Seat Belt ??

[sherpa]

I was in more danger this morning going to town in my truck than staying here riding my tractor, I cannot beleive how many people were on the roads today. I usually only see 5 or 6 vehicles a day around here but when I leave this mountain its a different story. No kidding guys I am going to start wearing my seat belt. I would not have put that post on here if I wern't, besides if anything happen to me you folks would miss me!
Sherpa

 

[Syncro]

Well I guess I'm gonna join the ranks of seat belt users too. Truth is I've never used 'em on any heavy equipement either and never got kilt, yet, but since I'm fast approaching that 6-0 mark maybe its time. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif Seriously, the seat belt on my CUT has remained neatly buckeled behind the seat but after reading these posts I think the time has come to use it. Thanks for bringing the topic up.

Now watch me get trapped on a burning tractor that I can't get off of because of a stuck seat belt! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[KiotiJohn]

As I've said many times in the past, I keep the seat belt on most of the time because I don't want to end up under the ROPS in a roll over. The seat belt should keep me tied in the safe zone. That said, I know that sometimes, a seat belt can be the culprit, especially if not used properly.
I had an Aunt that was wearing her seat belt in a car crash, but the belt was twisted and attached around her. When the impact came, the non-flat twist in the belt cut her in two. This is a rare case, but they happen. I do admit that sometimes I don't put the ROPS up after coming out of the shed as long as I know I'm going to be on flat, familiar ground and doing nothing that could be construed as a roll-over situation. In that case, I don't put on the belt, as I would want to be able to attempt to jump away from the tractor (ROPS down). If the ROPS is up, the seat belt is on. I've been even better about it since reading TBN safety forum! John

 

[SCB]

Well,
at the risk of being chastised (like last time this question came up) I have to answer honestly that I do not wear my seatbelt on my bx23. I prefer to exit my tractor if it is going to go over.

 

[getut]

I sometimes start mine at one end of the house, set the cruise real slow, stand on the hood and clean the gutters as it goes down the front of the house. I make slight steering adjustments with my toes since I am barefooted while I do all of this. My wife works days so I have to watch my 2 month old. I just put him in his carrier in the FEL where I can look down and see him.

Oh my 5 year old watches all of this while he is seatbelted into the drivers seat. I don't let him drive though (remember that I am doing that with my toes). Somebody told me it was dangerous to have a kid that young drive a tractor.

 

[Dargo]

Dang, you live life dangerously; I just put my wife in the FEL and have her clean the gutters and trim the trees! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

 

[getut]

Dargo, I was of course joking when I posted the above even though it was late, so I forgot to put the smileys in, but I have in reality used the FEL as a lift myself.

My wife has lifted me up so that I can pick figs off of our fig tree. It is a little too swampy in that area to use a ladder. A tractor fits the bill nicely. My father has also lifted me so that I could throw a chain over a dead limb that had broken off of a tree but not fallen all the way out. It was a huge limb and was dangling right over our concrete patio set.

I will have to remember putting the wife in the FEL to clean gutters. It makes sense. I can work the controls smoothly and she can't. I refuse to give her enough seat time to practice either. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Bird]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I prefer to exit my tractor if it is going to go over )</font>

Steve, nothing to chastise you for, because it's your own choice to do as you wish (no laws yet on tractor seat belts that I know of, like we have for cars). /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif But as for your preference to exit if it goes over . . . well, that's our preference, too. The only problem is that if it ever happens, it'll happen so fast, you ain't gonna make it. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif But the news story about your demise will be a good reminder for others. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

 

[Red_rider]

I wear mine 99.999% of the time. I don't put it on to move the tractor out of the garage (ROPS folded), but put it on after I put the ROPS up. Problem is, the belt on mine must be for "slimmer" people than me. If I gain any more weight, I'll need to buy an extension for the belt! /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

 

[JerryG]

Well said, Bird.