License to Operate

LarryRB · Feb 15, 2006

Mad dog and referree
I quoted a figure several weeks back and just looked it up and was wrong,, I quoted 280 for full commercial coverage, no deductable, and it is in fact 380. or one dollar per thousand,,., The full commercial coverage does cover a lot of extra,s such as referree mentioned... If you spill fuel from a roll over accident, they will cover that clean up also... I no longer do commercial work with my machine or others, so I just keep the commercial inland for myself and this farm... I do re-new the hoisters license simply because there are very few issued with "unlimted use".. In reality, it is limited as I can't run the last steam powered shovel in Boston proper and can't run a crane over 115 ft in heighth... This should pretty much cover anything mentioned on this net, don't you think?

IslandTractor · Feb 16, 2006

I'm a MA resident and to tell you the truth, even though I never heard of this law I kinda like it. This ain't all farm country here boys. We have gas lines and underground utilities running every which way. I like the idea that someone operating a backhoe has at least passed some basic safe operating test and has a bit of insurance before upending Mother Earth in my neighborhood. I can see how it doesn't make sense to make it difficult for one farmer to help another farmer however.

JoeR · Feb 16, 2006

Personally, I think people should need a license to operate a post hole digger. My neighbors always seem to find the phone lines and cable TV coax. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif (I have done that too) Then the phone and cable company usually repair it for free. Here in FL, if a BH operator hits a utlitity line then he pays for the repair. The cost of the repair usually creates more caution than a license to operate. Then again, we all need a license to drive a car, and we all have seen the idiots on the road. In my opinion the license is a form of revenue. I could just about say any license is a form of revenue. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

PAB_OH · Feb 16, 2006

JoeR, you nailed it. it is simply a means of taxing people and generating revenue.

A license is supposed to fund some operation or activity in general. What if anything does the license in MA fund? Even if it is perceived as a useful program I seriously doubt that it is.

Why should a responsible owner/operator have to fund the mistakes of those that are less careful? Like JoeR said, if you break it, you fix it. Period. Too many stupid rules the way it is. You can not legislate common sense. Idiots will always find a way to foil even the best plans to protect themselves from themselves.

Quit making up a bunch a rules that hinder people who know what they are doing and let those that will kill themselves do so. If innocents are harmed in the process, drop the hammer on the offender. Make sure everyone knows if they screw up they will pay dearly.

As in any case, I'm sure you could make a few arguments against such a broad statement but in general I believe what I said makes sense. I don't need the government to protect me. In fact, I don't WANT the government to protect me.

blackmajicwoman · Feb 16, 2006

Thanks to everyone who has contributed to this thread. I guess what I am hearing from most of you is that the few favors I do for some of my neighbors, family, and friends, I do not need any license, nor require insurance.

One other question I have is how many of you New Englanders have utilized Dig Safe for exavation projects, which seems to be required by law. I have laid a few under ground utilities for electricians by hand and have only called the local utility companies directly. The again, we are only talking about a 6" wide x 18" deep trench dug by hand

MadDog · Feb 16, 2006

I agree with what everyone has said about digging. I don't dig on MY land, not to speak of anyone else's without checking with DIG SAFE.

But I don't think that for someone operating a CUT and the kinds of FEL and BH that you can run off of one, that the state ought to require a license for you to be allowed to use it.

I'm assuming (and perhaps without justification) that anyone who spends the money to purchase a CUT, FEL and/or BH would, at least for the protection of his investment, if not for the safety of others, take the trouble to learn how to use it.

When I was new to all this, before I bought my tractor, I bought (and read) a pretty lengthy and good book aimed at commercial equipment operators on excavating techniques for BH and FEL. It was pretty useful and most of it was applicable to CUT equipment. The little that I knew, before I began to accumulate some experience, came either from that book or this site.

blackmajicwoman · Feb 17, 2006

MD,

Thanks for the info. One last request, what's the name of the book you are referencing. I wouldn't mind acquiring such a book. Thanks for your help.

BMW