Another death by DOT Bush-hog

[Scooby074]

Another tragic death by a rock thrown from a bush-hog during a highway mowing.

Why dont they insist on flails for all roadside work? Not the first time its happened in this very county!

Woman killed by rock thrown from DOT mower | ajc.com

 

[jonyyuma]

Tragic and in the back seat, behind glass. What are the odds. I have never seen one on our roadsides without the dangling chains on the mowers?

 

[Bird]

Another tragic death by a rock thrown from a bush-hog during a highway mowing.

Why dont they insist on flails for all roadside work? Not the first time its happened in this very county!

Woman killed by rock thrown from DOT mower | ajc.com

I wonder how many places do use flail mowers. I saw one being used to mow along U.S. 460 in Princeton, WV, once a few years ago, but in all my years that one time is the only time I've seen one being used along a highway. Everywhere else it's been rotary cutters, frequently the 15' batwings in this area.

 

[Scooby074]

I bet they'll find that it had all the necessary safety chains. Due to the undulating nature of ROW mowing its possible to be in a position where the chains are ineffective.

Flails are much safer. Theyve gone to mostly flails here with some exceptions. The boom mowers that are grader mounted are still rotary (typically these stay only on dirt roads, or have escort trucks on paved) , but the edge mowers are flail. The centre highway dividers are mowed with a large deere with a 5 flail hydraulic "batwing". Some areas in the centre divider are still mowed with a rotary and a bobcat. These are tight and/or wet areas where the deere would become stuck.

Lets not forget that batwings are going to be a fair bit cheaper than the flail below. Budget is likely why you dont see more as ROW mowers in your area. But how can you put a price on this accident or the previous death ? Im sure the lawyers will try

Centre mower:

Highway Median Mower

Side Mower:

 

[Transit]

Were there chine guards front and back?

 

[Scooby074]

Were there chine guards front and back?

Dont know for sure, but it would be incredibly foolish for the same county not to have all safety guards in place considering the previous death from a rock thrown from a BH.

This article Woman killed in car when DOT mower ejects rock | 11alive.com mentions someone from DOT saying " their equipment has safety features supposed to prevent debris from flying out from under the mowers." No mention of specifics or this particular machine.

 

[flusher]

I wonder how many places do use flail mowers. I saw one being used to mow along U.S. 460 in Princeton, WV, once a few years ago, but in all my years that one time is the only time I've seen one being used along a highway. Everywhere else it's been rotary cutters, frequently the 15' batwings in this area.

Drove I5 to Red Bluff yesterday. Caltrans mowing crew working south of town. One 15-ft batwing mowing the center strip. One smaller brush hog on the outer strip. AND one 8-10 ft flail mower also along the outer strip.

 

[om21braz]

A friend of mine was mowing a right-of-way with a large rotary cutter, very tall grass, and threw almost half of a truck tire through the passenger side windshield of a tractor/trailer. Fortunately only minor injuries occured - had it been the driver's side there is no telling what the outcome may have been even with moderate traffic on the highway. Yeah, I'd agree flail is the way to go.

 

[TripleR]

Unfortunately most governmental entities simply cannot afford to go to flail mowers.

 

[OkieDave]

Oklahoma City uses mostly flails on New Holland tractors. I see them nearly every day.