LaGrange farmer crushed by tractor

[coldsteelva]

If you haven't seen the 'state' of our emergency service workers lately, especially volunteer services, then you may not have noticed that in general, they are all in poor shape and likely could not or would not even consider trying to just carry the man 1200' on a backboard. I have been there and done that before and it can be done. It sounds like a gator would have been better suited to the terrain. For being in Maine I'm kind of surprised, they didn't just have the local SAR team come out with one of there one- or two-wheeled litter carriers that they use for hauling injured folks down mountains and out of the backcountry.

 

[s219]

Too many things can accidentally snag when getting off tractors. Has problems with both the cargo pockets on pants catching, and the bottom of my shorts catching. I don't think the tractor makers put any thought into this other than locating levers close by for a seated operator to reach with hands.

 

[CincyFlyer]

Watch those pant legs guys. I've been there and done that without a serious accident. Sometime ( if not really hot) I band the pant legs to avoid the possible snag. Heck even the hammer loop on bibs or work pants have caught on control handles etc. Sometimes I cut that darn loop off to avoid that as well.

Yep, there are all kinds of things to catch on my tractor, and every one I've been on; usually, only the seat adjuster, with the leg of my shorts (once I learned to never get on from the right side lest I activate the FEL, the joystick for which is the **** in the way). I also do a "double neutral" (because of a scary "learning experience" that perhaps wasn't dissimilar to what happened above) and put both the shuttle and the synchromesh shifters in N before disembarking.

 

[bspeedy]

My younger brother was injured when he stretched his leg down under the tractor to kick a board being used as a ramp out of the way. In doing so, his body pushed the tractor into gear and the tractor's rear wheel ran over his leg and tried to drag him under. Darn lucky he shut it off and Dad was there and able to get him out and to the hospital. He was probably 14 at the time. I felt terribly guilty as I had left the job site early for some reason that day and would have been helping to load the tractor. He had a broken ankle and some sprains and tendon / ligament damage. Wasted a summer in a cast. No permanent damage almost 30 years later. It's the only really serious accident they've had in 50+ years in business.