Mowing Death

[Jstpssng]

I am thinking of adding seat belt to my Yanmar (that is what I bush cut with) I am 72 and things happen quickly. No rops but ground is real flat. Is that good or not?

ROLL BAR (ROPS) KIT As Low as $624.99: Yanmar Tractor Parts
It'll be around $700.00, but how much is your life worth?

 

[radios1]

ROLL BAR (ROPS) KIT As Low as $624.99: Yanmar Tractor Parts
It'll be around $700.00, but how much is your life worth?

agreed, a seat belt without a ROPS is much worse. you can't get off the tractor fast enough.. also, those people that disable their seat switches are risking their lives, this topic proves that!..

 

[cqaigy2]

agreed, a seat belt without a ROPS is much worse. you can't get off the tractor fast enough.. also, those people that disable their seat switches are risking their lives, this topic proves that!..

I'd not do a seat belt without rops, but i think i could still bail off if the tractor tipped. However, i was pushing snow, one winter and hit something in the ice, only thing that kept me in the seat, was the seat belt.

 

[Jstpssng]

When a machine starts tipping it goes slowly at first, leading the operator to think that he has time to jump clear. After the COG gets past a certain point though it just falls. Many operators have been caught that way. Better to have a good ROPS and seat belt.

 

[Liquidsilver]

Sad. Before I had much experience, I always thought wearing the seatbelt using a rotary cutter seemed kinda optional. Now I know that it takes very little for a crossed log in the grass or up-cropped rock to pop you up out of the seat... even a fit guy could stumble. Then the rear wheel's got you and you're going to be chopped liver for that cutter.

I'm thankful for the insight and reminding I get from THIS FORUM.

 

[wheelbuilder]

Along the no rops then no seatbelt line, wouldn't a seatbelt still be helpful if the hazard wasn't a rollover, but maybe a medical emergency that caused you to fall from the seat ? At least then you wouldn't get run over ?
Just wondering out loud.

 

[BlueKnife]

also, those people that disable their seat switches are risking their lives, this topic proves that!..

I've never seen a real tractor that had one of those, just lawn "tractors". Wouldn't make sense for tractors with rear PTO's to have a seat shutoff switch since it's common for them to be used in stationary applications without the operator in the seat.

 

[CobyRupert]

I’ve done some pretty stupid stuff on tractors when I was younger but I do think older people are more respectful of the danger and take things a bit slower and safer. Gone are the days when I thought I could jump off the other way if it starts to tip over or that I could just push over a rotted tree and it would fall where I thought it would go.

Well said.

I actually stopped yesterday at the top of a “mild” hill and clicked the seat belt on. Usually don’t wear one there, maybe it’s being older, or maybe something about large whirling blades behind me.

I remember being about 10 years old and riding on top of the first rotary mower the farm had. This was mostly when going down the road, and a couple times with it cutting in a field.
I think riding on mower while mowing was short lived as the power and danger of those blades launching objects (rocks, tires, etc..) became more apparent. ....so I rode on the tractor!
..but now thinking about it, riding on the mower (behind the gearbox) was probably the safer of the two spots.

 

[coldsteelva]

I've never seen a real tractor that had one of those, just lawn "tractors". Wouldn't make sense for tractors with rear PTO's to have a seat shutoff switch since it's common for them to be used in stationary applications without the operator in the seat.

PTOs function while stationary because the seat safety switches are disabled when in N (or if P brake set) depending on model. Starters won't engage with PTO engaged (safety) and/or not in N.

 

[k0ua]

I've never seen a real tractor that had one of those, just lawn "tractors". Wouldn't make sense for tractors with rear PTO's to have a seat shutoff switch since it's common for them to be used in stationary applications without the operator in the seat.

That would be incorrect. Many "real" tractors have seat cutoff switches. Notably Kubota's. And yes they have methods to operate them as stationary PTO power sources also. Usually by tipping the seat forward as a part of the dismount procedure. One must learn to "think outside of the box".