I wasn't wearing my seatbelt!

[hunt4570]

the only time on my tractor I don't wear my seat belt is going over my pond dams... water on one side, steep ravine on the other.. dont want to be attached to the tractor either way.

 

[Gcorron]

There are a LOT of reasons to fold that ROPS, which is, of course, why it folds.

Digging in a basement, which is where machines like the little BX-25, or a Terramite, shine!

Personally, I have two separate areas of fruit, and nut trees. Not being able to walk very well, and not wanting to cut my trees either down, or up, fold the ROPS. No, I do not want to either mow by hand, or buy a zero turn. Glad to have the folding ROPS.

George

 

[arrow]

About 12 years ago I took a lot of heat from the group when I explaied how NOT wearing a seatbelt on my JJD 750 at the time proved to my advantage. I rolled it over sideways backing over a leaf hidden ground obstruction on a rocky out cropping. Everything then went into slow motion as I thought, "this can't be happening right? I love my tractor too much to roll her,... and yet, we seem to be going over". At some point, I threw my leg over the steering wheel,(which was how I always dismounted from her) and literally "leaped" or got thrown off the tractor. I landed dead upright and on my feet.

I surmised that had I been belted in, I would have cracked my skull on the 1 ft diameter boulder next to the operators area.

My premise was that the 750 was too narrow a tractor for seat belt use and would tend to "slam" you to the ground with it.

A seat belt was inadequate for this tractor. A 5 point harness was in order or wearing a helmet. I always use the seat belt on my bil's JD 5320 (or whatever number it is) as I would contend that tractor is wide enough so your head wouldn't smash itself on the ground with a side roll over.

I ended with "I don't think a blanket statement of using a seatbelt on a tractor may always hold efficacy on a smaller machine". It proved to be a rather contentious thread but I still believe it today.

 

[MossRoad]

On 1975 I started offering $100 to anyone that could produce an accident report demonstrating that someone was uninjured in an accident because they were not wearing a seat belt. No one has ever collected.

if someone doesn't want to wear a seatbelt because they're too fat or too lazy, go to it. But for some reason they always have some BS story about how someone they know would have been killed if they were wearing a seatbelt.

Ice Road Truckers! :laughing:

 

[MossRoad]

Why would there ever be a reason to put the ROPS down while using the tractor? I don't think I've ever had the ROPS folded down in the 4 years I've had my tractor.

Orchard work.

 

[Bill Guenthner]

I wouldn't risk being crushed by a tractor to save the cost of a riding mower.

 

[TJP89]

Why would there ever be a reason to put the ROPS down while using the tractor? I don't think I've ever had the ROPS folded down in the 4 years I've had my tractor.

Getting an implement out from under low lean-to, parking in the garage, working under low branches, in and out low buildings. There's a reason it folds.

I don't have it down often, but when it's down, I need it down.

I always wear a seatbelt in a car, I've taken enough physics to convince me. Wish I could say the same about the tractor. If I'm on the tractor for a long time with no on/off, I have it on. But most of my work I'm moving short distances and always on and off, so the seatbelt is a pain and I usually don't bother. I know, bad practice, but I have to think about it, and usually don't. Maybe this will help that. No one ever expects an accident. When the ROPS is down, the seatbelt is off.

 

[Fawken]

Once again, mine didn't come with either, ROPs or Seatbelt. In Texas, cars made before there were seatbelt laws do not have to be retrofitted. I almost always wear a helmet on my motorcycles. Sometimes I don't wear a life jacket in a boat- especially if I'm going way out in the Gulf of Mexico- it's too hot and makes me sick. You know what else? I confess, there have been a few times that I fell asleep at the gate and didn't hear the flight attendants saying to switch cell phones off. As a possibly deadly result mine stayed on the entire flight until it woke me up vibrating at the destination landing approach. And worst of all I have actually installed a 110v duplex outlet on a "live" circuit.

Note to "whom it may concern:"
STOP trying to save me from every conceivable hazard. I realize and am prepared to deal with THE FACT that life is HAZARDOUS from the time of BIRTH! There is always the possibility of injury or death and I accept that as a part of the process of living. Now leave me the _____ alone.

 

[aeblank]

I wouldn't risk being crushed by a tractor to save the cost of a riding mower.

Wow. Little over-dramatic, don't you think?

Shouldn't risk getting a toe cut off either, don't mow at all.

 

[Gcorron]

Fawkes - I'll bet you run with scissors too! BEAST!

My riding mower has no seat belt, nor ROPS. so that is safer than my tractor??? A good friend rolled his mower last summer, took two operations to put his shoulder back together. I did not roll my tractor last summer.

A seat belt, or ROPS, does not guarantee you will not perish in an unfortunate accident, it only (normally) evens the odds.

I always wear mine, when appropriate, if someone else never wears them, I've never lost one minutes sleep worrying about it, it's your decision, same as motorcycle helmet, your decision.

George - still not wearing a seatbelt with the ROPS down cutting the orchard area.