Today’s funny
The Daily Chief-Union of Upper Sandusky has published a story, informing readers about the dangers of lawn mower usage. According to the Insurance Information Institute, approximately 75,000 people per year require emergency room treatment for injuries caused by lawn mowers. The paper noted that most injuries are the result of human error, and was even kind enough to offer a few safety tips:
* Read the instruction manual before using a lawnmower.
* Be sober.
* Do not remove safety devices, shields or guards on switches and keep hands and feet away from moving parts.
* Add fuel before starting the engine, not when it is running or hot.
* Never let children operate lawnmowers. Keep kids 15 years of age and younger away when lawnmowers are in use.
* Do not leave a lawnmower unattended when it is running.There’s more, but we’ll stop there, before you loose all interest.
So WHY are we writing a story about 75,000 accidental lawn mower injuries on a website that focuses on self-defense rights?
Because according to the Centers for Disease Control, less than 17,700 people received non-fatal injuries due to a firearms accident in 2001.
Because when you add to that accidental number those injured intentionally, due to violent attack, the total number is still less than those injured by accident with lawn-mowers – 63,000.
I’m not opposed to lawn mowers but I think some serious lawn mower legislation is in order. After all, you don’t need a riding lawn mower nor do you need a self-propelled lawn mower. All you need are those old timer mowers that aren’t gas powered and have the rotary blades. You know, where you have to run it over the same section of your lawn five or six times.
More:
But most of all, we’re writing this story because unlike a firearm, no one’s life has ever been saved with a lawn mower.
April 22nd, 2004 at 10:39 am
“Never let children operate lawnmowers. Keep kids 15 years of age and younger away when lawnmowers are in use.”
The hell you say! I intend to have my son mowing the lawn before he turns 5, never mind 15!
(I’m kidding, of course. He’s three and already running the weedwhacker.)
This has GOT to be in response to the idiotic CA (redundant) referendum to allow 14 year olds to vote…
April 22nd, 2004 at 10:46 am
They’re not riding lawnmowers. They’re mobile assault tractors.
April 22nd, 2004 at 11:08 am
Self propelled high capacity mowers are capable of mowing down wide swaths of grass with just a single pass. They are the weapon of choice of yard terrorists. These things should not be allowed on our turf.
April 22nd, 2004 at 5:23 pm
*sigh*
I sometimes think Uncle runs these specifically to get under my skin. 🙂 Bullshit use of statistics is a popular pastime all across the political spectrum, it seems. Let’s compare two numbers that on the surface appear to be related but in truth are not even remotely related. Then let’s act as though those apples and oranges really do compare, and try to make some backhanded point with our (baloney) numbers as a hammer.
It’s like the car accidents versus gun accidents thread from several months ago.
I don’t care what the issue is, such comparisons are meaningless.
April 22nd, 2004 at 5:26 pm
And for the record, can you conclusively prove that a lawn mower has never saved anyone’s life? I’d bet the auto-shutoff feature that newer mowers have is responsible for several saved lives.
And I wouldn’t be too shocked if somebody somewhere ran down a bad guy with their John Deer…
🙂
April 22nd, 2004 at 7:17 pm
>I sometimes think Uncle runs these specifically
>to get under my skin. 🙂
Is this due to paranoia or delusions of grandeur? =P
April 22nd, 2004 at 10:20 pm
Stormy:
Is this due to paranoia or delusions of grandeur?
No delusions about it. I am grand! :p
April 29th, 2004 at 11:56 am
Gotta agree with tgirsch. What’s the point in comparing to non-fatal gun injuries only? Who opposes guns only because of non-fatal injuries. It’s the fatalities they’re worried about.
I sympathize with the cause (and if anyone says I’m insufficiently pro-gun, I’ll shoot them), but B.S. statistic manipulation like this is exactly the technique that the libs use to take away our rights every day. Let’s not do it, too.
April 29th, 2004 at 11:58 am
but B.S. statistic manipulation like this is exactly the technique that the libs use to take away our rights every day. Let’s not do it, too.
I think that’s rather the point.
April 29th, 2004 at 12:06 pm
So there were TWO levels of irony?
I only got the one.
Actually, after reading the entire piece at the link, I don’t think they intended the same irony. They were saying, “look, lawnmowers are more dangerous than guns, and obviously nobody wants to ban them.”
Maybe you meant two levels of irony, but I don’t think the source you cited did.
April 29th, 2004 at 12:26 pm
Agreed, the source likely didn’t though, imo, it may be implied. It was meant to be implied by me for sarcastically implying that i support mower control. Which I obviously don’t.
April 29th, 2004 at 8:57 am
Thursday Gun Links #15
My wife said the greatest thing. “I was going to plan something tonight, but I remembered tonight’s the night you write the Thursday Gun Links. We can go out another time.” What a gal. SayUncle is posting pics of his…