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Lawn-mowing accidents on the rise, projectile injuries most common: study
So, OK, here's something that bugs me. Here's a quote from the study: "Getting hit by a stick shooting out of your lawn mower is something people under-perceive (as a risk) and the thing to do is to wear goggles and protective clothing. Wear long pants."
And some more:
"If you own a lawn tractor and you want to treat it like a go-cart, just turn off the blade and take your kids around - if that's so necessary."
"Measures that would lower the risks of lawn-mowing injuries include clearing a yard of debris before mowing, wearing close-toed shoes, keeping others - especially children - out of the yard while mowing is underway, and turning off the mower before attempting to service it, the authors said."
You want to know what we do to protect ourselves from horrifying 1000kph flying projectiles and whirring scythes of foot-death?
We own a push lawnmower.
It cost $160 at Lee Valley. It's light, user friendly, never breaks down, and we never have to worry about electrocution by extension cord, or running out of gas, or decapitating small children. It doesn't pollute, is nearly soundless, and the only downside I have ever encountered is that it doesn't cut the grass quite as short as the electric/gas mowers. Which means we have to mow very slightly more often. Which, since we're not deafening the entire neighbourhood and spewing gas fumes the whole time, is not a major sacrifice, IMHO. It's pleasant mild exercise and it's better for the grass - prevents a lot of weeds, actually.
But hey, why go low-tech when you can spend a fortune for the latest and greatest grass-annihilating machine? The kind the entire suburb can wake up to on a lovely Saturday morning, which will also obligingly remove limbs from small children and animals that foolishly wander by?
So, OK, here's something that bugs me. Here's a quote from the study: "Getting hit by a stick shooting out of your lawn mower is something people under-perceive (as a risk) and the thing to do is to wear goggles and protective clothing. Wear long pants."
And some more:
"If you own a lawn tractor and you want to treat it like a go-cart, just turn off the blade and take your kids around - if that's so necessary."
"Measures that would lower the risks of lawn-mowing injuries include clearing a yard of debris before mowing, wearing close-toed shoes, keeping others - especially children - out of the yard while mowing is underway, and turning off the mower before attempting to service it, the authors said."
You want to know what we do to protect ourselves from horrifying 1000kph flying projectiles and whirring scythes of foot-death?
We own a push lawnmower.
It cost $160 at Lee Valley. It's light, user friendly, never breaks down, and we never have to worry about electrocution by extension cord, or running out of gas, or decapitating small children. It doesn't pollute, is nearly soundless, and the only downside I have ever encountered is that it doesn't cut the grass quite as short as the electric/gas mowers. Which means we have to mow very slightly more often. Which, since we're not deafening the entire neighbourhood and spewing gas fumes the whole time, is not a major sacrifice, IMHO. It's pleasant mild exercise and it's better for the grass - prevents a lot of weeds, actually.
But hey, why go low-tech when you can spend a fortune for the latest and greatest grass-annihilating machine? The kind the entire suburb can wake up to on a lovely Saturday morning, which will also obligingly remove limbs from small children and animals that foolishly wander by?
