I witnessed foolishness today

[Sysop]

You can throw out all the hypothetical situations you want, that matters none. In the real world, what I see other people do, I do my best not to judge. From the outside looking in, many things can seem more risky than they are, and many others can seem safer than they are. Unless you are 100% involved in whatever the particular activity is at that time and under all the exact circumstances, you are in no position to judge anything about it. What is good for one, isn't for another, and my opinions are mine to do as I choose, as are others. Telling someone they are foolish, wrong, evil, or care-free simply cause your opinion differs from theirs is rather foolish, wrong, evil, and care-free as well.

If I see something that I fear is creating an immediate danger, I will quickly voice my opinion in hopes of preventing some sort of problem/accident/tragedy, but I would never expect anyone to change their ways simply because of my opinion.

 

[two_bit_score]

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...

:thumbsup:

 

[Mace Canute]

Yep, that mindset is why we keep having threads posted about little kids getting hurt or killed.

 

[Sysop]

That's getting absolutely silly... Doesn't matter the topic, unless something bad happens, nobody talks about it. Unless you want to start keeping track of every time nothing bad happens and reporting it, you can't really go by accidents that are reported. Millions of drivers drive billions of miles problem free, the thousands that have an accident are all that get reported and talked about.

Such discussions are good reminders to everyone to be as cautious as possible in all they do, but someone telling someone else what to do or not to do simply because their opinion is that it is unsafe; is wrong.

Do you accept life has risks and value the enjoyment that comes with living life or do you hide from all that might be dangerous? I agree there are common sense dos and donts, but I'd also like to think that with the infinite variables there are in any given situation that common sense would dictate those dos and donts also vary depending on the given situation and it's unique set of variables...

 

[jejeosborne]

Oh boy, I am a horrible parent and didn't even know it until now. I have done many of these things. In addition, I bought my teenage boy and daughter multiple go karts, 4-wheelers, and recently dirt bikes as skill levels have improved Took my son out driving a car tonight for the first time with his permit and I didn't have to do much instructing. My daughter who is now 18 was the same way and she is an excellent driver. Definitely due to the skills and life lessons in physics from operating various equipment.

I remember riding on my dads lap driving a car on the way home from church every Sunday when I was under 10. This was in the 70's rural Illinois mind you.

The country life and riding on tractors has got to be safer than riding a bike in the city with all the crack head drivers on the roads. Common sense and enjoy your life people.

 

[TripleR]

You can throw out all the hypothetical situations you want, that matters none. In the real world, what I see other people do, I do my best not to judge. From the outside looking in, many things can seem more risky than they are, and many others can seem safer than they are. Unless you are 100% involved in whatever the particular activity is at that time and under all the exact circumstances, you are in no position to judge anything about it. What is good for one, isn't for another, and my opinions are mine to do as I choose, as are others. Telling someone they are foolish, wrong, evil, or care-free simply cause your opinion differs from theirs is rather foolish, wrong, evil, and care-free as well.

If I see something that I fear is creating an immediate danger, I will quickly voice my opinion in hopes of preventing some sort of problem/accident/tragedy, but I would never expect anyone to change their ways simply because of my opinion.

Good points and worth consideration, though I am not sure there aren't some universal truths as to safety. I agree life is not without risk, but we should do what is practical to reduce those to an acceptable level, overall good post though.

For the record, I have violated just abut every safety recommendation there is as to kids on motorcycles, tractors, shooting etc., but will no longer do many of them with my grand kids, live and learn.

 

[RandyT]

You basically have two trains of though here. The ones that say parents shouldn't allow there kids to do anything dangerous, and the ones that think it is ok for Johnny to ride the lawnmower, or tractor with daddy. I believe part of the difference is you have city dwellers, or city dwellers that moved to the country, and the people that grew up on a farm, or in a very rural area butting heads.

In rural farming areas, a lot of kids are required to do chores, and I don't mean take out the trash or water the dog, They are feeding the cows, helping to gather firewood in the fall, helping mom in the garden, helping to bale hay, if you can find somebody that is putting up square bales.

By the time some of you think Johnny is old enough to operate the lawmower by himself, I was running farm tractors, and bucking hay bales. If you think a parent with there son on there lap of the riding mower is dangerous, try stacking hay bales on a wagon being pulled behind a baler, at age 10 by yourself. And this isn't one of those things that the parents think will be fun for Johnny, he is expected to do those things on a regular basis.

It seems people want to wrap there kids in bubble wrap, and hope they don't roll down the stairs. To give you guys a little background into me. I have been steering riding mowers around the yard, with assistance since I was 2, was mowing the yard unassisted by age 9, was running a chain saw by age 8, and had my very own chainsaw by 10. Was helping out around my sister in laws parents farm by age 10, was plowing, and discing, and hauling grain by 13.

It just comes down to how you were raised, where you grew up, and what was expected of you by a certain age. Some of you will think that my own experience was totally over the top irresponsibly of my parents, and maybe so, but times where different, and kids learned responsibility at an early age, and if you didn't there was consequences.

 

[LD1]

Excellent point and thanks for sharing.:thumbsup:

 

[Don87]

While I don't mow with my 3yr old grandson on the tractor with me, I take him for rides all the time. He steers and operates the FEL. He knows where the throttle is, the brake, the go pedals and the 3pt. hitch lever.

He helps in the garden, stacks firewood, picks up sticks in the yard, feeds and waters the dogs and cat.

He can't learn that stuff by watching TV. And I'm doing my best to make sure he grows up to be a productive member of society. That requires 'hands-on' with adult supervision.


P.S. The tractor engine can also be used as a 'lullaby' :thumbsup:

 

[LD1]

While I don't mow with my 3yr old grandson on the tractor with me, I take him for rides all the time. He steers and operates the FEL. He knows where the throttle is, the brake, the go pedals and the 3pt. hitch lever.

He helps in the garden, stacks firewood, picks up sticks in the yard, feeds and waters the dogs and cat.

He can't learn that stuff by watching TV. And I'm doing my best to make sure he grows up to be a productive member of society. That requires 'hands-on' with adult supervision.


P.S. The tractor engine can also be used as a 'lullaby' :thumbsup:

:thumbsup: