I agree all the way. You just don't go out and fire up stuff at bad times, like the stated case above, before 11 am on Sunday, after sunset during DST or 8 pm during regular time, when you live in a subdivision. The exception of course is cases of emergency, like cutting trees off the house, cars, roads, etc. from storm damage, using emergency generators when the power's out, etc.

That neighbor is an egotistical "sheet-head" who is probably hen-pecked by his wife, and that was his way of being noticed! Might seem like a nice guy, but he'd be off my radar for that trick!
RustyJ

"Do you think it's rude to mow the lawn when a next door neighbor is having a gathering? How about 10 am on a Sunday morning?"

Absolutely.

Walt Conner

Really unfortunate ! Yes common sence would dictate that you do not use noisy equipment early in the morning or late at night or during neighbourhood events . The outdoor tent and numerous vehicles should have been more than enough evidence . I mean if it was a case of your neighbour had downtime with his mower and his grass had grown beyound normal levels and it was going to rain for the next 3-4 days perhaps I could give him some slack , having 6-8 inchs of uncutable grass would be his only defence .

If the neighbor had known there was a funeral and mowed anyways, then yes he's a jerk. But since the OP didn't know initially know, then probably the neighbor didn't know either. In which case, one would have to ask why he chose to mow at that time. Some people, myself included, only have a small window to do lawn work. And so unless it's raining or there's a SENSITIVE family gathering, the chore must be done. Maybe the neighbor having the event should have inform his neighbors about the special occasion.

Guy was a jerk. Who cares what the event is about...whether a birthday party, funeral, wedding, party hardy, use a little restraint. Any chore can wait....big deal you cannot mow your lawn. So it is a bit harder when you do it later on because the lawn grew another inch. Respecting neighbors earns you their respect too. Nothing is worse than self centered neighbors.

Yea, the guy is a jerk. If the funeral was for someone I knew and he wouldn't stop mowing I would walk over there, ask him politely to not mow till later. If he refused I'd pull his ignition key out and throw it across his yard.

Believe it or not, this neighbor is basically a really nice neighbor. Now the neighbor on the other side of me, that's a different story. HE is a jerk. But this guy has been very neighborly and helpful to me on more than one occasion. That is why I can't understand why he would mow the lawn when he did. Either he did it on purpose (can't imagine that, purposely being disruptive during a child's funeral?!) or he is simply clueless about lawn mowing etiquette. Really clueless!

Now whether he's henpecked by his wife, I have no idea.

Do your neighbors know what you think about them? If my neighbors knew what I think about them, none of us would ever speak. When you post items on the internet, do you think the people who you criticize would find out? Have you asked the mowing neighbor to stop mowing on Sunday? Perhaps a neighborhood petition would stop the jerk. Do you not have a local group, a citizens oversight organization, that oversees whether you are adhering to local rules, wishes, and desires? Start such a group. Is Sunday his day of "rest" or perhaps Saturday is his day. If you knew that the event was a funeral, why not ask him to stop?

Fruitjar, I had no idea the event was a funeral, I've only met that neighbor once. Doesn't matter what it was, the other neighbor should have refrained from mowing. It didn't occur to me that I could have gone over and said something to him until after everything was over. This neighborhood doesn't have an HOA (thank goodness), and the town doesn't have a noise ordinance, so technically he wasn't doing anything "illegal".

I asked this question on the forum because I wondered what people thought, and if there was any common courtesy so to speak, regarding mowing the lawn at certain times when it might be intrusive on neighbors.

Anyway, I like the neighbor who was mowing during the funeral. But could tell you stories about a couple others who have gone out of their way to cause trouble - not related to lawn mowing though!

I think it really comes down to common sense. Some people just lack that and don't think. On the other hand, could the neighbor have been. Sending a message without knowing what the event was.

I got married a month ago. I am new to the neighborhood and barely know most of our neighbors. My wife and I had planned the event and did so with a fairly short time line. It was supposed to be small casual and about 50 close friends and family. With weather looking iffy, we rented a tent and setup tables and chairs, cleaned up the yard... We didn't ask our neighbors and didn't tell them our plans which I was second guessing and thinking was a mistake. Then, when we asked the neighbor on one side, who's 2 year old plays with the boy we care for, who was going to be there, we asked if they would like to join us. That is when we learned that he was having his sons birthday party that same day. Fortunately, their traditions are to have their gatherings in the front yard, in the driveway for the kids to play. Whew!!! We left the invitation open if they wanted to stop over later.

Then, after getting home from the court house, the other neighbor approached and asked our plans. I told her and she said they were headed out to their daughters baseball game but wanted to make sure they wouldn't disturb us if they stopped back around three to let the dog out. They do have a loud protective dog :). I told her no problem and that guests weren't arriving till four. She said they had another gathering to go to but just wanted to drop back between to take care of the dog.

In the end, I guess what I am getting at, is, it helps when everyone communicates. Especially of we are all generally decent people. Sometimes we just don't think of it. Fortunately, in my case, it all worked out good. It could have been a disaster, as I thought of it, all that parking on the street, two parties, loud pets running the fence... Oh and I forgot to mention the weekend before, whe we were working on the yard, the neighbor with the dog started tearing out their deck. I had fears that there would be hammers, drills and saws to add to the party entertainment.

How about 10 am on a Sunday morning?

I don't like to mow before 9AM, but 10AM is fine. And then I usually start in the front yard because my neighbors' bedroom is in the back of the house.

Maybe there were extenuating circumstances. Do you know if that neighbor had to travel that same day or had some other committment? If not a good dose of common sense and empathy on the neighbor's part would have precluded his firing up the lawn mower next to what was obviously a large event. That said I suspect that those inside the tent were barely aware of his apparently thoughtless behaviour.

I have lived in the same house for 50 years + 10. Have since then become the oldest person on our road, and the most un-cranky guy too.
About 20 years ago or so, a youngish family moved in next door. After we became acquainted, he asked me where the property line was, so he'd know how far to mow over my way. I told him to just mow to where my cut line is, and i'll do the rest. We are good friends, and every body gets along quite well. Most of the time in the fall, i mow and mulch the leaves from his trees, and mine too.
We're always invited to their New Years Eve Party, along with their other friends. Swell neighbors.

Sounds like a plain old circumstance of ignorance on the mowers part (ignorance in its correct meaning, or to not know, and not the more common misuse people seem to use it for when they are trying to convey that someone is a jackass or rude). It seems pretty a pretty far stretch to think that he never looked over once during his mowing as most decent people would look up and pretty quickly realize that the gathering next door was if a more serious nature and not just a BBQ.

I have no problem and no reservations about mowing my lawn on Sun around 9am give or take 15m. I know for sure that none of my neighbors work nights and would be forced due to work hours to have to be sleeping at that time. Also I really don't know any adults that are sleeping after 9am save for some extenuating circumstance.

If one of my neighbors that I am directly connected to yard wise happens to be having some outdoor event at the time I mow there is no question that I need not worry about any negative reprocussions/thoughts/feelings/etc as we all communicate well. Also, it may just be the nature of peesonalities in my locale but someone getting heated over a mowing session during a party just isn't something that wold ever occur. Getting aggravated over something that insignificant just isn't worth the effort.

Ok, I'll be the jerk. It's presumptuous to assume he knew what was going on at his neighbor's house. I've unfortunately had to mow my lawn when neighbors have people over (but certainly not a funeral) due to my work schedule. I often work 80+ hours a week in the spring and fall and don't have the luxury of cherry picking my mowing times. If it's a Sunday I start at sunrise or if in the evening just before dark. If people are that easily offended by mowing then they need to move somewhere where they are not so close to their neighbors. Or they can just learn to deal with it as I often deal with loud, obnoxious parties involving alcohol. Let's not forget there are many day sleepers as well working nights.

Now as rough as that may sound I'm really not a jerk. I help my neighbors out often and even a foreclosed home in the neighborhood to keep the yard from looking like a jungle.

If the man doing the mowing had a lawn service, I'm sure that the lawn service guys would make sure that they weren't disturbing any of the neighbors in the area before they began. If a utility crew has to jack-hammer a street I'm sure they make sure that they won't disturb any of the residents before they begin.

You sir must have the most courteous utility workers on the planet! ;)

Is your neighbor elderly? Maybe he was a bit out of touch with the world. If not, it was terribly mean. My Dad wouldn't mow at all on Sunday out of respect, but I asked him didn't he respect the 7 Day Adventists that have their Sabbath on Saturday? Sometimes you can't help but offend, but this situation should have been handled better.

BSmith : I hear you loud and clear . Aero-Mag Earth Compactors tamping the front laneway last fall almost rattled the fillings out of me during recent road mtce within the last 6 mths . Hopefully the Jack hammers are not next lol . When did Uitility Crew become compassionate towards homeowners ? :)

"If the man doing the mowing had a lawn service, I'm sure that the lawn service guys would make sure that they weren't disturbing any of the neighbors in the area before they began. If a utility crew has to jack-hammer a street I'm sure they make sure that they won't disturb any of the residents before they begin."

What neighborhood is this? I want to move there. The lawn service guys here only care about one thing...get the job done quickly and move on to the next.

A lot of cities are writing in noise ordinance language, covers construction equipment, and small engines too. I think some communities already ban mowing grass on Sundays.

I checked my town, yes they have new stuff like that "Peace and Good Order" Ordinance. It starts out vague, but I am sure they will add more specifics.

I am of the mind that Saturdays after 3:00 pm is quiet time, Sundays after 2:00 pm same. Somebody mowing grass during any aspect of a neighbor's funeral service is a disgrace.

After living in my home for 10 years, I'm discovering that some people are just oblivious to anyone or anything around them.

My nature [to put it politely] is to simply 'talk' to someone about an issue. I would have asked the mower if he could wait and mow at another time, due to the gathering of those neighbors for an obviously special event. 'Could have been a wedding. Same thing, but a funeral is far more sensitive.

Most of my neighbors are very good - thoughtful, helpful, and considerate of our neighborhood. Then, there is always one, it seems, who couldn't care less.

I think it is ok to mow your grass whenever you like but in this case if the person could not do it quietly he should have just waited until later.My mowers are all very quiet but I do have an older Toro mower that has no muffler on it and I keep it around for very special neighbors

You said he was a nice guy. Perhaps he's lonely and just wanted to be noticed so that you can invite him to the party.

terrene, i say your neighbor is a DA and i don't mean District Attorney.

I have seen many who are clueless what they are doing will affect others like spit only to have people downwind hit with their spit- in this case next door and the noise let alone dust. How would u feel to have a dust cloud blowing into your party for 1 hr? Again- too dense to think of that.

Was there a fence separaing he yards....not that this should matter. First, I doubt the tent was installed that day...likely the day before. If I saw a tent go up I'd try to get my lawn mowed that evening anticipating an event the next day. Heck, when my neigbors have a party without a tent I put off my mowing. They don't want to hear it nor do I want to be riding around down near there activity. Now Sunday morning at 10am...thats another story...7am maybe not...10am...I'd be out there...who wants to mow in the heat of the day?

It just occurred to me that he could have been pissed if they parked in front of his house and drove all over the front grass, possible sprinkler heads, etc. I'm willing to bet that there was retribution of some sort involved.

Sans neighbors events, mowing your lawn on a Sunday morning after 9 AM should be fine. Anyone, sleeping in that late is subject to the routine of regular society. If you have a night job, invest in earplugs, and there are worse injustices in the world than routine noise pollution while some yuppie is trying to do yoga.

About a month ago, i installed new belts on my next-door neighbors' lawn tractor, and in view of past favors done for me, in a moment of needing help, i didn't charge him for the work. He's an attorney, and does my legal information for free. So, as i write, he's out there gathering my oak leaves, in self defense! I live at the edge of a woods, and my leaves blow over to his yard.