I grew up in the car business and if we didn't let customers look at the inventory kids or no kids we might as well close the doors.
One of the difference between cars and tractors is that with the cars, kids have to be part of the auto experience.
When we were young, my parents would always check that the back seat was comfortable for the kids when shopping for cars.
With tractors, technically the kids are not using the tractors... although, of course, teenagers often do use the tractors, but not 5 yr olds.
Kids can be destructive, pulling and pushing every lever and button. But, as mentioned, it is a good idea to keep buckets and implements in a "safe position", even if they look pretty with them up. They also function as emergency brakes.
I think too much emphasis is put on keeping kids from falling 2 feet to the ground. I never died from a skinned knee as a kid, even though I had plenty of them.
I've been to a few auto shows. Some people surrounded their cars with "don't touch" signs. If asked politely, I'd always let the kids climb through my car. Although, I must admit that I've had neighbor kids that broke off hard to find "classic parts". Because one kid was holding the door lock from the outside, I caught a kid inside my car grabbing a pair of vice grips to pull up on the door lock button once.
I'm sure tractor dealerships hate repairing damage from particularly destructive kids. But, then, all they need to post is a "you break it, you bought it" sign next to their $100K tractors!!!!
For some people, kids may be part of the buying process, and a dealership will do anything to keep the customers on the lot longer, and looking at more stuff.
I never left the USA until 21 years ago. America has safety regulations intended to protect people from their own stupidity. Very few of the cases you hear about actually result in damages (believe me, I had been involved in hundreds) but there is always cost in defending a suit and very few allow the defendant to recover damages for a frivolous suit. Visit France and voila, no fences preventing you from falling off a cliff. Visit Greece and the slippery steps polished by over 3,000 years of people trodding them - no handrails. Here are some pictures from Bauma, the worlds largest construction machinery show, taken a couple weeks back. Sunday they have a family day but these pictures were taken during the week. The stairs they had built so a person could sit in the seat of a 994 wheel loader - almost always filled with kids but what can I complain - I lack the $4 million to buy one too. The picture with a father on a paver with his 2 kids - this is the way to build tomorrow's future - get the next generation interested. I have finding shows in America where they lock the cab doors or chain the ladders to keep people away - unless you have cash sticking out of your pockets. Of course those kids in the paver seats will probably never drive one like it in the future - they will own the company.
