Kids riding on tractor

JML755 · Sep 12, 2016

Was driving on a 2 lane paved road near my property over the weekend and saw a JD tractor coming at me. Not an unusual site in a rural area. He wasn't pulling anything but I always slow down and hug the right shoulder anyway for tractors. About 100 yds away, he crossed the centerline making a wide right turn like we was turning into a driveway or road. Only there was no road or driveway there. When the front tires were near the shoulder, he swerved back into the roadway. :?: :?:

As I went by him, I saw the reason. He had a kid about 8 yrs old half-standing, half-leaning against his right knee steering (the guy's arm was around him barely touching the steering wheel). He had a toddler on his left knee (holding him with his left arm). :shock: A disaster waiting to happen. There was no way he was in control of that tractor, ON A PAVED ROAD NO LESS. If the toddler slipped, fell or just decided to get off, he would have been under that left rear tire in a split second and nothing the guy could do to prevent it. I hear guys on here talking about teaching kids to drive a tractor at a young age but this was not a good way to do it. Just a reinforcing post that people are still doing dangerous things out there.

rusty6 · Sep 12, 2016

On an open tractor yet. I can see real potential disaster there.

FBH44 · Sep 12, 2016

There are horror stories on here all the time, "If only I hadn't ..."

OldFarmall450 · Sep 12, 2016

I don't know what possess a parent to have a toddler on a tractor. When I grew up it was an "all hands on deck" operation where we were helping at about 5, but not on machinery.
My mom's cousin was killed when as a child he fell off a fender and under a sickle mower.
Probably the saddest case I ever worked as a cop was a couple who brought a riding mower home and put a young boy on it mowing the yard. He tangled up in the swing set and pulled the A frame down on his head, killing him.
After the parents went nightly to the grave, I was working nights and saw the lights in the cemetery and would check it out because of vandals. I can still hear that mothers voice as she scolded me for interfering. I felt like a whipped pup.

JerryS · Sep 12, 2016

Couple of years ago I drove past a house where the guy was running a rotary cutter over his lot.
He had two kids, both less than 8 years old, one on each fender, as he mowed. I called the sheriff
and they came and talked to him.

jsfarmall · Sep 12, 2016

I won't lie I gave my 3 month old his first
ride on the cub the other day. I was idled
back in 1st gear in the yard, NOT on the
road or anywhere rough. I was not mowing or
anything just driving circles. I won't let
him ride if I'm working the tractor or on
the road. A freind of mine put it the best
way I ever heard it.

If you ever had your hat blow off and can't
get stopped before you run over it, what
makes you think you can't stop for a kid

farmerwithmutt · Sep 12, 2016

A lot of kids back in the day had crew
cuts I couldn't it would look like someone
had tried to scalp me . Got in a hurry
getting of a 50 john deere and the tin was
bent up. As so many others here we all
have those stories but we need to be
reminded just so we don't get careless.
Even cab tractors are risky seen a little
girl at the hospital once she had a
broomstick through her cast to make easier
to handle that picture of that little girl
has stuck with me and all that happened
was in the older cabs you push down on the
lever to open while ridding with dad the
tractor had hit a bump and she fell
against the latch opening the door and
falling under the Duals. Her pelvis was
broken in time she would heal but I was
very careful about having kids on a
tractor afterwards.
Thanks for the reminder and especially as
harvest approaches maybe you saved a life
today

WI Dan · Sep 12, 2016

I always appreciate these reminders. It should be 'fresh' in my mind.

Mac AR · Sep 12, 2016

When I was still at home, we all worked, and with machinery too. I was 13 when I ran my left hand thru the gathering chain on our corn picker. It stopped at the
very top center of the gear. Dad said the only way to get it out, was to turn the PTO over, slowly. So he did. Broke almost all the bones in my hand, and I had 3
holes where the teeth went through. I watched my 16 year old cousin loose his leg to a chopper sometime after that. Ever since then, I have not and will not allow
a child anywhere near my equipment. I hate to see someone taking a child for a "ride" on a tractor when something's hooked to it, especially a brush mower or a
disk. When you've been injured by an implement or a tractor, you become more aware of these things. Just my 2 cents.

Mac

ss55 · Sep 12, 2016

Kids quickly learn to follow the tractors in hope of getting another ride. It can get pretty dangerous if you don't realize a small child is nearby, behind or inside machinery.

cole in mo. · Sep 12, 2016

When I was like 6 or 7, dad had an F-20, I sat for many many miles on the left side draw bar boards, holding onto the rod that held the draw bar up. Loved to watch the dirt roll over while he plowed and disked. Later sat on the left side three point rock shaft arm on the JD 40. But I never took my kids ridding anywhere on a tractor.

jeffcat · Sep 12, 2016

That is the one time you SHOULD have called the cops!!!!!!!!!!!!! People have become idiots anymore. Not your fault but he was just plain STUPID!

longmeadowfarm · Sep 12, 2016

stupid ought to hurt

Al Baker(pumpman) · Sep 12, 2016

Hate me if you want. Call the cops on me if you want. My young children ride with me on an 4020 open station while feeding cows on a almost daily bases. I use a cab tractor if the weather is bad. Throw stones at me all you like, but I got my interest in agriculture by spending every minute I could with my Dad. God bless his soul for having the patience to slow down and let me learn and build a passion for the lifestyle. My kids are the fifth generation to have the blessing to walk some of the same fields my Great grandad walked. To those who draw judgement keep in mind, many didn't allow their kids anywhere near a tractor or livestock crying out the safety battle cry, later to line up their possessions to auction off cause no one in the family wanted to carry on farming. How many of us sat next to Daddy while riding in his pickup with the old bench seat. Not sure how many of us died doing that, but today you better not get caught without a seat belt or car seat. If you folks want to keep your kids or grand kids away from tractors then do so. I promise not to call the authorities on you for something I think might be not up to MY standards. Please put down your cell phone and and show me, or someone like me the same respect.

Ultradog MN · Sep 13, 2016

If you disapprove of letting kids ride on
tractors don't do it.

W_B · Sep 13, 2016

(quoted from post at 04:00:51 09/13/16) Hate me if you want. Call the cops on me if you want. My young children ride with me on an 4020 open station while feeding cows on a almost daily bases. I use a cab tractor if the weather is bad. Throw stones at me all you like, but I got my interest in agriculture by spending every minute I could with my Dad. God bless his soul for having the patience to slow down and let me learn and build a passion for the lifestyle. My kids are the fifth generation to have the blessing to walk some of the same fields my Great grandad walked. To those who draw judgement keep in mind, many didn't allow their kids anywhere near a tractor or livestock crying out the safety battle cry, later to line up their possessions to auction off cause no one in the family wanted to carry on farming. How many of us sat next to Daddy while riding in his pickup with the old bench seat. Not sure how many of us died doing that, but today you better not get caught without a seat belt or car seat. If you folks want to keep your kids or grand kids away from tractors then do so. I promise not to call the authorities on you for something I think might be not up to MY standards. Please put down your cell phone and and show me, or someone like me the same respect.

Unfortunately kids are not property and you have no right to put them in danger like they are a pet. Best of luck to you and your children and I hope there is no tragedy in your life from your foolish actions.

Bret4207 · Sep 13, 2016

(quoted from post at 00:00:51 09/13/16) Hate me if you want. Call the cops on me if you want. My young children ride with me on an 4020 open station while feeding cows on a almost daily bases. I use a cab tractor if the weather is bad. Throw stones at me all you like, but I got my interest in agriculture by spending every minute I could with my Dad. God bless his soul for having the patience to slow down and let me learn and build a passion for the lifestyle. My kids are the fifth generation to have the blessing to walk some of the same fields my Great grandad walked. To those who draw judgement keep in mind, many didn't allow their kids anywhere near a tractor or livestock crying out the safety battle cry, later to line up their possessions to auction off cause no one in the family wanted to carry on farming. How many of us sat next to Daddy while riding in his pickup with the old bench seat. Not sure how many of us died doing that, but today you better not get caught without a seat belt or car seat. If you folks want to keep your kids or grand kids away from tractors then do so. I promise not to call the authorities on you for something I think might be not up to MY standards. Please put down your cell phone and and show me, or someone like me the same respect.

Well said. It's pretty easy to pass judgement on someone else. Truth is, I bet if I could watch the judgemental 24/7 I could find a lot of things they do that are wrong, in my opinion at least, with their kids. Giving a kid unrestricted access to a smart phone of computer for example. Do that and then wonder why your 12 year old little girl wants to dress like a who re and throws herself at boys or why your little man needs to spend so much time in his room with the door locked or why they come home with glassy, bloodshot eyes or suddenly have Visine in their pocket all the time.

Nothings easier than throwing rocks at other peoples glass houses.

farmerwithmutt · Sep 13, 2016

You are both right as mentioned the guy had 2 kids both very young if it had been me I would have taken an older one and if he is going for a ride the last place I would take him his on a public road. I have at times taken kids to the field but I will never take an kid with me on the tractor while that tractor is working unless he fully understand that I can't be distracted. I'm sure you do the same even though you're not aware of it . My dad took me along cultivating corn slow and a good way to put a kid to sleep and I still got banged up but I can never remember riding on the tractor chopping. Started slow cultivator, raking and doing chores but never on a public highway with 2 kids swerving around the quickest way to get me to smile is at a threeshree seeing a kid get a ride and it's slowly and depending on the age 1 at a time

JML755 · Sep 13, 2016

(quoted from post at 23:00:51 09/12/16) Hate me if you want. Call the cops on me if you want. My young children ride with me on an 4020 open station while feeding cows on a almost daily bases. I use a cab tractor if the weather is bad. Throw stones at me all you like, but I got my interest in agriculture by spending every minute I could with my Dad. God bless his soul for having the patience to slow down and let me learn and build a passion for the lifestyle. My kids are the fifth generation to have the blessing to walk some of the same fields my Great grandad walked. To those who draw judgement keep in mind, many didn't allow their kids anywhere near a tractor or livestock crying out the safety battle cry, later to line up their possessions to auction off cause no one in the family wanted to carry on farming. How many of us sat next to Daddy while riding in his pickup with the old bench seat. Not sure how many of us died doing that, but today you better not get caught without a seat belt or car seat. [b:10696a5e7e]If you folks want to keep your kids or grand kids away from tractors then do so.[/b:10696a5e7e] I promise not to call the authorities on you for something I think might be not up to MY standards. Please put down your cell phone and and show me, or someone like me the same respect.

I'm all for teaching kids how to use tractors or any other equipment for that matter. I was learning how to run power tools when I was about 11 (building Soap Box Derby cars). But my dad was there teaching me about safety, how the tool works, what can go wrong, etc. It was a controlled environment with a definite purpose. To me, taking kids on a dangerous joyride is not. JMO

oldtanker · Sep 13, 2016

(quoted from post at 20:00:51 09/12/16) Hate me if you want. Call the cops on me if you want. My young children ride with me on an 4020 open station while feeding cows on a almost daily bases. I use a cab tractor if the weather is bad. Throw stones at me all you like, but I got my interest in agriculture by spending every minute I could with my Dad. God bless his soul for having the patience to slow down and let me learn and build a passion for the lifestyle. My kids are the fifth generation to have the blessing to walk some of the same fields my Great grandad walked. To those who draw judgement keep in mind, many didn't allow their kids anywhere near a tractor or livestock crying out the safety battle cry, later to line up their possessions to auction off cause no one in the family wanted to carry on farming. How many of us sat next to Daddy while riding in his pickup with the old bench seat. Not sure how many of us died doing that, but today you better not get caught without a seat belt or car seat. If you folks want to keep your kids or grand kids away from tractors then do so. I promise not to call the authorities on you for something I think might be not up to MY standards. Please put down your cell phone and and show me, or someone like me the same respect.

Kinda funny but a lot of the farms around here shut down and sold off by kids who did ride on tractors with dad and were around livestock. Most of em were "helping" with chores at age 4 or 5. By the time they were 18 they were spending long hours in the fields and doing chores at 6AM. The ran as far as they could from the farm so they could work a 8-5 job having weekends and holidays off like most people. So that type of activity doesn't ensure that a kid will grow up loving farming. In fact of the kids I knew in 72/73 who were farm kids 3 stayed on the farm and are still farming today. Most ran as far as they could and their dad's farms were sold off years ago.

Bout a month or so a guy I know ran over his 5 year old daughter. They did save here but it was touch and go for a few days. I haven't talked to her dad sense it happened, he works in town and farms, busy guy. Then add in the time in the hospital and such. But from what I understand she fell off a tractor while he was feeding.

I have no problem giving a kid a ride on a tractor but I never work while I'm doing it! If I had a tractor with a buddy seat then I might let a kid ride with while I was working.

Rick

jsfarmall · Sep 13, 2016

I agree with you completely. there is a way to and not to do things.

Kids riding on tractor

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