speaking of regulations

"WACO - For many in rural Central Texas, it's one of their most enduring memories of childhood: Their first time behind the wheel of the family tractor.

The time-honored initiation into working the family farm could one day be a thing of the past, with discussions underway in Washington to require operators of farm equipment to have a commercial driver's license, or CDL."................

http://www.kxxv.com/story/15160248/new- ... amily-farm

I was operating a tractor, bailer, plow and hay bailer by the time I was 13. My dad started even earlier.
And once again it will bar entry to these jobs to people with no experience. It might save some lives, but as what expense?

SS109 wrote: And once again it will bar entry to these jobs to people with no experience. It might save some lives, but as what expense?

Yeah, you're so right, better dead than being "barred from entry to a job". :Loco:

AspenValley wrote:

SS109 wrote: And once again it will bar entry to these jobs to people with no experience. It might save some lives, but as what expense?

Yeah, you're so right, better dead than being "barred from entry to a job". :Loco:

Yeah we need more of the nanny state.

Grady wrote:

AspenValley wrote:

SS109 wrote: And once again it will bar entry to these jobs to people with no experience. It might save some lives, but as what expense?

Yeah, you're so right, better dead than being "barred from entry to a job". :Loco:

Yeah we need more of the nanny state.

Maybe so, since people seem to lack common sense. Farming is one of the most dangerous occupations there is, yet people let kids operate really complicated machinery without any training? If it makes sense to make kids pass a test before giving them the keys to a car, it makes even more sense to make them demonstrate they can safely operate far more dangerous vehicles.

I know all the arguments about how kids traditionally grew up on farms doing all kinds of dangerous stuff (the stories I hear from my husband, who grew up on a farm, make my hair stand on end!) but just because people did dumb stuff years ago doesn't mean they should continue to do it today.

AspenValley wrote:

Grady wrote:

AspenValley wrote:

SS109 wrote: And once again it will bar entry to these jobs to people with no experience. It might save some lives, but as what expense?

Yeah, you're so right, better dead than being "barred from entry to a job". :Loco:

Yeah we need more of the nanny state.

Maybe so, since people seem to lack common sense. Farming is one of the most dangerous occupations there is, yet people let kids operate really complicated machinery without any training? If it makes sense to make kids pass a test before giving them the keys to a car, it makes even more sense to make them demonstrate they can safely operate far more dangerous vehicles.

I know all the arguments about how kids traditionally grew up on farms doing all kinds of dangerous stuff (the stories I hear from my husband, who grew up on a farm, make my hair stand on end!) but just because people did dumb stuff years ago doesn't mean they should continue to do it today.

It may look complicated to you, but any observant kid learns what to do and not to do with the guidance of the father. Kids do not just jump on a tractor combine, etc without first getting training. Kids demonstrate ability by doing the work for years without injury or mishap. I'd venture to say that you get just as many mishaps or injuries with adults as you do kids. Also, most of those kids who work on farms have more common sense than most on this forum who have never had such direct experience. It's one thing to look from the outside and form perceptions it quite another from the inside. One learns respect for equipment.

Like many others here, I was operating the bulldozer, hauling trailers, etc, at 8, started driving a car at 13. You get ample opportunity to test your driving skills on farms in a setting far more safe than a parking lot. You hear stories, but have no direct experience. Yet, you more than willingly dictate your perception of what needs to happen on those who actually live with and do the work. Those in the know do NOT share your perspective. Aside from the huge added expense and pain in the ass log book (just what a farmer needs) another highly negative impact is youth will be prevented from learning skills they otherwise would learn. Let's face it. We have enough people without practical skill sets and this is another one of those things where someone wants to impose their perception of what is and is not safe on others. No thanks. Don't need more BS than we already have. Obviously I don't have a strong opinion on this. lol

RD, you could make the same argument to let kids start driving on the freeway at age 13. It's not even a matter of technical competence, it's also a matter of judgement. Kids on the farm may have more of that than a kid raised on video games, but they are still kids.

Hey we all know the government knows more than we do and always has our best interest in mind.
And the people now days can't pee without the media telling them how to do it properly.


I was driving a semi at 13, we didn't need a license on the backroads and we were taught by my dad and grandpa how to operate the machinery. I taught both my kids how to drive the tractor and trucks when they were very young. Kept them outa trouble.

AspenValley wrote: RD, you could make the same argument to let kids start driving on the freeway at age 13. It's not even a matter of technical competence, it's also a matter of judgement. Kids on the farm may have more of that than a kid raised on video games, but they are still kids.

Judgement is learned and improves with experience. Experience is a harsh teacher, it doe not tolerate mistakes and that is one of the things kids on farms learn early on. Yes, they are still kids, but with a level of maturity and a sense of responsibility far beyond their years. Besides, kids are so eager to learn something that is challenging, demanding that they really pay attention and take pride in their accomplishments. I see a huge difference between the video and farm crowd of kids. There is no reality to video.

No driving on the freeway is NOT a valid comparison. Operating and driving on back roads and on the farm itself offers a far safer environment for learning and familiarization with equipment. I'd submit that farm kids will make better drivers early on than most of the video crowd. This is not to say the difference will not level out at a later time.

Martin Ent Inc wrote: I was driving a semi at 13, we didn't need a license on the backroads .

This is why people support the government regulating things. Because dumbasses will let 13 year old kids drive semis if they don't.