SeatBelts...

MChalkley · Jan 28, 2002

Kevin - The term "eye-opener" doesn't begin to do justice to the effect an experience or two like the ones you described can have on you. Some folks never get the benefit of a "close call" - their first bad experience was also their last.

I was doing some grading on a berm alongside an 18-wheeler trailer when I got to a section that was too steep and then a downhill wheel dropped into a washed-out spot I couldn't see. The next thing knew, the ROPS was up against the trailer. I was really glad it was just after I got the HST Kubota, because I didn't have to do anything to stop. Panic did it for me. But without that ROPS, it would've been me providing the padding between the tractor and the trailer - not a comforting thought. As it was, I was able to lower the tiller that I had on the back for ballast all the way to the ground, reach out with my left arm and push the tractor back upright, then slowly back up the way I'd come until I got to a safe spot, then take a break for a while until all the bodily functions normalized again. /w3tcompact/icons/crazy.gif It was right after that that I got a Tiltmeter from R&B and started using it religiously...

fishman · Jan 28, 2002

It was the second time the crows called for me.

Ahh, now I understand the origin of your handle.

That's a bad story you tell there. /w3tcompact/icons/frown.gif Hope others are listening.

I had a buddy in college who lost his front teeth to a rock as a kid. It was thrown by a rotary cutter. He too, had to wait a while before they could install false front teeth.

I split a front tooth a few years back when a limb fell on me while I was sawing wood. Ouch! Now I use a helmet all the time, even while tractoring.

When your body gets hurt, sometimes even the best doctor can't make it right. To quote an oldy but goody: "Prevention is the best medicine".

Robert_in_NY · Jan 28, 2002

There is a nice article in Successful Farming about some farmers retrofiting their older tractors with ROPS. The one kids grandfather died when their tractor rolled over while mowing, they used that tractor for a few more years then sold it and now are fitting their tractor that didn't have rops with rops kits. Some states farm bureau have grants to help pay for rops kits so that the old tractors are as safe as the new ones.

Anonymous Poster · Jan 28, 2002

Well fellas... I think you all have made quite a point abot the ROPS and the Seatbelt. I wear it everytime I pull my tractor out of the garage, along with a quick little prayer to the "Man Upstairs" asking him to not let me do anything stupid on my tractor today.... So far... so good.

SOB

kevincook · Jan 29, 2002

BTW, I forgot to mention. I don't even pull out of the garage without my seatbelt on. I figure with my luck it will be the one time I don't buckle up that something will go wrong so I'm not taking any chances. When I first got the new tractor I used to try and get off the machine and forget to unbuckle all the time.

MChalkley · Jan 29, 2002

Kevin - I had to laugh when I read your post. For some reason, while buckling up has become almost automatic for me, the concept of unbuckling before trying to get off the tractor still eludes me. If fact, the biggest downside I find to wearing the seatbelt is the whiplash effect I get when I try to get off without unbuckling...

HR_Mutt · Jan 29, 2002

Nobody is going to fess up?!? OK, I'll say it, I have never worn the seat belt. And since I'm coming clean, the rops is already off one tractor and would be off the other if it was not also part of the 3ph assy.
Mutt

Harv · Jan 29, 2002

Okay, I'll bite, Mutt.

A lot of good and compelling arguments for using the seatbelt/ROPS combination have been presented here. What's the rationale for not using them?

HR_Mutt · Jan 29, 2002

Harv
The rops catches in the trees(trimmed about 600 of 'em) and it nearly keeps me out of the garage. The belt, don't have a good reason.
regards
Mutt

glennmac · Jan 29, 2002

What's the official line on wearing seatbelts in a car that has airbags? I assume it's to wear both because that's the easy, most conservative answer. I do, if only because buckling my seatbelt is a habit. But no one else in my family does. Their assumption I guess is that the bag will arrest the forward movement, and that neither the bag nor the belt will arrest sideways movement. That actually sounds reasonable to me.

Bird · Jan 29, 2002

What's the official line on wearing seatbelts in a car that has airbags?

Official line? Wear the belt, too, as you said. In Texas (as in a lot of other states), you can get a traffic ticket for not having the seat belt on, and whether or not the car has airbags is not a consideration. I'm no expert, but I'll give you my opinion./w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif The airbag is a momentary one time "explosion" that will arrest forward movement of your upper body just for a brief moment. Without the belt, I'm afraid you'd be propelled down under the bag into the floor under the steering wheel. I helped pull one body out of such a wreck once; not a pretty sight. Hard to believe an entire grown man (or his remains) could be compacted under the steering column. (In this particular case, it was before airbags though). And when you say neither the bag nor the belt will arrest sideways movement, that's not entirely true. Many fatalities occur when an occupant is ejected from the vehicle. The airbag will not prevent that, but the belt will.

ronjhall · Jan 29, 2002

Mutt
I'm not a good poster boy for the use of ROP's and seatbelt. But I always put my seatbelt on before putting my car in gear.
I do realize that the ROP's and seatbelt are a very good protection when operating a tractor. My 2910 is the first tractor that I've had with ROP's and FEL. When using tractor for mowing my ROP's is folded down. When I'm using the FEL or 3PH attachment I have the ROP's up. Even with the ROP's up I forget to put the seatbelt on. Thankfully I have been lucky enough to not have an accident. Having a FEL on a tractor adds a lot of potential hazards to the safe operation of a tractor. I probably will continue not to use the ROP's when I mow the lawn. But hope to improve on my use of ROP's and seatbelt whenever I'm not mowing the lawn.

MossRoad · Jan 29, 2002

Always wear your seatbelt, even if you have airbags. From what I have read, that is the "official" line.

Youare · Jan 29, 2002

After all the graphic pictures and the common sence of protecting one's well being I promise to try to buckle up when ever I get in the tractor seat.

I must admit I didn't want anyone to think I was afraid of the driving a tractor by wearing a seat belt. When my logger neighbor drives by I really didn't want him to see me belted on to the tractor seat, which is pretty dumd on my part.

Because of what some of you have said I will proudly wear the belt from now on. I don't think twice about wearing the seat belt in the car or truck anymore, why should the tractor be any different.

Thanks for the encouragement.

Randy

MChalkley · Jan 29, 2002

Over a year ago, I got a private message from a TBN member that really typifies the kind of folks we have here, which in itself also explains why this topic is always a popular one here. I won't say who it's from out of respect for his privacy, but since it's so relevant to this discussion, this is what it said:

Mark, this may sound silly but it is true. About 2 weeks ago someone posted a thread on how often (what % of the time in the seat) do you use a seatbelt. My answer was 100, which is true. You said around 80, and I have literally lost sleep at night because of that! True, I don't know you from Adam, and we will never meet face to face, and in a practical sense if you (god forbid) died tomorrow my life would continue relatively unchanged, but it would be a great loss, and a real tragedy if it happened because of an avoidable accident. Hence my genuine worry over your safety following your post. I am truly relieved to learn from the more recent ROPS thread that you have elected to wear the belt essentially all the time.

I was quite touched by his concern - in fact, his message crosses my mind almost every time I put my seatbelt on. One day, that alone might save my life, so it's hard not to be grateful.

MossRoad · Jan 29, 2002

Great! And the post by Mark really says it all. What a tragedy to lose someone over such a simple preventative measure.

MossRoad · Jan 29, 2002

And another thing;

You want to see a goofy lookin mug? Just watch the videos of me on my tractor. I'm wearin' my seatbelt, and my mickey mouse style ear protectors over a huge winter hat and my safety glasses! I'm smilin' all the way. I don't care about a fashion statement. I want to be alive to see my kids at the end of the day AND I want to be able to hear them and someday be a grandpa.

The next goofy lookin' safety device that I am going to buy is chain saw pants! And I'll wear them proudly.

Youare · Jan 30, 2002

I have three pairs of those "goofy" chainsaw pants. I think a person who wears them, the helmet with ear protection, and face shield looks like a professional logger. I don't operate my saw without them.

This Christmas I was given a pair of blue chainsaw chaps which don't stand out at all, the bright orange pair can be seen a mile away.

MossRoad,
Thanks for sharing what you did, it puts things in a whole different prospective.

Randy

dmccarty · Jan 30, 2002

Glenmac,

Start getting those family members to buckle up. PERIOD.

Seat belts keep you in the vehicle if it rolls over. Seems like many of the vehicle accident deaths I have read about lately involved roll overs and lack of seat belt use. Pretty hard to survive being the foundation for a 3000+ pound vehicle.

The official line on seat belts and air bags. Seat belts keep the person positioned so that the air bags will work correctly. If the person moves out of position during the accident they may not be where the air bag can help.....

Personally I'm not real sold on front air bags. I have seen studies that seem to indicate that front air bags don't really do much good IF THE PERSON IS WEARING a seat belt. But for an adult they seem like a bit more insurance. Air bags that really seem interesting are the ones that pop out from the side of the vehicle and protect the person's head. NOW that seems like a better idea than a front air bag used with seat belts. But that opinion ain't much better than my dog's on the same subject! /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

I wear the seat belt when in a car or on the tractor. Sometimes I catch myself NOT wearing a seat belt on the tract and it scares the heck out of me..... I think of my daughter everytime I put on the tractor seat belt. I don't want her to be fatherless.....

Later...
Dan

dmccarty · Jan 30, 2002

MossRoad,

Get them thar chain saw chaps!

I don't give a rats you-know-what when it comes to safety equipment and how I look. When I'm mowing I wear one of my chain saw helmets/face guards for the ear and face protection. If I'm grading the road I do the same. I still can't believe how much noise gravel bangiing around in a box blade can make! /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

A neighbor had some trees cut down a few weeks back. The contractor and his crew wore helmets but no chaps..... Real stupid....

I know some of my nieghbors have made snide little comments about my "dress" but its my body parts that are going to get chewed up not thiers. One of my dumb a.. neighbors would go out and cut up/down trees with cheap chain saws, that were not properly maintained and setup. No safety gear at all. And he would let his teen age son's do it as well. One really ticks me off is that he used to be a firefighter so he should know better......

Later...
Dan