I witnessed foolishness today

[Bigkitty]

I have to vent after what I saw today. This is a reminder to everyone out there.

FYI - I have nothing against very young children running equipment. I am pushing 50 years old and started running heavy equipment when I was 8 years old. My dad and myself got tired of everyone asking if I was a midget or to be politically correct these days, a little person.

I was leaving the house this morning and saw a neighbor (probably 45 years of age) who I do not know on his shiny new compact tractor that was delivered about a week ago. He was pushing dirt around with a boy about 10 years old standing on the operators platform leaning against the fender.

Let's all remember that the operators platform is for the operator.

Just had to vent. Safety first.

 

[GaryM]

Many stories posted of folks like that falling off to the side, or behind, and getting terribly hurt or killed. Probably the worst thing that could happen to a parent or grandparent.

 

[creekbend]

Thanks for posting.

 

[Larro Darro]

These are different days, but I spent many an hour riding the tractor with my Daddy. I know what can happen. When I was in the 5th grade, a classmate was riding on a tractor with his uncle. He slipped and went under the Bush Hog. It killed him.

 

[TripleR]

Yes, different times and different people, we have our farms because my brothers and I spent countless hours riding and driving tractors, riding on row crop planters, wheat drills, jumping on and off to check seed presence and depth, kicking ear corn down in the trailer pulled behind the picker and on and on. If mom and dad had to pay for help they could not have managed and we would have been sharecropppers instead of land owners. It was pretty much the same with all of our neighbors, all kids worked in the fields one way or another. I won't let anyone in my tractors while working now, different times and needs.

 

[Midniteoyl]

What REALLY gets me is the folk flying on a lawn mower holding a toddler.

 

[sparc]

What REALLY gets me is the folk flying on a lawn mower holding a toddler.

Yeah, i see this too and I can't understand the logic that lets someone do this. Pure crazy is all I can figure. I have a neighbor down the road who runs his Dixie Chopper at what looks like full speed with his young son on his lap, no belt or either of them and the property has some sloped areas.

Same issue with people who let their dogs sit in their lap while they drive, or the dog in the back of the pickup going 55 or better on a highway. Maybe it less risky at 20 mph on a back road but not a state highway.

 

[dieselcrawler]

There is a picture of me in diapers sittin on my ol man's lap while he bailed hay back in 1978. Had to, mom was busy following the bailer and the best place to nap was on daddy's lap. Would I do that now with my son? Not likely... not that the wife will let me try. 5yr old son thru a fit yesterday when his momma wouldn't let him ride with me doing some light brush hogging.

 

[Sysop]

All the more reason to buy a tractor big enough two butts fit between the ROPS!

 

[Loadstar]

I always rode on the axle tube or the 3pt growing up. I was implement changer/log chainer. Never rode operating mowers neither does my son. We do some riding with the blades off though.