Teen boss cops mower road ban
A young Cromwell entrepreneur who runs a garden maintenance company has been banned from riding his lawnmower to jobs.
Johnny O’Neill, 14, set up his successful business J C O’Neill Contracting in 2017 and until recently had been driving to jobs around the small Central Otago township on his ride-on 780cc lawnmower.
However, he has been forced to employ a driver to take him to jobs or tow the mower behind his bike after a member of the public complained to police and he received a written warning not to drive the mower.
‘‘It’s too big and apparently has too much power.’’
The mower, powered by hydrostatic transmission, travelled up to 5kmh towing a trailer with equipment, and would be lucky to get downhill at 10kmh, he said.
‘‘It’s not exactly going fast ... I would class it safer than a pushbike. What’s the difference with me going down the footpath with a weed eater on the side and someone mowing their lawn next to the footpath . . . or a Lime scooter or e-bike that are a lot more dangerous than what a ride-on lawn mower would be?’’
He was disappointed a member of the public would try and ‘‘put their foot in the way’’.
The setback was going to cost $25,000 in wages employing someone else, as well as costs running another vehicle.
‘‘It’s taken a lot of long hours and long days to get where we are at. We now service 293 clients a week so it is a bit of a logistical exercise. I do 40 of those myself and the staff do the other 250 . . . I reckon it is a lot better thing to be doing than sitting at home on your Xbox.’’
His company had a turnover of more than $100,000 last year with only himself and a part-time worker, he said.
Police declined to comment for ‘‘privacy reasons’’.
A New Zealand Transport Agency spokesman said enforcement in Johnny’s situation was at the discretion of police.
Johnny said he had to overcome a lot of age discrimination in his business. When he first started out he was laughed at, and even now he occasionally struck people who did not take him seriously because of his age.
‘‘I don’t want to be treated differently because of my age but things such as this need an allowance I feel.’’
Johnny’s mother, Willi de Jong, said her son was ‘‘one out of the box’’ and had started the business to extend himself because he was not getting challenged at school.
The ban was a blow for Johnny. ‘‘It’s really, really hard for Johnny. He’s such a driven and determined kid – there is no stopping him.
‘‘He’s learned about marketing, tax, mechanics – he built his first trailer himself.’’
He had developed a comprehensive health and safety plan, and was taking automotive classes at the Otago Polytechnic’s Cromwell campus twice a week on top of high school and the 40-odd hours he worked in his business.
De Jong said her son was ‘‘an awesome driver’’.
‘‘If I have to back a trailer into a small gap, I hand Johnny the keys.’’
She said society tried to wrap kids in cotton wool. ‘‘It’s quite sad.’’
Johnny’s long-term goal is to start a franchise and move into heavy earthmoving and landscaping work.