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.

Bob Cat 52" Zero Turn Lawn Mower ZTR Bobcat US $1,999.99

Husqvarna MZ7227 Zero Turn Mower 27 hp 72 inch less than 100 hours US $3,311.00

bobcat predator pro zero turn rider mower 61" 26hp kawi liquid cooled ztr lawn US $5,995.00

Toro Zero Turn Mower Steering centering Damper Shock US $24.95

YAZOO, ZERO TURN, LAWN MOWER, COMMERCIAL, HYDROSTATIC, MOWER WITH 48" DECK, USED US $500.00

SEARS CRAFTSMAN 33 INCH COMMERCIAL CUT 10.5 HP WALK BEHIND MOWER ZERO TURN NEW US $1,150.00

11x4.00-5 TIRE for TROY BILT COLT 42" Zero Turn Mower US $22.99

Cub Cadet GATOR Blades for M48 Tank Zero Turn Mower US $54.98

FERRIS IS1500 ZERO TURN MOWER PARK BRAKE ASSY #5623500 US $35.00

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