From the obvious department
Anyone who wasn’t already aware, a change to the mower safety standard, set by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), is in effect that prohibits a riding mower, manufactured after September 1, 2004, from operating its blades while the machine is in reverse.
However, manufacturers are permitted, in certain situations, to allow operators the ability to control whether or not the blades operate while the machine is in reverse. Previously, there was no provision on mowing in any direction in the industry standard, although some manufacturers voluntarily prohibited mowing in reverse for many years.
It’s a small feature, but one you’ll want to ask about while mower shopping. Also, you still need to walk your lawns, look behind you before backing up, and us lazy folks should get up off the mower and move the dog’s toys rather than mow over them. I’m just saying.
[…] about this type of device, which was implemented in 2004, because of similar accidents involving mowing in reverse. The issue I want to address now is […]