Wife drove tractor this afternoon.

RalphVa · Apr 30, 2006

My shoulder is acting up, and I'm on really strong narcotic medicine and aren't supposed to be running equipment or driving. So, she drove the tractor this afternoon. Just loaded one of my push mowers into the bucket and took it down to do some trimming around the garden and orchard. She was slow and careful. Dare I let her try brush hogging?

Ralph

DavidA · Apr 30, 2006

Do you want to be able to use your tractor again? If she keeps using it, you will probably have to compete with her to get to use it in the future.

proudestmonkey · Apr 30, 2006

Good for her for wanting to drive it. On Friday, I was hauling gravel from on old unused path to a path I want to maintain, which needed a drainage channel on one side, which is what I was using the gravel to make. Anyway, my wife gets home, and I tell her I am "having a low, can you get me some orange juice?" She said sure, and goes into the house. Sidenote: I am a type 1 diabetic and need sugar or I get disoriented sometimes (which is why I cannot get a motorcycle or class A driver's license). Anyway, it was getting late and had started to rain, so as I was drinking my orange juice, she tells me to come in, and I say, "I am not leaving the tractor out here in the rain all night, but I can't drive it until my blood sugar comes back up." She asks me if I want her to drive it through the woods, and back up to the shed. I say sure. She hesitates. I ask her what's wrong. She says, "I don't remember what to do, can you show me?" Looking at the steep hill on the way through the woods, I say, do you want me to just do it? She says, yes, I think you should leave it out here until tomorrow (probably was the best idea). But, I say, "no, I'll wait until I am feeling better, then I'll drive it back to the shed." She went into the house.

No big deal, here, but sheesh, I can't understand why she's so timid about driving this tractor. She helped me pick it out as the one she felt most comfortable driving. I guess its a double-edged sword. She doesn't want to drive it, which means I get to drive it whenever I want, and when I don't want.

MikeD74T · Apr 30, 2006

"Dare I let her try brush hogging?" Absolutely, just remember anything you forget to warn her about is your fault. There will be many times when you need someone with enough experience to operate the tractor to assist you with a difficult task. Without providing that experience you run the increased risk of injury or breakage. If done right the worst that could happen is that you'll need a second tractor, & most of us could live with that.

Bob_Skurka · Apr 30, 2006

( My shoulder is acting up, and I'm on really strong narcotic medicine and aren't supposed to be running equipment or driving. So, she drove the tractor this afternoon. Just loaded one of my push mowers into the bucket and took it down to do some trimming around the garden and orchard. She was slow and careful. Dare I let her try brush hogging?

Ralph )

Ralph, you have just violated one of the most critical unwritten "guy code" rules ever concieved. Never let your wife drive your tractor!!! She will realize that you have been having fun all these years. She will spread the word to other wives through the secret network that women have and they will seek their wrath and revenge upon all mankind.

I'm sorry to break it to you, but you will have to smother her will a pillow tonight to protect the rest of us. Or will you refuse to save manhood and break sacred another rule /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Inspector507 · Apr 30, 2006

Dare I let her try brush hogging? 

You are on drugs.........there goes your tractor, it's hers now /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

shovelhead · Apr 30, 2006

Ralph, I've lost my tractor seat time to my 13-year old son. When my wife asked to drive the tractor, he told her very matter-of factly that since she cannot drive a truck with a standard transmission, she had NO business on his tractor! I had to hide so she wouldn't see me laughing! Anyway, it's good to have help, but I'd rather be on the tractor platform doing the directing. Good luck to you and I hope your shoulder heals up soon.

wushaw · Apr 30, 2006

( Ralph, I've lost my tractor seat time to my 13-year old son. When my wife asked to drive the tractor, he told her very matter-of factly that since she cannot drive a truck with a standard transmission, she had NO business on his tractor! I had to hide so she wouldn't see me laughing! Anyway, it's good to have help, but I'd rather be on the tractor platform doing the directing. Good luck to you and I hope your shoulder heals up soon. )

You have obviously trained that boy right /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

midlf · Apr 30, 2006

As stated, DO NOT let her brush hog. Around here it started innocently enough. "Can I try driving it." Then "can I try mowing". Then "I'd like to try using the big mower thingy to clear a walking path in the woods". Next came the FEL to move rocks for the garden border. The empty weight box is now her "trunk". Do I still get to use the tractor, sure, to change the implements or wrestle with the fuel can. It is a slippery slope, don't get started.

midlf · May 1, 2006

Kidding aside, the CFO is very cautious but analytical. She mows places in the swamp that I was sure she would get stuck in but doesn't. She is also very good doing the driveway with the box blade. I think the reason is that she goes very slow and is very patient. In the swamp she goes slow and watches the front wheels. If they start to sink or the tread starts coming up wet she puts it in 4WD and backs out. On the drive she is willing to cut thin and go slow enough to be able to control the level. By the time I noticed I was in trouble in the swamp the back wheels would have sunk and with the BB I am impatient and try to grab 3" of gravel with it.