Ban leaf blowers!

[Zapp Brannigan]

A video turned up on my FB feed today of a 'prankfluencer' wandering around a park with a leaf blower, getting close to people then turning it on them to blow off wigs. Especially given that the majority were young, black women it was deeply uncomfortable viewing.

The "friend" who shared it has been fucked off with extreme prejudice. I've no particular comment on the leaf blower itself, but the dickhead wielding it should be banned and preferably have a leaf blower that's actually a jet engine turned on his face.

 

[A380]

A video turned up on my FB feed today of a 'prankfluencer' wandering around a park with a leaf blower, getting close to people then turning it on them to blow off wigs. Especially given that the majority were young, black women it was deeply uncomfortable viewing.

The "friend" who shared it has been fucked off with extreme prejudice. I've no particular comment on the leaf blower itself, but the dickhead wielding it should be banned and preferably have a leaf blower that's actually a jet engine turned on his face.

I’m not a supporter of capital punishment but I’d welcome it for anyone billing themselves as a prankfluencer. Summary execution without trial for racist ‘pranks’ …

 

[skyscraper101]

A video turned up on my FB feed today of a 'prankfluencer' wandering around a park with a leaf blower, getting close to people then turning it on them to blow off wigs. Especially given that the majority were young, black women it was deeply uncomfortable viewing.

The "friend" who shared it has been fucked off with extreme prejudice. I've no particular comment on the leaf blower itself, but the dickhead wielding it should be banned and preferably have a leaf blower that's actually a jet engine turned on his face.

I saw that video. I usually assume these things are setup/fake clickbait shit but either way, these people are unfunny twats.

 

[newme]

All of that, added to which are those that just blow the debris from a private space into the public domain. And don't get me started on those anti-social arse-swipes who power wash their drives leaving all of the shite on the pavement....

Of course this thread turns up the second I buy a leaf blower, tho I am composting everything as it has a suck and shred function too. Plus blowing the leaves off means I can more easily remove my dogs turds in the back garden and random other peoples dogs and cats shit who apparently decided to use the front as soon as I cleared all the brambles out of it. And continue to do so longer since its not as much strain on my back as its done a lot faster.

 

[LakieLady]

I’m not a supporter of capital punishment but I’d welcome it for anyone billing themselves as a prankfluencer. Summary execution without trial for racist ‘pranks’ …

Not to mention the crime against language by using such a horrid made-up word.

 

[editor]

Great to hear that several councils have already banned these interminable, environmentally disastrous machines.

 

[Oriole]

Great to hear that several councils have already banned these interminable, environmentally disastrous machines.

Thanks, I needed some good news to get my blood pressure down after reading the the prankfluencer post.

 

[skyscraper101]

They seemed to be an omnipresent thing when I was in LA. Have to say I hadn't noticed them creep into the noise pollution of London so much.

I'd have thought by now they'd have invented some sort of electric (battery) based non-noisy alternative.

 

[Dogsauce]

As a leaf-blowing professional I get no end of smartarses telling me how to do my job, how I should use giant fans like they do in the US, or in one case a dustpan and brush.

More complaints this year because it’s been pretty mild round here so people have their windows open on nice days, which guess what, tends to be the days I go out and do the job because it’s a shit job to do in the rain (and wet leaves take four times longer). Just get some noise cancelling headphones ffs. It’ll all be over in a few weeks.

 

[_Russ_]

I've got one of those backpack Stihl blowers and when I strap it on I like to pretend Im a ghostbuster

 

[Killjoy]

Of course this thread turns up the second I buy a leaf blower, tho I am composting everything as it has a suck and shred function too. Plus blowing the leaves off means I can more easily remove my dogs turds in the back garden and random other peoples dogs and cats shit who apparently decided to use the front as soon as I cleared all the brambles out of it. And continue to do so longer since its not as much strain on my back as its done a lot faster.

What make and how good is it at shreding leaves, many seem to leave a lot to be desired.

 

[editor]

As a leaf-blowing professional I get no end of smartarses telling me how to do my job, how I should use giant fans like they do in the US, or in one case a dustpan and brush.

More complaints this year because it’s been pretty mild round here so people have their windows open on nice days, which guess what, tends to be the days I go out and do the job because it’s a shit job to do in the rain (and wet leaves take four times longer). Just get some noise cancelling headphones ffs. It’ll all be over in a few weeks.

Or just use a broom.

 

[andysays]

Or just use a broom.

Would you be willing to pay the increased rents and Council Tax that would be required to employ the extra council staff that would be needed to clear up leaves using brooms rather than blowers?

 

[metalguru]

Would you be willing to pay the increased rents and Council Tax that would be required to employ the extra council staff that would be needed to clear up leaves using brooms rather than blowers?

Why is it just a broom rather than existing blowers? I don't see why technology couldn't provide a quieter blower?

If government/EU were to give notice that in 3-5 years time noise levels for blowers must be lower, then why couldn't leaf blower manufacturers develop a quieter product?

 

[editor]

Would you be willing to pay the increased rents and Council Tax that would be required to employ the extra council staff that would be needed to clear up leaves using brooms rather than blowers?

Don't you care about the health of the workers? I do. And I care about the wellbeing and mental health of those affected by the huge noise these things make.

Edinburgh City Council could consider banning the use of fossil fuel-powered leaf blowers after councillors raised concerns about the health impact on workers.

A motion which recognises that fumes emitted by the devices “have been linked to an increase in the risk of cancer, heart disease and asthma” was unanimously passed at the council's culture and communities committee on Tuesday.

Edinburgh City Council considers ban on 'harmful' leaf blowers

Councillors raised concerns over the health, environmental and noise impact of fuel-powered leaf blowers.

www.bbc.co.uk

As for all those extra staff, let's see how a grandma did:

Grandmother Proves Rake and Broom as Fast as Leaf Blowers

www.lawnsite.com

 

[pesh]

They should ban everything that makes noises that can annoy people… Leaf blowers, motorcycles, drum kits, sound systems etc

 

[editor]

They should ban everything that makes noises that can annoy people… Leaf blowers, motorcycles, drum kits, sound systems etc

And that annoying clatter from your keyboard.

 

[pesh]

It’s a touchscreen

 

[andysays]

Don't you care about the health of the workers? I do. And I care about the wellbeing and mental health of those affected by the huge noise these things make.



As for all those extra staff, let's see how a grandma did:

Grandmother Proves Rake and Broom as Fast as Leaf Blowers

www.lawnsite.com

I am one of the workers, which means I actually have some lived experience of the practicalities of using a leaf blower versus gathering up by hand the huge numbers of leaves which have to be collected every year.

It isn't possible for the existing numbers of staff to do it with rakes and brooms, whatever your granny thinks.

I would love the number of grounds maintenance staff to be returned to what it was 20 or 30 years ago, but unless you are prepared to pay to employ them, it isn't going to happen.

 

[andysays]

Why is it just a broom rather than existing blowers? I don't see why technology couldn't provide a quieter blower?

If government/EU were to give notice that in 3-5 years time noise levels for blowers must be lower, then why couldn't leaf blower manufacturers develop a quieter product?

More battery powered blowers (and other gardening machinery) are available now than 10 years ago, and these are quieter and less polluting than petrol machinery. They still require operators to wear hearing protection though.

My experience is that while the battery blowers I've used are powerful enough to deal with small amounts of grass on a path after a lawn has been cut, they aren't powerful enough to blow the large quantities of leaves we need to be able to collect and dispose of.

 

[PTK]

Great to hear that several councils have already banned these interminable, environmentally disastrous machines.

If they have been banned, then they are indeed terminable, and not interminable.

 

[andysays]

Great to hear that several councils have already banned these interminable, environmentally disastrous machines.

Do you have a source for this?

 

[Elpenor]

Just mowed the lawn. I’ll use scissors next time

 

[freshapple]

Do you have a source for this?

I work for estate services in a council & we would like to replace them with electric ones. No one talks about banning them though.

 

[Dogsauce]

Or just use a broom.

Good luck sweeping leaves off a bonded shredded tyre playground surface, or a rough grassy bank.

FWIW I do some bits with a broom, especially if it’s outside the kerfew agreed with neighbours or I just need to do a quick clear of a small area. But nothing does it as fast as a blower, and I have trouble enough fitting all the jobs I need to do into my 30 hours per week without making some of them harder and longer.

I use an electric blower, which on lowest power isn’t any louder than a hairdryer yet I still get grumblers. We got that specifically because of noise (and fumes) complaints from the rattly old petrol one. but there’s no pleasing some folk.

I was quite amused the other day when the chief complainant came into school to have a word about it and I hadn’t actually been out with it that day (wasn’t even there at the time), it was someone else doing their garden nearby. Poor guy was quite deflated. The council also come round doing it as early as 7am and I’ve been blamed for that before.

 

[andysays]

I work for estate services in a council & we would like to replace them with electric ones. No one talks about banning them though.

Me too, but the decision has been made that ATM, the electric ones aren't practical. Maybe they will be in a few more years (I hope so).

According to the story that's been posted, Edinburgh Council are considering banning petrol driven blowers and replacing with electric ones.

I'm still waiting for@editor to back up his claim that several councils have already banned blowers altogether.

 

[Dogsauce]

I work for estate services in a council & we would like to replace them with electric ones. No one talks about banning them though.

The council workers will be at it all day, and not sure how practical that becomes with battery life. I’ve got two batteries and can maybe do about three hours swapping between them and charging one in the building while I work with the other before it kind of catches up with me. Council workers would probably need at least half a dozen per unit to keep going for a shift if they didn’t have charging facilities with them, which at around £500 for the highest capacity battery would be a bit steep given a petrol blower just needs a couple of cans of four star to last that time.

 

[andysays]

Good luck sweeping leaves off a bonded shredded tyre playground surface, or a rough grassy bank.

FWIW I do some bits with a broom, especially if it’s outside the kerfew agreed with neighbours or I just need to do a quick clear of a small area. But nothing does it as fast as a blower, and I have trouble enough fitting all the jobs I need to do into my 30 hours per week without making some of them harder and longer.

I use an electric blower, which on lowest power isn’t any louder than a hairdryer yet I still get grumblers. We got that specifically because of noise (and fumes) complaints from the rattly old petrol one. but there’s no pleasing some folk.

I was quite amused the other day when the chief complainant came into school to have a word about it and I hadn’t actually been out with it that day (wasn’t even there at the time), it was someone else doing their garden nearby. Poor guy was quite deflated. The council also come round doing it as early as 7am and I’ve been blamed for that before.

The Council I work for have a policy of not using powered machinery before 8am, which I think is reasonable.

 

[andysays]

The council workers will be at it all day, and not sure how practical that becomes with battery life. I’ve got two batteries and can maybe do about three hours swapping between them and charging one in the building while I work with the other before it kind of catches up with me. Council workers would probably need at least half a dozen per unit to keep going for a shift if they didn’t have charging facilities with them, which at around £500 for the highest capacity battery would be a bit steep given a petrol blower just needs a couple of cans of four star to last that time.

It's OK, I'm sure editor won't mind chipping in to pay replace all the existing machinery.

 

[Dogsauce]

The Council I work for have a policy of not using powered machinery before 8am, which I think is reasonable.

It is, I won’t start before then, but the council do, and the bin lorries are out making a racket even earlier (emptying glass recycling at 6:30ish with all the associated crashing noises)