Honestly used to think people who raked were just being stubborn about noise. But last fall my neighbor fired up his blower at dawn while I was trying to sleep in, and something just clicked. I grabbed my rake the next weekend, and tbh it's not even slower for my small yard. Plus I actually hear the birds and my own thoughts instead of that screaming motor. Now I kinda look forward to the routine, weirdly. Still get annoyed at the guy, but not about the rake.