One of the worst habits you can get into with a riding mower is not checking out your lawn before you start mowing. The result is that you may not be aware of obstacles like tree branches or toys. Once you start mowing on a riding mower, you may not see these obstacles from your higher vantage point before it is too late and you have run them over. You can also check for things like pipes or buried rocks that you should avoid or else ruin your mower deck. Another common obstacle to address prior to mowing are low-hanging tree branches.