Another New World Record??….for lawnmowers
The quirky Brits are at it again, trying to regain the record for the World’s fastest lawnmower, currently held by another quirky guy from the USA.
“Project Running Blade” hopes to take a “more-or-less everyday ride-on mower above 100mph (160kph)”. The current record stands at 81mph and was set in 2006 at Bonneville Salt Flats (the favourite haunt of many World record attempts-so this is serious stuff) by American Bob Cleveland.
“This is a proper record, and building a lawnmower capable of speeds well into 3 figures is no easy feat undertaken in an afternoon,” says Stephen Vokins, Project Runningblade’s team principal. “For a start, it still has to be a lawnmower, capable of cutting grass properly. And then it has to obey the laws of physics that will try to stop it going so fast, both through drag and also aerodynamics. There is a real danger that if the aerodynamics are wrong, it will flip up in the air, with disastrous results.
Runningblade in its earlier Mk1 form
“Be under no illusions: this is no collection of blokes standing around in a shed wondering what to do until the pub opens. Backed by some of Britain’s finest companies who are contributing their expertise and funds to the project, this is a hand-picked team of professionals and experts in their fields, all bringing their knowledge and experience to achieve something that no-one has ever done before – to crack the ton on a ride-on lawnmower!”
No mention is made of whether it has to still cut lawns whilst going for the record.
The obvious question we ask is “Why????”
Level 2, 9 Help Street