WALK POWER MOWER WITH SLIDABLE HANDLE GRIP MOVABLE ALONG A CURVED PATH FOR CONTROLLING A VARIABLE SPEED TRACTION DRIVE

A walk power mower has a deck with an upwardly and rearwardly extending handle behind which a user walks when operating the mower. The mower is self-propelled by a variable speed traction drive. The handle includes a slidable handle grip for engaging and selecting a speed of the traction drive to control the ground speed of the mower. Forward ground speed is set by pushing the handle grip forwardly on the handle from a neutral position. Reverse ground speed if available is by pulling the handle grip rearwardly from its neutral position. The handle grip follows a curved path as it moves forwardly or rearwardly to flatten the path of travel of the handle grip from the travel that would have occurred absent the curved path.