A Modern Inconvenience
Have I mentioned how much I hate leaf blowers? Among all of the things that irritate me on a daily basis, these are at the very top of the list, along with car alarms.
Leaf blowers are extremely loud, very much overused, and completely unncessary. What these morons don't appear to grasp is that blowing your debris onto someone else's yard does NOT get rid of it. I once watched a guy spend 15 minutes trying to blow a single leaf off of his territory, only to have the wind blow it right back the minute his back was turned.
This is what happens every time, sooner or later - the wind blows it back! However, the people who own these contraptions don't seem to grasp this basic concept. This is why day after day you'll see the same guy blowing away the same leaves. And they're always guys. I have yet to see a woman wasting her time blowing leaves or grass clippings off a lawn.
An Open Letter to Those Who Use Leaf Blowers:
Greetings.
We are putting this in writing because we know you haven't heard the shouting due to leaf-blower induced deafness.
Please buy yourself a device known as a rake and drag your leaves or other debris into a pile. It's quieter, good exercise, and once in a pile it is easier to pick up and put in another device known as a bag, which in turn can be dragged to the curb, from whence (if left there on the right day) it will somehow disappear, leaving no trace. Trust us, it's better for you than standing on your lawn for two hours blowing leaves onto other people's property. Yes, we know you find it fun to use your leaf blower, but we're quite afraid you're going to get hurt.
How will you get hurt you ask? Possibly when a fed-up neighbour (we won't say who) sneaks up on you and your precious noisy, gas-guzzling, smoke belching instrument of evil and wallops you with the business end of a snow shovel. Alternatively, you may find your leaf blower suddenly occupying an uncomfortable spot in your anatomy. The vote was rather fragmented, so your injury is apt to be a complete surprise to all, but especially to yourself.
Hoping that we won't hear from you (or your leaf blower),
Your Concerned Neighbours