Tree tipping, land clearing and drainage

Farmerford · May 8, 2007

I am with you Marcel. Safety is an individual choice. We all understand that if the tractor overturns we are probably safer with a seatbelt and ROPS. There is no need to repeatedly point that out.

Like you, I grew up driving tractors with no ROPS or seat belts. A couple of them even had open flywheels because you had to spin the flywheel by hand to crank them. They all had open PTO shafts and exposed pulleys to drive flat belts. Since some of us survived, common sense or luck must have been with us.

We don't critize others for their safety choices and they should show us the same courtesy.

JerryG · May 8, 2007

mboulais said:
It would have to be one massive hole to flip a forty horse tractor with loaded tires and a front end loader on it. My choice, my problem.

You would be very suprised how small of a hole it will take.

JerryG · May 8, 2007

Farmerford said:
I am with you Marcel. Safety is an individual choice. We all understand that if the tractor overturns we are probably safer with a seatbelt and ROPS. There is no need to repeatedly point that out.

We don't critize others for their safety choices and they should show us the same courtesy.

If you don't like to have it pointed out, stop posting picture of blatantly unsafe actions. If pointing it out saves just one life or prevents one serious injury every post will be worth it.

mboulais · May 8, 2007

JerryG said:
If you don't like to have it pointed out, stop posting picture of blatantly unsafe actions. If pointing it out saves just one life or prevents one serious injury every post will be worth it.

That's like saying don't post pictures of red tractors because some people only like green ones. I do not think you are any safer than I am. You are looking at one safety device that isn't being used and assuming that the situation is unsafe. There is more involved in safely operating equipment than wearing a seatbelt or having a roll bar. People expect someone else to protect them from everything today. Thats why we have warning stickers on everything we buy, seatbelt laws, cell phone usage laws, the list goes on and on. People need to take responsibility for thier own safety at some point. If you don't think the government is doing too much to protect us from yourselves, take another look.

(edited for spelling/grammar)

JerryG · May 9, 2007

The government is into to much. The stickers have gone way too far. There wouldn't have to be even half of them, if people would take safety seriously. Apparently they don't and then broadcast it saying see, see watch what I can do. So few care about their kids and families enough to care about their own safety. It's amazing that more aren't killed than are. I have seen to many people that I know whether they are friends, acquaintances or just people that I happen to know how are, that have to live with pain, suffering, or their families have to live with their death. All of that just so that it is convenient or some because they were to lazy, whether is was from not walking around a piece of equipment, not having their seat belt on, reaching across moving shafts or something as simple as not putting up their ROPS when they come out of their garage. You do know the shine on the paint is worth a life didn't you? Just like 10 steps around the back instead or across is worth a leg. Just like not getting your hands dirty by wearing gloves when you shouldn’t be is worth a neck that is messed up and with severer pain for the rest your life and the arm gone below it. These are all excuses that I have heard over the years. The ones that lived to tell the story afterward don't have the same outlook about the situation as they had before. And yes, I have seen tractors turned over in situations no worse than the ones in the pictures. And yes, I know what severe pain is, but not from doing something that I shouldn't have been on equipment. I just don't want anyone and I mean anyone to have to suffer or for their family to suffer just because of something that wasn't convenient.

mboulais · May 9, 2007

JerryG said:
The government is into to much. The stickers have gone way too far. There wouldn't have to be even half of them, if people would take safety seriously. Apparently they don't and then broadcast it saying see, see watch what I can do. So few care about their kids and families enough to care about their own safety. It's amazing that more aren't killed than are. I have seen to many people that I know whether they are friends, acquaintances or just people that I happen to know how are, that have to live with pain, suffering, or their families have to live with their death. All of that just so that it is convenient or some because they were to lazy, whether is was from not walking around a piece of equipment, not having their seat belt on, reaching across moving shafts or something as simple as not putting up their ROPS when they come out of their garage. You do know the shine on the paint is worth a life didn't you? Just like 10 steps around the back instead or across is worth a leg. Just like not getting your hands dirty by wearing gloves when you shouldn’t be is worth a neck that is messed up and with severer pain for the rest your life and the arm gone below it. These are all excuses that I have heard over the years. The ones that lived to tell the story afterward don't have the same outlook about the situation as they had before. And yes, I have seen tractors turned over in situations no worse than the ones in the pictures. And yes, I know what severe pain is, but not from doing something that I shouldn't have been on equipment. I just don't want anyone and I mean anyone to have to suffer or for their family to suffer just because of something that wasn't convenient.

Wow, You really have a high opinion of yourself. A picture of my ROPS down isn't broadcasting "see what I can do". How long have you been around heavy equipment to have seen so much pain and suffering? Having grown up in a rural area surrounded by farmers, I can only think of 3 people in the area that had significant equipment related injuries. After over thirteen years in aluminum casting plants I have only seen two people seriously injured in those plants I was in. Yes those injuries were preventable, but most of them happened doing things I would not even consider doing. Safety involves more than a device mandated by law. Convienence has nothing to do with me not putting that ROPS up. If I felt I needed it, I would put it up. A lot of people who never saw a tractor, let alone drove one until later in life think the only safe way to operate a tractor is to use all government mandated safety devices. Even if you have the ROPS up and your seatbelt on, things can end badly. How many people with new riding mowers with all those saftey devices, still manage to maim one of their own children? Everything in life involves some risk. I have good understanding of risk and how to manage it based on my rural upbringing, my engineering degree, and over 13 years in heavy industry. You really need to get over this. I am not posting any pictures that are "blatantly unsafe" as you described them. All four wheels are on the ground in every picture. No one in my family would think twice about using that tractor with the ROPS down. My mother and my wife included. If they don't have a problem with these pictures, you shouldn't either. Get over it.

Have a safe day.

tydp · May 9, 2007

Why do the safety Nazis always have to but in....When I was a kid I rode a bicycle without a helmet, I drank out of the water hose, our car didn't even have seatbelts, yada, yada, yada......I'm still here.

jsborn · May 9, 2007

JerryG said:
If you don't like to have it pointed out, stop posting picture of blatantly unsafe actions. If pointing it out saves just one life or prevents one serious injury every post will be worth it.

That's right if you don't believe like I do don't post on my web site. COME ON get back to the thread of tree tipping and drainage and stop trying to show off how safe we are

JerryG · May 9, 2007

Not at all Marcel, but until you have to live with pain every minute, 24 hours a day, you don't understand what a sever injury can do. Taking these things for granted is something no one should do. Just one extra minute is all it takes a lot of the time to prevent a life time of agony. I don't wish that one anyone and if I can keep someone from it by saying something, I will.
Have a good day.

mboulais · May 9, 2007

JerryG said:
Not at all Marcel, but until you have to live with pain every minute, 24 hours a day, you don't understand what a sever injury can do. Taking these things for granted is something no one should do. Just one extra minute is all it takes a lot of the time to prevent a life time of agony. I don't wish that one anyone and if I can keep someone from it by saying something, I will.
Have a good day.

Actually, I do know what chronic back pain is like, both first hand and from family members worse off than I. I know exactly what a broken back feels like. As we get older we learn our limitations and work smarter not harder.

Back to tree tipping, etc...

I will be back out there digging tonight. I had other priorities the last two nights. I hope to finish the ditch digging by the weekend and get back to clearing land on Saturday. I will post more Pics on Monday.