Water Bottles & Treadle Pedals

[PAB_OH]

I don't know if this has been covered before or not and it's a pretty rare happening but I thought I would share it anyway.

I was mowing our lower field the other day and I had an empty water bottle in the cup holder on my Kioti. I made a turn down hill toward the road. Usually I turn at the bottom of the hill and run parrallel to the road. For one reason or another I decided to mow a liitle closer to the edge and my turn wasn't quite sharp enough. Being hydro I simply decided to back up but the treadle wouldn't go back. It's about a an 8'-10' shear drop to the paved road below. I freaked out a little and looked down and saw the water bottle had fell out of the cup holder and lodged under the treadle. I was able to get it out of the way thankfully and got the tractor stopped in time.

I now put empty bottles behind the seat.

 

[Shimon]

Yes, this is a problem...not only for tractors but for any vehicle.

Years ago when I was still in the Navy, I was deployed to Turkey for 6 months. Rented a car one weekend to explore some ancient ruins and a bunch of us were in this little rental car speeding down these deserted roads in the middle of the desert and all of a sudden we come up on a cart drawn by a donkey in our lane while a truck is coming in the opposite direction in the other lane (this after not seeing another vehicle for about an hour...what are the chances?). Anyway, go to press on the brake but a water bottle is lodged under there. Had to swerve to the right onto the dirt shoulder at about 80 mph to avoid an ugly situation. Luckily, no one was hurt other than I had a heart attack. Now that I'm older and a little wiser, I keep the vehicles clean and free of debris, stick to the speed limit and avoid driving in third world countries.

 

[TedLaRue]

I've had similar problems with sticks coming up from below and wedging into the control pedals. It's a bit scary when you push on a pedal and nothing happens.

 

[woodlandfarms]

Try fruit from your orchard. Had an apple take me for a real joyride once (treadle was lodged in the go mode...)

 

[HarryVanderpool]

This thread is reading like a country western song.
Blaming your troubles on the bottle.......

 

[shane]

You knew your drinking problem would catch up to you one of these days.

Glad you are OK other than some stained shorts.

 

[Soundguy]

I've had similar problems with sticks coming up from below and wedging into the control pedals. It's a bit scary when you push on a pedal and nothing happens.

I've sure had that happen.. had a stick jamb the clutch pedal UP on a ford 8n I was driving... had to panic snatch it out of gear that time..

soundguy

 

[4720 OWNER]

Way too funny in a serious way as long as noone was hurt. Am i the only one who has a dog that likes to go faster in the tractor so will reach over and push the hst pedal down more? At one point she jumped in and was pawing at the pedals when it was running and i was out doing something or other. About the only time liked a safety seat the would not let the tractor go or i am sure she would have figured out steering shortly!! Guess could teach her how to run the FEL and could have her do more but then the SO would not need me around.

 

[dmccarty]

Add me to the It Has Happened To Me list as well.

I have a PowerReverser Tranny so the bottle under the clutch is not as bad as it good be. There is a lever on the dash that tells the tractor to go forward, backward or neutral. If you put the lever in neutral is just like pushing in the clutch. Since I drive a manual tranny truck I usually use the tractor clutch pedal.

Once the bottle got in the way and I had to use the dash lever. Not that big of a deal on my tractor if you keep your wits about you and think fast. But still not fun.

With my landscape I'm seldom out of A range and fourth gear so I'm not moving very fast. As a result I seldom use the tractor brakes, just let the tractor slow to a stop most of the time. I might need to just tap the brakes to stop but I could just as easily ground the FEL or whatever is on the 3PH. SOOO, hopefully a bottle under the brake pedal is never a problem.

My water bottles are too big to fit in the cup holder. I guess I need to make something to hold the bottle.

Later,
Dan

 

[mjarrels]

I remember when pop bottles were pop BOTTLES and they would occasionaly get stuck under the brake pedel on cars and trucks and cause problems!

mark