Ban leaf blowers!

[editor]

I can't really see any connection with the virus, but I'd go along with banning the fucking things.

Many councils around the world are banning or restricting the use of leaf blowers. The corona virus epidemic increases the reasons for at least a temporary ban here in Lambeth

The full list of reasons are:
Leafblowers have very high noise levels and cause stress
Many more people are at home now and are more stressed anyway - we shouldn’t be adding to it.
The blowers create a lot of NO and PM2.5 air pollution adding to breathing difficulties and mortality
They add to Lambeth’s carbon emissions (which are meant to be reducing according to Lambeth’s climate emergency policy).
The dust pushed into the air by the blowers adds to breathing difficulties.
There is strong evidence that air blowers unnecessarily disturb much wildlife and reduce biodiversity along verges and boundaries.
Anyone who has observed leaf blowers in action will be aware how much time is spent chasing the those last few leaves along a pavements - essentially much of the time and effort and pollution is wasted
Brooms are available!

Please call a complete halt to all leaf blowing and issue brooms!!

 

[agricola]

I can't really see any connection with the virus, but I'd go along with banning the fucking things.

also people who tow bags and cases behind them, unless they have some form of medical condition

 

[8ball]

also people who tow bags and cases behind them, unless they have some form of medical condition

And just when people SHOULDN'T, but they do anyway.

 

[gosub]

Leaf blowers are about 5 times more efficient than a broom or rake.

And if the people using them haven't got better things to with their time the People that make decisions like that surely have

 

[wayward bob]

surely someone can macgyver a way to rig them up as ventilators?

 

[klang]

lassoing leaves is a lot more fun, skillful and quieter.

 

[RTWL]

No way am I giving up my beloved leaf blower ! You will have to pry it from my dead hands.

 

[Saul Goodman]

People only ever want to ban things if said ban won't negatively affect them. I say keep leaf blowers, but to balance it out, ban children from supermarkets.

 

[klang]

can we ban leaves and keep the blowers?

 

[editor]

Leaf blowers are about 5 times more efficient than a broom or rake.

And about 100 times more irritating and infinitely more noisy and polluting and anti social.

 

[Ponyutd]

The noise causes stress. Of course they do! Have Lambeth all got 10 acre gardens then that keep them blowing for hours on end?

 

[Saul Goodman]

can we ban leaves and keep the blowers?

I'd go with that. Leaf blowers are so much fun. We should remove 'Leaf' from the name, and simply call them blowers. Then people would realise how many other wonderful uses they have.

 

[klang]

I'd go with that. Leaf blowers are so much fun. We should remove 'Leaf' from the name, and simply call them blowers. Then people would realise how many other wonderful uses they have.

 

[Saul Goodman]

And about 100 times more irritating and infinitely more noisy and polluting and anti social.

Kinda like children, then. Maybe that supermarket ban should be extended to the planet.

 

[editor]

The noise causes stress. Of course they do! Have Lambeth all got 10 acre gardens then that keep them blowing for hours on end?

They can be heard resonating all around my block at ungodly hours multiple times every year and the blowers - or maybe the operators - sure don't seem to be very efficient judging by the time take to clear small patches.

 

[editor]

Kinda like children, then. Maybe that supermarket ban should be extended to the planet.

Er, what?

 

[Saul Goodman]

That's ace

 

[Saul Goodman]

They can be heard resonating all around my block at ungodly hours multiple times every year and the blowers - or maybe the operators - sure don't seem to be very efficient judging by the time take to clear small patches.

Leaf blowing is a very visual thing, which kinda dictates that they will be used during daylight hours. What are these ungodly hours of which you speak?

 

[editor]

Leaf blowing is a very visual thing, which kinda dictates that they will be used during daylight hours. What are these ungodly hours of which you speak?

Around 7.30/8am in the summer.

 

[Saul Goodman]

Around 7.30/8am in the summer.

Yeah, that is a little early, but a brick through their front window, with a polite note attached, would surely change their timing?

I am a little spoiled on the noise front. These days I'm only woken by the sounds of blissfully unaware lambs, and birds singing.

 

[editor]

Yeah, that is a little early, but a brick through their front window, with a polite note attached, would surely change their timing?

I am a little spoiled on the noise front. These days I'm only woken by the sounds of blissfully unaware lambs, and birds singing.

It's the council and they're at it for about 3 hours with their polluting noise sticks.

 

[RTWL]

I am woken by the dullset tones of Gatwick and farm machinery

Actually I have ditched the gardening in for now. Was working s.landen yesterday and was counting the ways we could be exposed to or spread it . The blower is definitely a potential spreader .

 

[andysays]

They can be heard resonating all around my block at ungodly hours multiple times every year and the blowers - or maybe the operators - sure don't seem to be very efficient judging by the time take to clear small patches.

Maybe you should get up, go downstairs and give them the benefit of your obvious expertise and tell them how they should be doing it.

I working in housing estate grounds maintenance and have heard various people suggest that we shouldn't use leaf blowers, for some or all of the reasons above, most of which are largely bullshit.

But as with many things, the main reason they're used now is because staffing levels have been massively cut and it's the only way we have any chance of keeping up with annual leaf fall.

As usual with such things, the workers who are doing their best to cope in conditions not of our making get the blame from those who don't fully understand the difficulties of our job, and usually not only have no experience of but wouldn't dream of doing such a job themselves.

 

[editor]

Maybe you should get up, go downstairs and give them the benefit of your obvious expertise and tell them how they should be doing it.

I working in housing estate grounds maintenance and have heard various people suggest that we shouldn't use leaf blowers, for some or all of the reasons above, most of which are largely bullshit.

But as with many things, the main reason they're used now is because staffing levels have been massively cut and it's the only way we have any chance of keeping up with annual leaf fall.

As usual with such things, the workers who are doing their best to cope in conditions not of our making get the blame from those who don't fully understand the difficulties of our job, and usually not only have no experience of but wouldn't dream of doing such a job themselves.

They've been using them for years. I've done manual labour and worked on building sites for years, so I'd like to think I'd be able to manage some powered leaf blowing, if required.

Leaf blowers contributing to 'insect armageddon' and should be avoided, German government warns

Environment ministry stops short of decreeing outright ban

www.independent.co.uk

PS I'd have no problem with quieter, electric powered ones.

 

[andysays]

They've been using them for years. I've done manual labour and worked on building sites for years, so I'd like to think I'd be able to manage some powered leaf blowing, if required.

Leaf blowers contributing to 'insect armageddon' and should be avoided, German government warns

Environment ministry stops short of decreeing outright ban

www.independent.co.uk

PS I'd have no problem with quieter, electric powered ones.

I bet you love it when people who've never done your job tell you how you should be doing it.

"I know how to do it better than you, mate, I've been playing records at home for years "

 

[editor]

I bet you love it when people who've never done your job tell you how you should be doing it.

"I know how to do it better than you, mate, I've been playing records at home for years "

Totally relevant point, thanks. Obviously all leaf blowers - everyone last one of them - are highly skilled craftsmen and therefore above any criticism at all. Every single one achieves leaf blowing perfection, every time. Andy says so.

 

[Teaboy]

The noise causes stress. Of course they do! Have Lambeth all got 10 acre gardens then that keep them blowing for hours on end?

I have a very vulnerable neighbour who gets very stressed by the seemingly continual use of leaf blowers round our way. But, it doesn't really bother me so no problem.

 

[andysays]

Totally relevant point, thanks. Obviously all leaf blowers - everyone last one of them - are highly skilled craftsmen and therefore above any criticism at all. Every single one achieves leaf blowing perfection, every time. Andy says so.

I see you have totally avoided addressing the main point of my original response

as with many things, the main reason they're used now is because staffing levels have been massively cut and it's the only way we have any chance of keeping up with annual leaf fall.

Much easier to have a pop at the workers...

 

[editor]

Much easier to have a pop at the workers...

Not "the workers," comrade. Just the one specific person. You do accept that some people may not be that good at their jobs or have an off day, yes? Even leaf blowers.

 

[editor]

I have a very vulnerable neighbour who gets very stressed by the seemingly continual use of leaf blowers round our way. But, it doesn't really bother me so no problem.

That's the spirit!