PART THREE – CommentThe devil is in the detail…
Choice says, “a great deal of behind-the-scenes activity” had occurred since
its publications of early 1967. It appears that
Choice, itself, acted as a catalyst
for change – with a draft standard agreed upon by the relevant stakeholders
in 1967-68.
Changes in behaviour included the removing of children from rotary mower advertising,
and that most makers were supplying safe operator instructions. Also, dodgy after-
market blades were held to account.
The remarkable statements are these: “… some stores have refused to stock a
dangerous mower called the VICTA Utility,” and “ACA thinks that the VICTA Utility
should be taken off the market.”
Remember that the Utility was Victa’s last remnant of design DNA that
made Victa famous in the 1950s. Maybe because of Choice’s articles, the
1967 Utility would be the last advertised without a ‘ring guard’, afterwards
offering shallow skirt protection against projectiles as
standard.
Of course, Victa would get the message; with the introduction of the
ring-guarded, skirted Utilities, and skirted new Specials in subsequent years.
Victa would introduce the “Skilled User Range” in 1972. Everyone followed suit.
The message was clear.
Other equal criticisms included blade fastener design, lawnmower caution
signage, and positive on-off switches. And didn’t the Australian lawnmower
makes take heed! In 1968 Australian lawnmowers became safer.
I know some folk will reject the safety changes made in 1968 –
the argument being that folks take responsibility for themselves and
their children. Here, the Darwin Awards reign supreme.
I disagree. I have researched and recorded enough about mower safety
to realise that lawnmower accidents do occur and are frequent.
The safer we make them, the better.
However, outright stupidity will always find a way.
Here, Australia’s
Choice Magazine did contribute in making a real difference.