Riding mower RIO (Ridiculous Idea On the Onset)

[Tony H]

The whole idea of this 'safety mandate' it to make one more attentive when operating your tractor. What clown came up with this? Now, instead of turning my head prior to backing up, I'm looking down to find either the left hand button or right hand pull knob. How is that safer? Leaning forward to push Button makes it harder to straighten up to look behind the tractor. At least the older tractors had a button you pushed just once when starting the tractor and it stayed. The JD x758 is totally backup unfriendly. Of course bypassing it is easy enough but why must we all buy machines that had this added cost mandated just so we spend more money/time to dismantle? AND does it really add safety?

 

[Norm W]

That's what happens when lawyers get into the design of the machine.

 

[LS Tractor Owner]

Because there were some idiot people that did something stupid, that was their own fault, who decided somebody else was to blame for their own mistakes, then got the lawyer on board to get a massive settlement.

 

[jaxs]

The whole idea of this 'safety mandate' it to make one more attentive when operating your tractor. What clown came up with this? Now, instead of turning my head prior to backing up, I'm looking down to find either the left hand button or right hand pull knob. How is that safer? Leaning forward to push Button makes it harder to straighten up to look behind the tractor. At least the older tractors had a button you pushed just once when starting the tractor and it stayed. The JD x758 is totally backup unfriendly. Of course bypassing it is easy enough but why must we all buy machines that had this added cost mandated just so we spend more money/time to dismantle? AND does it really add safety?

"What clown came up with this?" The simple answer is lawyahoos concoct this sort of stuff to line their pockets. First they are paid by mfgrs to supposedly protect mfgr from liability. When someone is injured while backing up because they were to distracted to watch what they were doing,another lawyahoo sue's,another lawyahoo is paid to dance with the personal injury lawyahoo and afterwards they all meet at the country club for drinky-poos,back slapping and celebrating. Say what? You want to know if injured party was compensated? No money for him,he was found negligent by not having proper inflation in one of the tires.
How's your safty certified and EPA approved gas can doing these days?

 

[Doughknob]

So, OP you are just ranting right? Asking us consumers here does no good. It is like anything where some company gets sued by some tard who hurt theirself and they change the design so as not to get sued again......

Like McDonalds making their coffee cooler because some dingas was drinking it in a car and spilled it on herself and then sued. So now we all get colder worse tasting coffee.....

Nothing new under the sun.....

 

[LittleBittyBigJohn]

For what it's worth. There was a man in my hometown that was out mowing and his best buddy grand child was brought over to the house. He did not know that the grand child had run up to him to get on the mower with him. Backed up without looking. Worst possible outcome happened. I have no idea if his machine had a RIO or not, but it's there to make a person think.

I get annoyed with safeties also. But sometimes, it helps to think about some things like that to humble a person and get things back in perspective.

 

[dodge man]

I agree, the concept is valid so you don’t back up and hit someone while mowing. The problem is just like you describe, you are looking at the dash for the button instead of looking backwards.

 

[jaxs]

For what it's worth. There was a man in my hometown that was out mowing and his best buddy grand child was brought over to the house. He did not know that the grand child had run up to him to get on the mower with him. Backed up without looking. Worst possible outcome happened. I have no idea if his machine had a RIO or not, but it's there to make a person think.

I get annoyed with safeties also. But sometimes, it helps to think about some things like that to humble a person and get things back in perspective.

That's horrific and should never happen to anyone but fact is THAT was 100% lack of supervision by whom ever brought the child to the house and turned it loose without homeowners knowledge. All the wiz bang safty devices on earth wouldn't have prevented child running out into public road,into corral with dangerous cattle or countless other things.

 

[oldnslo]

Why are they not required on zero turns? I know would make machine inoperable but I see people using zero turns and they never look over their shoulder before backing up.

 

[Oaktree]

OK, I had to Google RIO, had no idea what you were talking about.
My mower is 8 or so years old, there are 2 "run" positions on the key. One will shut off the engine if you put it in reverse with the blades engaged, the other over-rides this. I just leave it in the over-ride position all the time. Are you saying they made this more complicated?
I also bypassed the seat switch...my yard has rough sections that bounce me up out of the seat, and the almost shut off drove me nuts.

When I Googled RIO, most of the hits were on how to disable it, didn't sound like it was a big deal to do.

 

[/pine]

Obviously some are ignorant of how many injuries occur with mowing machines etc. every year...
The powers that be use the data from those injuries/deaths etc. to design safety devices in an effort to prevent similar injuries...it's not rocket science...

Accidents do happen but many of them can be prevented...

 

[scaredychicken]

I had never heard of RIO either

 

[dodge man]

RIO is a John Deere thing. It stands for reverse implement operation. I have had my JD for over 3 years now and I still almost kill the engine at least once when I mow.

 

[scaredychicken]

the best that I can relate to is that the engine shuts down sometimes when I shift around on the seat (safety thing)

 

[tomplum]

Several other manufactures have had much better systems than Deere. I agree with the OP , instead of concentrating on what you should be, you are seeking a switch to pull or button to press. Husqvarna you turned the key back one notch on the switch. Early Toro had their key choice which had an extra key under the seat that you would turn once and it would last until the PTO switch was cycled. Didn't want the operator to be able to mow backwards? You took the extra key out. Even MTD had a better system than Deere. Similar to Husqvarna, but you also pushed a button and this lasted until the PTO was cycled. The whole thing started with MTD decades before the standard. Prior to the requirement, it was a voluntary thing between Deere and Toro as a way to meet the standard that was in the making in a way that was user friendly. One of them got it right...

 

[sd455dan]

So, OP you are just ranting right? Asking us consumers here does no good. It is like anything where some company gets sued by some tard who hurt theirself and they change the design so as not to get sued again......

Like McDonalds making their coffee cooler because some dingas was drinking it in a car and spilled it on herself and then sued. So now we all get colder worse tasting coffee.....

Nothing new under the sun.....

Disagree on that particular case, that elderly lady (79) really did need skin grafts. She had 3rd degree burns.
That is how bad that coffee burned her. And the Lady offered to settle for 20 K that is after spending 8 days in the hospital. McDonalds refused.

I remember how hot Micky d's used to serve their coffee. to hot burned my own mouth on their scalding coffee because I took a drink , What good is coffee so hot it completely burns your taste buds so now you can't taste anything.

Nope don't agree on that case Probably completely agree on most others though.


ps. RIO on our very recent used deere x500 purchase lasted all of about 18 hours before it was Fixed along with a few other "items"

 

[jimnor46]

That's what happens when lawyers get into the design of the machine.

Last I heard there were something like 15 warnings about safety on a 6’ ladder...complements of lawyers I’m sure.

 

[BeezFun]

If you think the RIO is a pain when you're mowing, try when you're snow blowing. You've got big gloves on, hands are cold, probably dark out, can't find that little button and your gloves won't fit under that plastic thing you can pull, and if you do your hands are too numb to do anything anyway. And why do you need it for a snowblower? If you back over someone, the problem isn't the auger because it's facing forward. I disabled that thing and if I hadn't I'd probably have traded it in on something else. Total bad design.

 

[Bentrim]

Back in the late 60's I was working for a MF dealer when the 10 & 12 were made they originally had no safety devices, into the 70's safety switches were installed they kept you from starting the engine if the implement drive was engaged or the clutch was not depressed. Before production of those ended more shielding was added along with a deflector chute. Was told at the time there was a gold label and a silver label, depending op how safe it was. Noticed the operators manual on the inside cover and the first few pages listed all the safety decals and ended with the statement "If any are missing do NOT operate tractor". I would often jest that mowers were soon going to have a plexiglass over the blades and snow blowers were going to have the augers covered with chicken wire.
After 20 years left there and worked with mobile homes for about 18 years, returned to a dealer that sold lawn care equipment and was surprised at all the safety gadgets on new equipment.
After hearing how stupid people are and their ability to find a lawyer who could convince a jury that the rich, money loaded dealer and manufacturer ought to provide the poor injured party was excessive compensation because they designed a "defective unsafe" product. Now I understand why the price has excessive for just a simple mower. The manufacturer has to protect themselves and their dealers by designing equipment that even the dumbest person can operate and not get hurt.
Yes we all pay for these "improvements" and must suffer the possible inconvenience of them due to the few who take advantage of stupidity.
By the way are you aware in most states a dealer cannot bypass safety systems and must repair any safety items if the unit was taken to their shop for repair. If you refuse that repair a waver is supposed to be signed by the owner stating he knew the unit was unsafe and would not hold the dealer or manufacturer responsible for any injuries.

 

[jaxs]

Back in the late 60's I was working for a MF dealer when the 10 & 12 were made they originally had no safety devices, into the 70's safety switches were installed they kept you from starting the engine if the implement drive was engaged or the clutch was not depressed. Before production of those ended more shielding was added along with a deflector chute. Was told at the time there was a gold label and a silver label, depending op how safe it was. Noticed the operators manual on the inside cover and the first few pages listed all the safety decals and ended with the statement "If any are missing do NOT operate tractor". I would often jest that mowers were soon going to have a plexiglass over the blades and snow blowers were going to have the augers covered with chicken wire.
After 20 years left there and worked with mobile homes for about 18 years, returned to a dealer that sold lawn care equipment and was surprised at all the safety gadgets on new equipment.
After hearing how stupid people are and their ability to find a lawyer who could convince a jury that the rich, money loaded dealer and manufacturer ought to provide the poor injured party was excessive compensation because they designed a "defective unsafe" product. Now I understand why the price has excessive for just a simple mower. The manufacturer has to protect themselves and their dealers by designing equipment that even the dumbest person can operate and not get hurt.
Yes we all pay for these "improvements" and must suffer the possible inconvenience of them due to the few who take advantage of stupidity.
By the way are you aware in most states a dealer cannot bypass safety systems and must repair any safety items if the unit was taken to their shop for repair. If you refuse that repair a waver is supposed to be signed by the owner stating he knew the unit was unsafe and would not hold the dealer or manufacturer responsible for any injuries.

If wavers actually did what they say they do,need for lawyers would drop 75%. Just 1 of millions of problems that could be solved by a simple waver if wavers were ligit. How bout a waver saying buyer will not hold dealer,mfgr nor anyone liable for injuries caused by mower without RIO?