Is this safe?

Slamfire · May 11, 2004

I made one for my wife and her girlfriend to ride on during berry picking season. Of course a pair of 60 something women ain't quite the same as kids. The only thing you might not have thought of is the seats will tilt backwards as you raise the 3 point, the higher you go the more they tilt.

Laminarman · May 11, 2004

The thing that is appealing about a hauling "platform" is that my wife, and probably parents, would ride shotgun to pick corn or other stuff I plant at the top of the field. I'd make the board and seats removeable as a unit so the carry all could be used for other things. But that sounds so **** practical and responsible. I do like the idea of a tandem axle trailer! I could haul that puppy anywhere to justify more seat time, doing tasks for anybody who wants. God I hate this rain up here.

Lazy · May 11, 2004

Hi
Better make sure you have plenty of insurance if you're gonna give other kids a ride. Just about every year someone gets killed riding on a hay wagon. Just do a search on google, you might change your mind. I wouldn't let children ride in a wagon behind a tractor anymore than I would let a child or an adult ride in the bed of a pickup truck. Just to dangerous and a court case in the making.

Charlie

Laminarman · May 12, 2004

Lazy

That's why I looked at a platform with strap in seats rather than a wagon that could tip. But here's my philosophy: screw lawyers. They aren't going to dictate how I raise my kids and prevent them from having some fun and memories they'll keep for a lifetime. Your message is well taken and obviously I'd take every precaution imagineable. But my childhood would have been a whole heck of a lot less enjoyable had I not gone on hayrides, ridden in my uncles pickup bed to our fishing hole, climbed my grandfathers apple tree and dove off the boat on a misty morning to take my bath. As far as insurance, yeah, I have a lot. I mean a lot, because while I may despise lawyers, like a loaded gun I have a healthy respect for them.

Deerlope · May 12, 2004

Here are my thoughts are tractors riders. Tractor are build with one seat for a very good reason.

Robert_in_NY · May 12, 2004

If that trailer tips then your tractor is going over too. If you are just taking kids for a ride then you have no reason to go onto steep slopes where it is a problem (plus your tractor will be quite stable even if you don't feel that way).

MikePA · May 12, 2004

My concern with anything directly connected to the tractor is that it might teach the kids that the tractor is a toy. Using a trailer segregates the object that's fun (trailer) from the object that's work (tractor).

Gatorboy · May 12, 2004

( Just about every year someone gets killed riding on a hay wagon )

I would bet these cases are most likely at places where thousands of people are getting rides -- such as on a Halloween Hayride, Fall Festivals, Pumpkin Pickin', etc.

People get hurt in all kinds of situations -- if you try to avoid anything ever happening to you or anyone else around you, I guess you can just sit inside all day.

There is no way you can compare driving down the road with kids in a pickup bed to a slow hayride. I doubt some other tractor will run a red light/stop sign and crash into you.

sweettractors · May 12, 2004

Tractor are build with one seat for a very good reason. 

I agree with you. There are a lot of unpredictable things that can happen on a carrier as being described--Kids will be Kids-- 1--What if the operator forgot to turn off the PTO (Or hit a bump and bumped the PTO engage lever) and one of the riders reaches for it. 2--The 3 point lift can be accidentially raised or lowered by the operator and lowering the carrier, with a Kids leg hanging off the back could cause serious problem. 3--The rear tire can get punctured and spray the riders with Calcium Chloride or Antifreeze etc before you know what is going on--4--There are Hydraulic lines and outlets at the back that are holding back over 2000 PSI--Ken Sweet

have_blue · May 12, 2004

I think I would prefer a sled or a low wagon pulled a good distance behind the tractor. I can remember how much fun we had riding on a "drag" to add weight. Some times we fell off, but hey, a 6" fall just causes giggles.