SeatBelts...

duanet · Jan 31, 2002

Fishman,

I just placed my order for chaps and helmet from Bailey's. Thanks for the link, and I agree their prices do seem very reasonable, so I ordered a few other things while I was at it. In almost 30 years of cutting firewood I have not had chaps and never had a problem. I have life insurance too, but hope not to need it for quite awhile yet. So as soon as the chaps come in, I'll be wearing them, thanks to you guys on TBN.

I read the Safety post infrequently, but this one really got my attention. I have been using my seat belts religiously since I got my new 4100 last fall, and am more determined to continue now. Of course, the old Ford 2N I previously had was notorious for rolling over and doing wheelies without coming back down on the front wheels. I have come close both ways. I had to stand up on that and pull hard on the steering wheel to get enough brakes to stop the thing on my side hill. It was a great machine, but I feel much more secure on the 4100 with seat belts and ROPS.

Thanks for the great posts, guys.

Duane

John Weaver · Mar 2, 2002

Yea, you have got my attantion also. I am going to but a pair of chaps. Stihl offers a pair with a bib (like coveralls). Anybody use this type? Will I need suspenders for the waist high type of chaps? John.

duanet · Mar 2, 2002

John, I don't have any problem at all keeping my chaps up where they belong without suspenders, and my hips are proportionally small, if you know what I mean. /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

Duane

John Weaver · Mar 3, 2002

I know what you mean, me to. The bib type looks handy, but may be hot in Georgia summertime. John.

Solo · Mar 4, 2002

I've been reading this post about every time I get on here. I was one who didn't wear my seat belt until two coworkwers had accidents one at work on a 12 ton roller and the other at home on a 310 Case dozer. The first had his belt on no one was injured. The second man was thrown over the hood of his dozer, thank God it stalled out, he was bruised and sore for several weeks and even spent 2 days in the hospital he also missed about three weeks of work. So now I wear mine all the time. My three year old son is even smart enough to know that when he just sits on the tractor he has to put on his seat belt, and I never have to remind him. Start teaching safety early.
Solo

jimmoore · Mar 16, 2002

Duane, are you telling telling us you got SNAKE HIPS?

Anonymous Poster · Mar 22, 2002

Studies have shown that the operator of a tractor that rolls over without ROPS and seatbelt has only a 20% chance of being thrown clear and surviving. On the other hand, there has not been a recorded fatality of an operator of a rolled over tractor when the tractor had a ROPS and the driver had buckled his seat belt.
I personally know of a young fellow who was unloading his ROPS-equipped tractor from a trailer. He had not fastened his seat belt. The tractor slid on the wet ramps and the tractor tipped side-ways off them. The driver was thrown off the tractor onto the ground where the ROPS of the tractor came down on him and killed him.

duanet · Mar 27, 2002

Jim,
Sorry it took so long for me to reply. We just returned to the snow from a couple of weeks in Alabama and points between. Nice!!! Haven't even had time to go out to the barn and check on the 4100 yet.

Since you are retired, you must be old enough to realize that as you get older, the hips get proportionally smaller than the waist, maybe as some mathemetical function related to age! /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif Snake hips? Never thought of that before. It may have something to do with what's above the belt pushing the belt down. The discussion WAS about keeping the chaps up! And why do old timers always wear suspenders? I can still keep my chaps up without them (or could before I went on vacation /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif).

<font color=green>Duane</font color=green>

GregGG · Mar 30, 2002

Well, for any of you that still are not convinced read my idiots (in the roll overs discussion) story to see how easy it is, because the SECOND time my small tractor flipped it was QUICK and UNEXPECTED, My dad and I have been Wondering if it is even possible to get a ROPS and belt installed on our Ariens GT17, but now that I hear you guys say how simple it is I will not ride it again untill I have it refitted because I very well could be dead now because of a simple project done without ROPS or a belt.

DavidInNH · Apr 14, 2002

Thanks for this thread!
I've now given my wife and son permission to kick me if they find me driving the tractor without a seatbelt. I don't know how I got started driving the tractor beltless, I don't think I've ever driven a car without wearing belts since 1970.

Also, I bought a pair of chaps this weekend. I had intended to do it last weekend. but didn't manage to make it to the store. So now, I have a nice new rip in the jeans right across my left knee-cap. The saw was just idling and no skin was cut, but it left me shaking and feeling pretty stupid. I find that I'm MUCH more likely to do something stupid when I get tired... I think there is a lesson in there.

Anyway, I look pretty sharp in my orange hardhat/earmuff, orange chaps working with the orange Kubota and orange Salso chipper. At least I won't ever get lost in the woods.

-david