Stupid Things I Have Done

[WinterDeere]

Geez, you guys are a bunch of idiots.

Unfortunately, I'm right there with you. Like the time I left the ROPS up on my zero turn, and went zooming under a mature ornamental cherry tree with low branches. Pulled a wheelie like you've never seen done, on a zero-turn mower, before I cleared the branch and was on my way. It all happened so fast that I didn't have a chance to process what was even happening, but I'd guess it was the closest I've ever come to turning one of those over backwards.

I've also done the backing into the shed with the ROPS up thing with the CUT, and also got whacked by a tree branch that had been caught by my zero turn ROPS on another occasion, almost ejecting me off the machine. Now other than a few very specific and limited occasions, ALL ROPS's stay down in ALL machines ALL of the time. Far more likely to cause damage than to save me from it, given our numerous trees.

 

[dirttoys]

I am oddly surprised at number of stupid things I have done (and forgotten). Seems like every story reminds me of two of my own. I won't tell any of my motorcycle stories, but, one on my buddy. Known the guy since third grade, still good friends, and he is one of the best riders I have rode with:

Dressed up to go cruise the boulevard on saturday night, buddy on an old honda 650 (cb I think) still had a backup kick start. We filled up the bikes, jumped on, and I watch my stone sober, best rider I know, buddy, fall over in slow motion, wildly flailing his right leg. Turns out the poor guy had the kick start arm slide inside his jeans leg, and very very slowly dropped the bike while doing everything possible to get free........ cost: mirror, tail light, and pair of 501's getting to see it: priceless.

Best,

ed

 

[Jim Shooz]

Dressed up to go cruise the boulevard on saturday night, buddy on an old honda 650 (cb I think) still had a backup kick start. We filled up the bikes, jumped on, and I watch my stone sober, best rider I know, buddy, fall over in slow motion, wildly flailing his right leg. Turns out the poor guy had the kick start arm slide inside his jeans leg, and very very slowly dropped the bike while doing everything possible to get free........ cost: mirror, tail light, and pair of 501's getting to see it: priceless.

Best,

ed

Did a similar thing on a Suzuki commuting home from work. Slowing down for a stoplight, went to put my foot down to the ground. leg rouldn't move and I gently toppled over to lay on the ground. In the middle of 2 lanes of traffic. seems that when i had got on the kick start had gone up the leg of my trousers.

 

[thepumpguysc]

After a LOOONG day on the lake in my pontoon boat, I jump out at the landing to get the Bronco backed up..
Got everything situated and
got the boat on the trailer and winched down..
I jumped back in the Bronco and pull the “EMERGENCY BRAKE”.,, the truck wouldn’t move..
I was there for a good, seemed like an hour trying to get it to move..
In the meantime, I had to wave off about 5 different boats trying to get out of this 1 lane ramp.!!
They WERE NOT HAPPY.!!
After a few minutes this guy comes over and asks what the problem was..
I told him I heard the distinct “clunk” of the brakes unlocking.. He opened the drivers door, reached in and pulled the “BRAKE” release..
INSTEAD OF THE “HOOD” release.!!!
The 2 sounds are very similar..(try it)

 

[WinterDeere]

I told him I heard the distinct “clunk” of the brakes unlocking.. He opened the drivers door, reached in and pulled the “BRAKE” release..
INSTEAD OF THE “HOOD” release.!!!
The 2 sounds are very similar..(try it)

Also at a marina in Avalon NJ, ca.1984, my mother was forced to drive the kids home in a friend's Honda Civic. Having owned mostly Fords, she wasn't familiar with the center console brake lever, so she's hunting around down by her knees for a brake release. She finds the T-handle and pulls it, and the hood pops up.

A guy leaning against the bulkhead in front of us turns around, chuckles, walks over, and pushes our hood back down before shouting, "those cars have the parking brake in the center console."

I think we were probably holding up the retrieval of tools or the tow vehicle from our house, but at least we weren't blocking the ramp!

 

[Alien]

Geez, you guys are a bunch of idiots.

Unfortunately, I'm right there with you. Like the time I left the ROPS up on my zero turn, and went zooming under a mature ornamental cherry tree with low branches. Pulled a wheelie like you've never seen done, on a zero-turn mower, before I cleared the branch and was on my way. It all happened so fast that I didn't have a chance to process what was even happening, but I'd guess it was the closest I've ever come to turning one of those over backwards.

I've also done the backing into the shed with the ROPS up thing with the CUT, and also got whacked by a tree branch that had been caught by my zero turn ROPS on another occasion, almost ejecting me off the machine. Now other than a few very specific and limited occasions, ALL ROPS's stay down in ALL machines ALL of the time. Far more likely to cause damage than to save me from it, given our numerous trees.

Rops on my ZT broke a branch off a tree which came down and wedged me in the chest and broke a rib.
I have removed the one from my Tractor completely after doing damage with it.

 

[bigtiller]

I bought a taller lawn mower last fall so over the winter I raised up all my trees so the tractors ROPS would clear all the branches.

 

[Aquamoose]

I bought a taller lawn mower last fall so over the winter I raised up all my trees so the tractors ROPS would clear all the branches.

Now how did you manage to do that? Stuff dirt under the root balls?

 

[oosik]

1985 My brand new Ford 1700 was only three years old. Tried crossing the ice covered moat between my two lakes. Moat = 400 foot long drainage swale connecting the two lakes.

Anyhow - the ice was too thin. Front dropped thru the ice. Kept the engine running and out of the water with the FEL and bucket. Back to the house - got the cable come along. Took the better part of an hour but finally got the tractor out of the water.

Lesson learned - never cross the ice covered moat with the tractor. Besides - there is seldom any GOOD reason to be up on my high pasture in the dead of winter.

Now - I wouldn't make a winter crossing for ANY reason. My Kubota M6040 weighs 4X what the Ford did.

 

[BnRidge]

Student driving for the first time in the 67 impala along with the instructor and 2 others in the back. Ok now, so use your blinker, then make a left turn. I flipped the blinker lever up (automatic shift lever), launched everything in reverse, and left a nice long burnout. Everything came to a halt for what seemed like a very long time.