Be careful out there guys
 

This morning my father and I headed out to a local restaurant for breakfast.

While we were eating, I looked out the window and noticed a man across the street backing up a pick up truck into the back yard of the house.

He got out and lowered the tailgate and placed some ramps on it, and then headed into a shed that was there.

This truck was a 2011 Silverado with about a 4" lift on it. It was parked in a level spot of the yard so the ramps were at a pretty steep angle.

He came out of the shed driving a Wheel Horse garden tractor with a mower deck on it.

I told my dad that there was no way that was going to make it up on the truck without getting hung up on the deck.

This man started driving up the ramps nice and slow and when the deck got to the tailgate it got hung up and stopped. I was glad to see him back down the ramps safely.

After this things went bad. He decided that on his second attempt he would go faster and force that deck over the hump. Again it got stuck. He pushed in the clutch and the tractor started to roll back down the ramps. He panicked and let the clutch back out and that tractor stood straight up and rolled over backwards down the ramps with the him on it. When it landed I saw him start to crawl out from under it and try to stand up.

We left the restaurant and headed across the street. By this time he was on his feet. I asked him if his was ok and he said he was, he was just a little shook up. After he calmed down we helped him flip the tractor back over on its wheels.

I explained to him that there was no way that tractor with the deck on was going to make it up the angle of those ramps. He would need to take the deck off or better yet back up to a bank on the other side of the yard to lessen the angle of the ramps.

He thanked us for the help and said that he was going to let the tractor sit a while for the oil to drain back down before starting it again. I was glad that he was not hurt and hoped that he learned a valuable lesson from this.

I know in our hobby that we load and unload tractors regularly from trucks and trailers. Please use caution and don't take anything for granted. Witnessing this really opened my eyes as to how quick and violent it is when the tractor flips over. Don't take chances and make sure you do things as safely as possible.

Darwin button....I said we need a Darwin button...

That's why I haul on a trailer, truck ramps are evil.

Amen truck ramps are evil. I made the mistake of hauling a small green tractor in my truck bed. Loaded very easy. Went to unload and it ripped my tailgate half off the truck. I was not happy to say the least. :bash2:

Wow glad to hear he was not hurt, that can be very dangerous.:bigeyes:

I used to have a saying when I was in the construction biz. "We can always afford to do it right the second time" Take your time and think about how things will go. Being dead last's a long time. :beatdeadhorse:

did that once, now they always ride on a trailer!

I would also like to add,you do not get anymore birthday presents either...

I like it when people forget to attach the ramps to the truck/trailer, then wonder why they slip off.

I'll avoid putting anything I can't lift into the back of a truck. Call me stupid, but I'd rather have it on a trailer. The lower to the ground the better IMO. Messing around with loading/unloading equipment is not something I take lightly, no matter the size.

Can your tailgate be removed? If so, that was your primary mistake. Not removing it first.

But, I agree with all of you. I don't care to drive garden tractors up, or down truck ramps of any kind. So I'm glad I don't have to, anymore.

I bet that guy in the original post wakes up sore the next morning, or five.

Stay safe.