No Serious Injuries

[TripleR]

She's a very very lucky lady!!
She must have heard the branch an dove off that tractor just in time. If she had been in that seat when the branch hit it, she'd likely have suffered broken bones (at least).

Roy, I may be over analyzing this, but in looking at the pictures, it looks like the tree may have gotten in a bind between the tree next to it, the ROPS and the other end and that may have slowed it down enough for her to get out as she was traveling. She doesn't know much about the mechanics of a mower as she was concerned that it died when she jumped off, so there was a brief period of time that she was off the seat before the tree hit it which triggered the operator presence switch.

She truly is a lucky girl as she had major back surgery a couple of years ago. Of course she is a country girl and she is pretty tough.

 

[Thomas]

Whew,glad your daughter okay..by the looks steering wheel needs tlc??

 

[TripleR]

Whew,glad your daughter okay..by the looks steering wheel needs tlc??

My son will be off work tomorrow and make a list of parts needed. He said when he got the steering wheel out of the bind, it looked OK, but it has not been driven more than a few feet to get it out of the way.

 

[Gale Hawkins]

Roy, I may be over analyzing this, but in looking at the pictures, it looks like the tree may have gotten in a bind between the tree next to it, the ROPS and the other end and that may have slowed it down enough for her to get out as she was traveling. She doesn't know much about the mechanics of a mower as she was concerned that it died when she jumped off, so there was a brief period of time that she was off the seat before the tree hit it which triggered the operator presence switch.

She truly is a lucky girl as she had major back surgery a couple of years ago. Of course she is a country girl and she is pretty tough.

Sounds like the pain in the butt switch actually is a good thing.

 

[Coyote machine]

Glad to hear your D_I_Law is ok. All else is irrelevant. BTW, at minimum that's a limb, it could be a leader from the looks of it; and had it hit her directly she'd likely be dead. She's extremely lucky- take it from a former professional tree surgeon.
I'd have a pro come out and visit her yard and access any potential damage that could still be problematic from the ice storm you mentioned. This is a good time of year to do assessment of leftover storm damage because the leaves are off the trees and splits and breaks are easier to spot.
Good luck to her in a full recovery from her injuries.

 

[TripleR]

Glad to hear your D_I_Law is ok. All else is irrelevant. BTW, at minimum that's a limb, it could be a leader from the looks of it; and had it hit her directly she'd likely be dead. She's extremely lucky- take it from a former professional tree surgeon.
I'd have a pro come out and visit her yard and access any potential damage that could still be problematic from the ice storm you mentioned. This is a good time of year to do assessment of leftover storm damage because the leaves are off the trees and splits and breaks are easier to spot.
Good luck to her in a full recovery from her injuries.

Good idea, we have removed some of the trees and may have to do more. My sons like to do this type of work, but we have had a couple that required a professional. The limb was out of a Maple, but most are pecans and we sure hated to lose them.

 

[TripleR]

Sounds like the pain in the butt switch actually is a good thing.

Yep, no telling what could have happened without it.

 

[Coyote machine]

Glad to hear you are going to bring out a pro to access things - usually no charge for an estimate, but that may have changed since the '60's, (that's 1960s, not 1860s):laughing:
One close call is usually more than enough to make folks not want to chance another one. And as a rule of thumb, if you think you might want the help or opinion of a pro then you need to follow the instinct, IMHO.
Personal experience: was working with a Vietnam Vet who was several years older than me. When he pulled the saw away from the tree I was helping to push on to try to make sure it went in a certain direction the chain cut through my jeans just above my knee, but did not catch any skin- fortunately. Needless to say I was pissed and refused to work anywhere near him from then on. BTW, he was not a bad guy, just too careless for me to work around for my own sense of self preservation.:confused2:

 

[TripleR]

Glad to hear you are going to bring out a pro to access things - usually no charge for an estimate, but that may have changed since the '60's, (that's 1960s, not 1860s):laughing:
One close call is usually more than enough to make folks not want to chance another one. And as a rule of thumb, if you think you might want the help or opinion of a pro then you need to follow the instinct, IMHO.
Personal experience: was working with a Vietnam Vet who was several years older than me. When he pulled the saw away from the tree I was helping to push on to try to make sure it went in a certain direction the chain cut through my jeans just above my knee, but did not catch any skin- fortunately. Needless to say I was pissed and refused to work anywhere near him from then on. BTW, he was not a bad guy, just too careless for me to work around for my own sense of self preservation.:confused2:

I raised my sons working in the woods, but only started using logger helmets and protective leg chaps; already saved one's leg. I bought sets for everyone. Like many however, there will be times someone myself included won't gear up because, "I'm just gonna..."

As a matter of fact, I have a tree down in my back yard I would have done the same thing today, but now that I have reminded myself.

 

[Coyote machine]

I raised my sons working in the woods, but only started using logger helmets and protective leg chaps; already saved one's leg. I bought sets for everyone. Like many however, there will be times someone myself included won't gear up because, "I'm just gonna..."

As a matter of fact, I have a tree down in my back yard I would have done the same thing today, but now that I have reminded myself.

Wow, you're me to the letter Just started using chaps and helmet a few years ago and I get into the same place about aw, its just one log, branch, etc. Can't say how many times I nearly got chipped in one of the old monster chippers that used to roar so loud I'd come home with a huge headache almost every day. One particularly scary time I was working by myself at 16 years old on a huge commercial plot and doing all the elevating and pruning of dead wood for days at a time. I was tired and wanted to get done and took a huge Y shaped branch and forced it into the chipper. Too late I realized I was caught in the center of the branch as it was being pulled into the blades. I had to fight with all my strength to keep from being pulled in with the branch.
In those days there were no safety bars to grab to stop the drum and it was doing about a million rpms trying to grab flesh and end my day. Needless to say I had been working doing this since I was 14, and worked for a huge tree company that worked me hard. We used no ear protection- hence the headaches, no eye protection, no safety saw chain or helmets, basically we were totally exposed and thought it was fine- and I know I was very careful to look out for my own survival- except when doing stupid things like I did with the chipper that day.
Now at nearly 60 I'm as careful as I can plan on being, and still take the same level of conscious attention to what is going on: situational awareness.
With my son and his best friend, who have been learning from me I need to set the example and show them the way to keep themselves safe as one can be using a saw in the woods.
Be safe!