RichZ
Veteran Member
- Joined
- Apr 4, 2001
- Messages
- 1,858
- Tractor
- Kubota 4630 with cab and loader
There have been a couple of tractor accidents in the papers in my area (upstate NY), that I found surprising. Both happened to experienced and respected farmers. One happened right down the road from my farm, and it was a tractor rollover. It seems the farmer (who I know) was square baling, with a baler and a kicker wagon on a narrow front end tractor. He was on a hill, and he rolled over. He only injured his arm (and he only has one arm), and will be alright. It happened on a day when it was in the high 90's and humid. He got drowsy and lost control on a hill.
The second was worse. A farmer got sucked into his round baler. He was in it for hours before he was discovered, and the fire department had to find some farmers who knew how to dismantle the round baler before they could get him out. He's alive, but could loose his arms! It also happened on a humid day in the high 90's, and the farmer apparently forgot to turn off his tractor before he tried to clear the baler. Apparently he also was very drowsy when it happened.
I couldn't believe this could happen to two very experienced farmers, and I was discusing this with another farmer friend, who knows both of these victims. He's the one who told me the cause was drowsyness. He assured me that if you get too drowsy, you become careless, and he always takes naps on hot and humid days, except during the same week those other accidents happened. He was carrying two round bales, one on a three point hitch bale spear and one on a FEL bale spear. He was going over a hill and forgot about a bump. He hit the bump, and the tractor jerked more than it should. He turned around to see the back round bale rolling down a hill. At the end of the hill was a well traveled road. My friend was terrified that the bale would roll onto the road and cause a car crash. Luckily, the bale hit a rock, bounced into the air, rolled side to side and stopped. No one was hurt, but someone could have been.
Now...my own story. My friend and I have been planning to square bale hay together on both our properties. I had to leave town for a few days for a family emergency. My friend understood, and started work alone. When my family situation was under control after 2 days, I headed home, in a frantic hurry to get to baling. Due to traffic and road construction, a four hour drive became 5 1/2 hours. When I got home, exhausted, I frantically changed my clothes and hopped on my Oliver to help my friend. I found him in a hay field in front of his house, hooking up a hay rake to his tractor. I stopped and jumped off my tractor to help him, as this rake has a bad jack on it. Now usually, I am compulsively careful to set my brake, put the tractor in a gear opposite to the direction of the hill (very slight hill), and wedge my loader down. This time (though I can't believe I did it) I only set the brake, and not completely either. As we were putting on the hay rake, I saw my friend's family on his deck in the distance, jumping up and down, waving and pointing. I turned around to see my beloved Oliver, slowly rolling down a hill, and quickly picking up speed!!! It finally crashed into a drainage ditch, with an extemely loud BOOM!!! Luckily it only tore two hydraulic lines. No other damage!!! Thank the Gods of Tractors!!!
My friends and I couldn't believe I did that, because I always make dismounting my tractors a ritual, in making sure they're secure. But I was way over tired from my family ordeal and my trip.
The obvious moral of the story...Don't operate equipment when you're drowsy!!!!
Sorry for the long post, but I think it's a very important point!!!
The second was worse. A farmer got sucked into his round baler. He was in it for hours before he was discovered, and the fire department had to find some farmers who knew how to dismantle the round baler before they could get him out. He's alive, but could loose his arms! It also happened on a humid day in the high 90's, and the farmer apparently forgot to turn off his tractor before he tried to clear the baler. Apparently he also was very drowsy when it happened.
I couldn't believe this could happen to two very experienced farmers, and I was discusing this with another farmer friend, who knows both of these victims. He's the one who told me the cause was drowsyness. He assured me that if you get too drowsy, you become careless, and he always takes naps on hot and humid days, except during the same week those other accidents happened. He was carrying two round bales, one on a three point hitch bale spear and one on a FEL bale spear. He was going over a hill and forgot about a bump. He hit the bump, and the tractor jerked more than it should. He turned around to see the back round bale rolling down a hill. At the end of the hill was a well traveled road. My friend was terrified that the bale would roll onto the road and cause a car crash. Luckily, the bale hit a rock, bounced into the air, rolled side to side and stopped. No one was hurt, but someone could have been.
Now...my own story. My friend and I have been planning to square bale hay together on both our properties. I had to leave town for a few days for a family emergency. My friend understood, and started work alone. When my family situation was under control after 2 days, I headed home, in a frantic hurry to get to baling. Due to traffic and road construction, a four hour drive became 5 1/2 hours. When I got home, exhausted, I frantically changed my clothes and hopped on my Oliver to help my friend. I found him in a hay field in front of his house, hooking up a hay rake to his tractor. I stopped and jumped off my tractor to help him, as this rake has a bad jack on it. Now usually, I am compulsively careful to set my brake, put the tractor in a gear opposite to the direction of the hill (very slight hill), and wedge my loader down. This time (though I can't believe I did it) I only set the brake, and not completely either. As we were putting on the hay rake, I saw my friend's family on his deck in the distance, jumping up and down, waving and pointing. I turned around to see my beloved Oliver, slowly rolling down a hill, and quickly picking up speed!!! It finally crashed into a drainage ditch, with an extemely loud BOOM!!! Luckily it only tore two hydraulic lines. No other damage!!! Thank the Gods of Tractors!!!
My friends and I couldn't believe I did that, because I always make dismounting my tractors a ritual, in making sure they're secure. But I was way over tired from my family ordeal and my trip.
The obvious moral of the story...Don't operate equipment when you're drowsy!!!!
Sorry for the long post, but I think it's a very important point!!!
