# Try Watering the GRASS, Not The Sidewalk **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [September 19, 2005, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/try-watering-the-grass-not-the-sidewalk/322395 "2005-09-19T18:19:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![scout1222](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/34f0e0/32.png) [@scout1222](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scout1222)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2005, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/try-watering-the-grass-not-the-sidewalk/322395/21 "2005-09-20T20:45:09Z")
I’m sorry, but despite the serious subject matter involved, I just can’t help but chuckle over the fact that **lieu** describes himself as anal. Ya think? 😃 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Amazon\_Floozy\_Goddess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/779978/32.png) [@Amazon\_Floozy\_Goddess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amazon_Floozy_Goddess)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2005, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/try-watering-the-grass-not-the-sidewalk/322395/22 "2005-09-21T15:12:12Z")
The road by where I work was recently widened. After the paving was down, they put new sod in by the curb. I was riding my bike home along the sidewalk one day, and noticed that a watering contraption (some kind of mini backhoe thing) was coming down the road in my direction. I know the intention was to water the new sod, but this thing was blasting water not only onto the grass, but clear across the sidewalk too, with a velocity as if it were competing in a water-pressure contest. It came slowly but surely along the side of the road, spelling certain doom for anyone in its path. I crossed the street before I got blasted into the next city. ---
**Author:** ![Critical1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@Critical1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Critical1)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2005, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/try-watering-the-grass-not-the-sidewalk/322395/23 "2005-09-22T17:18:52Z")
near work this summer I noticed the sprinkers (the automatic pop out of the ground type) running at 3 in the afternoon on a smoking hot day drenching the sidewalk and street and a wee bit of grass…on city property, during a drought. yeah people are supposed to pay attention to city water use ordinances unless of course you are the city. I used the overspray hitting the road to wash the bugs off my window 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![yerba\_buena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/7ea924/32.png) [@yerba\_buena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yerba_buena)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2005, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/try-watering-the-grass-not-the-sidewalk/322395/24 "2005-09-22T17:46:11Z")
If someone has a rectangular lawn and needs to spray a little bit of the sidewalk to get the whole lawn, I have no problem with that. I can wait 5 seconds for the sprinkler to pass by the 5-10 feet of sidewalk space and then hustle through. But holy fuck, what is with the people to **aim** their sprinklers across the sidewalk (to get a patch of grass on the other side, or simply out of laziness/ignorance)? Now there is no option – you either walk right through the direct spray, or you have to walk around. There is no waiting option. People like that deserve negative reinforcement. ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2005, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/try-watering-the-grass-not-the-sidewalk/322395/25 "2005-09-22T23:30:50Z")
Around here the sidewalks are owned by the landowner, and the public has a easment to use it. If the landowner want’s to water his sidewalk he is entitled to do so. Now if he was using antifreaze or somethig besides water I could see your point, but it’s only water, you can also see it and avoid it. I would say grow up, but then again kids love it, so just don’t be such a old foggie. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/try-watering-the-grass-not-the-sidewalk/322395.md?page=1)