I messed up and almost got..........

[BigBill]

This is a warning to others, to think and think twice before we do things. I had close one.

I was having a few bad days with my well pump going south for ever, water in my basement which i found out the installers broke the seal on the pipe going thru the wall. Then the battery was dead in my int154 and my driveway needed some leveling after the 4"+ of pouring rain we had too. Well i jumped on the 154 after starting it with my portable jumper and it stalled. I hopped off and jumped it gain and this time i left it in gear. Of course with the choke on it started really fast back up again even with the S/G it starts quick. Well with me standing on the left side pushing down the clutch pedal with the intermitten solenoid switch the tire chains caught my pants and threw me down right ion front of the left rear tire. All i could see is my duo-cross ladder chains that look more agressive than ever comming at my legs which were more under the tractor now. I don't like seeing my duo-cross aggressive chains comming at me at eye level on the ground. If you think they look mean when we see them standing up just try them when there turning comming at you when its about to clean your clock. Everything seems to happen in slow mode but not really. I rolled somewhat out of the way what i could. I felt the chains hit my shoes and brush my pants as the tractor ran past me about 30' away into a snow bank and with the rear wheels still spinning the misses ran over and shut the key off. I laid there on the ground and did a body check and looked for blood and felt for broken bones before i moved, plus i tried all my muscles too. I got up limping with my back and right hip taking the brunt of the crash but my left knee got hit too.

My point is i was in a rush and thats not good. Becareful we can get hurt with this equipment. I got away lucky this time. It was a warning and a wakeup call too. My jeep tractor did it once to me too but i was away from it when it jumped as i started it. Its the one time i didn't check the shifter to be in netural that almost cost me my life...becareful, double check it, ask yourself is what i'm about to do safe??? It was the final blow to a bad weekend. I need to slow down in my old age and not be so in a rush to get going. Please becareful around these tractors. Godbless, BigBill Life has a new meaning today and that first cup of coffee tasted special.

BTW; In the elevator business we were taught we have the first two feet of a fall to do something. You have to think that fast to save yourself quickly in a fall. I try to besafe but we need to think fast too in any life threatening situation. It feels like its in slow mode for some reason too. I crashed my quad once and as i was looking back i seen the rack on the back up vertical when its horizontal. I had enough time to think this is gonna hurt when i was in the air and i came too on the ice. It felt like i was in slow mode till i hit the ice. I tore my shoulder and broke my ribs. My front tires had a broken tie rod and we were miles in the woods away from the truck. I did a mac gyver and ties a tree branch to hold my front tire straight and drove the quad out of the woods. After 4 crashes on the quad i found out the dirtbikes are much safer. I never crashed a dirtbike.

[TJG]

I'm glad you are fine. Chain marks on the face would not look good. Two days ago I had the "slow motion" as I spun out on glare ice (fast temperture drop with wet roads) on the interstate at 65-70 mph. I did a few 360's before ending up in the ditch. Luckily I did not roll over like many vehicles I saw later had done.

It's interesting about dirt bikes and 4-wheelers. When my oldest boy wanted one, someone told me to get him a dirt bike since the worst he generally could do was to burn his leg on the muffler, versus a 4-wheeler which could roll over on him and kill him. So, I got him the dirt bike and so far he has done fine with it.

Todd

[Georgia Boy]

Glad you are ok. I done that one time with my dads Massey Ferguson 2135 w/loader. Lucky for me it was in low 1 when it fired and I had time to get out of the way. If it had gotten me, I probably would not be writing this today. It scared me bad enough that there is not a time that I don't check to make sure the tractor is in neutral before I start it.

[beaconlight]

Scary story Bill. Glad you are here to tell us about it.

[BigBill]

I just want to warn others because it can happen to all of us when were in a hurry. I almost paid the ultimate price too. I don't like to see and inspect my duo cross ladder chains that up close and personal comming at me. Thats almost as scary as bullets, ghosts and electricity the three things we can't see comming. These scare me the most. (kidding but true) I always check the shifter twice too all the time. Bill

We just have a split second to act and respond and i failed at it when the chains grabbed my leg/pants and i lost all control. I thought to save myself and let the tractor go because if it got damaged i could fix that. If i got hurt there maybe no way to repair me. We have a split second to hold them or fold them.

But my last thought was if it ran me over completely to inhale my breath and flex every muscle i had in my chest and body and hope it just goes over me. But the thought of the new sharp ice bars on the cross links changed my mind to fight it as much as i could.

If i didn't have a wide floor on my jeep tractor i wouldn't be here today, it would of had me for sure, a full body run over at full throttle. That was about 6 years ago.