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How a small group of activists got gas-powered leaf blowers banned in D.C.

theatlantic.com

201–210 of 250 posts

Re: How a small group of activists got gas-powered leaf blowers banned in D.C.

#201

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Using a leafblower is a sign of entitled loutishness. You were fine up until here. Insulting people for wanting to use an easier option isn't a great look.

This is absolutely about selfishness. Growing up in the suburbs, every Saturday at 10 AM and every weekday at 8 AM, the leafblowers would start. They wouldn't be done until the early afternoon. And most of the people who people used them when they weren't home, and would just hire contractors to blow their lawns several times a week, while disturbing their neighbors.

Living in the world with other people means respect to others as much as tolerance.

If they waited until 8 on weekdays and 10 on weekends they did their part in waiting until most people were awake.

Dogs bark, lawn mowers cut grass, motorcycles or trucks have engines that are a cut above the rest in noise. People throw the odd celebration.

Get over it. You're not the only person in this world.

Re: How a small group of activists got gas-powered leaf blowers banned in D.C.

#202

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Using a leafblower is a sign of entitled loutishness. You were fine up until here. Insulting people for wanting to use an easier option isn't a great look.

Yeah, this is absolutely a selfish act. Completely ignoring that most, if not all, of your neighbors will be annoyed by the sound just because it's easier for you is the very definition of selfishness.

The person using the leaf blower isn't the selfish one here.

Re: How a small group of activists got gas-powered leaf blowers banned in D.C.

#203

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Using a leafblower is a sign of entitled loutishness. You were fine up until here. Insulting people for wanting to use an easier option isn't a great look.

I don’t think it’s wrong to comment on people who care more about convenience and cost then the externalities they’re creating (air and noise pollution). “Selfish” is not a protected class.

Neither is young, urba, stuck up progressives with good guy badges and pseudo morals

Re: How a small group of activists got gas-powered leaf blowers banned in D.C.

#204
post #87
post #60

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The motor of engine is part of the noise, the other is the fans pushing air through, their speed and pitch affect noise levels too, so even an electric leaf blower can be loud and uncomfortable.

Yeah, but not the same kind of loud and uncomfortable, as anyone who has actually heard these things in person knows immediately.

Ah I see, now you get to arbitrarily decide what noise is annoying for others, because only one kind bothers you.

Re: How a small group of activists got gas-powered leaf blowers banned in D.C.

#205
post #152

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I just switched to an electric mower. It cost about the same as an decent mower, is lighter weight, always starts, is plenty powerful, and has about 45 minutes of charge on a swappable battery. I could buy more batteries if I wanted more runtime. I can also swap that battery with other equipment like string trimmers. I've overhauled my last temperamental gas carb. The end of gas lawn gear is indeed in sight.

I think electric only makes sense for individuals that use these tools once a day at most. Running a lawn maintenance business on electric tools would probably be far more expensive and logistics-heavy.

Agreed, probably not for business.

But the pros have $10,000 zero-radius, four-stroke machines made to run for 12 hours a day. Different beast.

Re: How a small group of activists got gas-powered leaf blowers banned in D.C.

#206

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Making them electric helps.

I just switched to an electric mower. It cost about the same as an decent mower, is lighter weight, always starts, is plenty powerful, and has about 45 minutes of charge on a swappable battery. I could buy more batteries if I wanted more runtime. I can also swap that battery with other equipment like string trimmers. I've overhauled my last temperamental gas carb. The end of gas lawn gear is indeed in sight.

Which mower did you end up getting, if I might ask?

Re: How a small group of activists got gas-powered leaf blowers banned in D.C.

#208

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Really my objection is to the loud noise. If Harley Davidson makes a silent electric one, I'll rescind my call to ban them.

If Harley Davidson made an electric bike, then people would start buying aftermarket noise makers that play the Harley sound at 140dB.

Harley Davidson does make an electric bike, and it's also incredibly loud.

Re: How a small group of activists got gas-powered leaf blowers banned in D.C.

#209

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The real issue IMO is that the battery powered yard tools are infected by the same planned obsolescence as existing power tools. Most gas-powered yard tools last damn near forever even if you don't do maintenance on them. The battery powered ones are good for three years and then you're buying a new one. If you're lucky they still make the battery, but it costs as much a whole new tool. Wish we could standardize mode…

I don't think this is true at all. A visit to Home Depot reveals a huge selection of battery powered tools, most of which are powered by one of four standard battery types, all of which have existed for quite a while. I have a whole bunch of Ryobi tools - and batteries from literally a decade ago, while an older chemistry (nicad instead of li-ion) are still compatible - and the reverse is also true.

I'm on my third generation of DeWalt drill. Not because the old ones don't work (in fact, the second generation is rather preferable to the third generation of the same model), but because the batteries are $100+ each now.

Re: How a small group of activists got gas-powered leaf blowers banned in D.C.

#210

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The real issue IMO is that the battery powered yard tools are infected by the same planned obsolescence as existing power tools. Most gas-powered yard tools last damn near forever even if you don't do maintenance on them. The battery powered ones are good for three years and then you're buying a new one. If you're lucky they still make the battery, but it costs as much a whole new tool. Wish we could standardize mode…

As the years have worn on its gotten better. Still not great yet, and interoperability would be even better... but I have standardized on the 20V line from De Walt and have a number of hand, larger power, and yard tools that all use the same batteries. I buy a new battery or two every year and cycle out the oldest one (sell at steep discount on CL). Been doing that for 6 years now, and I don’t see them discontinuing…

I'm on my third generation DeWalt, but I also switched over to the 20V Max line a few years back when my second-to-last 18V battery croaked and the replacement was $100. Was more economical to ditch the old drill.
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