Lesson learned

[63DH8]

Yesterday, while getting my riding mower off my trailer (I was getting ready to take my tractor and brush hog to a lady friend's place. Whole different story), something hug up while the mower was on the ramps. "No big deal!" I thought. I pulled forward to get some momentum backwards to bump over whatever hung me up. I got stuck again. I decided to call y daughter to give me a hand, but decided to give the momentum thing one more chance. That's when disaster almost happened! The next thing I saw was sky. About the time I hit the ground, everything went in slow motion. I saw the rider falling towards me. I thought, "Awe CR@P! This is gonna HURT!" I remembered from a long forgotten marshal arts class taken decades ago that it's easier to deflect a blow than stop it. With everything I had, I pushed with my right leg and pushed towards the left with my arms. I got up swearing and cussing! No damage to me, and several scraps to my mower. I'm a little stiff, but that may be from the brush hogging at my lady friend's place.


Watch! In a few years, the feral government is going to require rops for riding mowers!

 

[newbury]

<snip>
Watch! In a few years, the feral government is going to require rops for riding mowers!

Feral? Freudian slip?

Anyways - they will probably require a CML - commercial mowers license - for anything over 6HP.

 

[kebo]

Our gov't has gone wild with spending money, so feral is the correct term!!

 

[dirt ditch]

The good thing is you were not hurt.

 

[Slatecreek]

Glad to hear that your ok, I can just imagine how bad something like that could have ended up. You are very lucky to walk away with only a few sore spots and a couple of scratches on your tractor.

 

[tugboat-2]

Sorry 63DH8,.... I seem to have missed the cause of this unfortunate near disaster. What exactly was it you were hung up on? Was it the mower catching one of the ramps and your final "ramming" knocked it off and upset the machine on you?

Please clarify that for us. Could be a lesson here? Sure it sounds silly (to some) but with a ROPS and snug seat belt,..you could have ridden it down, albeit with a crash landing,...but you would not have had to put your martial-arts expertise to work.

Glad "you" are ok,....any other damage? Perhaps a fortunate thing you had not summoned your daughter after all. Hope she wasn't near as that would likely have been a traumatic experience for her to witness. How old is she?

Take good care,......and please tell us about these details, (unless your daughter is of the delicate age that would cause you to tell a lie, hee, hee!)
. . tug

 

[63DH8]

Feral? Freudian slip?

Anyways - they will probably require a CML - commercial mowers license - for anything over 6HP.

A feral organism is one that has escaped from domestication and returned, partly or wholly, to a wild state.
Feral - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Pretty much describes our Government!

 

[63DH8]

Sorry 63DH8,.... I seem to have missed the cause of this unfortunate near disaster. What exactly was it you were hung up on? Was it the mower catching one of the ramps and your final "ramming" knocked it off and upset the machine on you?

Please clarify that for us. Could be a lesson here? Sure it sounds silly (to some) but with a ROPS and snug seat belt,..you could have ridden it down, albeit with a crash landing,...but you would not have had to put your martial-arts expertise to work.

Glad "you" are ok,....any other damage? Perhaps a fortunate thing you had not summoned your daughter after all. Hope she wasn't near as that would likely have been a traumatic experience for her to witness. How old is she?

Take good care,......and please tell us about these details, (unless your daughter is of the delicate age that would cause you to tell a lie, hee, hee!)
. . tug

The mower deck got caught on the ramps. If the ramps wasn't in such a steep angle, the deck wouldn't have gotten caught. If there was a ROPS system on the mower, I would be hanging from the seatbelt, but okay. It may look silly, but it could save someone's life who wasn't strong enough in the legs to push the mower aside.

As for my daughter, she's 19. She's the type who would stick feathers in my nostrils, paint pictures on my face, stick a wet finger in my ear, take pictures and post them on the internet and laugh while I was pinned. As long as she knows I'm not hurt, she'll antagonize me. Comes from being raise by a single dad.

 

[tugboat-2]

OK Dad, got it. Thanks for the details, kinda what I suspected. Take care in future,...don't go messin up what sounds like a happy family!
CHEERS,
. . tug

 

[63DH8]

I'll have to admit, I do have an outstanding family. I also have an older daughter who has cerebral palsy, non verbal, and a quadriplegic. She's attending college, is into investments via the internet, and loves to travel. We don't let the wheelchair slow us down much. Liz is included in what ever the rest of the family does. At the moment, our main project is to get this house paid off, torn down, and rebuilt so Liz can go anywhere she wants in the house with her wheelchair. When my ex and I bought this place, I told her this can't be our last place because of Liz's needs. She left back in 1996, and left me in a financial situation where I'm just now able to do more than just pay bills, so I couldn't sell this place and buy or build a house for my daughter's needs. Just a few more years, and this house is coming down, and a house for Lizzie's needs goes up!

Oh! This gave me an excuse to get a new tractor! While my younger daughter was in Japan, I told her that, if she gets "A"s and "B"s, I'll buy a tractor with a backhoe and let her tear down this house when it's time. She kept her side of the deal, so I'm going to keep my promise! She gets closure from her mom, and I get a new tractor with a backhoe!

 

[tugboat-2]

OH WOW !! We take so much for granted in life when all seems well in our own little world. Sounds to me like you are a great Dad doing a fine job!! Also looks like you have some wondrous plans for a new home for you and your girls.

I wish you and your daughter well with special good wishes to Lizzie! And "you" sir,....take extra care on that tractor,...sounds like your talents and love, (to say nothing of your nostrils et-al) are a valued commodity there.

All the very best!! God Bless!
. . tug

 

[jimmyj]

Glad you are OK. There are ramps that are "arched" so the decks do not hang up. (Like you I got the straight ones and snag on them all the time).

Thanks for sharing about your nice family. Best wishes to you all.

 

[63DH8]

The problem with the arched ramps is they won't fit in the ramp stowage. As light as the riding mower is, I don't think it'll be a problem disconnecting the trailer from the truck, then raising the front of the trailer so the ramp angle isn't as steep. With my luck, I'll end up with another lesson in, "Exciting doesn't always mean fun". The tail end of the trailer will drop, the ramps will fall off, then tail end of the trailer will pop up, hitting the riding mower, thus flipping it on top of me.

 

[Sackett2]

Give the arched ramps some thought. I got a set with my last craftman I bought- used. I own a regular set, but the arched ones fold unto themselves so thy are 1/2 the length and the arch lets me put the bike or mower in the truck without any problems. I actually feel safe using them.

Craftsman Loading Ramps

 

[63DH8]

The trailer I'm using is the same that I use to haul my tractor. It's a 17 foot, 7K GVW, dual axle trailer that stows it's ramps under the trailer bed. I'm not sure where I'd stow the ramps if they were curved unless I were to leave behind one of my implements.

 

[Wis Bang]

add a pair of wooden blocks under the extended ramps making them less steep.

 

[tugboat-2]

Wis Bang,...I'll second that and say it was "going" to be my suggestion.
OR, try to back up against a curb or higher ground? Or even a couple small blocks on the trailer just where the front wheels need to rise enough to clear where it catches. You could permanantly attach them to the trailer as it should be the same place each time. Short piece of 1 x 4 should be enough for each front wheel?
. . tug

 

[Iplayfarmer]

The important thing is that you got the mower off the trailer.

I have actually stopped using ramps all together with riding mowers. I buy and sell a few each year. The ones I buy are usually not running. I'll lift the front wheels onto the tailgate of the truck and then lift the rear and push it into the truck. I'm not that big of a guy, and I'm not in that great of shape. In my world it's easier to do this than to mess around with ramps.

 

[Wis Bang]

The important thing is that you got the mower off the trailer.

I have actually stopped using ramps all together with riding mowers. I buy and sell a few each year. The ones I buy are usually not running. I'll lift the front wheels onto the tailgate of the truck and then lift the rear and push it into the truck. I'm not that big of a guy, and I'm not in that great of shape. In my world it's easier to do this than to mess around with ramps.

I use an old snowmobile trailer that tilts...perfect for riders & small garden tractors.

 

[Iplayfarmer]

I use an old snowmobile trailer that tilts...perfect for riders & small garden tractors.

Oh, yeah. That's a good idea. I know around here you can actually pick up a 2 place tilt for a few hundred dollars.