It's not that riding mowers won't mow in reverse it is that they all must have a government mandated safety lock-out to do so.

Each manufacturer has a slightly different way to provide the safety lock-out and some mechanisms are more convenient to use and some are a real PITA.

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Let me repost Slammer's Rules for you...

1. Carefully evaluate the size mower you need and buy at least one size larger.

2. NEVER buy a mower from ANYPLACE that will not let you test drive it or at least a similar model. Ergonomics are just as important as performance and capability.
(Vitally important!)

3. DO NOT base your purchase on price or brand name alone! Do proper research and find all of the available models that fit your criteria and haggle, save, or trade to get the right equipment for the job. Do not compromise!

If you follow these three tips you will end up a happy camper with just the right unit for the job. If you disregard this advice your gonna end up with One or the other of the following problems:

A. Buyers remorse. Stuck with a piece of junk or simply a unit inadequate for the task at hand.

Or..

B. A teed off spouse when you start shopping for another tractor just 3 - 6 months down the road because you didn't buy the right unit in the first place.

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A test drive will tell you if the reverse safety lock-out on THAT mower is convenient to use or not and whether that particular mower physically fits you. Do not buy a mower you can't test drive!

Thanks..The way I read it on reviews some do not mow in reverse? I do not know of any place that would allow one to try it out first. I have Sears, Home depot,Lowes I called asked they all said no? I am clueless as what to buy any points in the right direction. I am a Widow on a fixed income. This is a big purchase for me.

Buying blind is a dangerous thing to do at any price with any level of experience or knowledge. At Sears or Lowes or Home Depot you'll get little from them except the ring of the cash register.

Look in the Yellow Pages and see if there are local dealers for John Deere, Cub Cadet, Snapper, or Husqvarna. There ought to be local lawn mower shops or Outdoor Power Equipment dealers. They should be the place to start.

You can test ride at John Deere dealers. They will deliver if you want. There is also the 30 day John Deere Promise so you can return your purchase for a full refund for any or no reason.

Well, you could plan how and where to make your cuts, then where you can't mow, plant flowers or other things. I don't have many places where i can't use my rider to mow, and i only have to worry about a few spots that can be reached with a hand push mower.
My Snapper rear engine riders were made long before dumb land owners got them-selves in trouble, by allowing their kids to sit and watch them mowing, right in front of them, or by backing over their kid, who "Wanted to watch Daddy mow", and sprang out behind the machine, to pick up a stick, so Daddy wouldn't back over it!
The Snapper RERs' were much better at not hiding kids, because the close-in line of sight is much better.
Another thing is a short turning radius, which allows you to mow around flower beds in a continuous path.
Some complain about Snapper RER's--saying that they rear-up when starting. Well, yeah, sometimes they do--especially if you don't slow the engine speed, or start out by slipping yer foot off the clutch pedal! Or, if you have a full grass collection bag hanging on the back, and you start out heading up-hill! A positively thrilling feeling! I've had mine since 1983, and have experienced the thrill, but it has NEVER turned back over me! NEVER! And, i have several rather steep slopes that i must mow going up hill.
Some complain that the clutch slips on wet days! Just who is the nit-wit who is out there mowing on a wet day?
Lastly-there are folks out there who don't understand any other form of lawn mowing machines, except their favorite which they own. So, they diss the other, different machines. With no real knowlege of how they work, nor how well they do at grass mowing. You have no doubt seen that here in this column.
Rant by: Rusty Jones, The Mower Man

Gardenandcats - All the riding mowers that I'm familiar with have some provision to permit mowing in reverse; some are less convenient than others. Here's were I primarily use the mowing-in-reverse option. I have trees, shrubs, outbuildings, fence corners, and dead-end spots to mow. If I could NOT mow in reverse, then I would have to stop the mower blades every time I needed to back out of a tight spot, then re-engage them to continue mowing. It's not that I care about mowing in reverse, it's just convenient to back away from an obstacle without jumping through hoops to shut down and restart the mower blades.

For the small area you have to mow, I suggest that you take a look at the Snapper Rear Engine Rider, which offers a few advantages over lawn tractors. For one, it is smaller. Also, it comes in various blade sizes (width of cut), and a 30 inch cut should work well for you - we're talking only ONE blade (to be sharpened and occasionally replaced.) It is a highly reliable machine, and parts are readily available. It has been around for at least 25 years. A 30" Snapper with electric start should fit within your price range. Check Yellow Pages under "Lawn Mowers" for an independent Snapper dealer, who will service and set up your new machine, and be there to provide service on it - also, the Ace Hardware chain handles them.

Hey Rusty,

John Deere, Cub Cadet, Snapper, or Husqvarna not enough of a sampling to start shopping? I included your beloved Snapper because I think it would be worth the OP investigating.

Test riding before you buy not a good idea?

Seems there are those who post just to rant and not offer substantive information as well as those who may have their favorites and those who post to make social comments and those who post to relate what they did today cause they have few other things going on in their lives and then there are those of us who post simply trying to help.

The old saying you can't teach an old dog new tricks is often repeated but I never realized that you can't teach an old dog any tricks at all.

There are two things that I would recommend.
1) Don't get rid of the push mower you currently have. I use a cheap mower to trim around trees (Even with the tightest turning you still can not get up to some trees), flower beds, in tight spots, etc. Also they are easier to use to keep the garden paths mowed.

2) Get a rider that can pull a cart. You will find you are using it for every thing. Things such as moving the new flowers from the car to the garden, the numerous pots, fertilizer, new stones for the garden path, etc.