Another accident

NEWS RELEASE KERN COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT
CORONER DIVISION

This news release is prepared under the direction of the Sheriff-Coroner-Public Administrator for the convenience of news reporters. Facts concerning news events of major importance, which occur after the preparation of this release, will be made available to reporters at their request as soon as it is possible to do so.

DECEDENTS NAME: Paul Watson CASE #: C-1377-00
CITY OF RESIDENCE: Wasco, CA AGE: 74 years
TYPE OF CASE: Apparent Accident/Crushed
DATE OF INCIDENT: September 7, 2000 TIME: Unknown A.M.
LOCATION: Approximately 2 miles south of State Route 46 & 5/8 mile west of Wildwood Road, Wasco
DATE OF DEATH: September 7, 2000 TIME: 1227 hours
PLACE OF DEATH: Kern Medical Center - Emergency Department
INVESTIGATING AGENCY: Kern Co. Coroner's Office

Details: An unwitnessed incident in which the decedent was run over by a tractor.

Comments: Cause of death pending autopsy examination

CARL SPARKS, Sheriff-Coroner

By: Vicki Johnson, Deputy Coroner Investigator
Date: Thursday, September 07, 2000
Time: 15:46:58

We own some commercial property about 1 1/2 miles from our house, and my Mom's property is 1 mile away in the same direction. I use the 8N to mow both places as well as my own - and I drive it there on the road in 4th gear. These are paved back roads with little traffic, but people drive too fast.

That day I had made the trip OK, and was about to make the left turn into the driveway of the commercial property. I was wide open in 4th gear, and a car was following me at the same slow speed. Nothing coming in the opposite direction, I glanced back and looked at the car following - no problem, so I made a big "left turn" hand signal, then when I reached the driveway depressed the clutch and swung across the left lane. SCREECHING BRAKES from behind - a car sliding with all four wheels locked up! Nothing I could do but keep going and try to get out of the road, and the car swerved just behind the tractor and barely missed me. A young woman (17 or 18) was coming up from behind at maybe 50 mph and had swung out to pass the slow car that was following me. After missing me she just kept going, and it still shakes me up to see the skid marks that are on the road there.

The family is griping at me about driving on the road, and they have a point. I could trailer the tractor to both places, but that means loading and unloading SIX times to mow the two places - that's much more work than the mowing is. My wife says she's going to follow me in the car, but I think that makes it worse - just like the slow car that was following me when this happened, that's why the teenager didn't see the tractor.

The only thing I can think of is not to make left turns when any cars are around. I may just pull off on the shoulder and wait until it's clear in both directions before going across. Sorry for the length of this post, but what do you think? Do you have any other suggestions for making this deal a little safer?

Mount the sucker to the end of a length of electrical conduit. Pound the other end of the conduit flat, drill a couple of holes and mount the assembly to the tractor sidewall or whatever. Make the length of the conduit long enough to place the strobe above most passenger cars tailing you. You can run the electrical wires inside or outside the conduit. Terminate the wires with a couple of aligator clips (radio shack) and hook them to your battery while you're on the highway.

Remember, yellow is the correct color for farm equipment strobes on the highway in most states. If you use red, white or blue, you will probably get a ticket.

Now that you have drawn attention to yourself, may I also suggest that you get a cheap farm equipment reflective triangle to hang on the back of your tractor while it's on the highway.

Don8NAZ

"This news release is prepared under the direction of the Sheriff-Coroner-Public Administrator for the convenience of news reporters. Facts concerning news events of major importance, which occur after the preparation of this release, will be made available to reporters at their request as soon as it is possible to do so."

My condolences to the family of the decedent..... now they got me doing it..... Dell, the self-appointed safety preacher