New Jax Witty

• Alleys in Jacksonville Confirmed

  There are alleys in the Springfield area of Jacksonville

  I was driving in the Springfield area of Jacksonville when I finally saw my first alley. As I drove around a bit more, I saw more of the handy passageways, nestled behind homes. I'm not sure if this is exclusive to Springfield or if I've missed the miniature roads in other parts of town, but I'd been under the impression that alleys never made their way to Jacksonville at all.
  
  
  If you want to see some alleys like the one pictured, then head over to Springfield before all the alleys become parking lots or bike paths.  Or something progressive like community gardens. It looks like there are some paved alleys behind such local businesses as Hyperion and Main & Six brewers. Also in the residential neighborhoods to the west of Main Street. Park your car and take a stroll through an alley if you've never done it before.
  
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• Advice From Your Driver: Lawyer Up
  I was listening to a lady today as she described her recent car accident. She had a green left turn arrow, but she was hit by someone who seemed to have been disobeying the law. While I think she was being truthful, I also think that she's probably in some trouble if she doesn't lawyer up.
  
  
  I don't particularly like lawyers. None of us do, I suppose, especially if we're ever on the wrong end of a lawsuit. Which is exactly why this woman needs a lawyer. The police officer on the scene did not issue a citation to the other driver, AND she was driving her friend's car, who is now complaining of back pain. PLUS, she was on the phone, answering INSURANCE COMPANY questions. That's all a recipe for disaster! Why? Read on...
  
  She claims she had a green arrow, which should put her in the category of little to no fault, but if she still had that arrow, the man who hit her should have received a ticket for failure to yield. While she does have two witnesses in her car, that apparently wasn't enough for the responding officer, which means she might need more witnesses. I assume lawyers know how to find these people...I sure don't. I nobody stopped to corroborate her story, then she's suddenly potentially AT FAULT. Or at least 50% liable.
  
  Also, her friend will probably have to sue her if the fault of the other driver isn't established. She just got done giving all the details of the accident to her own or her friend's insurance company. The only people worse than lawyers are insurers. They will work with each other in order to avoid any responsibility or extra payments. This woman should not want to deal with her own or her friend's insurance. On top of all that, her own insurance will probably go way up. That sucks, especially if she wasn't really at fault.
  
  If you get into an accident in Jacksonville, get a lawyer. If it's a fender-bender, at least call the cops and your insurance (I made the mistake of trusting the at-fault party).
  
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• No Locals at Local Hotels Could be the Answer
  I was reading an article about a hotel policy in Milwaukee aimed at keeping parties, prostitution, and other illicit activities out of a hotel. The policy is not to allow anyone who lives within 30 miles of the city to book a room. It was kind of a secret policy, apparently, and local government officials are probably going to stop it, but maybe the hotel chain that was doing this has an idea that could work for Jacksonville.

  
  

  Wouldn't it be interesting to know the statistics associated with a policy like this before it gets universally condemned? Did calls to police go down? Were there fewer underage drinking parties that annoyed other guests? Did the hotels lose a lot of potential money? 

  
  

  I'd say that Milwaukee should ask the hotel some of these questions in order to find out if such a policy would be good for the community as a whole. And Jacksonville ought to pay attention to any answers that come from such an inquiry.

  
  

  I get it that a family might have a house fire or some other problem and need a local place to stay, so there probably needs to be a way to circumvent a policy like this. However, if we are serious about cleaning up some of the hotels in the areas known for illicit activities, then there may be some merit in a ban on locals.

  
  
  
• Lyfted From Town
  If getting a rider for the airport when a return ride is available is the Holy Grail of ride-sharing, then getting sent further and further from home as the rush hour ends is the bottom of the rideshare barrel. Unfortunately, you might just have to eat the time and fuel.
  
  
  I was trying to get the morning commute streak, but I'd gotten a late start. Luckily, someone needed a Lyft to the beaches from close to home, so I had a rider right away. From Atlantic Beach, I was dispatched way back to the western part of Arlington, until the app realized I was much closer to another rider in Neptune Beach.
  
  Lyft just assigns jobs without much information about where you'll be driving, and I didn't have the option of saying no if I wanted my morning $6 bonus, so I went from Neptune Beach to Baptist Health South, just about to St. John's County.
  
  The next rider came up, and then seemed to cancel immediately: some kind of glitch with a boyfriend's phone, which almost caused me an accident because of rerouting to another rider while in a very busy, poorly-designed office park.
  
  Again, I had no clue that my third and final rider needed to go from the Julington-Durbin Preserve down to, basically, St. Augustine. Suddenly, I was nearly an hour from home with rush hour wrapping up.
  
  Since I didn't want to get roped into a ride in St. Augustine, I set Destination Mode for home. Nothing. I ended up driving all the way home without one request. Almost, anyhow. Destination Mode shut off after 30 minutes or so. I was almost home, anyhow, and I had gotten my $6 bonus (no tips). Sure, I got some decent payout with highway driving, until the point that highway driving took me too far from home for it to be considered a good day. That said, the previous day had seen me drop someone off in downtown Jax, set the destination for home, get two more riders on the way home, and cash out with very efficient use of my miles.
  
  
  
  My takeaway is that if I'm going to get the early morning bonus, I probably have to start on the early side of the allowed starting time, since a long ride that begins later in the morning could send me into no-man's-land at the end of the morning commute.
  

  
  
  If you want to try out Lyft as a driver in Jacksonville or St. Augustine, click here.
  
  If you want to give Lyft a try as a rider, click this link for a $5 credit on your first ride.

  
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• Three Decades and Then No Pet Headstone
  I know it kind of seems like news that a man who buried his pet 30 years ago could not find the headstone in a local pet cemetery. It's almost like the news stories about underrepresented minority cemeteries or poorly maintained veteran gravestones. Almost. It's a poodle that dies 30 years ago. If the owner had visited the grave each year for the past three decades, the headstone would not be lost. 

  
  

  In dog years, the main neglected to visit his dog for 210 years. That's like if no one visited your grave until your great-great-great-great-great grandkids showed up and quickly called the local news channel when they couldn't find your grave. In fact, I visited some of my relatives in Vermont who were buried on a private family farm there for about 200 years. My family was grateful that the current farm owner even let us look at the small cemetery, but we didn't really expect it to be meticulously maintained. 

  
  

  My dad buried at least one of our dogs in the back yard of the house I own in Milwaukee. It will probably freak out someone who wants to plant a tree there someday, but when my dad wants to visit, at least he knows where to go.
  
  
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• Lyft Driver Jax Snap Review
  For reasons beyond my control, my first weekend of driving with Lyft resulted in an hour of work and two rides. From these two rides, I can see the potential for good and bad when it comes to rideshare driving with Lyft or Uber.
  
  
  I chose Lyft for the first month because it makes sense to go with one (Lyft or Uber) for one month, as they both have some kind of guaranteed amount for a new driver. The problem is that you have to give a lot of rides to meet the criteria, and doing that for two companies in your first month ever makes no sense.
  
  My first ride was at around 10pm. I'd debated clicking the little wheel for some time. When I finally clicked the button, late on a Friday night, I got an immediate assignment. Apartments on A1A. The rider texted a gate code but no real insight as to where in the complex to park. Problem is that the gate was open, I didn't hit the right button to arrive for him (so his app would say I was there), and I didn't read his text until later that evening. In fact, it's dangerous to have customers texting drivers.
  
  I ended up parking near the apartment office, hoping the rider would come find me after I hit the button to arrive. He did find me, and he proceeded to get in the front seat next to me. Not knowing any better, I immediately assumed every rider got up front to ride shotgun. My rider also smelled like one of those perfume shops in Paris. Like he bathed in the stuff. Meaning my car was bathing in it, along with its driver. Needless to say, I dropped him off at a bar in Jacksonville Beach.
  
  The Lyft Driver app then told me to stay in the area to get another ride at a higher price. I was by the bars in Jax Beach. I pulled into a parking lot and waited for another ride, as the little bonus gauge kept increasing. The ride I got was actually outside of the bar areas, and the rider was going home, but I still got the bonus. This rider took me to JTB and Hodges. I dropped her off and went home.
  
  Two rides my first time out. 46 minutes. $13. No tips. About $3 in bonus money. With the drive back home, it's about an hour of time. obviously, it would have paid for me to stay out two or three hours, and then set the destination mode for home at the end, but it was a good test to make sure I can make more than minimum wage, even if it's for a short shift.
  
  If you want to try out Lyft as a driver in Jacksonville or St. Augustine, click here.
  If you want to give Lyft a try as a rider, click this linkfor a $5 credit on your first ride.
  
  
  
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• Florida Teacher Pass Guide
  Several attractions offer free admission to Florida teachers. However, many of requirements are slightly different, so I thought I'd write them down so that I can remember (as a teacher) how to sign up for my free pass.
  
  Keep in mind that your kids (and non-teacher spouse) will still cost you money at all these locations.
  
  
  Crayola Experience in Orlando
  
  Teachers get in free with a valid ID, and it has to state "Teacher" on the ID. You can also get a year pass, not that it's any different. I am not sure if the Crayola Experience checks your ID against a state database to see if it's valid.
  
  
  Legoland
  

  Legoland requires a lot of documentation in person from a teacher:
  

  Guest must present their valid FDOE Professional or Temporary Certificate, a recent paystub (within 30 days) and current Florida photo ID to receive this offer.

  Once you confirm that you are a currently-employed teacher, then you get in for free. It does not seem to be a yearly pass. However, you can visit some linked destinations, as well:

  FREE standard Teacher Passes are also available at Madame Tussauds Orlando and SEA LIFE Orlando.

  
  

  Seaworld

  Teachers need to sign up with some other website that tries to verify if you're a teacher (and probably offer you products you might want). Once signed up, you can order the pass on the Seaworld website. I was not able to get verified with my school ID alone before I had a Florida teaching license, even though that's also supposed to work. Here's what you get once verified:

  The card provides Florida teachers with unlimited admission to SeaWorld Orlando through August 31.

  The evoucher is sent to your email, or you can print it out at home from the website. You take it to the ticket booth and get a teacher card.
  
  
  Kennedy Space Center
  I thought getting in as an educator here was supposed to be easy, but there are some fairly strict requirements, according to the website:
  

  Active Florida, Georgia, Puerto Rico or U.S. Virgin Islands Teaching Certificate
  Active badge with photo that shows the title Teacher or Educator
  Letter on school letterhead signed by the principal listing the name(s) of the teachers attending the field trip

  I am sure the marketing department wants to follow up with all schools sending teachers on field trips in order to see if entire school groups will show up. Yes, your principal will probably play along, but most teachers know getting to attend parks and museums for free is not generally about scheduling actual field trips for the students. And it's called a study pass. That's implying there might be a quiz at the end.
  
  Skeletons Museum of Osteology
  OK, I don't have any interest in seeing 500 skeletons. But free is free, right? If I was hanging out in Orlando with my teaching badge, I might check it out. The FDOE site says it's free with "valid school credentials." The museum website does not appear to confirm this.
  
  Escape Rooms
  I have no interest in escape rooms, and they're not even free, so don't bother.
  

  
  

  Tour St. Augustine 

  You need to email the company to arrange your free or reduced tour. This one is all about trying to book a student field trip, so be ready for a sales pitch.
  
  
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• Male Fashion and Lifetstyle: Cute Kids at the Gun Show
  I've always heard that women dig a man with kids. Since I was happily married when I had kids, I guess I wouldn't know. If you happen to be an uncle in search of a special lady, however, I'd recommend babysitting in order to show off the kids at a gun show.
  

  
  

  Sure, I had a dad belly myself in the preceding photo, but I still had some muscle left in my arms, and the best way to show off those guns was by holding a kid. Unlike holding a beer, you look responsible. Plus, little ones are so squirmy that they actually do make your muscles work, so you're not just flexing for no reason, like when you stand in front of the mirror at the gym. If you're a single uncle on the prowl, grab the kids and head to the mall, grocery store, or library, and watch the magic happen. 

  
  

  I would not recommend taking the kids to the bar or an actual gun show. Or anywhere that you could lose them easily. Maybe go to the park, but most of the hotties there are going to have kids of their own. You don't need to be a homewrecker, and you certainly should not use a toddler as your wing man if that's your intent. Anyhow, the morality of the whole scenario is kind of up to you. I'm only here to guide you with the basics of looking more handsome by adorning yourself with children. 

  
  

  Luckily for me, my wife thought I was more handsome with the kids in tow. If you are a husband with a strained marriage, then she might see you with resentment when you get to grab the kids and look all handsome while she's busy doing the real work around the house. Just ask her how you can help once in a while.

  
  

  Honestly, I think the best thing a man or woman can do in order to look good with kids is act as if that's where he or she wants to be. Others respond well to moms and dads (and uncles on the prowl) who look like they are having fun with the kids. That's not always easy, but if you can make parenting or babysitting look easy, then people assume you can handle anything, even a high-maintenance girlfriend.  

  
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• Guide to Running a Hurricane Newscast
  Before I begin this article, I want to state that I am grateful that Hurricane Dorian missed Jacksonville, and I am also very aware that the storm's destruction was catastrophic for some. This article is not about trivializing a hurricane. It's more about trying to fill air time when the hurricane shows up and is just a wind storm in your area.
  
  The only torture worse than waiting for a hurricane to hit is watching hours of news leading up to the event. And then hours of news people trying to make a small, off-shore hurricane seem like something else in order to keep viewers tuned in. The news channels know a lot of people are watching, so the show must go on, and on, and on. The stars are the weather people, but you need the anchors to provide words such as "devastating" to describe storm potential, as well as general assignment reporters stationed at important spots in order to monitor that which needs no actual monitoring.
  
  
  I can't talk about the other channels too much, since Action News JAX is the channel that comes in on my antenna better than any other, but I sure can talk about the Fox 30 / CBS 47 news reporting of a hurricane. This article was compiled over two days, so it might seem as disjointed as the news coverage of Dorian, but it gives you an idea of how I see the business of covering a hurricane. It happens that this particular hurricane did not do a whole lot to Jacksonville, which (you could tell) was a general disappointment to the news media that needed to be explained rather than hailed as extraordinarily good luck.
  

  
  

  Ads and Weather Team
  
  Mostly, the ads indicate that something bad is, was, or will be happening. Buresh is calm and will help me make it through. It does not mention the reporters, whose job it is to add to the chaos and fear. But that's cool, as long as Buresh is there for us. Also reporting weather will be Garrett, who is seemingly more handsome than any man deserves to be (and is therefore a little suspect), as well as Corey, and Stacey. They will save us from the evil that is nature. God-like, I suppose, though Stacey Garvilla, in her flowing dresses, often seems more like a sea witch--the good kind. Also, I did not see Marithza Ross in the two days that I watched on-and-off, but she also probably has some supernatural qualities. 

  
  The most important part of the newscast is the weather, so we get a lot of that, but it's changing all the time, so the weather people need others to keep us entertained while we wait for new info-graphics or updated maps. Until the weather team has been on the air for the better part of 24 hours straight, they are pretty spot-on. You can tell that Buresh starts to get tired at some point when he's walking in the wrong direction or peering into the wrong camera, which he never does when he's well-rested. He tries really hard not to seem cranky or embarrassed about the fact that the high winds are about 5 miles offshore rather than battering our coast, but you know that he's trying to convince people it made sense to cancel school for three days for a storm that's equivalent to an afternoon thunderstorm. He also knows that he needs ratings, and that he needs to keep it together enough so that we believe the next hurricane forecast rather than assume it's all about sensationalism. It's not, at least for the weather team.

  
  

  Anchors

  More worthless than normal, the anchors are really there to direct traffic. Out to the reporters when the weather team needs to work on their computers. Back to themselves for expert opinions on being good-looking on TV. Then over to the weather team, sometimes with a question that's already been answered 30 times during the past two days of coverage. Lots of thoughts and prayers, along with reminders to be safe. If it was a family, the anchors are Mom and Dad, the meteorologist is your straight-laced-know-it-all, god-like grandpa, and the sports guys are your dopey uncles with beer-holder hats (and luckily not part of the hurricane coverage). And the reporters. They are the tattle-tale cousins and siblings who are always looking to get a better Christmas gift from Grandma if they bust you for riding on the ATV or climbing the silo without permission.
  
  

  Reporters

  Russel Colburn is in St. Augustine in his Storm Tracker Jeep, driving up and down the same flood-prone street, and continuously resting on his laurels on how he drove around in the last hurricane when it flooded the town, showing us video of that rerun over and over, like Uncle Rico making awesome throws on VHS. At one point, Russ assures us that his Jeep is made for this kind of stuff, so we don't have to worry about him. He also calls attention to the 360 cam on top of the Jeep, and I start to wonder if he takes it home and washes it every week instead of spending time with his girlfriend. From what I can tell, Russel is driving up and down the same street. Or maybe he is just showing us a loop of a drive he took several hours ago and he's sitting in the Jeep in his driveway. And you know the other reporters are all wondering why Russel gets to drive around like he's the Pope while they all stand in water to get stories. 

  
  

  Someone is near the Beach Boulevard Bridge. This is presumably because the bridge will be closed at some point. She's also near some boats, so we get to see them dance around behind her once in a while. Maybe the someone is Megan? Moriarty...you know, she reminds me of my wife a few years back. In fact, why are most of the reporters still in college at Action News Jax? Is this an internship? Maybe Miss Moriarty was by the bridge. Maybe it was Christy "Page" Turner, who says the words "Action News JAX" with a special emphasis on the "s" sounds, possibly as some kind of subliminal message. The good kind. I don't think it was Amber Krycka because she was standing near another bridge by Jekyll Island. Wait, were most of the men on the beach and women next to bridges? I thought Lorena Inclan was also next to a bridge somewhere. Weird.

  
  

  Ryan and Jamario are on the beach. Each of them shine flashlights on the dunes and then out to the water, which isn't really all that intense. Businesses are closed, but it's late at night, so that makes sense, anyhow. Both of them also say that they are monitoring something or other. And they both let the water creep up enough to get their shoes wet. It's like when you go to Summerfest on a sweltering day with that girl from school who's all innocent and nice, and then a downpour rolls in, and she goes and stands in the rain, arms reaching up in ecstasy, in her white concert shirt. Except this is Ryan and Jamario instead. 

  
  

  Dani Bozzini is somewhere, but I don't even care where she is, since she talks like she just got off work at the steel mill. Or out of prison. She tells me something about the place she's at and all I can hear is this loud, brash girl my sister tried to fix me up with at a bar one time. All the other people at the bar were looking at us, so I didn't hear a word she said because I was all worried about what those other people were thinking. Still, I'd probably hang out with Dani at a bar.
  
  Ben Becker stands in the water, which probably makes the waves look bigger. His camera operator avoids showing all the families enjoying strolls on the beach as Ben reminds us about how the pier fell down twice before. And that the construction crane (near the people sightseeing on the beach) could fall down at any time, since it's rated at getting through winds of 150mph, and our 40mph winds are somehow somewhere near that. Buresh and his hand puppet Garrett agree that you could maybe add 20mph to the winds up at the top of the crane, not based on any science or reasoning, but on the fact that they want to shut Ben up before he starts making any other outlandish claims. Until next time Becker's number is called, the crane is not in any immediate danger. In between being live, I imagine Ben going over to the crane and trying to rock it back and forth to get the party started.
  
  Elizabeth Pace is standing in water in a neighborhood. She interviews a guy who seems annoyed by her because he has somewhere to be walking to, and she says  the word "again" like she's either Canadian or from East-Coast old money. She tells me about the jackasses making a wake in the street water, and the only one that I've seen doing this is Russel (The Love Mussel?), who actually got yelled at by the fuzz live on the air for making a wake in his beloved Storm Tracker Jeep. Pace rhymes with face, and Elizabeth has a pretty face, but she just needs to say her "Action News JAX" sign-off in some kind of special way (like C. Turner) so that I can pick her out of a lineup of reporters, which would include Amber K and several other young blondes who seem to work part time while attending UNF.
  
  Bridget Matter is standing in, and then walking in, a St. Augustine street, which is filled with 6" of water. She could be walking on the dry sidewalk 30 feet away, but it makes more sense to get in the way of traffic in order to show the audience what 6" of water looks like in a street that she admits floods quite often. Probably right after Mom and Dad in the studio reminded us to stay out of flood waters because of snakes, bacteria, and debris.
  
  For all the constant warnings to residents to stay out of the water, it seems that the first instinct of every reporter is to go stand in some water. I'm sure that's in the Hurricane Reporting Handbook by Jim Cantore. I also found it ironic that the news reporters kept pressing local sheriffs about whether or not people who got IN the water to surf or whatnot would get arrested, almost as if they were tattling. No police officer wants to have to arrest some gnarly righteous dude who's just trying to catch a monster wave. He'd probably rather arrest Ben Becker for standing waist-deep in the ocean near the pier for no good reason, other than to keep people going for a nice walk on the beach out of the frame.
  
  Final Thoughts
  Hurricane news coverage is all about manipulation of the audience. The news channels will say again and again that they are not sensationalizing the coverage, but the reporters are all stationed in places that they are hoping will provide something sensational. We are shown pictures of past destruction, either from the storm upon us or from previous storms, and that's certainly meant to frighten viewers. Sure, the weather team is calm and scientific, but everyone else is part of a circus set up to attract the most viewers. If the city or the news wants to use the sensational to get people to evacuate, that's one thing, but once the coverage of the event starts, I'm not so sure it's what I want to see as I ignore evacuation orders in my home--I'd rather know if there's water or wind coming my way. That said, I totally understand why it's done, since I'd change the channel pretty quickly if I had to watch Bachman stumble over simple words for hours on end. Mostly, I'd just tell reporters to stop standing in the water so much, since it makes the practice seem like the cool thing to do. It's not like I need to go stand in my pond every time it rains just to confirm it's wet outside.
  
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• New-to-Florida Guide to Pressure Washers
  I got the dreaded letter from my HOA that I was in violation of something new. This time, it was the driveway and sidewalks that were deemed dirty, so it was suggested that I pressure wash them. While I'm not a big fan of pressure washing houses or cars, as it can (I assume) create leaks or strip paint, I figured washing concrete was a DIY job I could handle. However, I needed to decide if a rental or a purchase was in order. 

  
  

  I first thought rental. That would have cost me $75, assuming I would have gotten the pressure washer for a day. Since I have some issues with my hands, and it seems that there's lots of squeezing of triggers, I'd assume I would have wanted it for the full day. There's also the hassle of having to reserve it for the weekend, or else get the item after work and hope the sun doesn't set too fast. I had two weeks to comply with my HOA demands, so there was probably time, but I also decided to see which pressure washers I could buy for a reasonable amount of money. 

  
  

  The Home Depot rental would have been a professional gas unit, but I wanted to see what I could get in electric. Obviously, the average homeowner does not need an industrial-strength pressure washer sitting around, especially a gas one that requires maintenance. There are all kinds of websites that claim to rate pressure washers, but I get the feeling that they are all just AI-created sites that take Amazon ratings and put them into paragraphs. The good thing is that those sites at least eliminate some of the cheap Chinese knockoff units. Granted, all the units are probably Chinese, but some that are sold seem to inflate numbers and use inferior fittings and pumps. In fact, I'd stick only with brands that seem to be real and that offer a 1 or 2-year warranty. These include AR, Sun Joe, Greenworks, Karcher, and Stanley. 

  
  

  When you search on Amazon, there will be a lot of "Sponsored Links" to units that look quite a bit like the units named above, more impressive numbers, and about 20 5-star reviews. That's a clear sign that those are knockoffs. They might be made in the same factory in China, but I'd be careful with those. 

  
  

  I had decided on either an ARor Karcherpressure washer at first, though the Karcher seemed too pricey for the numbers it put out. The Sun Joe I liked had more lower-star reviews. Then I read some more, and I talked myself out of and into several upgraded or downgraded versions. Here's the basics that I was looking for: around 2,000 PSI and around 1.5 gpm. If those two numbers are about that (and not inflated), the reviews seemed to indicate the unit would work to kill dirt on my driveway. 

  
  

  After going back and forth on Amazon, I ended up finding a Stanley on Walmart (also on Amazon) that met my criteria and could be at my house in one day, which was important at this point, since the HOA letter was now about a week old. The two mega-companies are selling the unit for the same price, so it's more about which billionaire you want to support. The numbers on mine: 

  2,150 PSI
  1.4 GPM
  25 Foot Soft Flexible Hose
  35 Foot Power Cord
  0°, 15°, 25° & 40° Nozzles
  2-year warranty 

  When I got the box, I could tell parts (pump, at least) were made by AR. That probably explains the better warranty. But would this electric pressure washer work on my Florida driveway and sidewalk? 

  
  

  Yes and kind of. 

  
  

  I tested the unit out with the 0° nozzle, and I could tell that it was powerful enough to take dirt off the sidewalk.I could also tell that this laser beam-type nozzle would take hours and hours of frustrating work to finish a driveway and sidewalk. It kind of made a bunch of squiggly lines of clean surrounded by lots of dirt. 

  
  

  I then used the 15° nozzle, and it worked pretty well. Still, I could tell it would take several hours of work to get the job done, but at least this nozzle was more like a paintbrush than an erratic pen. 

  
  

  I also tried the 25°, but it required me to get very close to work, which basically made it the 15° nozzle with me bent over more. 

  
  

  Several hours later, I was done. I've read that the concrete scrubber attachments for these electric models don't work all that well, but I cannot confirm or deny that. What I can say is that for $150, or double the amount to rent a machine, I was able to buy a power washer that had enough pressure to do the job, eventually. 

  
  

  If I find other projects around the house before the next driveway and sidewalk cleaning, that's a bonus, but I figure I'll clean the concrete once a year and make the purchase worthwhile before the warranty is up. This pressure washer, like many others, has a foam cannon for cars, so I might have to try that out, too. But mostly, I'm satisfied that it did the job it was supposed to do. 

  
  

  One note, however, is that there is no lock on the handle, which means my hands got very tired until I wrapped a wire around it like I have for my old lawnmower. This is obviously not recommended by the manufacturer and could be dangerous, so I'm not telling YOU to do it, but if you have to squeeze a trigger for two hours, it will probably annoy you. 

  
  

  This is probably the best unit I could get for a few reasons: 

  It has a 2-year warranty, and even the ARs only have 1-year.

  It uses the standard quick-connect attachments as opposed to proprietary, and I might get an attachment to take care of the sewer main line. 

  It has enough power to get the job I wanted done without the need for gas power. 

  It's electric, so no maintenance. And quieter than gas.

  It's small enough to fit in the yard shed with my lawn mower. 

  
  
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  Related Stories  Is Nest The Best For JAX HVAC?  Top Tier Gas and Better Prices in Florida  After One Year, We Realize AquaLift Doesn't Work

  Thanks for reading. See more of my content:
  
  Satisfamily - Articles about being happy as a family
  Passive Ninja - Web Design in Jacksonville
  McNewsy - Creative Writing
  Educabana - Educational Resources
  Brave New Church - Church Website Design
  Voucher School - Pros and Cons of School Vouchers
  Luthernet - Web Design for Lutheran Churches
  Sitcom Life Lessons - What we've learned from sitcoms
  Mancrush Fanclub - Why not?
  Epic Folktale - Stories of the unknown
  Wild West Allis - Every story ever told about one place
  Educabana on Teachers Pay Teachers (mostly ELA lessons)
  Real Wisconsin News - Satire from Wisconsin
  Zoo Interchange Milwaukee - Community website
  Chromebook Covers - Reviews and opinions
  
  Brian Jaeger - Resume (I'm always interested)
  
  Contact Me