Farm accident kills 3 yr old child

[Bright Raven]

I would venture to say most that are throwing a hissy fit were not raised on a working farm in the 40's 50's 60's 70' or even early 80's . Its far more common than you think and more dangerous for the adult that has to climb on the moving tractor to stop or clutch it.

I was born 1950. We were subsistence farmers. That means, you produce or you don't eat. I cannot imagine too many who occupy this forum who lived like we did. One that comes to mind is Kenny Thomas. As strict as my father was, he was not foolish when it came to life and limb.

 

[M-5]

I would venture to say most that are throwing a hissy fit were not raised on a working farm in the 40's 50's 60's 70' or even early 80's . Its far more common than you think and more dangerous for the adult that has to climb on the moving tractor to stop or clutch it.

I was born 1950. We were subsistence farmers. That means, you produce or you don't eat. I cannot imagine too many who occupy this forum who lived like we did. One that comes to mind is Kenny Thomas. As strict as my father was, he was not foolish when it came to life and limb.

how old were you following behind the mule ??

 

[Bright Raven]

I would venture to say most that are throwing a hissy fit were not raised on a working farm in the 40's 50's 60's 70' or even early 80's . Its far more common than you think and more dangerous for the adult that has to climb on the moving tractor to stop or clutch it.

I was born 1950. We were subsistence farmers. That means, you produce or you don't eat. I cannot imagine too many who occupy this forum who lived like we did. One that comes to mind is Kenny Thomas. As strict as my father was, he was not foolish when it came to life and limb.

how old were you following behind the mule ??

We had a mule when I was about 4. Jack. A tornado blew the top off the horse stable in 1955. Jack would never go back into the barn. Dad put a 20 foot chain on his halter so he could catch him. The mule was never the same. Sold him to Ole Man Toliver.

I drove the horses (Belgian mares) when I was 6. Only pulling a wagon or dragging ground. Dad never put us in a dangerous situation. He wouldn't let us pull logs, use a sickle mower, etc until we got older.

 

[M-5]

I was born 1950. We were subsistence farmers. That means, you produce or you don't eat. I cannot imagine too many who occupy this forum who lived like we did. One that comes to mind is Kenny Thomas. As strict as my father was, he was not foolish when it came to life and limb.

how old were you following behind the mule ??

We had a mule when I was about 4. Jack. A tornado blew the top off the horse stable in 1955. Jack would never go back into the barn. Dad put a 20 foot chain on his halter so he could catch him. The mule was never the same. Sold him to Ole Man Toliver.

I drove the horses (Belgian mares) when I was 6. Only pulling a wagon or dragging ground. Dad never put us in a dangerous situation. He wouldn't let us pull logs, use a sickle mower, etc until we got older.

The only thing different is technology but in every aspect steering a team and steering a skid steer is no different

 

[Brute 23]

I see people sticking there 3, 4, 5 yr olds on horses all the time and leading the horses around. Does it make me cringe? You bet it does! At the end of the day though its their kids, their horse, and their choice they will have to take responsibility for. I'm not going to preach and holler at them. I've seen those youngsters grow up to be some heck of a cowboys and cowgirls so who am I to say other wise.

 

[Boot Jack Bulls]

I see people sticking there 3, 4, 5 yr olds on horses all the time and leading the horses around. Does it make me cringe? You bet it does! At the end of the day though its their kids, their horse, and their choice they will have to take responsibility for. I'm not going to preach and holler at them. I've seen those youngsters grow up to be some heck of a cowboys and cowgirls so who am I to say other wise.

Well put Brute! I'm one who will put my child on her horse and not think twice. I just have a different view of what is a danger to my child than the next person. Not a case of right or wrong, just opinion. Prayers for the family involved in this terrible incident.

 

[ga.prime]

I was riding a mule pulling tobacco sleds in the field when I was 5 yrs old, my other cousin in the sled row next to mine.

My dad showed me how to check the oil and fill the gas and pull start a gas powered push lawnmower when I was in the second grade and I went to cutting grass. Guess that's where my love of keeping the landscape looking beautiful started.

 

[ohiosteve]

At 5 I wanted nothing more than to be working ground by myself, but my parents were too protective, Mom mostly. Grandma's favorite story was taking me to a tractor dealer after we moved to Ohio and I was sitting on a tractor and I told her "I wish I could drive this sucker back to Jackson County.(Ky)"
Brute, being around a work over/service rig at 8 probably taught you a ton. Some of my good friends run service rigs and I work with them occasionally. Those are the toughest guys I know. Slapping rods all day will make a man out of you for sure.

 

[Named'em Tamed'em]

It is a tragedy, but 8 year old kids have been driving my skid steer for the last 25 years.

You just have to set peremeters to be safe.

 

[Brute 23]

At 5 I wanted nothing more than to be working ground by myself, but my parents were too protective, Mom mostly. Grandma's favorite story was taking me to a tractor dealer after we moved to Ohio and I was sitting on a tractor and I told her "I wish I could drive this sucker back to Jackson County.(Ky)"
Brute, being around a work over/service rig at 8 probably taught you a ton. Some of my good friends run service rigs and I work with them occasionally. Those are the toughest guys I know. Slapping rods all day will make a man out of you for sure.

Rod wrenches are a work out but I was always impressed by my uncles when we would drive the augers by hand. Two of us would get on each end of the pipe and walk in circles. They would get between and walk with us, while swinging the sledge. We would rotate but we cousins never could make that auger go south like they could.

I was probably 12 years old or so and I think we were running in the hole with tubing. It's so reputious that it was always hard for me to stay focused. Any ways, I was day dreaming and reached up for the pipe as they were coming down with the block. Luckily my uncle saw it and hit the brake. Any one who has ever been near a rig when they shut it down knows how much it rocks the whole rig. As soon as I felt the rig rock I pulled my hand back and looked at my uncle. His face was a mixture of "don't ever do that and are you ok" at the same time. He let off the brake and we went back to work. The block was not more than a foot above my hand when he shut it down.

Now I work in that industry and I am constantly talking to guys about watching their hands and staying focused on what they are doing. It's for ever burned in my memory.

That bad thing is no matter how old or how experienced you are it only takes losing focus for 1 sec for some thing bad to happen.

 

[Nesikep]

Losing focus, whatever you're doing, is probably the leading cause of accidents of any kind.. driving, working with machinery, etc.. and the more monotonous the work, the greater the danger of brain farts... and kids are less able to hold a train of though for a long time.. heck, nowadays many adults have 3 second attention spans

 

[Son of Butch]

I've operated skid steers, and I stand by my statement that no 5-year-old should be.

Some things are so obvious you wouldn't think they would need to be said. I agree with you Rafter.

I thought this thread would end with TT's wisdom.
Next thing ya know we'll have a poll on what age a kid should be allowed to drive a pickup truck.

 

[M-5]

I've operated skid steers, and I stand by my statement that no 5-year-old should be.

Some things are so obvious you wouldn't think they would need to be said. I agree with you Rafter.

I thought this thread would end with TT's wisdom.
Next thing ya know we'll have a poll on what age a kid should be allowed to drive a pick up.

10yrs old they can drive by themselves

 

[Brute 23]

Losing focus, whatever you're doing, is probably the leading cause of accidents of any kind.. driving, working with machinery, etc.. and the more monotonous the work, the greater the danger of brain farts... and kids are less able to hold a train of though for a long time.. heck, nowadays many adults have 3 second attention spans

:nod:

 

[greybeard]

At 5 I wanted nothing more than to be working ground by myself, but my parents were too protective, Mom mostly. Grandma's favorite story was taking me to a tractor dealer after we moved to Ohio and I was sitting on a tractor and I told her "I wish I could drive this sucker back to Jackson County.(Ky)"
Brute, being around a work over/service rig at 8 probably taught you a ton. Some of my good friends run service rigs and I work with them occasionally. Those are the toughest guys I know. Slapping rods all day will make a man out of you for sure.

Rod wrenches are a work out but I was always impressed by my uncles when we would drive the augers by hand. Two of us would get on each end of the pipe and walk in circles. They would get between and walk with us, while swinging the sledge. We would rotate but we cousins never could make that auger go south like they could.

I was probably 12 years old or so and I think we were running in the hole with tubing. It's so reputious that it was always hard for me to stay focused. Any ways, I was day dreaming and reached up for the pipe as they were coming down with the block. Luckily my uncle saw it and hit the brake. Any one who has ever been near a rig when they shut it down knows how much it rocks the whole rig. As soon as I felt the rig rock I pulled my hand back and looked at my uncle. His face was a mixture of "don't ever do that and are you ok" at the same time. He let off the brake and we went back to work. The block was not more than a foot above my hand when he shut it down.

Now I work in that industry and I am constantly talking to guys about watching their hands and staying focused on what they are doing. It's for ever burned in my memory.

That bad thing is no matter how old or how experienced you are it only takes losing focus for 1 sec for some thing bad to happen.

It don't take long to figure out why they're called workovers.
It ain't just the well that gets worked over...
We had real rigs and 4 WOs. (CraneCarrier and Wilsons) "Oh look--little baby swivels!" Real rigs don't have tires.
I hated the WOs with a passion.

 

[Son of Butch]

A parent's number one responsibility is care and protection of their children, this mother failed on multiple counts.

but the development of a good work ethic is a close second! and that starts young!

Ya got that right...
I hear Children in India have gotten So Lazy they have to be chained to looms or they won't even come back.

 

[Bright Raven]

Butch, you call me a troublemaker. Here are some of your better lines from this thread:

But I guess Texans just don't believe in taking personal responsibility.

Average Texan blames the 3 yr old for not carrying, so he could have defended himself from 5 yr old brother.

You don't exactly patronize the natives either.

 

[Craig Miller]

A parent's number one responsibility is care and protection of their children, this mother failed on multiple counts.

but the development of a good work ethic is a close second! and that starts young!

Ya got that right...
I hear Children in India have gotten So Lazy they have to be chained to looms or they won't even come back.

I blame all the call center jobs. They make their parents soft which makes the kids soft.

 

[herofan]

I've operated skid steers, and I stand by my statement that no 5-year-old should be.

Some things are so obvious you wouldn't think they would need to be said. I agree with you Rafter.

Agree. As I stated before, it's amazing what people will argue these days. People trying to convince others that it is logical and safe to have a 5 year old running a skid steer. How is that even debatable? It's things like this that made me nervous about leaving my kids in the care of other adults; one never knows their thought process.

 

[Brute 23]

At 5 I wanted nothing more than to be working ground by myself, but my parents were too protective, Mom mostly. Grandma's favorite story was taking me to a tractor dealer after we moved to Ohio and I was sitting on a tractor and I told her "I wish I could drive this sucker back to Jackson County.(Ky)"
Brute, being around a work over/service rig at 8 probably taught you a ton. Some of my good friends run service rigs and I work with them occasionally. Those are the toughest guys I know. Slapping rods all day will make a man out of you for sure.

Rod wrenches are a work out but I was always impressed by my uncles when we would drive the augers by hand. Two of us would get on each end of the pipe and walk in circles. They would get between and walk with us, while swinging the sledge. We would rotate but we cousins never could make that auger go south like they could.

I was probably 12 years old or so and I think we were running in the hole with tubing. It's so reputious that it was always hard for me to stay focused. Any ways, I was day dreaming and reached up for the pipe as they were coming down with the block. Luckily my uncle saw it and hit the brake. Any one who has ever been near a rig when they shut it down knows how much it rocks the whole rig. As soon as I felt the rig rock I pulled my hand back and looked at my uncle. His face was a mixture of "don't ever do that and are you ok" at the same time. He let off the brake and we went back to work. The block was not more than a foot above my hand when he shut it down.

Now I work in that industry and I am constantly talking to guys about watching their hands and staying focused on what they are doing. It's for ever burned in my memory.

That bad thing is no matter how old or how experienced you are it only takes losing focus for 1 sec for some thing bad to happen.

It don't take long to figure out why they're called workovers.
It ain't just the well that gets worked over...
We had real rigs and 4 WOs. (CraneCarrier and Wilsons) "Oh look--little baby swivels!" Real rigs don't have tires.
I hated the WOs with a passion.

You are right about that sir.