More Experience = More Nerve

[Billy_S]

or, at least it does to me, and I am not sure that is a good thing. More nerve can get one close to dangerously stupid.

This past weekend, I hogged my pastures for the second time. I have a BX2230 with a 4' KK-XB rotary cutter. I now have about 100 hours on the machine. The first time I hogged was this spring when the grass/weeds were much taller.

This time, I was able to mow much closer to my pond, without losing my nerve. Also, there is a segment in one pasture, next to a fence, about 50 feet in length, that is very steep. It has to be close to 30 degrees. In the past, even with my old AC XT190, I just left this section of the pasture un mowed. It doesn't amount to much anyway. This time, I decided to try backing the hog down it and pulling out. I did this without any problem. Well, a time or two I had to raise the hog a bit because the front was digging into the ground and the tractor wouldn't pull it out.

I am not sure where I am going with this except, I wonder, do people with LESS experience on a tractor tend to be MORE cautious and therefore, less likely to get hurt than do people with more experience? What are your thoughts.

 

[scott_vt]

Hi Billy,
I really believe it depends on the person. What his or her perceived views on tractor operation can vary considerably. When I first started mowing my property I was using my old 42 Farmall A with a rear mount sickle mower. The lower part of my property is quite steep and I just crept along in first gear in case something went wrong After I had done the property a couple of times I felt confident enough to go up to 2nd gear, still not very fast but a little more efficient cutting speed. I never felt as I was getting careless. The last few years I bought a used Massey deisel FWD and I can do alot more mowing with that machine and feel safe and get the job done quicker I think you can tell when your doing something potentially unsafe. There are things like Tilt Meters that can help you before you get in over your head. To me, If it doesnt feel right I wont do it, plain and simple ! I hope I never lose that ability.

 

[Farmwithjunk]

or, at least it does to me, and I am not sure that is a good thing. More nerve can get one close to dangerously stupid.

This past weekend, I hogged my pastures for the second time. I have a BX2230 with a 4' KK-XB rotary cutter. I now have about 100 hours on the machine. The first time I hogged was this spring when the grass/weeds were much taller.

This time, I was able to mow much closer to my pond, without losing my nerve. Also, there is a segment in one pasture, next to a fence, about 50 feet in length, that is very steep. It has to be close to 30 degrees. In the past, even with my old AC XT190, I just left this section of the pasture un mowed. It doesn't amount to much anyway. This time, I decided to try backing the hog down it and pulling out. I did this without any problem. Well, a time or two I had to raise the hog a bit because the front was digging into the ground and the tractor wouldn't pull it out.

I am not sure where I am going with this except, I wonder, do people with LESS experience on a tractor tend to be MORE cautious and therefore, less likely to get hurt than do people with more experience? What are your thoughts.

That plays both ways. I'm noticing how I tend to be MORE cautious as I get older. It's hard to say how I compare to some others. I grew up on tractors. I was out plowing by myself by age 11. My "throw caution to the wind" era was in my teens and early 20's. I look at it this way. As I got older, I knew, and aknowledged the dangers of doing certain things. That didn't mean I was in a position where I could stop doing them, just that I knew what could go wrong. That made me MORE carefull.

More so than age, my caution gained more importance when we started having kids. One, I needed to be there to raise them. Two, I realized I was setting an example for my kids. Being foolhardy WASN'T what I wanted them to remember me as.

And that's me. Your results may vary.

I work with a guy who is just plain ol' DANGEROUS. He gets worse with each passing minute. He doesn't own a tractor, but none the less, he isn't all that different from some that do. I don't think this is a subject where we can generalize.

We sometimes explore the limits of saftey, but there's this thing called COMMON SENSE. Can't teach it. Can't buy it. Lack of it will kill you. Enough of it is a saftey net. But it won't guarantey anything.

 

[NewToy]

I was mowing the field yesterday on a 12-15 degree slope in the early AM. The grass was still wet and all at once the back end slipped down the hill 2 feet or so. My tractor has R4 tires and they don't seem to have much traction sideways. I got a bit of an adrenaline rush and will file it away in memory to wait till it's a bit dryer before I do the slope. I try to be safe but that thing just went so quick. All adds up to experience, will try to be more careful.

John

 

[Doc_Bob]

After 30 hours, I am much better and smarter. I was afraid in many minor tilt situations, now I am not. But I am better at knowing ahead of time when to stop and avoid a problem. So less adrenaline and more fun.
Bob

 

[RoyJackson]

Just don't get complacent...

To me, operating a tractor is like riding a motorcycle. As long as one respects the inherent dangers, it's an enjoyable past time. Be too relaxed, you'll get in trouble.

I installed a tiltmeter on my first tractor. Like many newbies, even a slight slope or tilt was intimidating.
Now, I know my slopes and areas to be more careful. I've not installed the tiltmeter on my newer machine..but I do have it safely stashed, just in case.

 

[NewToy]

Just don't get complacent...

To me, operating a tractor is like riding a motorcycle. As long as one respects the inherent dangers, it's an enjoyable past time. Be too relaxed, you'll get in trouble.

I installed a tiltmeter on my first tractor. Like many newbies, even a slight slope or tilt was intimidating.
Now, I know my slopes and areas to be more careful. I've not installed the tiltmeter on my newer machine..but I do have it safely stashed, just in case.

Trouble with motorcycles you can be super safe and someone will pull right out in fron of you. Last winter in FLA we saw 3 bad cycle wrecks where they T boned the car. 1 fatality, darn shame. At least on the tractor you pretty much control your own destiny.

John

 

[DmansPadge]

First of all... I always play it safe. And as another poster mentioned... if it doesn't feel right... I don't do it. That being said, you raise a good question. I almost feel that the "somewhat" experienced operator might be the most dangerous. It's that point to where you know how to run the tractor fine and have done all the simple stuff and your ready to move on to more challenging tasks. When you're a newbie... I think most try to be as careful as possible and probably wouldn't try anything remotely dangerous. However.. if the inexperienced doesn't know the full operation of the equipment and the dangers that are involved... that person would be more dangerous.

I know that once I became more used to my tractor... I started doing things I wouldn't have done when I first started out. I always kept it safe... but just things like mowing a slope, running it through real uneven terrain, pushing trees with the FEL, etc. are things I was too nervous to do at first. You nearly have to do things like that at some point to realize the full use of the tractor. Then you have to use the "common sense" that farmwithjunk was talking about to know where that fine line of fully utilizing your tractor and being unsafe is.

Anyone who uses heavy equipment should browse through the safety forum from time to time to remind themselves of the dangers involved.

 

[tinsnip]

This was a worthy thread for me to read. I'm definately in the "overcautious/intimidated noob" category. There are some slopes and angles in my fields that look pretty scary to me at this point. I know they can be mowed because others have done it, but it's one thing to know it and another when you feel that tilt up in the seat.

But every time I go out I get more confident and things make more sense. What I don't want to do is find the limits the hard way. Slow and steady is fine with me, I've got nothing to prove to anyone.

 

[PineRidge]

As a young man I used to ride motorcycles. My experience with them has been the more confident that you become the more apt an accident is likely to happen, because of a more relaxed mood when riding. At least that was my perception and I have a few scars to prove my point.

On a tractor I try to remember that even though it can be an enjoyable experience that an accident can happen at most any time and very quickly. I try to stay vigilant of all the parts moving around me at high speed and always think about what I am doing rather than falling into a routine where my guard might accidentally come down.

Better to be safe, than sorry.