Lawn Mower Man

[Jess from VA]

My across the street neighbor (of a couple years) is barely 40yo, and loves all things Hi Tek.  He stuck up cameras all over his property, and has all kinds of electric rechargeable stuff.  He likes to tinker with things, but doesn't like to work.

He has about the same third acre and giant oak trees I do, and his yard has always been way down the list of things he keeps up.  When it gets really bad, I think his wife makes him go out and mow it.  

A couple weeks ago I see this breadbox size thing slowly crawling around his yard, and he's sitting on his front stoop with a Macbook (or something).  I walk over and ask him what he's doing, and he tells me he's programming his new robot lawnmower.  It doesn't pick anything up (like the million pounds of oak pollen we get every spring) it just has some sharp spinning blades that cut the lawn down flat.  He said he doesn't like mowing (with his hi tek self propelled electric mower), so this will do it for him.  It ran about $1100.  It does all 3 sections of his front yard, but does not hit the 4 foot strips between the sidewalks and the street.  When it's done, it runs itself back up to a corner of his house, and shuts off.  If someone steals it, it has a GPS tracker which tells right where it is (unless disabled by the thief).

So now he has it out slow crawling up and down his yard every day or two, for hours and hours, and he'll even get in his truck and leave it working while he's gone.  I must say it's a great improvement in his lawn appearance from my house.

Now my neighborhood has a lot of people out walking with dogs and kids and both all the time.  And I've seen several small children break loose from their mom, and go running up his yard to give it a closer look (mom running up there and hauling them back to the sidewalk).  And a number of the typical small breed, hyper, yipping ankle biter dogs (I detest) have found it offensive and tried to attack the dang thing, going crazy on the leash.

I don't think it's much good as a lawnmower, but it has provided me with some really humorous entertainment.    

I'll be mowing my lawn with my Honda self propelled gasoline mower in an hour or two.  It sucks up all that crummy pollen (which I blew off my roof yesterday with my Stihl gas backpack blower, again).  I like to work.  

[Pluggy]

Jess, do you know where Severna Park, MD is?  Down the street from us was a 100% Washington DC Yuppy couple.  They would put on little jogging outfits and "fast walk" around the neighborhood.  While they did this, a kid was pushing a lawnmower around their yard.  

Spending an hour behind the mower is decent excercise, but I suppose they considered it dirty work.  It was their choice to expend the same time and effort walking in a big circle.

[Jess from VA]

Jess, do you know where Severna Park, MD is?  Down the street from us was a 100% Washington DC Yuppy couple.  They would put on little jogging outfits and "fast walk" around the neighborhood.  While they did this, a kid was pushing a lawnmower around their yard.  

Spending an hour behind the mower is decent excercise, but I suppose they considered it dirty work.  It was their choice to expend the same time and effort walking in a big circle.

Though close-by, I do not know much about MD (haven't ridden over there in over 20 years).

The yuppie thing is pretty common around here, though my neighborhood is mostly middle class working people.  Some of the run down homes are old people, and I get that.  It seems the younger crowd just isn't into work in general (yard or job). 

[Rams]

A couple weeks ago I see this breadbox size thing slowly crawling around his yard, and he's sitting on his front stoop with a Macbook (or something).  I walk over and ask him what he's doing, and he tells me he's programming his new robot lawnmower.

While probably not the same brand, I considered one of those robot self-guiding mowers a while back.
Not because I don't like mowing or working in the yard but because of my allergies.   After mowing, I can't breath worth a dang for almost a week and then it's time to mow again.

Ultimately, I decided the robot mower wasn't worth the $$$ for me.   Yeah, I'm so tight I squeak when I walk when it comes to things I can do without.   

Rams

[da prez]

  There are several businesses around here using the robot mowers. They even have solar chargers on them.
  Jess , there is an attachment for the mowers that will grab an ankle biter and mulch it. ( ).

                                         da prez

[Jess from VA]

Jess , there is an attachment for the mowers that will grab an ankle biter and mulch it. ( 2funny).

 

There's also a lady that walks a giant red male Doberman.  He's regal in bearing and on constant alert.  Someone would be completely nuts to give her any guff or trouble.  I wave politely. 

[Hook#3287]

I was confusing "Lawn Mower Man" with "Trashcan Man" in Stephen Kings novel The Stand.

Turns out he also did a short story called "Lawn Mower Man" that was made into a movie that King sued to be removed from it.    Useless info.

I wonder if any legal case for injury from this unattended mower use has happened yet?

There's gotta be something out there.

[Jess from VA]

I wonder if any legal case for injury from this unattended mower use has happened yet?

There's gotta be something out there.


I haven't heard of any, but you're probably right (not looking it up).

It's small and very slow, and stays on private property.  If it gets knocked over I bet it shuts off.

I suppose an unattended child trespasser could wander up and put his hand under one.  (which would be more on the parents than the mower/owner).

The only thing I would want one for would be if it sped up enough to chase and mulch ground squirrels.  That would be good entertainment.   

[Hook#3287]

I wonder if any legal case for injury from this unattended mower use has happened yet?

There's gotta be something out there.


I haven't heard of any, but you're probably right (not looking it up).

It's small and very slow, and stays on private property.  If it gets knocked over I bet it shuts off.

I suppose an unattended child trespasser could wander up and put his hand under one.  (which would be more on the parents than the mower/owner).

The only thing I would want one for would be if it sped up enough to chase and mulch ground squirrels.  That would be good entertainment.   

Mice, run the mower at night and reduce the field mice population.

When those first came on the scene, theft was a issue.

I assume that has been addressed by making the machine and base communication required?

[Jess from VA]

When those first came on the scene, theft was a issue.

I assume that has been addressed by making the machine and base communication required?

It has a code/password to use/run, and it has a GPS signal to the owner.  If they steal it, he can take the cops right to it.  

I looked out my window yesterday afternoon, and saw it over the curb to the street, stopped.  I called him about it and he ran out and put it back up at the house.

He had not been using it to mow the narrow 4' strips of grass between the street and sidewalk, but he started that yesterday, and it went over the edge.

The funny thing is, he's using it to mow almost every day.  Of course, the yard doesn't need mowed every day (though there's daily growth in Spring).  What I think is, he's using it so much to justify the $1100 price tag to his wife.   And of course the yard is looking great.  

 

[Rams]

When those first came on the scene, theft was a issue.

What I think is, he's using it so much to justify the $1100 price tag to his wife.   And of course the yard is looking great.  

$1,100.00?      I need to relook at these.   I just looked at a "Used" Zero Turn Kubota 48" cut (low hours) and it was $4,500.00 out the door. 

Rams

[henry 008]

"The funny thing is, he's using it to mow almost every day."

A friend of mine bought 1 a few years ago. It was solar powered and it mowed anytime the sun was out. His wife didn't like it because it didn't go back and forth like a traditional mower leaving the vertical or horizontal lines, but it just wondered about until it got to the property line or boundary, then headed off in a different direction.

[Jess from VA]

 I need to relook at these.   I just looked at a "Used" Zero Turn Kubota 48" cut (low hours) and it was $4,500.00 out the door. 

Keep in mind, it picks up nothing and just nips off the top of the grass with small, fine, short blades, and not a mulcher as far as I know.  I don't think it would do well in heavy/tall grass, and I think this is also why he is running it most days.  The packed down pollen and willow oak leaves remain on top the ground unmolested by the little mower running over it many times. 

His wife didn't like it because it didn't go back and forth like a traditional mower leaving the vertical or horizontal lines, but it just wondered about until it got to the property line or boundary, then headed off in a different direction.

Not like I watch it all day, but his mostly goes very slowly up and down the lawn (like most people mow), though I have also seen it randomly wandering around a couple times.  I think this may be a computer/phone programmable thing (he spent a long time doing his programming it when he first got it). 

[Hook#3287]

I got a couple of those self propelled vacuum machines for my house.

They usually go back and forth in a organized fashion one row at a time and then randomly just go off on their own.

Probably just for complete coverage.

I'd imagine the mapping technology is similar in those lawn mowers.

How long before we get drone operated house painting.

[scooperhsd]

I have 3/4 of an acre to mow. It would probably be running most days to do it. OTOH - MIL had a John Deere Lawn tractor (40" + sized mower deck) that can get the whole yard (except where it it can't get into) in about 1.5-2 hours. I really need to get off my a** and go buy a weed whacker to take care of those areas.

Drone operated house painting ? are you kidding ? so many irregularities on so many houses. I'll pay somebody to deal with it - which is why it hasn't been done yet....

[3fan4life]

I have 3/4 of an acre to mow. It would probably be running most days to do it. OTOH - MIL had a John Deere Lawn tractor (40" + sized mower deck) that can get the whole yard (except where it it can't get into) in about 1.5-2 hours. I really need to get off my a** and go buy a weed whacker to take care of those areas.

Drone operated house painting ? are you kidding ? so many irregularities on so many houses. I'll pay somebody to deal with it - which is why it hasn't been done yet....

I have about the same size yard.

That's about what it took to mow it with a regular riding mower.

I inherited a Zero turn mower a couple of summers ago.

I'm not a fan of zero turns, but it knocks out the yard in 30-40mins.

That part I like!

[cookiedough]

waste of money!  but then again most of the younger generation are wasteful and lazy.

I have a 20 dollar push mower 30 years old still running to cut the 1/4th acre city size lot is all.  Beats blowing as my 2 neighbors do 4 to 5 grand on a riding mower, but then again, they are in mid 60's vs. me mid 50's so guess never know I might not be able to walk by then either?

People comment at work and in shock when they ask me where is my umbrella when it comes to walking 50 yards tops into the building when raining.  I just say not own one, never will, I will not melt.

Same people are in shock when they cannot believe I have never owned nor operated a dishwasher and do NOT believe in them.  Takes less time, less water, better job cleaning by doing it all by hand every few days when I run outta plates or silverware.  LOL

I learned a long time ago to live without.  If never have stuff, never miss it!

[Robert]

Bought a Honda mower but couldn't cut the grass here in Florida. So bought a used John Deere commercial 36" for 300.00 got that working but it was way to heavy, steel deck was 1/4 inch steel. Sold that and bought the Cub Cadet Walk behind for 500.00 used. Cuts anything down, lighter and easier to maneuver, and while not commercial is holding up well. The wider cut of 32 inches makes short work of the lawn and its easy to take care of. A 12HP engine has plenty of power.