I once rode a riding lawnmower (with blades spinning) off a very steep bank down about 4' to the water. (The brakes were fixed on the mower the next day). It's amazing how many thoughts can go thru your mind in such a short amount of time.
It want something like this:
OH SH..!
Maybe I can stick my foot out and stop it.
No, the mower deck is running and I might cut my foot off.
What if I just hold on as it hits the pond?
And catch the steering wheel in the groin? How stupid are you?
O.K. What about the spinning blades?
I can jump out into the pond right as it hits the water, getting clear of it if it turns over.
That's what I did. Other than me getting wet and muddy, it was up and running less than an hour after dragging it out of the pond with no issues. The slope was 1:1 or a bit steeper. The frnt wheels just went over the edge and the rest of the machine (and me) followed in slow motion, ending up in about 3' to 4' of water.
