That's why you should always drive right at the edge of safe... take corners as fast as possible, keep the load high and overwork your tractor... it keeps you on your toes and makes you more likely to react correctly in a panic situation!!! /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif
Of course I'm kidding, but on that subject, I use to drive very fast, took every opportunity to throw my vehicles around in the dirt and snow and really had a great feel for how to control them. I was able to avoid accidents, knew what to do if the power brakes or steering went out or the brakes failed, engine died, road was icy, etc... practice makes perfect. Now that I am a responsible citizen, have grown up and sit in the right lane while the world goes by, I have found my driving skills lacking. It is surely due to the lack of practice in panic situations. So I occasionally take the car out in the dirt or a snowy parking lot and do some donuts, skids, etc... just to try to get the feel back.
Do any of you ever do that with your tractors? I'm not suggesting you do donuts or unsafe things, but if you have never experienced something, how will you know what to do when you are on auto pilot in a panic situation? I have intentionally dumped my bucket going down hills to see if it will stop the unit. I've pulled my foot from the treadle to see if it will stop. Most of us have experienced the PT Pucker, so we know what to do if it happens, and better yet, we know how to avoid it in the first place. I suppose that is the best practice... avoiding the bad situation in the first place and practicing good safety habits. But I often wonder if I will have the automatic reactions needed if an accident would happen.
Remember the person that tipped their PT? They had the presence of mind to keep their arms in and let the ROPS do its job. I wonder if I will do that in that situation or have the natural reaction to put my arm towards the ground as it comes nearer. Scary stuff to think about, but we all should review these things daily as we operate our machines. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif