I witnessed foolishness today

[kebo]

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

Saw this very same thing today on the way home. The young boy was sitting on the mans left leg, and he was holding him with his left arm (or he would have fallen off since there was no seat or any room for him to sit). Just after I passed by, I looked in the rear view and actually saw him throw up his right arm and wave at someone driving by, apparently they blew the horn at him. I could only shake my head. Powered equipment such as tractors and riding mowers are NOT toys for very young children to be riding on!

 

[Sysop]

Much also depends on the child. All kids mature differently. Some have a good understanding of danger and how to avoid it at a younger age than others. A kid who has been raised on a farm around the daily use of such things also stands a better chance of being safe around such equipment than one that's got a weekend warrior (hobby farmer) parent. Some kids ya can hand the keys over age 13 for minor tasks, some kids ya can't let push the grocery cart at the store at age 20. The best parents don't parent from a textbook, they parent according to the child's abilities and development. Accidents can happen at any age, so you have to look at the individuals, not just lump them all into the group of "children" and say what is good for one is good for all... It is sort of like another thread here on TBN about the other end of the spectrum, the elderly. There's no way you can pick a specific cut-off age for people to operate cars and equipment, I know of a couple 75 year old men that could easily whoop on guys half their age (and would gladly do so if you tried taking their pickup or tractor keys).

When I see things like parents riding their kids around on machines and whatnot, I just say a little prayer that all will be safe and continue on my way believing (or hoping) they know their child and the risks they're taking better than I (I am just a passer-by after all). Many things people like to claim are "in the public's interest" are actually just ways of sticking their noses someplace it don't belong.

 

[AGRIMAN]

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.

And what's wrong with riding your dog in the back of your truck?

 

[Coyote machine]

It's not about the children; it IS about the parents and their ability, or lack thereof to take responsibility for their children when the child cannot do so for whatever the reason. Problem today there are way too many clueless parents who put themselves and their children/grandchildren in harm's way. When they put dangerous machinery into the mix disaster is bound to ensue.

 

[Bigkitty]

It's not about the children; it IS about the parents and their ability, or lack thereof to take responsibility for their children when the child cannot do so for whatever the reason. Problem today there are way too many clueless parents who put themselves and their children/grandchildren in harm's way. When they put dangerous machinery into the mix disaster is bound to ensue.

You hit the nail right on the head. Very well put....

 

[MoKelly]

And what's wrong with riding your dog in the back of your truck?

Nothing wrong as long as you don't have to stop real fast going 55 MPH. Remember, the dog is also moving at 55 MPH and has no restraint to hold him/her in place when you have to stop suddenly. To me, if I won't let my children ride in the truck bed I won't let my dog ride in the truck bed. Now, don't get me wrong, I let both my son and the dog ride in the truck bed when we are on our back roads and trails going no more than 5-10 MPH. But out on real roads, I just would be a nervous wreck.

MoKelly

 

[LD1]

Different times indeed. I remember spending alot of time standing on the axle tube and sitting on the small toolbox on the fender of dads 8n while he plowed the garden, or was hauling wood. My nephew who lives there also does the same thing. Now that he is 10 or 11, he is the one in the seat doing the plowing or discing, or draging the rake over the yard.

And I mow with my 3 year old. He sits on my lap. I have a ZTR with a seatbelt. I buckle us both in so it keeps him on my lap instead of me constantly having to pull him back up where its comfortable. He has his hands on the levers as do I. He is in hog heaven cause he thinks "he's" mowing.

And he rides with me on my bota and BH all the time. (never while bushhogging though). The look on his face is priceless when grabs a BH lever and things move And he even starts my kubota for me. Just yesterday I was trimming some pines, and had alot of brush to load up. I'd pull up to a pile, shut the tractor off and set the brake. He'd wait on the seat, and when I was done loading he'd ask "now can I start it". I'd tell him yes and all I had to do was hop on and go to the next pile.

I am sure some city-folks would have a fit, but its the way I was raised, and the way I will raise mine. I look for not having to mow my yard or do these kind of chores by the time he is 10 or 11

 

[TripleR]

Something I will never forget, several years ago, I was rounding a curve when a rather large dog flew out of the back of someone's pickup, it was not a pretty sight. It barely missed my windshield and the dog did not fare well when it landed.

 

[Mace Canute]

Different times indeed. I remember spending alot of time standing on the axle tube and sitting on the small toolbox on the fender of dads 8n while he plowed the garden, or was hauling wood. My nephew who lives there also does the same thing. Now that he is 10 or 11, he is the one in the seat doing the plowing or discing, or draging the rake over the yard.

And I mow with my 3 year old. He sits on my lap. I have a ZTR with a seatbelt. I buckle us both inso it keeps him on my lap instead of me constantly having to pull him back up where its comfortable. He has his hands on the levers as do I. He is in hog heaven cause he thinks "he's" mowing.

And he rides with me on my bota and BH all the time. (never while bushhogging though). The look on his face is priceless when grabs a BH lever and things move And he even starts my kubota for me. Just yesterday I was trimming some pines, and had alot of brush to load up. I'd pull up to a pile, shut the tractor off and set the brake. He'd wait on the seat, and when I was done loading he'd ask "now can I start it". I'd tell him yes and all I had to do was hop on and go to the next pile.

I am sure some city-folks would have a fit, but its the way I was raised, and the way I will raise mine. I look for not having to mow my yard or do these kind of chores by the time he is 10 or 11

This post demonstrates the mindset of parents whose kids end up injured or killed.

 

[Sysop]

This post demonstrates the mindset of parents whose kids end up injured or killed.

This post demonstrates someone who always thinks they know better than everyone else. It is impossible to "rate" the level of safety in a given situation unless you are there, you can't know better than the person that's there. Anyone can end up injured or killed doing almost anything... Life is full of risks if you pull yourself away from the PC and TV.

I have more issue with a parent that gives a kid unsupervised internet access or uses a TV as a babysitter and pays no attention to their kids...