HOAs (like local or state or federal governments) can go wrong, sometimes idiotically wrong. But so can your 5 or 10 acre unrestricted piece of rural paradise if you happen to be blessed with an ATV running,(yep - got 'em next door) gun wielding, (yep - all of us) heavy-machinery enthused,(do tractors count? - me and the neighbor and half the folks on our street - If I stick mine in the mud the neighbor will pull me out - if my battery is dead I jump on his. If he left his at the deer lease - he jumps on mine) junk car loving redneck neighbor (got one of those too). You can wake up to the smell of gasoline (we all mow - mowers use gasoline - it's the smell of the country) or noise of gunshots (yes) or both combined(YES)! Their kids can become your kids when you find them in your apple trees (love them neighbor kids - my substitute grands!) and their wandering hunting dogs or pit bulls can become your pets too. (or it could be MY dog that wanders and is fairly well tolerated by the neighbors, lol) 'Cause they are not afraid of sharing all of that you see.
See - all that is normal around here and we all tolerate each other and our guns, tractors, mowers, dogs, cats, and kids. For the most part we all have similar ideas and goals. All is well (unless someone cusses my dog!)