Just Sayin': Ban loud, polluting yard tools in warm months
![A man using a leaf blower.](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.newsday.com%2Fimage-service%2Fversion%2Fc%3AYjEzZTExYzMtMmU2MC00%3AYzMtMmU2MC00ZWQwZGIw%2Fobj894338_1-jpeg.jpg%3Ff%3DLandscape%2B16%253A9%26w%3D770%26q%3D1&w=1920&q=80)
A man using a leaf blower. Credit: iStock/unknown
No loud, polluting yard tools in warm months
Everyone can tell when spring has arrived by the whining of power tools used by landscapers. It is nearly impossible to walk in my neighborhood without encountering workers spewing airborne pollutants and dust.
Leaf blowers, in particular, should be banned from May 15 to Sept. 15. The Village of Southampton, for example, has banned gasoline-fueled leaf blowers from May 20 to Sept. 20.
How our politicians don’t see this as a public nuisance and health hazard is beyond belief.
Walter Hilsenbeck, Massapequa
After a U.S. road trip, LI roads get failing marks
My wife and I recently arrived home after an 8,000-mile car trip around the United States. We passed through a dozen major cities.
On our arrival back to Long Island, we realized that our roads are without a doubt the worst that we had seen in the nation. The roadbeds are poorly maintained. We have potholes everywhere. Many streets don’t have curbs, or they are crumbling to expose rebar. Sidewalks aren’t repaired. Sumps have overgrown shrubs and broken fences.
We saw many road projects in other states to improve bridges and highways. There were few potholes. Roads were smoothly paved. Highways were well designed to enhance traffic flow.
Unfortunately, Long Island looks the same as it has for decades.
Paul Duguay, North Bellmore
Manage traffic flow better at Moses beach
My family has been going to Robert Moses State Park for years, and did so on Sunday. What a great day!
Then, when we left the parking lot at 6:10 p.m., there was the dreaded ride to the Robert Moses Causeway Bridge. With very heavy traffic leaving the park, it took more than an hour to get to the bridge.
I’ve seen this happen every year. Usually at some point in July, someone does the right thing by stopping traffic in one direction on the bridge to clear more lanes for the incoming masses in the morning or the exiting crowds in the evening. It makes a big difference.
Why can’t the crowds be anticipated and traffic managed better from Memorial Day through the end of the summer? Is anyone listening?
Fred Eavarone, South Huntington