ROCKLAND, Maine — A Rockport landscaping company that has a contract to mow the median strips of the Maine Turnpike has filed a lawsuit against a tractor company and the manufacturer of its mowers, claiming the machines failed to perform as advertised.
Farley & Son Inc. filed the lawsuit in Knox County Superior Court against Hammond Tractor Co. of Maine and Alamo Group Inc. of Delaware.
Farley & Son claims it has incurred losses in excess of $100,000 because of the faulty mowers.
Farley claimed it entered into a lease purchase agreement in May 2010 to purchase a model of two Alamo Bat Wing Mowers for use in cutting the median strips of the turnpike. Farley stated that it paid $52,770 for the mowers.
The landscape company stated in the lawsuit that it informed the companies that the mowers needed to reach speeds of at least 5 mph to meet Farley’s needs on its turnpike contract. Instead, the mowers would reach only a maximum speed of 5 mph in low grass and 1 mph in tall grass.
“These speeds were actually less than could be achieved by someone actually pushing a walk-behind lawnmower,” the lawsuit states.
The oil in the mowers had to be changed daily, and the motors had to be tuned up daily and often overheated, contrary to what had been promised, according to the lawsuit.
The companies took back the mowers and repaid Farley, according to the lawsuit. The landscaper, however, is seeking more than $100,000 in damages for lost profits, excessive manpower uses, excessive fuel and oil use, and excessive maintenance costs.
Farley is represented by attorney Dana Strout of Rockport.
A message left Monday afternoon at the Fairfield office of Hammond Tractor was not immediately returned.
The grass is always greener on the other side of the turnpike when the lawn mower mows slower.
If it was specified in writing what the machines are to be used for……looks like the dealer has to go after the manufacturer. Vicious circle for all involved
Biggest waste of $, mow here, plant trees there. Don’t mow and the trees will come. No need to mow twice a year. Maybe one swath next to the road once a year but not yards away from it.
They mow for many reasons,one being our safety.If you can’t see what is coming to you it will take longer to stop.75 mph we need all the help at stopping.
Nor to mention a fire hazard. As far as fourafish—– The volunteer trees are almost always trash brush and crappy spruce and pines along with short lived poplar where wildlife hide just before jumping out into the road.. When I worked on the original stretch of 95 from Sherman to Houlton, the trees were selectively cut for aesthetic purposes (especially the median).There’s more than pavement involved in road maintenance. :)
Dating yourself ain’t ya? Sokay. grins
Should have bought a Deere.
Junk..
I have a suspicion that she used a real estate broker and bought it sight unseen because she had a romantic vision of living in Maine (or maybe not).
SHEEP
Should have used disc mowers instead of bat wings. A bat wing is a over glorified set of bush hogs (major horse power to run). A disc mower is a bar with 8-10 small rotary mowers. The disc mower can turn up higher rpms and allow you to mow at higher speeds. The bat wings are good for maintaining a set level but not for actual bush hog work.
Some better research would have helped the company before they bought the mowers.