How NOT to mow grass

I had to take my elderly father to the eye doctor today and I got an eye full of a lawn maintenance provider. I only wish I had my digital camera with me. The scene of the crime was the back yard of a large high end condo project. We have three workers, one on a small deck toro zero turn, one weedeater edger, and one backpack blower. The first thing I notice is the guy on the zero turn can't keep it in a straight line. So the finished job is a weaving pattern. The guy with the edger is going so fast there's no way that can look good up close. Blower man was going down the sidewalk and must've got tired, so he walked back to where the zero turn would finish. Meantime the edger was shut down for a smoke break, which acted like a magnet on the blower guy. Pretty soon there was three guys on a 15 minute break at 2:45. The blower guy and zero driver decided the best way to get the sidewalk blown was to sit on the mower deck and ride. After taking off the backpack and trying to figure out where to put it and sit at the same time, this team went to work. So the blower guy had to hold his feet up off the sidewalk or they'd get caught up under the deck. Had this happened, the zero turn driver would've been the last to know, since he can't see thru the blower guy. At least he was smart enough not to have the blades running. Their shirts didn't have any printing or I would've called their boss.

Lawn care business tips

I actually saw some city staff doing that the other day, although it appeared less dangerous. The guy had some sort of device to strap the blower onto the side of his John Deere enclosed cab mower, since it was just him inside.

[Steve]

WOW! It makes you want to carry a camera around with you at all times!

[smallstripeslawncare]

That's horrible. I think one of the worst I've seen in awhile is a two man crew. One was with a walk behind riding on a sulky as fast as the mower could go and this lawn wasn't even that big. I know the way he was turning had to of been tearing up the lawn. Around a tree in the front yard there was absolutely no grass and it was because of the way he was turning around the tree. I mean we all have to turn around tree's but he could of slowed down some or something to avoid making so many marks and eventually leading to no grass. He had a cigarette in his mouth and the other guy was edging and had a cig in his mouth too. Their truck was beat up pretty bad and you could tell none of their equipment was taken care of.

It was pretty bad. I wanted to walk up to the door and let the home owner know my thoughts but I had my whole rig so that probably wouldn't of went over so well lol.

[stevef1201]

Originally Posted by smallstripeslawncare

That's horrible. I think one of the worst I've seen in awhile is a two man crew. One was with a walk behind riding on a sulky as fast as the mower could go and this lawn wasn't even that big. I know the way he was turning had to of been tearing up the lawn. Around a tree in the front yard there was absolutely no grass and it was because of the way he was turning around the tree. I mean we all have to turn around tree's but he could of slowed down some or something to avoid making so many marks and eventually leading to no grass. He had a cigarette in his mouth and the other guy was edging and had a cig in his mouth too. Their truck was beat up pretty bad and you could tell none of their equipment was taken care of.

It was pretty bad. I wanted to walk up to the door and let the home owner know my thoughts but I had my whole rig so that probably wouldn't of went over so well lol.

I would go back tomorrow and ask him if he was truly happy with the way the yard looked. If he said no-give him the sale pitch-if he says yep say OK and RUN