Sunday, February 6, 2011

Snow Blower Intolerance

This is a personal prejudice. I know I'm being overly judgemental here, but it bugs the living crap out of me. I just HATE gas powered devices like lawnmowers and leaf blowers and... most notably today since about 6 inches fell last nigh.... snow blowers!

I don't know what it is... the noise, the god-awful fumes, the pollution, the CO2... maybe all of the above, but whenever one of my neighbors gets out there with one of those annoying, noise polluting devices, I just wanna rip their head off. Seriously, if you go outside right now, it smells like you're standing behind an exhaust pipe. Probably the temperature inversion is trapping all of the pollution down near the ground, so it's probably not just the snow blowers, but still...

I know I shouldn't judge, but I just don't understand this strange need to have one's driveway clear at all moments. It's like the world might come to an end if you couldn't jump in your car 24/7. I suppose you might run out of candy bars and potato chips, and that would be a real crisis. And heaven forbid actually burning off some of those excess calories using a shovel.

OK, OK... some people have no choice, they have to drive to work... and there is always the possibility of an emergency. But seriously, if you have a flat driveway, it's really not a big deal to drive through a few inches of snow. I never shovel mine unless we get more than 10 inches, and I've never had a problem. Plus, shoveling really doesn't take that much more time and/or effort than using a snow blower.

What do you think? Am I being totally over the top or do I have a point?

3 comments :

  1. I'm with you on this one! I was out walking the other day and had to walk past someone using a gas-powered snow blower -- ugh! Not to mention the obnoxious noise.

    I'm not even sure why people around here own snow blowers, since we rarely get enough snow to (possibly) warrant them, plus, in our semi-urban neighborhood, most people don't have driveways, so there isn't that much pavement to clear. It appears some people own snow blowers for clearing 20 feet of sidewalk on the 1-2 occasions per winter we get any substantial snow. I don't get it!

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  2. I tend to agree, but I remember my uncle died shoveling snow. He had a brand new top of the line blower but didn't use it, and had a heart attack. So If someone is going to keel over shoveling the snow, please use a snow blower. Condo Blues in fact, found an electric snow blower

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  3. Ha! Ok Rob, I didn't think if the keeling over from a heart attack arguement... you've got me there! OK... so people with heart conditions get a pass for an electric model.

    I also have a friend who used to live up in the mountains, and his driveway literally looked like a luge run. I suppose there are exceptions. Perhaps I should try to be less of a bitch. :)

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