There are many recognised dangers with mowing, particularly those associated with the increased complexity of a riding lawn mower. Direct blade contact and PTO entanglement are two of the more commonly associated dangers. The danger from thrown objects is often not fully consuidered by the operator or those in his or her vicinity.

The dangers of thrown objects and rotary cutters was cruelly exposed in March 2010. An Australian woman walking to her work was decapitated when a tractor puling a rotary cutter behind it threw up a piece of metal. You can read more about this absolutely accident here. Whilst the freak nature of this accident ensured that it made international news there are very many similar serious or fatal accidents every year.

It is often assumed that a rotary mower can't throw objects a great distance. This assumption is incorrect and dangerous. The blade speed of any mower means that it an throw debris a great distance with enough momentum to cause horrific injury. The risk of damage to eyes is perhaps the most serious due to their inherent vulnerability (and the fact that bystanders often won't be wearing eye protection).

When operating a riding lawn mower one must be aware of throwing hazards. The best way to protect against throwing dangers is to warn bystanders to keep their distance and educate them about the potential risks. It is good practice to get anyone in the vicinity of a riding lawn mower to wear eye protection at the very least. Due to the inherently noisy nature of riding lawn mowers it is also a good idea to warn anyone not to approach you from the rear, or anywhere that is out of your line of sight.

It is also good practice to check the area about to be cut for potential throwing dangers - objects such as stones and sticks become deadly when propelled at high speeds by mower blades.

Within the broad definition of riding lawn mower there are two subsets: conventional rear-engine riding mowers and zero turn mowers. A conventional riding mower is maneuverable but this maneuverability pales in comparison to that of the zero turn mower. Zero turn mowers are often referred to by a huge number of different names and acronyms: ZTR, zero turn radius, zero turning radius, z-mowers - the list goes on and on. The beauty of the zero turn lawn mower is that it can turn around in its own track and be ready for another mowing pass.

There are many tales about just how much time can be saved by using a ZTR mower, but it seems common for them to slash mowing times by more than 50% at least. The time is saved not only in the turning, but also in the higher top speed which ZTR mowers are capable of.

As with many things in life budget will often dictate mower choice. However tempting ZTR mowers are they are often priced beyond the means of the homeowner and into the realm of the heavy commercial user. There are a number of zero turn radius mowers aimed at the home user, but they are often somewhat lacking in comparison with their commercial cousins. They are usually, for example, not as fully featured and typically carry a much smaller engine.

There is a growing trend towards the ZTR mower in the industry as a whole, with an associated decline in the traditional riding lawn mower.

Whether or not a zero turn mower is justified is a decision for each potential owner to make. One must consider just what type of lawn the mower will be used on. An operator with a large lawn with frequent turns will benefit massively in terms of time saved with a zero turning radius mower. Any obstacles are also easily dodged due to the inherent nimbleness of a z-mower.

Looking for a zero turn mower for sale can be a daunting task, but armed with a list of your needs the task can be simplified and the number of mowers whittled down until you have found your perfect machine.

Ferris IS2000 52" 25 HP Kawasaki Zero Turn Mower CALL FOR DISCOUNT!!!! US $8,999.99

2004 Dixon 4515B Zero Turn Riding Mower. Excellent Condition US $540.00

2010 Exmark Lazer Z 60" Commercial Zero Turn Mower *Warranty thru 5/13* US $6,650.00

LAWN MOWER ZERO TURN DIXON KODIAK SE 6125 ZT 61 INCH ZTR NOS US $6,299.00

Classic Accessories Zero Turn Mower Cover 73997 US $50.95

Universal Zero Turn Mower Cover Up to 50" 750-935 US $74.95

EXCEL HUSTLER 251K TURBO SHREDDER ZERO TURN MOWER-51'' US $800.00

Universal Zero Turn Mower hitch mounts anywhere US $24.99

mower deck wheel bolts exmark scag zero turn walk behind antiscalp scalp anti US $75.00

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