mboulais said:
I stress planning jobs and thinking ahead, not relying on the machine to protect you, that's all.
And I'm not saying that is wrong. I'm just saying that you can't plan for everything. And if you work a tractor on property like mine, doing the wide variety of things like most of us do, planning is only going to account for a small percentage of what we actually end up doing at any given time.
Every time you add a safety device to a machine you complicate the machine and complicate the operation of the machine.
Yes, I'd agree with that. But at the same time you have to ask yourself just how much of a complication is a ROPs, or a seatbelt or a seat switch. I've got all that on my tractor. It complicates absolutely nothing for me.
My point with the lawn mowers is that no amount of safety devices on a lawn mower or tractor is going to compensate for stupidity.
Again, you are absolutely right, but that is not an argument
against the safety equipment. You can't protect every idiot out there but there are countless seasoned tractor operators out there whose bacon has been saved by ROPs, seatbelts and seat switches.
Safety seems to too volatile a subject for us to discuss rationally. anyone who don't espouse the use of every possible safety feature on the market gets replies like the last two you just posted.
I'm sorry you feel that way. Go back and look at my last few posts and look at yours. Who is being rational? Just because someone can't, won't or doesn't want to be rational doesn't mean that others can't. And I've been on these boards long enough that others can tell you, I'm not a member of the Safety Nazis. Just because I recognize the intrinsic value of 3 simple safety features doesn't make me an extremist.
OK... you win, you can have the safety forum.
That's fine. But it sounds like a cop out to me. If you have a valid point, make it. But don't just make it by saying "I do this" or "I never do that." So maybe we should start over. I'll throw these questions out and there not just aimed at you. For anyone who has or intends to disable these three saety features I'd love to hear your logic for doing so. Maybe there are aspects that I have not thought of that would change my miind and the minds of others who generally appreciate the safety features on our tractors.
You say you don't like your ROPS. Why not? What problems does it cause? Are those problems sufficient enough to remove it and put yourself at risk? what about other people who might use your tractor? Many of us have kids and older parents who are capable of using our tractors.
You say you still have your ROPS, but don't wear your seatbelt. Why not? How much trouble is a simple seatbelt? What realworld problems does it actually cause for you. Is that trouble sufficient enough to make not wearing a seat belt (on a tractor with a ROPS!) a reasonable risk?
I don't remember what you said about the operator presence switch. Have you or would you disable it? It is simple to do. If so, why? What actual, real world problems does it cause for you? How significant are those problems compared to the myriad ways in which you can leave the seat of a tractor in ways that you never planned, never intended and have no control over?
So, there's your chance. If you have an opinion on these matters, share it and defend it. If its just an opinion, and nothing else, well....you know what they say about opinions, we all got one just like....well...you know.
