Summer Noise

[Bobdogs]

Perhaps one for the more mature forum members.
Do you miss the gentle click clicking of a Qualcast hand mower and the clip clip of hedge shears.
Instead at the first sign of good weather, out comes the petrol mower, hedge cutter and strimmer all powered in the main, by screaming two stroke engines.
Even in countryside, we no longer have the quite soothing sound of, for example, a Fergie tractor.
Instead we have those massive silage harvesters which you can hear from miles away.
Is it me?

 

[PHILIPE]

Perhaps one for the more mature forum members.
Do you miss the gentle click clicking of a Qualcast hand mower and the clip clip of hedge shears.
Instead at the first sign of good weather, out comes the petrol mower, hedge cutter and strimmer all powered in the main, by screaming two stroke engines.
Even in countryside, we no longer have the quite soothing sound of, for example, a Fergie tractor.
Instead we have those massive silage harvesters which you can hear from miles away.
Is it me?

And weekend raves

 

[PeterY]

Don't forget about angle grinders .

 

[route101]

It was the neighbours out in garden. Not much privacy.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Perhaps one for the more mature forum members.
Do you miss the gentle click clicking of a Qualcast hand mower and the clip clip of hedge shears.
Instead at the first sign of good weather, out comes the petrol mower, hedge cutter and strimmer all powered in the main, by screaming two stroke engines.
Even in countryside, we no longer have the quite soothing sound of, for example, a Fergie tractor.
Instead we have those massive silage harvesters which you can hear from miles away.
Is it me?

Short answer -yes!

 

[PeterY]

There's also the leaf blowers. They make a dreadful racket

 

[birchesgreen]

Well the OP will be happy to know i still use a hand power and hedge shears, unfortunately i have some neighbours who think a lovely sunny day is perfect weather for doing the loudest DIY outside possible. A couple of years ago some of my neighbours were in the garden having a nice chat with drinks, the other neighbour next to theirs decided it was a perfect time to do some angle grinding and produce plenty of ear splitting noise in the garden. What an utter [insert favoured expletive].

 

[Cowley]

Anyone else just realised that they’re part of the problem..?

 

[SiggysigAah]

I have hedges to cut, lawns to mow, logs to cut with my chainsaw, rounds to split for firewood. Bits of sawing, drilling, grinding, welding & hammering etc to do. I try not to make noise before 11am or after 7pm.

I love the sound of forage choppers going at night, the noise of the tractors and trailers drawing grass past gets weary after a few hours. The quiet burble of a Massey 35 is preferable to a 200hp+ Perkins screaming past every ten minutes.

 

[Ash Bridge]

Anyone else just realised that they’re part of the problem..?

The good bit is that I own a Qualcast mower.....now the bad bit, it's a two stroke petrol version

 

[Cowley]

The good bit is that I own a Qualcast mower.....now the bad bit, it's a two stroke petrol version

We’ve ruined summer Mr Bridge.

 

[Ashley Hill]

I miss having a bonfire at the top of the garden. All those hedge trimmings and grass cuttings smoking away together with whatever else my Father wanted to be shot of. Nowadays people moan if their neighbors have a BBQ. Noise wise,loud music,garden parties etc. Why does it have to be so loud?

 

[Bevan Price]

I don't miss a hand-powered lawn mower -- too much like hard work trying to mow a lawn that it often wet when it needs mowing. And with so much rain "up north" since the main part of summer finished in June, the grass seems to be growing faster than ever. I use a Qualcast electric mower, but I don't think that brand of mower is as good as Qualcast mowers used to be in the past.
(Has anyone a recommendation for an electric mower that is reliable, but neither heavy nor mega-expensive, please?)

Oh - about the noise - the lawn gets mown when it is dry (or dry-ish) -- so - sorry about any noise at the "wrong time of day" - not much I can do to change the weather....

 

[MotCO]

(Has anyone a recommendation for an electric mower that is reliable, but neither heavy nor mega-expensive, please?)

I used to have a petrol mower since I have a large lawn, but after the self-drive belt went, the engine packed up and the cable broke, I decided it was time for a change. I actually opted for a Bosch electric mower since it had the largest blade, and seems perfectly acceptable, nor is it particularly heavy.

 

[Cowley]

I used to have a petrol mower since I have a large lawn, but after the self-drive belt went, the engine packed up and the cable broke, I decided it was time for a change. I actually opted for a Bosch electric mower since it had the largest blade, and seems perfectly acceptable, nor is it particularly heavy.

I had an electric hedge trimmer for a bit and even that was quite noisy.
Well it was until I lent it to my neighbours mother and she chopped the cable in half...

 

[GRALISTAIR]

I had an electric hedge trimmer for a bit and even that was quite noisy.
Well it was until I lent it to my neighbours mother and she chopped the cable in half...

Not straightforward to splice safely either iirc

 

[Cowley]

Not straightforward to splice safely either iirc

Boom!

 

[Jamesrob637]

The good bit is that I own a Qualcast mower.....now the bad bit, it's a two stroke petrol version

Oh that's the racket coming from Heaton Chapel over towards the Moor past the Elizabethan on a summer's evening... now he confesses

 

[Ash Bridge]

Oh that's the racket coming from Heaton Chapel over towards the Moor past the Elizabethan on a summer's evening... now he confesses

Haha! Well I never would have thought you were one of those poshy Heaton Moor types on the other side of the tracks @Jamesrob637

 

[nlogax]

Real summer noise for me is a hot August afternoon filled with the rising and falling sounds of cicadas in the trees, and the night air ringing with crickets. Sadly pretty non-existent in the UK!

 

[Meerkat]

Don’t forget pressure washing everything in sight!
About time we had regs forcing these things to be quieter. Does seem a bit weird that people use all the power tools and then go to the gym. Or even more silly they do those classes in the park, some of which could easily be replaced by pushing a manual mower round, using a brush and rake, and a bit of hedge trimming.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Real summer noise for me is a hot August afternoon filled with the rising and falling sounds of cicadas in the trees, and the night air ringing with crickets. Sadly pretty non-existent in the UK!

We have that when I am doing a late evening BBQ. Had last night as it happens in the trees by our apartment. I may just post a photo later. It was hot yesterday evening in Dalton GA. 32 C

 

[Ash Bridge]

Real summer noise for me is a hot August afternoon filled with the rising and falling sounds of cicadas in the trees, and the night air ringing with crickets. Sadly pretty non-existent in the UK!

Generally in most of the UK perhaps; but every time I've stayed in resorts located on the south coast of Cornwall the sound of crickets during warm afternoons and evenings has usually been present and this has been as late as September & early October. I believe some southern parts parts of the UK are also home to one of Europes most endangered species of Cicada too.

 

[nlogax]

We have that when I am doing a late evening BBQ. Had last night as it happens in the trees by our apartment. I may just post a photo later. It was hot yesterday evening in Dalton GA. 32 C

Bet you have fireflies as well, especially down south. We have a few in the New Forest I believe but like the crickets, nowhere the same quantity.

@Ash Bridge Ta for the info, I wasn't aware about native cicada here. Think I need to investigate further!

 

[pdeaves]

screaming two stroke engines.

Known as "infernal combustion" in my household.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Bet you have fireflies as well, especially down south.

Oh yes indeed

 

[Ash Bridge]

Bet you have fireflies as well, especially down south. We have a few in the New Forest I believe but like the crickets, nowhere the same quantity.

@Ash Bridge Ta for the info, I wasn't aware about native cicada here. Think I need to investigate further!

Just noticed you're in the New Forest, and I'm pretty sure they reside in your neck of the woods (if you'll pardon the pun)

 

[eMeS]

Earlier today on my visit to Lidl, I bought a Parkside sound level meter (~£10). It covers from around 30dBA to 130dBA - should be enough (!!), except that I'm fortunate in having quiet neighbours.

 

[GusB]

Earlier today on my visit to Lidl, I bought a Parkside sound level meter (~£10). It covers from around 30dBA to 130dBA - should be enough (!!), except that I'm fortunate in having quiet neighbours.

Oh gawd, people having their own sound meters is all that we need!

 

[eMeS]

Oh gawd, people having their own sound meters is all that we need!

Feeling guilty?