SeatBelts...

[MChalkley]

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]

<font color=blue>It was the second time the crows called for me.</font color=blue>

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: <font color=blue>"Prevention is the best medicine".</font color=blue>

 

[Robert_in_NY]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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.