The American Way of Doing Things - Lawnmowers
 

Today I am sore. I spent yesterday weed-whacking and cutting back the jungle that was our front and back garden.
It was actually quite pleasurable and satisfying. I'm sore because our Toro lawnmower has to be pushed down on the handle to lift the front wheels when the grass and weeds are thick and tall.
Otherwise thick grass make the little Briggs and Stratton engine stall. Of course, that means there's no self-propelling of the lawnmower.

Anyway, I got to thinking that gas powered lawnmowers and weed whackers are a uniquely American thing. Well, not unique, but gas powered devices are ubiquitous over here.
I just googled the top selling lawn mowers and grass trimmers in the UK; pretty much everything is electric. (I love explaining the Flymo to Americans.)

It's like everything is over engineered here. The 18 wheeler rig, for example, seems overbuilt compared to the six wheel trailer lorries in Europe.
The motorcycles; big heavy V-twins with loads of chrome, compared to the nimble (and cheap) stripped down cafe racers. I'm sure a lot of it has to do with post-war austerity in Britain and Europe.
Crappy British versions of American muscle cars; Ford Capri is supposed to be a Ford Mustang. Cheap tinny cars compared to Cadillacs etc.
Lack of resources while the US has an abundance.

I just don't recall seeing gas powered lawnmowers in the UK. I suppose it could also be related to the postage-stamp sized gardens a lot of properties have in the UK, what with land being a premium and 70 million crammed into a small space.
I also don't recall seeing the ubiquitous leaf blower in the UK.

There are things I would like over here that are ubiquitous in the UK. Radiators, instead of forced air. Gas hobs.

Newspapers in blue plastic bags chucked onto the driveway. I don't even know what newspaper it is. Always gets thrown in the rubbish.

Re: The American Way of Doing Things - Lawnmowers
 

Re: The American Way of Doing Things - Lawnmowers
 

Not the same thing, though is it? Quiet lawnmowers? There's nothing like being woken up at 7:15am on a Saturday by the sound of your earnest neighbor's lawnmower, drifting in through the window.

Re: The American Way of Doing Things - Lawnmowers
 

Wife used to hate it when she worked nights. Noisy bloody things. When the neigbour's gardeners use their strimmer, debris hits our front door at high velocity from easily 50' away, so not only do we get the noise of the strimmer but rat-a-tat-tat on the doors and windows too.

Our battery Ryobi strimmer lasts long enough to do all around the edges and is just about quiet enough to hold a conversation over. Not practical for people using it as a day job though. Mower? Not a hope.

Re: The American Way of Doing Things - Lawnmowers
 

It was so bad out back it look me 2 hours to cut it all down. Battery wouldn't have cut it.

What's the etiquette for grass clippings? Leave them on the street or brush them up?

Re: The American Way of Doing Things - Lawnmowers
 

When you say gas do you mean gasoline? Petrol powered lawnmowers used to be common for even small gardens. My dad had a Suffolk Punch, thing of tattered beauty, which created a wonderful striped football pitch look. All the Flymo it was replaced with seemed to do was tear up the lawn. Modern electric mowers are lighter, cheaper and less maintenance for small gardens though so I can understand the change. For bigger gardens you can get the big sit-on mowers but the old self-propelled petrol mowers seem to be restricted to enthusiasts only now. though when (if?) I get a house with a garden then I know what I'll be getting.

https://secure.i.telegraph.co.uk/mul...n_1484769c.jpg

Re: The American Way of Doing Things - Lawnmowers
 

We have a gas ride on mower and a gas propelled mower. But then we have 3/4 acres in the back and 1/4 acre in front of the house. Far to much to do with the gas propelled mower, especially for a man who will be 77 this week. We don't allow the grass or weeds to grow over 4 inches in height before mowing. The trimmer needs two batteries in order to all the trim work involved in the front and back and that doesn't include cutting the edging. Down here in the south you need to be up and mowing before 8 in the morning ( 7 am is preferable) or it is too hot. Yesterday and today the temps hit 106 and even now at 7:21 pm it is 91 and it ain't summer yet.

Re: The American Way of Doing Things - Lawnmowers
 

I know this mower and love this mower! I remember them at school and you would see them at sporting grounds. Very cool.
The simple push-along ones make a really satisfying noise.

Re: The American Way of Doing Things - Lawnmowers
 

Just spotted this:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/112993172197

Trying to work out a way I can justify owning it to my other half when we live in a third floor flat :o

Re: The American Way of Doing Things - Lawnmowers
 

That looks too new and shiny. Mine used to be like the rusty one earlier in this thread,
Now I have a battery powered mower for my 0.5 acre, and really wish the HoA would ban the noisy gas ones.

Re: The American Way of Doing Things - Lawnmowers
 

Re: The American Way of Doing Things - Lawnmowers
 

I actually just bought my first gas-powered lawn mower and weed-eater a couple of weeks back, I agree they are over engineered. I would rather have had a rechargable weed eater but the wife insisted it had to be gas, so there I was at home depot picking it out. I just think that the American way of life is totally centered around Gasoline - so why wouldn't the lawn equipment need it?

Re: The American Way of Doing Things - Lawnmowers
 

Re: The American Way of Doing Things - Lawnmowers
 

I couldn't be arsed with all the faffing about that comes with gas powered devices, so I have electric everything. I did have a battery mower, but when the charger broken a second battery I just replaced it with a corded one. A little more faff, but much more reliable. Except my wife just threw away the mulching attachment. I'll have to rig up my own.

Re: The American Way of Doing Things - Lawnmowers
 

Likewise I couldn't be faffed with gas-powered, we currently have a battery/corded which is great for our small plot, but won't cut it for the new property with much more land.

I found a nice ride-on battery powered model, but OH has just vetoed in on cost grounds... :(

Thinking of getting a goat...