LBrown59
Super Star Member
- Joined
- Oct 27, 2004
- Messages
- 16,851
- Tractor
- 2003 Kubota BX1500/2004 Kubota Bx23/2005 Kubota BX1500
Trim the limbs
Remove ROPS for mowing?
- Thread starter diverdownrick
- Start date
LBrown59
Super Star Member
- Joined
- Oct 27, 2004
- Messages
- 16,851
- Tractor
- 2003 Kubota BX1500/2004 Kubota Bx23/2005 Kubota BX1500
Trim the limbs
</font><font color="blue" class="small">( ROPS are like child seats, air bags and bike helmets. Nice ideas that have been imposed on us by "those who know what's best for us". If more of you guys had been around 5 decades ago, you'd know it's possible, even common, to live long and prosper without any of these things. They're good up to a point, but beyond that point they cause problems of their own.
)</font>
I am as opposed to someone interfering in my life as the next guy. Everything is in life is a double edge sword. I exercise everyday. I know that in keeping my weight down (decreases my risk of diabetes and heart disease) I am wearing out my knees. Well cripes, I can get a new set of knees. Seen it done many times. But diabetes? Heart disease? I have seen the half baked solutions to fixing the problems those diseases cause and frankly, I don't like them one bit. I will gladly wear out my knees earlier rather than later to avoid DM and HD.
Life is all about choices. Taking risks. I like to understand the risk and the outcome. I listen to what others say, even the safety freaks who tell me to be careful. Only a fool refuses to listen. Those fools become the folks who are the recipients of the yearly Darwin awards.
What bothers me is the folks who choose to ignore known risks, and when things going badly, demand to be cared for their mistakes. The fellow on a motorcycle who gets brain injured, now needs 40 years of care because he "knew" better and chose not to wear a helmet?
As individuals, we always choose freedom of choice, but when the you know what hits the fan, we want someone else to bail us out. Just human nature.
Me? I don't drink and drive. I wear a bike helmet when riding my bicycle. I wear my seat belt in the car. I don't smoke tobacco. I always point my gun downrange, even when I "know" it isn’t loaded. I turn off the circuit breaker when working on electrical circuits. I don't play golf in the middle of a thunderstorm. I don't cross a busy street against the light. I always stop on a yellow signal and never try to run a red light.
Will I live longer? Don't know. Will I spend less time in the hospital or in jail, you bet.
It is all about choices.
Bob
)</font>
I am as opposed to someone interfering in my life as the next guy. Everything is in life is a double edge sword. I exercise everyday. I know that in keeping my weight down (decreases my risk of diabetes and heart disease) I am wearing out my knees. Well cripes, I can get a new set of knees. Seen it done many times. But diabetes? Heart disease? I have seen the half baked solutions to fixing the problems those diseases cause and frankly, I don't like them one bit. I will gladly wear out my knees earlier rather than later to avoid DM and HD.
Life is all about choices. Taking risks. I like to understand the risk and the outcome. I listen to what others say, even the safety freaks who tell me to be careful. Only a fool refuses to listen. Those fools become the folks who are the recipients of the yearly Darwin awards.
What bothers me is the folks who choose to ignore known risks, and when things going badly, demand to be cared for their mistakes. The fellow on a motorcycle who gets brain injured, now needs 40 years of care because he "knew" better and chose not to wear a helmet?
As individuals, we always choose freedom of choice, but when the you know what hits the fan, we want someone else to bail us out. Just human nature.
Me? I don't drink and drive. I wear a bike helmet when riding my bicycle. I wear my seat belt in the car. I don't smoke tobacco. I always point my gun downrange, even when I "know" it isn’t loaded. I turn off the circuit breaker when working on electrical circuits. I don't play golf in the middle of a thunderstorm. I don't cross a busy street against the light. I always stop on a yellow signal and never try to run a red light.
Will I live longer? Don't know. Will I spend less time in the hospital or in jail, you bet.
It is all about choices.
Bob
</font><font color="blue" class="small">( ROPS are like child seats, air bags and bike helmets. Nice ideas that have been imposed on us by "those who know what's best for us". If more of you guys had been around 5 decades ago, you'd know it's possible, even common, to live long and prosper without any of these things. They're good up to a point, but beyond that point they cause problems of their own.
)</font>
I am as opposed to someone interfering in my life as the next guy. Everything is in life is a double edge sword. I exercise everyday. I know that in keeping my weight down (decreases my risk of diabetes and heart disease) I am wearing out my knees. Well cripes, I can get a new set of knees. Seen it done many times. But diabetes? Heart disease? I have seen the half baked solutions to fixing the problems those diseases cause and frankly, I don't like them one bit. I will gladly wear out my knees earlier rather than later to avoid DM and HD.
Life is all about choices. Taking risks. I like to understand the risk and the outcome. I listen to what others say, even the safety freaks who tell me to be careful. Only a fool refuses to listen. Those fools become the folks who are the recipients of the yearly Darwin awards.
What bothers me is the folks who choose to ignore known risks, and when things going badly, demand to be cared for their mistakes. The fellow on a motorcycle who gets brain injured, now needs 40 years of care because he "knew" better and chose not to wear a helmet?
As individuals, we always choose freedom of choice, but when the you know what hits the fan, we want someone else to bail us out. Just human nature.
Me? I don't drink and drive. I wear a bike helmet when riding my bicycle. I wear my seat belt in the car. I don't smoke tobacco. I always point my gun downrange, even when I "know" it isn’t loaded. I turn off the circuit breaker when working on electrical circuits. I don't play golf in the middle of a thunderstorm. I don't cross a busy street against the light. I always stop on a yellow signal and never try to run a red light.
Will I live longer? Don't know. Will I spend less time in the hospital or in jail, you bet.
It is all about choices.
Bob
)</font>
I am as opposed to someone interfering in my life as the next guy. Everything is in life is a double edge sword. I exercise everyday. I know that in keeping my weight down (decreases my risk of diabetes and heart disease) I am wearing out my knees. Well cripes, I can get a new set of knees. Seen it done many times. But diabetes? Heart disease? I have seen the half baked solutions to fixing the problems those diseases cause and frankly, I don't like them one bit. I will gladly wear out my knees earlier rather than later to avoid DM and HD.
Life is all about choices. Taking risks. I like to understand the risk and the outcome. I listen to what others say, even the safety freaks who tell me to be careful. Only a fool refuses to listen. Those fools become the folks who are the recipients of the yearly Darwin awards.
What bothers me is the folks who choose to ignore known risks, and when things going badly, demand to be cared for their mistakes. The fellow on a motorcycle who gets brain injured, now needs 40 years of care because he "knew" better and chose not to wear a helmet?
As individuals, we always choose freedom of choice, but when the you know what hits the fan, we want someone else to bail us out. Just human nature.
Me? I don't drink and drive. I wear a bike helmet when riding my bicycle. I wear my seat belt in the car. I don't smoke tobacco. I always point my gun downrange, even when I "know" it isn’t loaded. I turn off the circuit breaker when working on electrical circuits. I don't play golf in the middle of a thunderstorm. I don't cross a busy street against the light. I always stop on a yellow signal and never try to run a red light.
Will I live longer? Don't know. Will I spend less time in the hospital or in jail, you bet.
It is all about choices.
Bob
CTyler
Veteran Member
My 2 cents would be to use your new tractor to mow as close as is comfotable. Then use the Cub to finish mowing under/around them. This is what I do with the L3130 and a Craftsman rider.
CTyler
Veteran Member
My 2 cents would be to use your new tractor to mow as close as is comfotable. Then use the Cub to finish mowing under/around them. This is what I do with the L3130 and a Craftsman rider.
Tollster
Veteran Member
As a BX owner and a avid motorcycle rider. I have done both, that is roll my father in laws kubota (Tipover) and crash many a bike (Dirt bikes that is).
Simple point I have always used is dress for the crash not the ride. But by all means if you live on flat ground and 100% sure you will not tip or roll, go right ahead and remove your ROPS. I am sure there have been allot of people that are not here today that did just that. As for the "used-to-could", that was then this is now. If its there then use it.
Seriously, I have the same trouble with my ROPS, but then again I use a weed wacker too. As for mulching, I do that as well, but no matter what, I still have to wack or else continue to spread the mulch using the 60"MMM. You can only get so close. One trick I have found that works is to spray a very light uniform mist of roundup on top of the mulch and along the edge. It has not hurt the trees and helps with the random weeds and grass. I have also used it in my pond based on a chemical study done by USC (University of South Carolina). They found the chemical breakdown in the aquacide ($$$) and Roundup ($) to be identical, just under different labels. Of course this is made by the same manufacture. I do not use it often as I think the long terms effects have yet to be founded.
As for the ROPS issue, don't get me wrong, I am for "let those who ride decide", (I see nascar drivers with helmets, does that mean we should make it manditory when we drive a car? ) but I am also for a smarter gene pool too. To each his own...
And yes, I ride a Harley Davidson with a helmet 98% of the time. The other 2% I don't drink. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
Simple point I have always used is dress for the crash not the ride. But by all means if you live on flat ground and 100% sure you will not tip or roll, go right ahead and remove your ROPS. I am sure there have been allot of people that are not here today that did just that. As for the "used-to-could", that was then this is now. If its there then use it.
Seriously, I have the same trouble with my ROPS, but then again I use a weed wacker too. As for mulching, I do that as well, but no matter what, I still have to wack or else continue to spread the mulch using the 60"MMM. You can only get so close. One trick I have found that works is to spray a very light uniform mist of roundup on top of the mulch and along the edge. It has not hurt the trees and helps with the random weeds and grass. I have also used it in my pond based on a chemical study done by USC (University of South Carolina). They found the chemical breakdown in the aquacide ($$$) and Roundup ($) to be identical, just under different labels. Of course this is made by the same manufacture. I do not use it often as I think the long terms effects have yet to be founded.
As for the ROPS issue, don't get me wrong, I am for "let those who ride decide", (I see nascar drivers with helmets, does that mean we should make it manditory when we drive a car? ) but I am also for a smarter gene pool too. To each his own...
And yes, I ride a Harley Davidson with a helmet 98% of the time. The other 2% I don't drink. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
Tollster
Veteran Member
As a BX owner and a avid motorcycle rider. I have done both, that is roll my father in laws kubota (Tipover) and crash many a bike (Dirt bikes that is).
Simple point I have always used is dress for the crash not the ride. But by all means if you live on flat ground and 100% sure you will not tip or roll, go right ahead and remove your ROPS. I am sure there have been allot of people that are not here today that did just that. As for the "used-to-could", that was then this is now. If its there then use it.
Seriously, I have the same trouble with my ROPS, but then again I use a weed wacker too. As for mulching, I do that as well, but no matter what, I still have to wack or else continue to spread the mulch using the 60"MMM. You can only get so close. One trick I have found that works is to spray a very light uniform mist of roundup on top of the mulch and along the edge. It has not hurt the trees and helps with the random weeds and grass. I have also used it in my pond based on a chemical study done by USC (University of South Carolina). They found the chemical breakdown in the aquacide ($$$) and Roundup ($) to be identical, just under different labels. Of course this is made by the same manufacture. I do not use it often as I think the long terms effects have yet to be founded.
As for the ROPS issue, don't get me wrong, I am for "let those who ride decide", (I see nascar drivers with helmets, does that mean we should make it manditory when we drive a car? ) but I am also for a smarter gene pool too. To each his own...
And yes, I ride a Harley Davidson with a helmet 98% of the time. The other 2% I don't drink. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
Simple point I have always used is dress for the crash not the ride. But by all means if you live on flat ground and 100% sure you will not tip or roll, go right ahead and remove your ROPS. I am sure there have been allot of people that are not here today that did just that. As for the "used-to-could", that was then this is now. If its there then use it.
Seriously, I have the same trouble with my ROPS, but then again I use a weed wacker too. As for mulching, I do that as well, but no matter what, I still have to wack or else continue to spread the mulch using the 60"MMM. You can only get so close. One trick I have found that works is to spray a very light uniform mist of roundup on top of the mulch and along the edge. It has not hurt the trees and helps with the random weeds and grass. I have also used it in my pond based on a chemical study done by USC (University of South Carolina). They found the chemical breakdown in the aquacide ($$$) and Roundup ($) to be identical, just under different labels. Of course this is made by the same manufacture. I do not use it often as I think the long terms effects have yet to be founded.
As for the ROPS issue, don't get me wrong, I am for "let those who ride decide", (I see nascar drivers with helmets, does that mean we should make it manditory when we drive a car? ) but I am also for a smarter gene pool too. To each his own...
And yes, I ride a Harley Davidson with a helmet 98% of the time. The other 2% I don't drink. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
proudestmonkey
Gold Member
</font><font color="blue" class="small">( ROPS are like child seats, air bags and bike helmets. Nice ideas that have been imposed on us by "those who know what's best for us".
)</font>
Actually, I don't really think that's an apt analogy. ROPS are not imposed on us. As far as I know, its not illegal to ride my tractor in my yard without a ROPS. I can take it off if I want to.
A better analogy is this: ROPS are like handguards on chain saws, circuit breakers inside air conditioners, and grounded plugs on outdoor electrical equipment--they are imposed on Manufacturers, and thank goodness they are. If you want to know what Manufacturers would do if they didn't have to build safety features into their consumer products, just take a look at saws made a few decades ago, before products liability lawsuits and statutes scared manufacturers into building safer better products.
A law that requires a reasonable safety feature is necessary in a capitalist society. If ROPS weren't required, either by law or as a matter of plain liability, tractor makers wouldn't likely put them on. Sorry to say this, but I seriously doubt Kubota has your safety in mind. They have your dollar in mind, and if there was no penalty, either by statute or lawsuit for cutting the cost out of a tractor by not including many of the safety features now standard, they wouldn't do it. Its not that they're callous, but they have competitors who could sell a much cheaper tractor without ROPS and seat safety shut off, and hazard lights, and a hazard sign, and seat belt, and a PTO cap, and so on.
I, for one, am glad for my ROPS and all the other safety features on my tractor. I don't consider myself stupid but I am glad Kubota has been forced by law and liability concerns to think long and hard about how to reduce unnecessary risks associated with using such a beneficial, but also powerful, machine.
When I go on a cruise outside of this country, the first question I ask about a possible shore excursion is whether it is sponsored by the cruise line. If not, I don't go. I want to know that a company which faces the prospect of losing millions of dollars in a United States lawsuit has checked out very thoroughly, whether Juan's fishing boat is seaworthy.
)</font>
Actually, I don't really think that's an apt analogy. ROPS are not imposed on us. As far as I know, its not illegal to ride my tractor in my yard without a ROPS. I can take it off if I want to.
A better analogy is this: ROPS are like handguards on chain saws, circuit breakers inside air conditioners, and grounded plugs on outdoor electrical equipment--they are imposed on Manufacturers, and thank goodness they are. If you want to know what Manufacturers would do if they didn't have to build safety features into their consumer products, just take a look at saws made a few decades ago, before products liability lawsuits and statutes scared manufacturers into building safer better products.
A law that requires a reasonable safety feature is necessary in a capitalist society. If ROPS weren't required, either by law or as a matter of plain liability, tractor makers wouldn't likely put them on. Sorry to say this, but I seriously doubt Kubota has your safety in mind. They have your dollar in mind, and if there was no penalty, either by statute or lawsuit for cutting the cost out of a tractor by not including many of the safety features now standard, they wouldn't do it. Its not that they're callous, but they have competitors who could sell a much cheaper tractor without ROPS and seat safety shut off, and hazard lights, and a hazard sign, and seat belt, and a PTO cap, and so on.
I, for one, am glad for my ROPS and all the other safety features on my tractor. I don't consider myself stupid but I am glad Kubota has been forced by law and liability concerns to think long and hard about how to reduce unnecessary risks associated with using such a beneficial, but also powerful, machine.
When I go on a cruise outside of this country, the first question I ask about a possible shore excursion is whether it is sponsored by the cruise line. If not, I don't go. I want to know that a company which faces the prospect of losing millions of dollars in a United States lawsuit has checked out very thoroughly, whether Juan's fishing boat is seaworthy.
proudestmonkey
Gold Member
</font><font color="blue" class="small">( ROPS are like child seats, air bags and bike helmets. Nice ideas that have been imposed on us by "those who know what's best for us".
)</font>
Actually, I don't really think that's an apt analogy. ROPS are not imposed on us. As far as I know, its not illegal to ride my tractor in my yard without a ROPS. I can take it off if I want to.
A better analogy is this: ROPS are like handguards on chain saws, circuit breakers inside air conditioners, and grounded plugs on outdoor electrical equipment--they are imposed on Manufacturers, and thank goodness they are. If you want to know what Manufacturers would do if they didn't have to build safety features into their consumer products, just take a look at saws made a few decades ago, before products liability lawsuits and statutes scared manufacturers into building safer better products.
A law that requires a reasonable safety feature is necessary in a capitalist society. If ROPS weren't required, either by law or as a matter of plain liability, tractor makers wouldn't likely put them on. Sorry to say this, but I seriously doubt Kubota has your safety in mind. They have your dollar in mind, and if there was no penalty, either by statute or lawsuit for cutting the cost out of a tractor by not including many of the safety features now standard, they wouldn't do it. Its not that they're callous, but they have competitors who could sell a much cheaper tractor without ROPS and seat safety shut off, and hazard lights, and a hazard sign, and seat belt, and a PTO cap, and so on.
I, for one, am glad for my ROPS and all the other safety features on my tractor. I don't consider myself stupid but I am glad Kubota has been forced by law and liability concerns to think long and hard about how to reduce unnecessary risks associated with using such a beneficial, but also powerful, machine.
When I go on a cruise outside of this country, the first question I ask about a possible shore excursion is whether it is sponsored by the cruise line. If not, I don't go. I want to know that a company which faces the prospect of losing millions of dollars in a United States lawsuit has checked out very thoroughly, whether Juan's fishing boat is seaworthy.
)</font>
Actually, I don't really think that's an apt analogy. ROPS are not imposed on us. As far as I know, its not illegal to ride my tractor in my yard without a ROPS. I can take it off if I want to.
A better analogy is this: ROPS are like handguards on chain saws, circuit breakers inside air conditioners, and grounded plugs on outdoor electrical equipment--they are imposed on Manufacturers, and thank goodness they are. If you want to know what Manufacturers would do if they didn't have to build safety features into their consumer products, just take a look at saws made a few decades ago, before products liability lawsuits and statutes scared manufacturers into building safer better products.
A law that requires a reasonable safety feature is necessary in a capitalist society. If ROPS weren't required, either by law or as a matter of plain liability, tractor makers wouldn't likely put them on. Sorry to say this, but I seriously doubt Kubota has your safety in mind. They have your dollar in mind, and if there was no penalty, either by statute or lawsuit for cutting the cost out of a tractor by not including many of the safety features now standard, they wouldn't do it. Its not that they're callous, but they have competitors who could sell a much cheaper tractor without ROPS and seat safety shut off, and hazard lights, and a hazard sign, and seat belt, and a PTO cap, and so on.
I, for one, am glad for my ROPS and all the other safety features on my tractor. I don't consider myself stupid but I am glad Kubota has been forced by law and liability concerns to think long and hard about how to reduce unnecessary risks associated with using such a beneficial, but also powerful, machine.
When I go on a cruise outside of this country, the first question I ask about a possible shore excursion is whether it is sponsored by the cruise line. If not, I don't go. I want to know that a company which faces the prospect of losing millions of dollars in a United States lawsuit has checked out very thoroughly, whether Juan's fishing boat is seaworthy.