Skip to content

Hey New West homeowners - trim your damn hedges

I like to walk. OK, anyone who has seen my dad bod would likely laugh. Actually, I look more like I ate two dad bods for lunch, but I digress. The point is that I do like to walk, but hate so much about walking in an urban environment.
hedges
Don't be this homeowner. GEOFF PORTEOUS PHOTO

I like to walk.

OK, anyone who has seen my dad bod would likely laugh. Actually, I look more like I ate two dad bods for lunch, but I digress.

The point is that I do like to walk, but hate so much about walking in an urban environment.

Trails, great, no problem.

Walking on a city street, big problem.

For one thing, crossing streets can be harrowing due to impatient drivers who have really *important* things to get to, like sitting on their couch and drinking a beer.

But I’m not going to go on one of my safety rants. No, instead, I’m going to rant about homeowners who don’t take care of the properties in how they relate to sidewalks.

Look at the photo attached to this column (submitted by reader Geoff Porteous). You can see the hedge hasn’t been trimmed properly and so it sticks out. It’s annoying for someone to walk by someone’s house and get a mouthful of leaves. It’s a simple thing to just get out that hedge trimmer and shape it a little.

The same goes for tree branches that stick out, or overgrown prickly bushes that extend onto a sidewalk.

Look, you own a home. Your property values have likely gone into the stratosphere. You’re swimming in equity. The least you can do is climb out of your house-rich stupor and do a little yard work. Or just hire somebody.

The pedestrians will thank you for it.

Follow Chris Campbell on Twitter @shinebox44