Harv
Elite Member
- Joined
- Aug 22, 2000
- Messages
- 3,371
- Tractor
- Kubota L2500DT Standard Transmission
I'm finding out, as I'm sure many of you already have, that it's not enough to know the tractor safety rules yourself, but it's just as important to make sure that everybody who will be around the tractor also knows the score.
My wife and kids have been thoroughly indoctrinated and keep a safe distance from the tractor when it's running and are aware that danger still exists even when it's powered down. My three-year old son chastised me when I walked away from the tractor without lowering the box blade to the ground.
I made the mistake of assuming my mother's caretaker had picked up on the rules, but when I left the tractor running while I went inside to refill my Chalkley cup, I returned to find her leaning in against the loader arm to get a better look at the mechanism. She had my daughter by the hand, positioning her right in front of the rear wheel. My daughter knew the rules but assumed since she was with a grownup it was okay. I straightened them both out.
My mother is my biggest worry. I had emerged from the woods to pick up another load of crushed limestone, and when I turned to back up with my newly-filled bucket I was startled to see Mom standing a few feet away, right in my path. She had come out to check the mailbox, and when she saw me, she came over to get a closer look at what I was doing.
Mom has senile dementia and is pretty much unteachable about such subtleties as standing in back of a moving tractor. Since then I have been very, very careful when operating around the house.
There are others who simply can't be taught (see attachment), so I will have to just be more diligent about leaving my tools on the ground, and certainly looking carefully whenever I am backing up.
My wife and kids have been thoroughly indoctrinated and keep a safe distance from the tractor when it's running and are aware that danger still exists even when it's powered down. My three-year old son chastised me when I walked away from the tractor without lowering the box blade to the ground.
I made the mistake of assuming my mother's caretaker had picked up on the rules, but when I left the tractor running while I went inside to refill my Chalkley cup, I returned to find her leaning in against the loader arm to get a better look at the mechanism. She had my daughter by the hand, positioning her right in front of the rear wheel. My daughter knew the rules but assumed since she was with a grownup it was okay. I straightened them both out.
My mother is my biggest worry. I had emerged from the woods to pick up another load of crushed limestone, and when I turned to back up with my newly-filled bucket I was startled to see Mom standing a few feet away, right in my path. She had come out to check the mailbox, and when she saw me, she came over to get a closer look at what I was doing.
Mom has senile dementia and is pretty much unteachable about such subtleties as standing in back of a moving tractor. Since then I have been very, very careful when operating around the house.
There are others who simply can't be taught (see attachment), so I will have to just be more diligent about leaving my tools on the ground, and certainly looking carefully whenever I am backing up.