Also with your ROPS up, be ever vigilant of your overhead clearance. Going into a garage or going under a large tree limb can easily lift the front end of the tractor instantly, and depending on your speed could be disastrous. Always think "clearance" When working next to a building with Front End Loader (FEL) and/or rear implement attached, be always cognizant of your clearances up front and behind as you turn. Many a Newbie has taken the corner out of his house and the door out of his pickup truck with either the FEL or some long rear implement.
So watch your front end, watch your rear end, watch each rear tire's clearance and watch that ROPS clearance overhead.. Let's see, you need 5 eyes to do all of that.
The biggest newbie mistake of all is carrying the bucket up high especially with a load in it.. Never turn with a loaded bucket up high.. Always carry your bucket as low as practical without running the risk of hitting an obstacle on the ground.
When traversing any slope, be very watchful for low spots on the low side of the tractor and high spots on the high side of the tractor. A slope that is perfectly safe to traverse becomes unsafe the instant your low side tire goes in a hole or your high side tire runs over a rock. You can quickly find yourself laying on your side wondering what the "heck" just happened. This is especially true when you bucket is loaded and you have it raised too high.
Most of the overturned tractors pictures we see, and I have seen a bunch of them, will have the FEL raised. Remember when you don't know, go low and slow.
I know I know I make tractors sound like a death trap, but the wise man learns from the mistakes of others. A fella not so wise learns from his own mistakes. An idiot doesn't learn from either.
