Sorry to shout, but I can't make myself heard against the buzz of the weed-eater, the roar of the chainsaw, the clamour of the leaf vac and all the other discordant sounds emerging from back yards just, it seems, as Iam settling down for my Sunday afternoon siesta. That these tools are a marvellous advance on what our grandfathers struggled with, I have no doubt. That a certain amount of noise attached to their use is necessary and unavoidable - I have no doubt about that either. But enough is enough! The Nobel Peace Prize, in my view, should go to the individual or consortium which creates a power tool providing a maximum of service with a minimum of unwelcome din!

I wholeheartedly agree with you! I don't have a backyard myself, but when I'm at my parents' I really enjoy theirs. Until the next-door neighbour wakes up. Her favourite pass-time is sanding her garden furniture, no matter if it's necessary or not. As soon as the sun comes out, she grabs the sanding machine and off she goes. Argh!! If only they would invent a silent sander and ban all others, my weekends would be a lot more enjoyable!

I agree just 100 percent to you sorry for not agreeing 101 percent!