Reminder to all

[davido]

I will try again, sorry if ends up posting twice:

This past Saturday I did several stupid things. I got off tractor without engaging parking brake. Hooked up PHD and then got between implement and tractor. While between implement and tractor I raised the lift. The PHD raised all the way up, trapping me between it and the tractor. The lift would not lower (I still don't know why). The only thing I could get my foot on was the tire, and in trying to free myself my struggles, along with the change from the now raised implement was enough to start the tractor rolling backwards. I could do nothing but hold on, try to keep my feet from going under the trator or tractor tire and watch as the tractor picked up speed down a hill towards several trees. At that moment I believed I was about to die.

I still do not understand how I escaped death, let alone serious injury. The tractor rolled over several trees, finally stopping on top of an @ 10" oak which was ripped out of the ground by the impact. I still cannot stop the "flash backs" to this incident.

I have two small children who were almost left without a father because of my stupidity. We all know better. I know better. Sometimes we get too comfortable around what can be dangerous (and deadly) equipment.

I have used this site before but just now registered so I could post this story. I am sure that there are very few if any who would do the things I did, but hope that this reminder to always put safety first might help reinforce that in everyone's mind.

 

[Bob_Skurka]

davido . . . I'm really glad that you ended up walking away from that. And thank you for posting the experience.

I am constantly frustrated by the safety interlock on my NH that requires me to set the parking brake before I get out of my seat or the engine is automatically killed when I get up. I find it frustrating when I am working on landscaping projects where I am carrying things in the bucket and am in & out of the seat constantly. You story, scary as it is, sure gives me a reason to reconsider my frustrations with some of the safety devices.


I've gone back an re-read the orginal post a couple times, I can't even count the number of posts I've read where people complained about safety devises and talked about over riding them. For whatever reason, maybe because I've often wished I didn't have that specific feature that requires me to engage the parking brake, this story really hit home.

 

[NIXON]

Davido , Thanks for sharing ! I'm glad You came out of this okay .
It's much better to read a report from someone than a report about them .
And,It's always a good thing to have a reminder not to get in a hurry and careless around machinery . BTW ,welcome to TBN . Hopefully Your future posts won't be as scarey to You and Your loved ones . Thanks again . John

 

[JimR]

Wow, You are one lucky guy. I'm glad to hear that you didn't get hurt. How you didn't is a real surprise. I found out also about leaving the brake off. My Cub hst walked away from me one day on flat ground. It was sitting against the barn when I came back out to play. I had left it running as no one was around. It was in low gear and idleing. It just crept away while I was in the house doing something else for 10-15 minutes. Fortunately for me it crept so slow that it barely made a small dent in one side board of the barn with the bucket. I learned my lesson and no longer leave the tractor running without the brake on. What's really sad is that we have to learn these things from being in a hurry and not thinking sometimes. Recently near me a 19 year old college girl was killed while helping to clear branches on the parents property. The branch landed on her head killing her.

 

[DmansPadge]

Thanks for making that post and letting everyone read about your experience. It is great to hear you came out ok... that was a close one.

 

[Henro]

davido,

Glad you are still here. Must have be a very scary experience.

One thing of importance. Sounds like you did not turn the tractor engine off when hooking up to the PTO shaft.

Very dangerous things, shafts and driveshafts, spindles and so on.

I made a conscious decision to ALWAYS turn off my tractor's engine before hooking anything to the PTO. You just never know when the worst case event might happen (as you have just told us).

Unless I misunderstood, along with setting the parking brake, you might wish to consider also turning off the engine when you are hooking up to the PTO.

Again, glad all turned out well for you and thanks for sharing your experience with us. It will certainly help someone now or in the future.

 

[frank_f15]

VERY HAPPY everything worked out for you and for your wife and children. everytime i get off my tractor i set the brake, take it out of gear or shut the engine off. sometimes a bad expereince can help you in the future., it is always in the back of your mind.

 

[kensfarm]

Wow.. I think you just burned up a least 4 of your nine lives.. glad you came out of it okay!

1. Could have been killed putting on the PHD being rolled over by the tractor
2. Could have been crushed by raising 3pt hitch.
3. Could have been run over when the tractor started running away.
4. Could have hit a monster tree and been crushed in the collision.

I would say you were more then lucky.. somebody upstairs was looking out for you that day. Hug & kiss your wife and kids.. jump on the horse another day.. making safety your number one priority.

Some TBN'rs take their cell phone w/ them..

Did you have any safety switches disabled?
History of tractor experience?
Number hours on current tractor?

 

[Currmudgeon]

Glad to hear you came out of that one OK.

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( What does not kill me makes me stronger. )</font>
-Friedrich Nietzsche (Twilight of the Idols, "Maxims and Arrows" 8).

 

[davido]

kensfarm:

I agree, more than lucky. I have been on and around tractors my whole life (39 years and counting). No safety switches disabled. @ 250 on this tractor. Not really lack of experience or experience with this tractor, just in a hurry and bad judgment.