People Who Need Lives

Apparently they are trying to ban leaf blowers in Lower Merion Township:

The source is a group whose name is a virtual declaration of war. The 30 members of the Lower Merion Citizens for Action Against Leaf Blowers are crusading for a township prohibition the likes of which the region – indeed, most of the country this side of California – has never seen.

They’re pressing the Lower Merion commissioners for an ordinance setting a maximum level of 65 decibels for leaf blowers used commercially in the township. (The average is about 75 decibels, which is actually 10 times louder.)

And – the doozy of the demands – they want to restrict contractors’ use of even the muzzled models to 21/2 months a year, from Oct. 1 to Dec. 15.

The rest of the time, yard cleanup “should be performed silently, with a rake,” said Bradford Whitman of Wynnewood, a 62-year-old environmental lawyer and the group’s founder.

Just so you know, this is part of Philadelphia’s main line, where not many people do their own landscaping. I can sympathize with the annoyance of getting woken up by a leaf blower; it’s happened to me many times. But you know, you live with it. It’s part of having neighbors. If I lived next to this douche, I would make sure to be out every morning with the loudest leaf blower I could get my hands on, just to piss this guy off.

I’m hoping Lower Marion Township will have more sense than to listen to this guy. I’d bet money that Braford Whitman is just a deranged green who wants to see less carbon consuming leaf blowers in use, and more carbon consuming landscapers with rakes. What does it matter anyway? It’s not like the residents will be out there with the rakes. Nope. Plenty of illegal immigrants to do that dirty work!

UPDATE: Susan, who I’m guessing is from the township in question, has a great comment below.

Related posts (automatically generated):

  1. Raking Leaves Sucks
  2. How’s This For Government?
  3. Why Are Anti-Gun People …

6 thoughts on “People Who Need Lives”

  1. what’s so hard about ordinances setting operating hours for the damn things instead?

  2. Iif you can afford to have your lawn done, and these people can, then they can afford to have it done silently.
    I wouldn’t expect anyone doing his own lawn to do it the hard way with a rake, but it doesn’t cost that much more to have your yard raked instead of blown if you are already hiring a crew. It’s just common courtesy to your neighbors.

  4. How strange. Here we have multiple comments from people hoping the leaf blower ban passes, hoping that something they personally dislike gets restricted and banned. Yet they are posting such comments in a blog based on rallying people together to prevent something that they like from getting restricted and banned by people who personally dislike it; firearms.

    So why is it morally acceptable for you to call for the banning of something you dislike when you react with such angry opposition to those who would do the same to you?

  5. Lower Merion DOES havre a noise ordinance … there is also an ordinance stating when contractors can start work within the Township. What you don’t understand is the fact that reducing the numberof leaf blowers does not reduce the number of leaves. A contractor using a leaf blower next door for 2 hours today will spend 4-6 hours with the leaf blower Mr. bradford recommends … so you will STILL hear the whine of the blowers … just for longer periods of time. The ONLY agency “allowed” to regulate emmissions if the EPA … Mr. Whitman is trying to represent the EPA but he really can’t do that either. keep in mind he is a retired attorney … lots of time to lhear bothering sounds …. you’re lawn mower might be next on his list.

    Rakes do not do the job blowers do … so you’re going to have sloppy looking properties and/or people taking down trees on their properties because they can’t afford the increase labor costs associated with cleaning up their properties. IF that doesn’t bother you think abou the fact that your taxes might go up to pay for the Township to regulate leaf blowers not to mention the cost associated with paying Township employees to rake vs blow …

    LM Planning Meeting — Wed, May 9 at 7 … Leaf Blowers on the agenda (no idea what time) For everyone’s sake, we need to just say NO WAY and allow the Township to work on the important issues. (BTW — the need to maintain properties to a certain standard is expected in developing areas ……. maybe LM should restrict development)

Comments are closed.