How would you handle this?

I have a neighbor a few houses down from me that I do not know very well. He always rides his son around on his lap when cutting his grass with his lawn tractor.

I also know a man who while riding his grandson around on his lawn tractor many years ago and the tractor tipped over and tragically killed the child. The man has never been right since then. He holds himself responsible for the death of his grandson.

Now these lots where I live do not have real good final grades done on them. Up and down all the time. Very dangerous for lawn tractors.

Years ago I had a lawn tractor go over on me. It happened fast. No warning. Up one second and over and down the next. Luckily I just got bruised and scraped up. I shudder when thinking what could have happened had my grandson been on my lap when it happed.

So what would you do if you were me?

...and are willing to accept that he might tell you to go to hell, then go for it!

Knowing that I personally would feel awkward doing it face to face, I would probably write the guy a note....maybe even including any info you can gather on lawnmower safety recommendations. But that's me - I can be awkward. :)

But its not. I wish I could just let him read this thread anonymously. Take care.

Don

with gruesome details.

When I'm out walking the dogs. He would know who it was. But thanks anyway.

Don

Lawnmower Safety

Each year in the United States, nearly 9,500 children under age 18 require emergency treatment for lawn care related injuries. Approximately 25 percent of these injuries involve children under the age of five. Insurance Commissioner Jim Long, who chairs North Carolina SAFE KIDS, believes that many people do not recognize the danger that lawnmowers pose to children.

"The habit of taking a child for a ride on a mower was probably learned by people who remember riding this way when they were young," said Long. "We should not be passing old, unsafe habits on to the younger generation. Riding with a child on a mower was an unsafe practice a generation ago. It's appalling to see it still continue to happen today."

One in every five deaths caused by a lawnmower involves a child. Most of these deaths occur when the child falls off of, or is run over by, a riding mower. These tragedies often involve toddlers and young children. In most riding lawnmower accidents, the operator is the parent, grandparent, sibling or neighbor of the child.

Lawnmower injuries are the leading cause of traumatic amputations in children and a very common cause of open fractures (broken bones associated with wounds). Dr. Robert Letton, a pediatric surgeon at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center, knows first hand that lawnmower injuries can lead to loss of limbs, fingers and toes. He says in Forsyth County in the year 2000, 350 children age 14 and under required medical attention due to lawnmower injuries.

"More children are injured by lawnmowers in our area each year than from riding bicycles," said Letton. "It is imperative that we learn that children should not be anywhere near the operation of lawnmowers or anywhere near the mowing area. This goes for all types of outdoor power equipment."

Obviously the guy loves his kid. You might start by saying something to that effect before mentioning that he's putting his child's life in danger. Take some fresh fruit over, or something like that, to let him know you aren't trying to be threatening or judgemental.

Hopefully, he'll respond with something like, "Gosh...I really hadn't thought of that. Thank you for your concern." But if he gets defensive about it, don't force the issue...just tell him you're sorry to have offended him, and explain that you were only concerned about his child's safety, and leave.

Your topic is important enough to warrant televised public service announcements, in my opinion.