By Elliott Brack
Editor and Publisher, GwinnettForum
JUNE 29, 2021 | How often have you been awakened before 9 a.m. by the whine of a lawnmower or leaf blower on a weekend? Of course, it can happen any day, but on the weekends, it particularly bugs me.
And if it’s on Sunday, for me that’s really worse. Yep, I’m old-fashioned enough to think of Sunday as a day of rest. On that day in particular, I don’t want to hear loud noises in the neighborhood at any time during the day. And while more people are having to work on Sundays, I think of Sunday being a more peaceful time. Getting up and attending church is on tap, then if work at all, easy, quiet chores on Sunday is my mainstay.
Yet homeowners tending their lawns, or the people they hire to do it, are being downright intruding on early morning hours when turning on the power equipment. Especially on Sunday!
A similar situation involves people living in multi-story housing. Taking your kid to the swimming pool during the early morning hours seems rude. Let the child wait until the hot part of the day, when the water will refresh the little one even more.
If nothing else, not thinking about your neighbors is downright un-neighborly.
This got me to thinking of the ways people who live close together should treat one another so that they are Good Neighbors. You may have some ideas you would share with us on this topic. I’ve compiled a few. Here goes:
- The aforementioned no using power equipment in the early weekend hours.
- When lawn mowing, don’t blow the grass clippings toward the street. Keep it neat.
- Make sure you know clearly where your property lot line is. Don’t venture or plant on your neighbor’s property.
- If tree or bush limbs overhang the lot line, have an understanding with your neighbor on who trims and maintains this area.
- If you plan a party at your house, observe reasonable decorum. Loud parties at one property extend sound all around the area, impacting the neighbors. Inviting neighbors is nice.
- How many of us are guilty of this: do you know your neighbor? It could serve you and your neighbor to have their telephone numbers, in case of emergency. That way, in case something happened to someone, and that person was out of town, a neighbor could alert them to the situation.
- If your neighbor is elderly, be considerate of them. This could mean helping out with unloading a car when the person has been shopping, or bringing in their trash container. If it snow, shovel your neighbor’s pathways. And be sure to visit from time to time, just to be neighborly.
- Sometimes we just run out of items we need right now. If you borrow a cup of sugar, that should result in at least sharing your cookies! And should you borrow a shovel or other implement, be sure to return it clean.
- If you have a pet, show responsibility in all ways. Always pick up after your pet, and dispose correctly. And don’t let your dog bark excessively, by keeping them inside.
- If you live in an apartment, think of those above or below you, and be aware of how easily sounds travel. If you live above someone, don’t wear shoes that make loud noises.
Obviously, a list like this can continue with other restraints. Send along any ideas that you have that will make you a better neighbor.
- Have a comment? Send to: elliott@brack.net
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