Advice from the voice of EXPERIENCE !!

[bigtiller]

When launching your boat for the 3rd time & learning from lessons 1&2..

If I may ad a lesson 4; Don't sit on the bench by the boat ramp drinking beer and laughing at new boat owners doing silly things. They are already cussing up a storm and mad enough to cuss at the one they love the most. Some of them may want to "talk" to you.

 

[Cat_Driver]

Never use a flame from a match to see in the dark. There may be fumes that you are not aware of, and NEVER inspect a drum or tank with a match.

Never drive behind or near a cement truck, flatbed trailer, or dump truck, they always have loose rocks that fall off and you’ll lose a windshield.

Never let any passenger in your vehicle put their feet on the dash, in an accident their knees with come back into their head from the air bag.

When hauling and loading equipment, trailers math is your friend. Check the weights and limits of all chains, tie down straps, trailers, trailer hitches, hitch balls etc. Always pull forward get out and recheck everything TWICE. I had a hitch ball sheer off at the base of the ball leaving my trailer dangling in the air. Never EVER buy Chinese hitches, clevis shackles, etc. no matter what they say the weight load limits are. Spend the extra money on USA equipment.

Understand that the ANGLE of your rigging can reduce safe loads up to 75%

Understand that FORCE ( Impact sudden stop ) (Shock load ) that can be up to 20 to 50 times the weight of anything you are securing. If you are hauling a 5,000 tractor the weight can exceed your chain or strap loads in a panic stop.


https://energy.gov/sites/prod/files/2014/01/f6/HoistingRigging_Fundamentals.pdf

When using gasoline understand that the fumes can travel very far from you and the can and will find an ignition source.

Never get off a piece of equipment while it is running.

Always dispose of rags used for staining wood in a bucket of water, they will spontaneously combust.

When pulling someone out of the mud or snow, do not use the run and snap method as that will over stress the limits of any two strap by three fold and cause the strap to break with a violent snap motion back at your vehicle. This goes along with knowing the linits of winching people and having the cable break sending a missile back at you and your windshield.

Always carry a fresh set of batteries along with any flashlight you carry, chances are when you need the light the batteries will be shot.

After any fluid changes even though you swear you checked all the fluids and plugs – do it once more before you start the equipment.

While climbing on equipment always have three points of contact and MOVE SLOW.

As silly as you think you look, wear safety gear, gloves, eye protection, fall protection. You only get one set of everything and if you lose it it’s gone forever.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

When shooting a rifle, and using your hood as a rest, remember the scope is higher than the barrel.

 

[2LaneCruzer]

Never use a flame from a match to see in the dark. There may be fumes that you are not aware of, and NEVER inspect a drum or tank with a match.

Never drive behind or near a cement truck, flatbed trailer, or dump truck, they always have loose rocks that fall off and you’ll lose a windshield.

Never let any passenger in your vehicle put their feet on the dash, in an accident their knees with come back into their head from the air bag.

When hauling and loading equipment, trailers math is your friend. Check the weights and limits of all chains, tie down straps, trailers, trailer hitches, hitch balls etc. Always pull forward get out and recheck everything TWICE. I had a hitch ball sheer off at the base of the ball leaving my trailer dangling in the air. Never EVER buy Chinese hitches, clevis shackles, etc. no matter what they say the weight load limits are. Spend the extra money on USA equipment.

Understand that the ANGLE of your rigging can reduce safe loads up to 75%

Understand that FORCE ( Impact sudden stop ) (Shock load ) that can be up to 20 to 50 times the weight of anything you are securing. If you are hauling a 5,000 tractor the weight can exceed your chain or strap loads in a panic stop.


https://energy.gov/sites/prod/files/2014/01/f6/HoistingRigging_Fundamentals.pdf

When using gasoline understand that the fumes can travel very far from you and the can and will find an ignition source.

Never get off a piece of equipment while it is running.

Always dispose of rags used for staining wood in a bucket of water, they will spontaneously combust.

When pulling someone out of the mud or snow, do not use the run and snap method as that will over stress the limits of any two strap by three fold and cause the strap to break with a violent snap motion back at your vehicle. This goes along with knowing the linits of winching people and having the cable break sending a missile back at you and your windshield.

Always carry a fresh set of batteries along with any flashlight you carry, chances are when you need the light the batteries will be shot.

After any fluid changes even though you swear you checked all the fluids and plugs – do it once more before you start the equipment.

While climbing on equipment always have three points of contact and MOVE SLOW.

As silly as you think you look, wear safety gear, gloves, eye protection, fall protection. You only get one set of everything and if you lose it it’s gone forever.
View attachment 513462

Your "driving behind trucks" advice is right on. I can testify to two incidents personally. I knew better, but was boxed in and couldn't get around the offending truck both times. One, lost windshield and fog light, two, lost tire, rim and running board when a piece of sheet steel flew off a flatbed. Wife was nearly impaled by a flying exhaust stack. I witnessed a small pickup demolished by a spare that came off a truck.

 

[RSKY]

I got a new one. From my sister last Saturday night.

Never assume the deer that just ran across the road in front of you is smart enough to not try to recross the road at the same time you arrive at the spot.

 

[k0ua]

When shooting a rifle, and using your hood as a rest, remember the scope is higher than the barrel.

How long was the crease left in the hood?

 

[rswyan]

Don't attempt to pass a vehicle in the right lane by using the left passing lane when there is a snow plow truck plowing the inside (center) shoulder on a divided highway.

Had a friend who lost his head over that ... literally ...

(instant decapitation via his shoulder belt when the plow truck peeled the entire driver's side of his van off)

 

[Quebecguy]

If you want to, spend many thousands of dollars to get your lawn looking something like a two acre pool table.

By all means, buy yourself a brand new tractor with a nice backhoe on the back.

You can even park that tractor on your lawn when you go for lunch and it is a good idea to lower the backhoe bucket teeth down on the grass to relieve the hydraulic pressure.

But after lunch, when you hop back on the tractor, DO NOT drive the tractor the full length of your lawn without lifting up the backhoe bucket.

It was a neighbour who demonstrated this valuable lesson. At least he was smart enough to get rid of the tractor before he caused even worse damage. I think his wife might have helped him make that decision!

 

[DaveNJ]

I got a new one. From my sister last Saturday night.

Never assume the deer that just ran across the road in front of you is smart enough to not try to recross the road at the same time you arrive at the spot.

Dave's ancilliary rule: Always assume that the deer following the one that ran in front of you is determined to run into the side of your truck.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

How long was the crease left in the hood?

It went in and out the other side. Fortunately, it was dad who did it.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

And don't pass a vehicle in the right lane by using the on ramp.

 

[aledobud]

Always check that the motor is turned off before pulling a boat out of the water. Those four strokes are really quiet.

Have a second rope attached to the boat and trailer when launching by yourself, just in case the winch strap comes unhooked. Oh, and make sure the winch strap hook spring is not broken.

If things like this happen often, sell your boat.

 

[Oaktree]

Always make sure the new oil filter is installed.

And make sure the old gasket didn't stick to the block. Double gaskets don't seal very well.

Never go to sea with people you are unsure of or have doubts about.

Never go to bed with someone who has more problems than you do. Stepson learned that one the hard way.

 

[TemporaryKubotaOwnerMark]

Dave's ancilliary rule: Always assume that the deer following the one that ran in front of you is determined to run into the side of your truck.

Yeah, what is it with those idiots? My wife has center-punched one, but I have had a half dozen run right into the side of me.

Mark's Ancillary Rule: Always assume that the deer following the one that ran in front of you is not the last one in the bunch, and the one following him is probably stupider than the one you just missed.

 

[Larry Caldwell]

Operating with that cruise control on the new tractor you just bought may require practice.

Is that what they call it nowadays? In the old days, we called it the throttle. You set it and went. :laughing:

 

[buckeyefarmer]

Mine has cruise, different than the throttle which it also has.

 

[DuckSlayer1017]

Don't put white gas in the tiki torches when you run out of tiki torch oil. Just ask my uncle.

 

[RSKY]

The more in a hurry you are, the more likely you are to leave something undone, unfastened, or untightened (for example, the nuts on a new Pat's Quick Hitch) causing more time and delay.

The more tedious the job is, the less helpful is the advice the love of your life gives you.

Gasoline fumes flow downhill. After pouring several cups into what you think is a yellow jackets nest be sure you are upwind and uphill before dropping the match. (I had on shorts and my wife actually asked me if I had shaved my legs.)

Pouring a quart of gasoline into a 55-gal drum and then filling it with dry leaves is a fast way to burn all the leaves but the explosion and leaf residue raining down on the neighbors tends to irritate them.

A yard stick is not long enough to drop a match in a barrel filled with gasoline fumes. It is recommended that something much, much longer be used.

RSKY

 

[RSKY]

This got me to thinking.

About fifteen years ago my lawnmower building burned to the ground. I parked my mower in it and went in the house to check on my wife who had come home from work sick. I heard a thud but thought nothing of it. The phone rang and I picked it up and the neighbor across the street asked me if I was intending to be burning my building. I said no and heard another thump, gas can exploding, and ran outside.

Anyway, a couple hours later all the neighbors were standing in the yard looking at the remains of my lawnmower and building and the neighbor across the street said that she, "couldn't believe I actually called him and asked him if he intended to be burning his building".

It was quiet for a minute, then another neighbor lady said, "I don't know, he has done some mighty strange things over the years".

All ten or twelve of the ladies then stood there nodding their heads agreeing with her and I was standing right there with them.

RSKY

 

[mapper]

Your "driving behind trucks" advice is right on. I can testify to two incidents personally. I knew better, but was boxed in and couldn't get around the offending truck both times. One, lost windshield and fog light, two, lost tire, rim and running board when a piece of sheet steel flew off a flatbed. Wife was nearly impaled by a flying exhaust stack. I witnessed a small pickup demolished by a spare that came off a truck.

Add to that trucks that are used off highway such as logging trucks can get baseball sized rocks stuck between the tires, you definitely do not want to be behind one when it comes out at highway speeds. A DNR coworker had this happen to him near Port Angeles, the rock put a 6" deep dent in the expanded metal safety shield behind the seat after taking out the windshield about 6" to the right of his head!