The irony of leaf blowers

Having recently had an otherwise pleasant autumn stroll ruined by a noisy, smelly leaf blower, I am struck by the irony of such a machine. Dry leaves scuttling across the pavement is one of autumn's signature sounds. It brings back happy memories of walking in refreshing Autumn air, jumping in leaf piles, or trick-or-treating at Halloween. It's a great stress reliever.

So why would anyone invent a machine that is God-awfully loud, stinks like Hades, and whose sole purpose is to get rid of the beautiful leaves??? Please chastise me severely if I ever purchase one of these horrific devices.