Teaching a 14 year old to drive the tractor...

[skylarkguy]

Here is a simple publication that goes through some safety considerations

G1960 Safe Tractor Operation | University of Missouri Extension

 

[super55]

Experience is by far the best tool in my opinion. I have no idea what kind of terrain you have there but hills and slopes are always an issue. Personally I never run along a slope if I can avoid it. Always try and go straight up/down the slope. Going up a slope if you have a lot of weight on the back you'll immediately feel the front end lighten up. When going down a hill the transmission is your friend and brakes are your enemy. A low gear will do a lot better job of keeping a tractor held back and losing control than manipulating the brakes. If someone starts off to fast on the top of a hill or in a high gear it doesn't take long for the tractor to run away on them.

People will panic and there first response is stab the brakes and the tractor will stall and they'll be sliding. Than let the clutch out to try and get the gears to stop them and the tractor will fire back up without going into a lower gear and will race away on them making matters worse.

Definitely start out on flat ground. In the morning supervise him driving on some low grades and have him depress the clutch and stab the brake at a slow speed. The wet grass will almost certainly cause the tractor to slide. Reiterate that Ag tires work amazing well in loose dirt but on hard surfaces it like driving on snow and ice.

Me personally would much rather have my sons experience there first tractor skid or slide in a controlled setting so they could see how it feels and get firsthand experience than to preach up and down and say "don't do this" because if my kids end up anything like me the first chance they get when I'm not around is they are going to try it.

 

[Jim Shooz]

Fourteen is not too young this guy has 40years experience and is 6years old


http://static.video.qq.com/TPout.swf?auto=1&vid=r010673xh67

 

[Jim Shooz]

Duplicate

 

[mkow1969]

My parents always taught me where the brake was and how to stop a whatever it was that I was driving first. Seems like we can always make things go pretty easily. Seems like things usually go wrong b/c we can't stop. So I've taught my daughter how to drive a go-cart and she drives my t1010 with a loader. First thing I did was show her how to stop it. Gave her the safety talk and let her start slow and stop frequently. Once I was confident that she could stop it I let her go further and further distances without stopping. Best wishes on this venture!! Nothing like seeing that smile on someone when the realize they are driving something on their own. Pricesless

 

[Iowan]

I must agree, take it slow and one step at a time. My 12 year old daughter has loaded concrete and dirt, mowed the lawn drove the BX two miles so I could unload the trailer. The only hard part in letting her run it, and she wants to most of the summer, is it gets me out of the seat. She is a good student with a respect for the tractor so she has learned fast and gained my trust at the same time.:thumbsup:

 

[gharms]

I remember when my dad showed me how to drive our Deutz D 60 06, and I was much younger than 14. I had to stand up and reach to get to the clutch and brake. It is just important to start slowly, and just drive around for a bit without implement. And go on a flat area for the beginning.