A surface maintenance machine comprising: a frame; a maintenance head assembly supported by the machine and extending toward a surface, the maintenance head assembly comprising one or more surface maintenance tools for performing a surface maintenance operation; a first front wheel, and a second front wheel, the first and second front wheels being positioned to the front of a transverse centerline of the machine when the machine is moving in a forward direction, at least one of the first and second front wheels being steerable by a steering mechanism, a rear wheel positioned to the rear of the transverse centerline of the machine when the machine is moving in a forward direction; characterized in that: a longitudinal centerline of the machine extends through the rear wheel at a lateral center point of the rear wheel, the first and second front wheels being positioned on opposite sides of the longitudinal centerline, such that the first and second front wheels and the rear wheel form a triangle, the surface maintenance machine having a center of gravity; and an operator platform supported by the frame and configured for allowing an operator to stand thereon, the operator platform positioned to the rear of the transverse centerline of the machine, such that the center of gravity of the machine is positioned in the front one-third of the machine and within the triangle formed by the first and second front wheels and the rear wheel when the operator is not standing on the platform, the machine be configured such that the position of the center of gravity remains generally within the triangle formed by the first and second front wheels and the rear wheel when the operator is standing on the operator platform and the machine is being operated normally. a frame; a maintenance head assembly supported by the machine and extending toward a surface, the maintenance head assembly comprising one or more surface maintenance tools for performing a surface maintenance operation; a first front wheel, and a second front wheel, the first and second front wheels being positioned to the front of a transverse centerline of the machine when the machine is moving in a forward direction, at least one of the first and second front wheels being steerable by a steering mechanism, a rear wheel positioned to the rear of the transverse centerline of the machine when the machine is moving in a forward direction; characterized in that: a longitudinal centerline of the machine extends through the rear wheel at a lateral center point of the rear wheel, the first and second front wheels being positioned on opposite sides of the longitudinal centerline, such that the first and second front wheels and the rear wheel form a triangle, the surface maintenance machine having a center of gravity; and an operator platform supported by the frame and configured for allowing an operator to stand thereon, the operator platform positioned to the rear of the transverse centerline of the machine, such that the center of gravity of the machine is positioned in the front one-third of the machine and within the triangle formed by the first and second front wheels and the rear wheel when the operator is not standing on the platform, the machine be configured such that the position of the center of gravity remains generally within the triangle formed by the first and second front wheels and the rear wheel when the operator is standing on the operator platform and the machine is being operated normally. a longitudinal centerline of the machine extends through the rear wheel at a lateral center point of the rear wheel, the first and second front wheels being positioned on opposite sides of the longitudinal centerline, such that the first and second front wheels and the rear wheel form a triangle, the surface maintenance machine having a center of gravity; and an operator platform supported by the frame and configured for allowing an operator to stand thereon, the operator platform positioned to the rear of the transverse centerline of the machine, such that the center of gravity of the machine is positioned in the front one-third of the machine and within the triangle formed by the first and second front wheels and the rear wheel when the operator is not standing on the platform, the machine be configured such that the position of the center of gravity remains generally within the triangle formed by the first and second front wheels and the rear wheel when the operator is standing on the operator platform and the machine is being operated normally.