Leaf Blowers Are Used Every Day

* Re: “Leaf Blower Ban Just Hot Air?” Oct. 29:

Officials said there is 90% to 95% compliance with the ban on leaf blowers in Laguna Beach. This is the most absurd statement I have ever heard.

Anyone with eyes (or ears) can see leaf blowers all over this town every day, and for public officials to make such an outrageous statement is appalling.

There are at least 10 different gardening crews in my small neighborhood alone. Every single one of them uses a leaf blower, week in and week out, including the one outside my window right now, and another who just left. Ninety-five percent noncompliance is more like it. The only gardeners who don’t use them are the ones who work for the city.

I asked the guy using one outside my window if he knew they were illegal. He said sure, he knew. When I mentioned calling the police he said, “Go ahead, they won’t come anyway.” And of course even if they did come, the offenders would be long gone.

I was behind a police car at a red light on Coast Highway the other day, and a gardener was using a blower not 10 feet from us. The officer never even looked at him.

ED KREBS

Laguna Beach