Tuesday, November 20, 2012

When Yard Grass Becomes Hazardous

Long before cars were invented people walked footpaths or rode animals down those same paths. After vehicles came along roads were made by the cars driving through tall grass or across fields to get where they wanted. They traveled these paths so many times that they became dirt roads a driver could easily follow. Later came gravel poured over the roads to help prevent the wearing of huge holes in the old dirt road. Of course, times have really changed and old footpaths are now highways and roads are all marked with signs to show you where youre going, marks on the roads that tell you whether or not you can pass another car and even lines drawn on the sides of the road to guide you and help keep you from running off the road. Those lines are really important. Without those lines people would be in peril. Drivers couldnt see, especially at night, where the road ends and the ground begins.

In a modern society most people are considerate of one another. Although there are always those who will play their music too loud, late into the night, the majority of people do care about how they treat others. Although most of us try not to impose on others it is possible that some people dont know they are. That is, you could be doing something to harm someone and never even know it! Of course, if you did know it you definitely wouldnt do that anymore, right? When it comes to yard work there are two main reasons to mow. One is that society calls for you to keep your lawn mowed and you do it begrudgingly. Its hot outside and you really dont want to mow but you know you have to, and you break down and do it. Another reason people mow their yards is because they like having nicely groomed lawns. Whether its a chore or not they mow because they enjoy knowing their landscaping - even if its just a lawn - looks great as others pass by.

If someone told you that your lawn mowing could be hazardous to others you might think of the rare occasion when a lawnmower has shot a rock or stick out from underneath it and injured someone standing nearby. Its true, that does happen every once in awhile but there are other ways your lawn mowing can be dangerous. Have you ever turned around and looked at the road next to where youve just mown? Do you see the grass slung out in the road and covering the markings on the road? As stated before, you might not be aware youre doing this, but many Americans are creating hazards for drivers because they throw grass out in the road with their lawnmowers. Grass in the road can be hazardous particularly for drivers in the country. If its nighttime when you mow the danger is even greater. If the wind is blowing the grass can be whisked away in no time, but when there is no breeze, the grass can stay there much longer. Of course, when cars speed by the grass can be blown away but those few drivers who encounter the grass-covered roads are still at risk. If it rains just after you mow, and there is still quite a lot of grass on the road, the grass can actually stick to the road for some time. If you allow your lawnmower to throw grass out in the street, you might only risk one or two drivers, but the risk is unnecessary. Just keep the road in mind as you mow and point your lawnmower the other way. It doesnt take a lot of effort to shoot the grass into your own yard rather than out in the road. Or, use a detachable bag on your lawnmower and catch the clippings instead. Most any lawnmower -push or riding - can be fitted with the bags that, once theyre full, can simply be dumped into the trash can. In the city there are curbs and such which can keep drivers aware of the edges of the street, but on country roads, sliding off the side of the road can cause a major disaster - even death! Of course, your neighborhood will always look much nicer if the streets are neat and clean, and there arent dozens of clumps of mown grass lining the road but cosmetic issues arent nearly as important as the danger that can be had by covering road markings up with grass. Make the small effort to poin

No comments:

Post a Comment