I think I understand the point about a novice operator becoming "overwhelmed with the safety aspect" of a safer design of transmssion. Maybe complacent is another way of saying it. But I think safer is safer, no matter who's using it. The likelihood of a tractor operator having an accident follows roughly the same curve as the likelihood that a teenager will wreck a car. At first, he's in a dangerous situation because he doesn't know anything, but he's uncomfortable enough that he's careful, and that is an offsetting factor. After he's survived a week or so (maybe longer, maybe less, depending on how naturally cautious he is) without killing anybody, he begins to feel that there's nothing to it. Now, he's on the brink of disaster. He still doesn't know much about what he's doing, but he's not so careful anymore, so there's nothing to save him from doing something dangerous. If fact, now, just getting behind the wheel is dangerous. He's still stupid, but no longer realizes it. At this point, only a few near misses can save him from an accident. After some near misses or the accident itself, if he survives, the cautiousness comes back and he can live long enough to become experienced enough to not do stupid things (often) without endangering himself or others in the process.
But all of that relates only to the operator. Equipment with built-in safety features is safer for everybody, not just the novice. Once, when I stated that HST tractors were much safer than others, and explained why, somebody replied that this was only true of novices. I responded, asking him to explain a safety aspect that was of use to novices but not to experienced operators. He didn't answer. It's easy to get all puffed up, once we consider ourselves "experienced", and say "Well, I can operate anything safely. And, perhaps, most of the time, we can. But everyone makes mistakes. And that's what gets you, if there aren't inherent safety mechanisms to save you. Remember: The only time you need a seat belt, is when there's a major problem - but the rarity of major problems shouldn't disuade you from wearing it. It only takes one.
Mark
