Colt Case Ingersoll Garden Tractors

Hi guys, yeah I know green should be in the "other" section but that is not my bitch here!

My frustration is more to about the federal guidelines about safety switches on our GT's. I must admit that I disable some of mine when I buy a new Case/Ingersoll GT . Why? because frankly I find them stupid and above all dangerous! Things like engine cut when reversing unless you push an override button (that really distracts you from anything else) and helps?, moving about on the seat and the engine cuts?, etc.. For me that's the worst. Just as well our 3 digit machines don't have these issues but the 4 digit do. What are your pet peeves...

Oh, the seat switches drive me batty. All the various machines in PA have them removed. The ground is rough enough that machines just shut down from bouncing down the hills. Probably a fine idea on a golf course, or perfect suburban lawn...

Totally agree!!! For me I have obstacles in my yard (read treas, etc) Having to find the over ride push button stupid!!! What are we trying to protect?

Those are there because somewhere some idiot backup over a kid with the mower on and another idiot got of and stuck there foot under . Those were put there to remove natural selection out of the equation . I keep some of those things on my machines so this idiot or or does not hurt themself .
I do agree some of the "safeties " on some stuff are more dangerous than with out them.

My wife always teased me about my ingersoll. When I was mowing the lawn, she was outside one day and could hear the engine cutting out several times. I had stopped for some reason and she had commented on for as much time and money I put into the tractor that it still doesn't run correctly. I told her that the seat switch was the issue. I had already tried adjusting and spare and then replaced with a new. Still gave me fits. Bypassed it and haven't looked back. I'm the only operator. I guess my a$$ isn't heavy enough for ingersoll's seat switch?

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So I guess guys I am just being "British" and yeah I am "old " too. My take is we all have a brain (at least that's what I was bought up believing). Yeah you Canadians or us Americans (BTW I am an American and proud of it) have that same brain too. So why when we cut5 grass should it be treated differently than say driving a car? I don't have an override button to puss before I can reverse - do you? There comes a point when common sense prevails here.. I must admit though a couple of year ago a neighbor frightened me when I was mowing my yard and came up and taped me on the shoulder while mowing my yard.. No way would any safety switch have worked - the guy was a jerk!!~!~

I guess this is more of an observation. I seems to me if you look at the older equipment the common thought was that the operator was the safety and it was just expected that who ever was driving would use common sense.
I do wish it was still that way, but to Dave’s point I’ll never forget seeing an older fella running an 8N Ford with a mower on the back cutting grass, with two little kids riding on the fenders. I had to walk away, I guess I should have said something. the thought of one of those kids falling off the back with that mower running just drove me nuts.
I understand why they started adding safety stuff.
I guess it’s just more motivation for those us that understand the old stuff to keep it alive and working!

ras101 wrote: ↑Wed Mar 01, 2023 5:55 pm So I guess guys I am just being "British" and yeah I am "old " too. My take is we all have a brain (at least that's what I was bought up believing). Yeah you Canadians or us Americans (BTW I am an American and proud of it) have that same brain too. So why when we cut5 grass should it be treated differently than say driving a car? I don't have an override button to puss before I can reverse - do you? There comes a point when common sense prevails here.. I must admit though a couple of year ago a neighbor frightened me when I was mowing my yard and came up and taped me on the shoulder while mowing my yard.. No way would any safety switch have worked - the guy was a jerk!!~!~

One employer had these stickers on every piece of equipment.
Yah that guy is a jerk. In construction we have constant safety meetings, one thing that is always repeated is to get the operators attention before approaching any piece of equipment. Still a few die every year because they don't follow this rule.


Gordy

I can remember as a kid going to a farm down the street and help the farmer and his kids do work. We were always riding on fenders or hanging on the back of a tractor with our feet in the draw bar. I guess I was lucky not to get hurt. Harry

Yes, I think "Older" generations might have been a bit more "lucky" to have survived and be around to tell the stories of a youth lived on the edge... Being in a big city I'm almost constantly reminded of the "heads down" lifestyle we have evolved into. It seems everyone is staring at their phone while walking in traffic - what ever happened to "Stop and look both ways before crossing the street"?

Well, I've had my morning now, time to get off the soapbox and stop my mini rant - Just remember every safety switch exists because of an accident, serious injury or lawsuit