Accident To Share

[ve9aa]

You're a brave guy, sharing that info.

I am happy to know you weren't hurt worse.

Reminds me of a story of my colleague at work. He has 2-3 acres in the country. One snowy day he ventured not too far into the woods on foot (50' maybe) to pull a small tree that had collapsed onto his rural telephone wire, off the wire. All relatively low voltage...no problem here. He stepped backwards into some kind of hole and spiral fractured his shin-bone and had to yank himself/crawl all the way to the driveway, then to his house and bang on the bottom of door to get his wifes attention, all in excruciating pain.

Since that moment, I pretty much always carry a cell phone on me when working out on the edges of the yard or in my very small stand of woods, most of which drops over a small bank. Nobody would find me for some time.

Made me think. When I lived in town, there were 8-10 nosey neighbours that could not only see or hear me but probably smell me they were so close.
Way out in the country, not-so-much.

Carry a phone.......I'll sometimes even tell my wife or kid ..."I'm going down in the woods....if you don't see me in XX amount of time, come find me"

Be well.

-Mike

 

[Quick]

Thank you for sharing, @BA76 !
I'm a new tractor owner and would never had thought of this. I will now. You may have saved some toes with your shared experience. Appreciate you and glad it wasn't worse.

 

[BA76]

Thank you for sharing, @BA76 !
I'm a new tractor owner and would never had thought of this. I will now. You may have saved some toes with your shared experience. Appreciate you and glad it wasn't worse.

You are very welcome. It was a careless but honest mistake that was all on me. Literally. Always best to just not get in a hurry, be aware of your surroundings and think a step or two ahead. Enjoy that new tractor. Kubota makes a great product! They are very durable and constructed with safety in mind. Treat the machine with respect and you'll do great. You will get tons of work done and have an equal amount of fun doing it. Good luck!

 

[retiree-urgency abandoned]

Thanks for sharing this. I always have my implements on the ground before detaching, but didn't think about the FEL frame dropping - always good to keep feet (and other appendages) clear.

Glad you're healing! We've got to work safe so we can enjoy orange tractor fun.

 

[DustyRusty]

There are a lot of good posts here we can always learn from each other. I operate a lot of equipment, fell a lot of large trees and do many things on my own quite often in a large remote heavy woodland area. One of my key concerns is cell coverage and the ability to operate your phone if you are injured or have a problem, most of the time I'm reaching for my reading glasses when it comes to the phone. The next problem is how does someone locate you on a large remote woodland property.

I decided several years ago to always carry a back up device and normally wear a SOS rescue beacon on a lanyard, they are small and light and can be operated with just one hand (flick the antenna and press the red button. Cell coverage has improved over the last few years in my rural area but I still like to carry my rescue beacon, it gives me a lot of piece of mind, I hope to never have to use it.

View attachment 70704

Two nights ago, the doorbell rang, and since I live in the woods, we rarely get anyone that rings the doorbell. It was someone from the local fire department telling me that there would be 4 wheelers traveling up my driveway into the woods. I asked what was going on, and he said that they received a 911 call about a person lost in the woods after dark. The more I talked to him, the more it sounded like the person that I saw earlier in the day (while it was light out) walking into the woods near where my driveway intersects with another property. They decided to stage the rescue efforts at my home in the driveway. After about a half-hour, I went back outside to see if they had made any progress to learn that they were able to ping the 911 call, but the battery had died on the phone. He showed me a picture on his phone of my home, and where she was. I told them that they were looking in the wrong place and that they needed to go back to the end of the driveway and head into the trail at the bottom, and once on that trail, there were other trails that went to the left, and they would find her. The property that she was on has 2 streams bordering it. They made voice contact, but couldn't see her because it was dark, and that rescue team was on the other side of the water. Once they knew where to look, it made the search a lot easier, although it still took 4 hours to locate her. In the end, she was fine, only a little embarrassed. There were more than 10 fire/rescue departments from 2 states that responded to the mutual aid request. Got to see some interesting 4 wd ATVs of all brands that were built for fire suppression. I wonder if that a locating device such as you describe would have helped had she had one?

 

[BA76]

Two nights ago, the doorbell rang, and since I live in the woods, we rarely get anyone that rings the doorbell. It was someone from the local fire department telling me that there would be 4 wheelers traveling up my driveway into the woods. I asked what was going on, and he said that they received a 911 call about a person lost in the woods after dark. The more I talked to him, the more it sounded like the person that I saw earlier in the day (while it was light out) walking into the woods near where my driveway intersects with another property. They decided to stage the rescue efforts at my home in the driveway. After about a half-hour, I went back outside to see if they had made any progress to learn that they were able to ping the 911 call, but the battery had died on the phone. He showed me a picture on his phone of my home, and where she was. I told them that they were looking in the wrong place and that they needed to go back to the end of the driveway and head into the trail at the bottom, and once on that trail, there were other trails that went to the left, and they would find her. The property that she was on has 2 streams bordering it. They made voice contact, but couldn't see her because it was dark, and that rescue team was on the other side of the water. Once they knew where to look, it made the search a lot easier, although it still took 4 hours to locate her. In the end, she was fine, only a little embarrassed. There were more than 10 fire/rescue departments from 2 states that responded to the mutual aid request. Got to see some interesting 4 wd ATVs of all brands that were built for fire suppression. I wonder if that a locating device such as you describe would have helped had she had one?

I'm sure it would have. It sounds like it communicates by satellite. I'm happy they found her and she was safe. Good thing they talked to you and got pointed in the right direction. Good outcome.

 

[Mrlunchbox]

Good lord man! Glad you are alright!

 

[Snowman7]

Good lord man! Glad you are alright!

A lot of good info was shared in this thread. I for one am notorious for venturing out alone
with no phone or a dead phone. I love my alone time in the woods With 4 wheeler or tractor
and have been lucky so far. Definitely need to make some changes!

 

[BA76]

A lot of good info was shared in this thread. I for one am notorious for venturing out alone
with no phone or a dead phone. I love my alone time in the woods With 4 wheeler or tractor
and have been lucky so far. Definitely need to make some changes!

Good morning Snowman7. It's funny because up until that day, I would actually brag that I didn't have my phone with me at times. I had to carry a pager for years then a cell phone for my on call work. To not have to be available was one of the perks of retirement. Now I have to look at communication devises differently. They've taken on a different new role.

 

[NCL4701]

Good morning Snowman7. It's funny because up until that day, I would actually brag that I didn't have my phone with me at times. I had to carry a pager for years then a cell phone for my on call work. To not have to be available was one of the perks of retirement. Now I have to look at communication devises differently. They've taken on a different new role.

Exactly. Sometimes I hate my two phones because I’m on 24/7/365.

My Dad, on the other hand, has already gone through the same thought process you describe. Eschewed cell phones for years so he could be left in peace. Now he won’t go anywhere without it. Just a few days ago he rode out to check on an unauthorized deer blind we had to address twice recently with its owner. For some reason he turned off his 4 wheeler and the battery failed when he tried to restart it. A quick phone call summoned my wife with the Mule and a set of jumper cables so it was a very minor incident. Without the phone he could have easily frozen to death spending an unplanned night outside, and in reality if he didn’t have that and/or an emergency beacon (he has one of those now also) we would have to keep much closer tabs on him, which is exactly what he doesn’t want.

Same hardware. Different function.

 

[Crash277]

Crazy that I read this thread and did the exact same thing yesterday. Only my feet weren’t under the loader. The BX is small enough that I was standing In front of the forks when I did it. So when the loader fell down, it just pushed the forks against my legs. Easily could have turned into a difficult situation. I normally don’t do anything unless the machine is running. i rarely park it in the float position.

 

[BA76]

Crazy that I read this thread and did the exact same thing yesterday. Only my feet weren’t under the loader. The BX is small enough that I was standing In front of the forks when I did it. So when the loader fell down, it just pushed the forks against my legs. Easily could have turned into a difficult situation. I normally don’t do anything unless the machine is running. i rarely park it in the float position.

I had floated the loader to release the pressure so I could disconnect the grapple hoses. I thought while I was up there I would just release the attachment levers and save a trip off the tractor. I'm not very tall so in order to reach the far lever, I have to stand very close to the tractor/loader arm. I had to rethink and change my procedures. There was some complacency at work in what happened also. My main message here is to think everything through, DO NOT get in a hurry and never become complacent.

 

[Smf834]

Glad the OP is doing ok. Thanks for sharing.

 

[DustyRusty]

This thread brought back a newspaper blurb that my mother had cut out of the local newspaper decades ago. It was about a little boy that locked himself in the bathroom and the fire department was called to get him out. That little boy was my brother, and that happened around 1937.
Strange how things can trigger old memories, like writing this thread. The word trigger reminded me of a horse on television named Trigger.

 

[Butch]

Thank you for sharing - not many would "tell on themselves" but we all make a boo-boo every now and then.

Glad you are ok - hope the foot heals fast!

You were very fortunate and glad you are on the mend. By sharing your experience you Just might be saving some one from the same fate. I would consider this to be a learning experience for you and teaching experience for us. Thanks for sharing!

 

[rc51stierhoff]

Oh my. I

I wanted to pass on a luckily not to serious accident I experienced a couple weeks ago. I was removing my grapple bucket from my FEL. I lowered the loader to the ground and floated the Hydraulic lever to relieve the pressure so I could disconnect the 3rd function hoses that control the grapple. The grapple touches the ground first and the loader frame is still about 8" off the ground when floated. While I was up front to disconnect the grapple hoses I decided I would go ahead and release the attachment levers and prepare to remove the grapple. When I released the levers the loader, which was in the float position, immediately separated from the grapple and lowered the 8" on to the ground. Unfortunately my foot was under the loader frame in that 8" gap. I was caught with my foot under the loader frame. I couldn't move. luckily I had my cell phone in my pocket and was able call for help. Help arrived within 20 minutes so there was no circulation damage. It did fracture the 3rd metarsal bone in my foot. Nothing to serious. Had I not had my phone, which I don't always do, I would have been fastened there for several hours. A simple task that I have done may times went south in a hurry. Just remember to look every situation over for possible safety hazards and never become complacent.
View attachment 70641 View attachment 70642 View attachment 70643 View attachment 70644

Oh my. I am glad you are still here to share the incident. Maybe loved ones will take pitty on you and bring you a refreshing beverage while watching the game. . I am not sure what everyone else does, but the way I store my stuff, I turn the tractor off and disconnect the hose to the implement before I am in the barn. Then (with implements on ground) I realease the QA levers. I do not drop the implement only unlock it. Then I start tractor back up and take it in barn and roll the loader and set the implement off. Depending on what I am dropping off I set in a dolly…same procedure though. Keeps feet away.

 

[85Hokie]

" Being in a hurry and thinking more about the next three things I had to do instead of concentrating on what I was doing. Forgot to block the trailer wheels but fortunately also didn’t disconnect the safety chains. As soon as the hitch cleared the ball it jumped back about 6” as it attempted a solo run down the slope it was on. "

Every time I move one of my trailers on my NON flat @#@#$# property......... I have to hitch and lock the ball ....and hook a chain up......

several times when drop the 3 point and UNHOOK the ball the trailer will roll a bit - and the chain does a great job until I can chock the tires......... yes - I did have one run away from me, damn I hurt myself catching up to it.

 

[NCL4701]

" Being in a hurry and thinking more about the next three things I had to do instead of concentrating on what I was doing. Forgot to block the trailer wheels but fortunately also didn’t disconnect the safety chains. As soon as the hitch cleared the ball it jumped back about 6” as it attempted a solo run down the slope it was on. "

Every time I move one of my trailers on my NON flat @#@#$# property......... I have to hitch and lock the ball ....and hook a chain up......

several times with I drop the 3 point and UNHOOK the ball the trailer will roll a bit - and the chain does a great job until I can chock the tires......... yes - I did have one run away from me, damn I hurt myself catching up to it.

Mine was just north of 9,000lb. I wouldn’t have chased it. Would have just watched it go trying to remember if I had insurance on it to cover the damage. The chains snatched the hell out of the truck when it tried to leave.

 

[edritchey]

Good to hear you're ok it's amazing how fast something so routine can go bad.

 

[GeoHorn]

Sometimes it’s irritating but my wife won’t let me work alone running a chainsaw or doing anything other than mowing on the tractor. Sometimes she helps but if there’s nothing for her to do, she’ll just sit on the Mule and read a book or talk on the phone. So far, I’ve never had to put anything off waiting on her but she’s always around for anything with an element of danger.

Well, except for one time we got pretty ill with each other (happens about once a year) and I went off to pull a good sized pine out of the pond without notifying her. My Dad was there mostly just sitting in his 4 wheeler but she still wasn’t very happy about me working the tractor around the pond and doing a bunch of chainsaw work without her.

Sometimes I don’t much like it but I put up with it because she’s probably right that working alone out in the woods isn’t optimal if there are other options.

You have a Great Wife (and Dad)… Let them know that MOWING is one of the most-hazardous operations. In the last 5 or 6 years in this county…. someone has been knocked-off their tractor by a low branch or loss-of-balance for some reason… and fallen off the seat and shredded by their own mower or tangled into the driveshaft.