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Robert: I guess to some degree this common sence saying is directed at me, as I find myself using it a lot. I guess also common sence is something you acquire by doing. During the 1940s and 50s, my dad took the time on a 200 acre 25 cow dairy farm to teach his 5 sons and probably 20 other young lads to use a tractor responsibly. Most of those young lads were able to go and do a days work with a tractor unsupervised by the time they were 12-14 years of age. One young lad I remember in particular, dad had him raking hay with Farmall 130, by the time he was 8. Dad was a 2500-3000 bale a day kind of guy, so it wasn't a 2-3 hour lark. That young lad now 45 years old, went on to become a long haul trucker. He has seen every mainland State in the US and every Province in Canada. He has criss-crossed this continant dozens of times. He has yet to put more than a fender scratch on a motor vehicle. My friend, back in those days the farms of the two nations were the driving schools of the nations. That is all gone, with liability claims such as they are today, no farmer in his right mind would dare let young pre teen lads drive a tractor. In most jurisdictions you don't dare let anyone under 16 on a tractor seat. This is a shame, skills are learned at that age that are never forgotten. During my farming career I employed as many as 6-10 employees at one time. What I noticed develop over the years is a very cavalier attitude towards safety. To some extent safety devices like ROPS, better PTO shields, etc. brought some of this about, as workers developed an attitude they couldn't get hurt using this new equipment. I made the comment on another thread this morning, about farm tractor safety being just junior high physics. I always had one test when a young lad came along looking for a job on the farm. I would try to be doing something mechanical. I would ask him to pass me a 7/16 wrench from the tool box. I then would watch to see his approach. If he picked up the 3/8, 7/16 and 1/2 inch he was on the road to being in. If on the other hand he had to mull through the 7/8, 15/16 or 1-1/4, I knew right away he hadn't picked up too much of the practical application of a ruler during his school days. If he didn't learn the practical use of the ruler it is unlikely he learned a lot of physics. My dad started off in 1938 with a Fordson and a team of horses. The farm eventually had 6 tractors, 2 skid loaders, combine and 4 trucks. We never had a lost time accident on that farm. I like to think just a wee bit of COMMON SENCE achived that, however will agreed we were truly blessed, as I can remember a few close ones.
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