Summer 2024
Subject: Lawn tractors with “Hydrostatic Drive”
using a left foot brake to control the unit, in my opinion is a serious
safety issue that could result in serious
consequences.
Why:
An off-road lawn tractor operator using a left foot brake application,
later driving a legal road vehicle requiring right foot braking, now
hypothetically traveling 70 MPH on a highway and in an emergency situation
needing quick thinking and impulse braking, may attempt to use the left foot
vs right foot to slow or stop. It could be confusing and resulting in a “Bad
News Situation”. It’s matter of safety and good trained driving habits.
My true story about using a lawn tractor for grass mowing. I believe I have a good habit of using the right foot to brake, attempting to control the equipment. My damaged Cub Cadet is proof.
I live in the country with lot size requiring a smaller riding lawnmower. I have used a MTD rider for the past 19 years and store the unit in my garage. It has been a good faithful lawn mower and it worked will, however, the deck went bad last fall. I always wanted to purchase a Cub Cadet, so this spring I purchased a new Cub Cadet LT42b on April 24, 2024 from Bomgaars Supply in Sioux Center, IA.
My old MTD rider had clutch on the left side foot panel (correct side procedure) to shift gears for forward and reverse. The speed control on the dash and no controls on the right foot side.
The new Cub Cadet has a “Hydrostatic Drive” with forward and reverse controls on right foot side, and a brake pedal on the left side. The first time I used the rider it went well, good job mowing and I like the looks of the unit.
After using the rider a few weeks, back in May, one afternoon after completing mowing the lawn, I was driving forward into the garage to park it “and my mind believes I may be traveling into the garage too fast”, so the first impulse was to hit the brake. Well, the right foot is not the brake, it’s the accelerator and I hit my BBQ grill before stopping. Thankfully only minimal damage to the grill and nothing to new rider. I told myself, I never do that again!
A month later, again I’m going to park the Cub Cadet in the garage and I think I’m too close to the wall, and impulsively attempt to stop the unit. Guess what, I again use my right foot to stop the unit “and that’s the accelerator”. Thankfully no damage to anything. I told myself, I never do that again!
A
few weeks ago, after completing lawn mowing, I’m going to park the unit in
the garage. I know the brake to stop the unit needs a left foot application,
and I still “without thinking” used my right foot to stop the Cub Cadet.
This time I hit the wall, damaging the tractor hood brackets. I now using
two bungee cords to continue to operate, looks somewhat cheap. I told
myself, I never do that again! This time will be the last time! Now,
I park the rider outside of the garage door and physically push the unit
inside to park.
For the record, I did have a number of successful times mowing without a problem,
THE TRUTH IS, I do not want to learn to use my left foot to brake. Why: My biggest problem is not that I cannot learn to use the left foot to brake, however, its wrong and it could result in a serious undesirable consequence.
My recommendation: I believe by using American
ingenuity, the left foot brake stop mechanism should be eliminated, and
moved to the right-side foot plate alongside of the accelerator, like lawful
road travel vehicles and farm tractors. I’m no engineer, so please don’t ask
me, but I’m searching for a safer solution to the situation.
Does anyone agree with me?
Thank you,
Elmer Elton (Bud) Baumgart Jr.
Sioux Center, IA
E-mail:
Baumgart@mtcnet.net