When to blow? Ben Fordham loses fans with radical stance
One of the biggest neighbourhood debates is when to get out the power tools or lawnmower on a weekend.
Ben Fordham weighed in on the topic on Wednesday morning after making a leaf blower admission on his 2GB Breakfast radio show.
Despite loving his leaf blower, the power tool has cost him a few friends.
"Look, I know it's not popular but that's just the way I feel. There are people that love leaf blowers, and there are people that hate leaf blowers, and I don't mind other people using them either," Ben said.
"It's not like I just want to use my own and not let you use yours. Leaf blowers are fantastic. If that loses me a few friends, well, I'm sorry, it's just me."
The topic of leaf blowers came up when a listener called up to talk about a "respectable" time to start the lawnmower on a Sunday morning.
Darren called the open line to explain what he thought was a reasonable time, but it opened up a can of worms.
"Mate, I think 8 o'clock is a respectable time, although it used to be 10 o'clock from memory, on a Sunday or public holiday, but that was an unwritten law," Darren said.
"But my biggest gripe at the moment, I think, is the blower vacs."
Darren explained he lives in a townhouse where there are eight in the block, and believes the blower vac is causing some tensions between neighbours.
"Unfortunately you'll have one neighbour come out with a blower vac, do his area, another neighbour will be pee-d off because of the noise, come out and do his," Darren said.
"My question is in today's world, with COVID and everything we have like that, if it's not strata, should it really be blower vacs? I might sound like a bit of a whinger, mate, but blower vacs at 8 am on a Sunday morning? Unfortunately, with lockdowns and things like what's been happening, you'll get neighbours — I'm in the situation where you'll get a bit of animosity."
Darren said the age-old debate can cause conflict amongst neighbours if they find they're being woken up too early, and while he thinks 8 am is fine to start power tools, a bit of courtesy is needed.
"I have confessed that I love a leaf blower. I don't use it early in the morning," Ben said.
A man named Chris called up and his one question for Ben — and everyone else who uses one — was, "Where do you blow leaves?".
Ben joked that he just blows them to his neighbours' yard, but clarified he just uses it on the path, blowing it back into the garden.
There are official times where power tools, lawnmowers and leaf blowers can be used and it differs from state to state. Here are the times it's acceptable to use these items across the country:
New South Wales
- 8 am to 8 pm on Sundays and public holidays.
- 7 am to 8 pm on any other day.
Victoria
- 7 am to 8 pm Monday to Friday.
- 9 am to 8 pm on weekends and public holidays.
South Australia
- 8 am to 8 pm Monday to Saturday.
- 9 am to 8 pm on Sunday.
Western Australia
- 7 am to 7 pm Monday to Saturday.
- 9 am to 7 pm Sunday and public holidays.
Queensland
- 7 am to 7 pm Monday to Saturday.
- 8 am to 7 pm Sunday or public holiday.
ACT
- 7 am to 8 pm Monday to Friday.
- 8 am to 8 pm Sunday and public holidays.
Northern Territory
- 7 am to 7 pm Monday to Saturday.
- 9 am to 6 pm Sunday and public holidays.
Tasmania
- 7 am to 8 pm Monday to Friday.
- 9 am to 8 pm on Saturday.
- 10 am to 8 pm Sunday and public holidays.