Tractors and kids

herbenus · Mar 12, 2003

I knew this would be a controversial post, well suited for the safety forum. You really can't err too far on the safety side. We all know that in rural areas kids get on machinery sooner than in the city. We also have heard about all the accidents. We always think it's the "other guy", he did something stupid, it won't happen to me, etc.

I've let my ten year old drive the tractor twice by himself (me off). Once going real slow with me picking up branches and throwing in fel. I think we went about 50 feet before I took back over. Another time I let him run mower, again about 50 feet - "You won't get in trouble for missing some grass, but DON'T hit my pecan trees." You should have heard the bragging that day. The problem is I have a collar shift and for him to reach clutch to stop he has to slide out of seat some which if he let's too much weight off the seat the tractor starts to shut down from safety switch. But he'll be doing more as he grows (ah puberty...).

Now I do let him ride riding lawnmower around to cut grass by house. He can almost even cut straight and I've only replaced one tie-rod and one right front axle. I'm always out there with him for this also.

Mosey · Mar 12, 2003

( I knew this would be a controversial post, well suited for the safety forum)

I guess I should have seen it coming, but I didn't intend for this to discuss kids on running tractors, I meant for it to discuss kids playing on non-running parked tractors. Had I realized it would go in the direction it has, I would have posted it on the Safety forum.

What age to start kids out driving a tractor is a good question. It certainly depends on the kid. Some people are just more mechanically inclined than others. My brother has a better memory than I do, so I'll ask him what age we started. I know it was pretty young and none of the tractors we drove had power steering. I can remember standing up in front of the seat on the JD B and using both hands to torque the steering wheel around!

cowboydoc · Mar 12, 2003

Most tractor accidents happen from either rollovers or from getting caught in implements or the pto. Very few accidents happen from being on the tractor on level ground. I would trust my daughter more than most grown-ups I know to run the tractor for me. I've even had guys out helping me put up posts and such and I was scared to death having them run the tractor. With my daughter I have never one time had any fear with her running the tractor. When we put up the barn she ran the tractor and loader with me in it to put in the screws for the metal up high. She runs it with precision and is very safe. You should see here make sure everything is in neutral, brake on, and then shut off whenever she gets off. Very good little driver.

As far as how young is too young it all depends on the child. I would never put an irresponsible kid on one or a city kid. They don't have any respect for the machinery that farm kids do. They think they are toys. My daughter drives the pickups, gator, mule, etc. Just about everything here but she's grown up doing it everyday. It makes a big difference on the background of the kid, their maturity level, and their common sense. I wouldn't let some kids 17 years old drive machinery. It just all depends on the individual.

dmccarty · Mar 12, 2003

Its funny the topic showed up, course that is the way of TBN.
Last weekend my family showed up on the property while
I was working and the kids LOVES to play on the tractor. She
is not three yet. I take the keys out, put the FEL/3PH down,
etc., and let her play.

The first thing she does when she sits in the seat is put on
the seat belt. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif My daughter watches us like a hawk with
photographic memory. She see us, especially me, and mimics
exactly what I do. If we get into a car and we don't put on
our seat belts quick enough we are given a reminder by a
toddler. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

I do worry about her moving around on the tractor there are
enough edges to cut her if she slipped and she could fall off
and die if she hit her head. But so could I. Life is risk. Just
minimize it.

I have been thinking about taking her for a ride on the tractor
by sitting in my lap with the belt over both of us....

For a kid operating the tractor its really about the child, what
they have been taught, and will they do things correctly. I
think children, if taught well at an early age. can be far
safer than an adult. My father taught me how to shoot and
carry a firearm safely at 4 or 5. I don't think about it at all.
Its habit. I have been around lots of people with firearms
who are just plain scary. And they are LEOs. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif They should
know better. But I learned it at a very early age and its
engrained in me. I just do not think about firearm safety I just
do.

My father bought a rifle a few months ago. We where in the
store looking at the rifle with the bolt out. My father let the
muzzle sweep another customer at the other end of the
store. I gave the old man a kick in the a..s for allowing that
to happen. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif So the kid can be more careful than the
parent. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

I think it depends on the child and the parents. I suspect that
my daughter in a few more years will be able to safely operate
the tractor in limited conditions.... Course I have to be
careful. Otherwise she might be giving me the kick in the a..s.
/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Later,
Dan

MossRoad · Mar 12, 2003

19th VA-
I've met some very mature 10 year olds and some very immature 42 year olds(me). It probably boils down to personal choice in parenting. That's why I had my disclaimer at the end of my post. I wouldn't do it, someone else might. Not meant to offend anyone. I have two 14 year old nephews from different sides of the family(both great kids). My sister's boy, I wouldn't let drive it. He's never been around machinery at any time in his life. The other, my sister in law's stepson, I would let drive in a heartbeat. He understands machinery, tears down small engines and rebuilds them, races dirtbikes, etc... you get the picture. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

MossRoad · Mar 12, 2003

Mosey-
I think this is a great discussion meant for this forum. Sorry if I got off on the safety issue, which we all understand. I'll get off my soapbox. As I said before, I have let my kids sit on my tractor while I had the key in my pocket. They hang on the steering wheel(it won't turn because its an articulated machine) and they try to reach the joystick(it won't do anything because the bucket is already down).

My oldest is 10. She can barely reach the pedals, even with the seat all the way forward. My youngest is 5 and can barely reach the wheel.

They do get a big smile just sitting there and I am sometimes tempted to let the oldest drive it across the yard, but I won't, yet... she's not ready. I love their smiles... /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

Bird · Mar 12, 2003

( I have been thinking about taking her for a ride on the tractor by sitting in my lap with the belt over both of us )

Dan, there may be some different opinions on this, so if anyone disagrees with me, feel free to do so, but I wouldn't put the belt around both of you. In the event that anything did happen that caused the belt to be needed to hold you, a small child in front of you is going to have your weight perhaps crushing something vital. In my personal opinion, you should put the belt on yourself, then hold the child in your lap. If anything happens, you can depend on the belt to hold you and you can concentrate on using both arms to hold the child.

And of course, even though we've never met, I think I know you well enough to know that you're probably going to be going relatively slowly on fairly level terrain with the child, so it's probably a moot point anyway.

( I have been around lots of people with firearms who are just plain scary. And they are LEOs. )

I've sure been there, too. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif And I tended to be very strict and even a bit harsh with some of them, too, for either carelessness or horseplay.

Egon · Mar 12, 2003

Yep:
Not suposed to put two people into one belt. Big one squashes the small one.

Egon

rdbrumfield · Mar 12, 2003

I live within a quarter mile of a grade school and was asked if morning and afternoon class could come by for a visit.
Of course, who can turn down a child.
The next morning here they came, one adult for each two children. I explained that they each had a hydraulic pump and so did the equipment, that is how they work. Demonstrated the lift on the dump truck, and then let them lift the bucket on the tractor, pick the blade and angle-tilt, then had each one sit in my lap to operate the excavator. Just a bucket out of the garden, one swing around, then to dump it. After all had had a turn, I let each take a turn by themselves on a B 5100 in low gear in a small field, with me walking closeby of course.
It was a great time and the smiles and sparkling eyes made it all worth it.
We have to take precautions to keep our children from injuring themselves the best we can, but the need to learn has to factor in there somewhere. My wife is a school teacher ,3rd grade, and from what I see, children don't have the chance to get any opportunities to build common sense. If a computer or book doesn't have the answer they are bewildered to think for themselves.

Bird · Mar 12, 2003

That's great! And I'll bet those kids remember and talk more about that "field trip" than they ever do the lessons they get in class.

rdbrumfield · Mar 12, 2003

Yes, I would imagine so. They all made me a picture of what they liked the best. The pics sere great and what they had to say would make you roll on the floor laughing. Kids are so great. Some like the dog the best, and of course the cat. In the store downtown I get feedback from parents at times. I live in a small community and most people know me, makes it kind of nice.

Turfman · Mar 12, 2003

The bigger kids I can keep off, but the three year old is on it as soon as I turn my back. Makes me cautious about how I leave it setting. I sat him on it with me last year to gave a him little ride as I parked it. Slow and careful. Pulled it up behind the truck and he watched as I lowered the bucket and slid it under the back to the truck to give me a little room. As soon as I'd stopped he grabbed the lever and raised the bucket. /forums/images/graemlins/ooo.gif He knew the lever made things happen and wanted a go at it. When I park it I have to make sure everthing is lowered and the keys are with me or in the safe. Went out back one day and he was on it as it rested in the shade of a tree in the back yard. Had a ring of keys with him that he was trying out to see which one made it go. Finally did the right thing and bought him a tractor (pedal tractor) of his own. Problem is I couldn't find a Kubota and he had to settle for a Deere. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif That seemed to satisfy his desire a bit.

The bigger kids will have a set on it if they think they can get away with it. I make sure the bucket and 3 point are all down, but I worry sometimes.

rdbrumfield · Mar 12, 2003

This reminds me of a time my dad parked his 32 ford pickup on a slight incline so he would be able to start it. It became my first driving leson at 5yrs old. Of course he had put it gear and had a rock in front of the front tire, but with me in there "driving", making the noise, shifting gears and steering to and fro, it got out of gear and the rock got squirmed away and I can still see my mother in total fright as I was headed down the hill. Me and the 32 coasted through a quiet intersection and by the grace of God didn't hit anything and came to a gentle stop.
Kids are like young kittens, they are going to check everything out. We just have to keep them in mind when we park things and not set them up.

frank_f15 · Mar 13, 2003

turfman: going to get the same thing for my grandson for his birthday in 2 months, toysrus has a nice one , with a loader and all, generic brand but sure looks spiffy on the computer screen.

19th_VA · Mar 13, 2003

Yea that makes sense in a car, where you are traveling at 60 miles per hour and the weight of an adult can crush a child to death. I wonder about a tractor, however, when it is just your weight and not the velocity of the vehicle that is acting on the child (save perhaps a bit as it goes over). I know that my 165 pounds would NOT kill my 90 lb. daughter in this situation, though I'm sure it would result in some injury. If I have to depend on myself to hold on to her, what if I can't/don't? Yes, I am definitely talking about low and slow but there's always the possibility something could go wrong. I could just as easily (perhaps more easily) concentrate on holding the steering wheel to keep my body weight from crushing her. But the added insurance that she could NOT slip out would the difference. I know I'm getting into some fine points here, but what the heck...

Jeff396 · Mar 13, 2003

Why don't you put the seat belt on yourself and then buy an oversize belt or some kind of strap to wrap around you both? Seems like it would solve the problem. I imagine the biggest danger when riding around on level ground is them slipping off and getting under those heavy tires.

I went to a poker run once and saw a guy roll in on this death trap chopper.....it was just built wrong. You know, extended the forks a good bit but didn't rake the frame at all. Anyway, he has this very young child behind him with a belt around the two of them. I don't even want to think what would happen if he ever dumped it! /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

Jeff

19th_VA · Mar 13, 2003

This will probably sound wrong, but anyone who puts a young child on a motorcycle with them on the highway, deserves what he/she gets. Unfortunately, the child does not have a choice in the matter!

Not a bad idea, by the way.

herbenus · Mar 13, 2003

Cowboydoc,

Now you shared this about your daughter driving your tractor but I don't know if she's 3 or 30. How old when she started?

Mosey · Mar 13, 2003

( Why don't you put the seat belt on yourself and then buy an oversize belt or some kind of strap to wrap around you both? Jeff)

That's a good idea. The last time we traveled in a plane (and one of the very few times I've been in a plane - I hate flying!) was when the twins were about a year old. They didn't charge for the kids if we had them sit on our lap (last I heard they allow this for kids up to 2 years old). But, they would not allow the belt to go over both us and the kids, we had to put our belts on and then hold the kids in our laps. I heard that some airlines have a special, separate seat belt that you can attach to your own and put around baby or toddler.

19th_VA · Mar 13, 2003

I'm with you, Danny. If man (or woman, to not be sexist) was meant to fly he would have wings. If he was meant to fly at 600 mph in an oversized sardine can, he would have a jet engine strapped to his butt. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif And I don't want to hear about how it is the safest method of travel. My father was an aeronautical engineer at NASA for 30 years, so I've heard it all. Like my feet on the ground, or a nice, large tractor deck (like the one my Branson has). /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif