. ---
**Author:** ![BMalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2008, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fucking-leaf-blowers-i-am-so-sick-of-this-goddam-shit/463749/48 "2008-09-22T16:13:04Z")
> [@zenith](#): > > Idiot next door has an electric. It’s STILL noisy as Hell! Am I allowed a wry, inward smile when struck by one of life’s vagaries? Or is that still too fucking noisy for you? ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2008, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fucking-leaf-blowers-i-am-so-sick-of-this-goddam-shit/463749/49 "2008-09-22T16:56:12Z")
> [@Labrador\_Deceiver](#): > > It’s just another example of a mundane, everyday, common activity elevated to the status of “evil” by a bunch of dopers. I’m not sure why you’d bother engaging them. > > I live in a townhouse and have never owned a leaf blower, though I hear them all the time. Other than extreme cases, I can’t fathom thinking that all people who own blowers are assholes. What sad, sad people some of you truly are, at least in this forum. It’s idiots like the guy I mentioned above that make me nuts. He buys these things just because he can, and likes to make noise to annoy people. We live in townhouse condos, for cripes’ sake. We have a _gardening service_. The gardening guy uses gas weedeaters, leaf blowers, mulchers, and mowers. I have no problem with it, since it beats doing the work myself. And the gutters? The fucking city comes through and cleans those out, so why does he feel the need to do this? Answer: to annoy people. Noise for a reason is one thing; gratuitous noise-makers can suck my dick. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2008, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fucking-leaf-blowers-i-am-so-sick-of-this-goddam-shit/463749/50 "2008-09-22T16:59:32Z")
Note that attempts to ban leafblowers out here get derailed by group playing the race card. It’s _racist_ to want to ban leafblowers, you know.:rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![BMalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2008, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fucking-leaf-blowers-i-am-so-sick-of-this-goddam-shit/463749/51 "2008-09-22T16:59:48Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > …gratuitous noise-makers can suck my dick. But do it quietly. ---
**Author:** ![Labrador\_Deceiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@Labrador\_Deceiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labrador_Deceiver)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2008, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fucking-leaf-blowers-i-am-so-sick-of-this-goddam-shit/463749/52 "2008-09-22T19:50:20Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > It’s idiots like the guy I mentioned above that make me nuts. He buys these things just because he can, and likes to make noise to annoy people. We live in townhouse condos, for cripes’ sake. We have a _gardening service_. The gardening guy uses gas weedeaters, leaf blowers, mulchers, and mowers. I have no problem with it, since it beats doing the work myself. And the gutters? The fucking city comes through and cleans those out, so why does he feel the need to do this? Answer: to annoy people. Noise for a reason is one thing; gratuitous noise-makers can suck my dick. I would consider that an extreme example. He is probably worthy of a punch to the nuts. ---
**Author:** ![gravitycrash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/977dab/32.png) [@gravitycrash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gravitycrash)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2008, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fucking-leaf-blowers-i-am-so-sick-of-this-goddam-shit/463749/53 "2008-09-22T23:31:16Z")
My neighbor this morning busted out his chainsaw at I swear to fucking God 7:45 this morning. Give me a fucking break. If I can grow a pair I’ll confront him in the next few days. I’m pretty sure it is passive-aggressive behavior since I have to go out of town frequently and the lawn can look a little scraggly when I get back. ---
**Author:** ![BMalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2008, 11:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fucking-leaf-blowers-i-am-so-sick-of-this-goddam-shit/463749/54 "2008-09-23T11:37:12Z")
> [@gravitycrash](#): > > My neighbor this morning busted out his chainsaw at I swear to fucking God 7:45 this morning. Give me a fucking break. If I can grow a pair I’ll confront him in the next few days. I’m pretty sure it is passive-aggressive behavior since I have to go out of town frequently and the lawn can look a little scraggly when I get back. Any chance he might have been cleaning up from hurricane damage? Around here it’s been chainsaws day and night since Ike came calling. Chill out. ---
**Author:** ![LifeOnWry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/96bed5/32.png) [@LifeOnWry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LifeOnWry)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2008, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fucking-leaf-blowers-i-am-so-sick-of-this-goddam-shit/463749/55 "2008-09-23T13:49:51Z")
> [@elmwood](#): > > Can’t take three to four hours of a leaf blower once a year? Fuck you and your oh-so-delicate ears. Do you demand that all your neighbors use rotary mowers or fabric scissors to cut their lawns, too? I could easily take three or four hours of leaf-blowing, not only once a year, but once a week would be tolerable. NINE HOURS in a day, or two hours sessions three or four days a week, by one guy in a suburban neighborhood is excessive. I use a lawnmower about once every two weeks, a power washer maybe two or three weekend days in the spring, and a leaf blower/vacuum thing in the spring to clear the patio/deck. I am conscious of the fact that all these things make a lot of noise, and I don’t complain when my neighbors make this kind of noise either, because it falls well within the bounds of “normal.” The leaf blower guy does NOT. ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2008, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fucking-leaf-blowers-i-am-so-sick-of-this-goddam-shit/463749/56 "2008-09-23T14:05:50Z")
> [@Cheesesteak](#): > > Like so many things, in certain amounts it’s pleasure, in other amounts it’s pain. Children laughing and playing, it’s a joy to hear, until you hear it at 6am every single day from the upstairs apartment. People mowing and blowing, it’s cool for a few hours on Saturday and Sunday, it begins to get very uncool when it’s your next door neighbor and it’s a few hours every day, when you’d like some peace. Oh, I don’t disagree with that at all. Hell, my own dogs barking drives ME nuts after just a couple minutes! That said though, I did mention that cacophony of music be played during the afternoon on the weekends for the most part. People that want to ban machines that are useful but make noise entirely are either too sensitive or have dolts for neighbors. There are ways to combat those types of people, too. Fire with fire and all, if a few kind requests for peace and quiet repeatedly get ignored. ---
**Author:** ![Influential\_Panda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Influential\_Panda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Influential_Panda)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2008, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fucking-leaf-blowers-i-am-so-sick-of-this-goddam-shit/463749/57 "2008-09-23T14:45:52Z")
Fun note: In Germany, if you get caught making loud noise on a Sunday, the cops will get called on you. My German teacher told me she got the cops called on her for playing with her little girl on a swingset too loudly. ---
**Author:** ![Labrador\_Deceiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@Labrador\_Deceiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labrador_Deceiver)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2008, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fucking-leaf-blowers-i-am-so-sick-of-this-goddam-shit/463749/58 "2008-09-23T16:24:44Z")
> [@LifeOnWry](#): > > I could easily take three or four hours of leaf-blowing, not only once a year, but once a week would be tolerable. NINE HOURS in a day, or two hours sessions three or four days a week, by one guy in a suburban neighborhood is excessive. > . That’s why his post was directed at someone else. ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2008, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fucking-leaf-blowers-i-am-so-sick-of-this-goddam-shit/463749/59 "2008-09-26T03:29:00Z")
> [@shiftless](#): > > Perhaps I’m bitter … The neighbor that blows the leaves on his tiny yard also felt the need to call the police, multiple times, because my son’s skateboarding was “too loud.” Police sided with neighbor. Skateboards = too loud at any time. Leafblower = fine before 9:00 pm. I can’t quite get my head around the concept that skateboarding is too loud and a leaf blower isn’t. While it is true that there is some noise associated with skateboarding, it’s no more than any other sport commonly done by kids. I suspect it’s more rooted in anti-skating prejudice than anything else. ---
**Author:** ![meenie7](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7993a0/32.png) [@meenie7](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/meenie7)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2008, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fucking-leaf-blowers-i-am-so-sick-of-this-goddam-shit/463749/60 "2008-09-28T00:15:29Z")
> [@Influential\_Panda](#): > > Back-breaking? It’s glorified sweeping. Yes, back-breaking. It hurts my back, at least, much more than sweeping or mopping does. Nothing is as bad as snow shovelling, though. Someone else could remove snow with dynamite right outside my bedroom and it would be better than me having to shovel it. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fucking-leaf-blowers-i-am-so-sick-of-this-goddam-shit/463749.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fucking-leaf-blowers-i-am-so-sick-of-this-goddam-shit/463749.md?page=4)