minimum age of drivers

[Anonymous-0]

What are you guys thoughts on how old someone should be to drive in a tractor pull? We have a few kids as young as 8 which I think is a little young (my son started at 10) but if the promoter is ok with it then it is their business. I am helping organize a pull and originally myself and the other guy working with me thought 16. After some flak and threats about not bringing tractors I said I would agree to 14 as many groups have this as a minimum and thought it to be a reasonable age. I have no interest in having to hire a lawyer to defend myself or to risk losing what I have because some young kid just had to pull a tractor, especially one with no previous experience who's parents thought it a good idea after seeing other young kids driving.

 

[RCP]

As you know it is not so much the age as the ability, and that is tough to enforce.

I would suggest that you require the responsible adult to sign a waiver, to accompany the tractor on the track, and to have a means to kill the tractor in case of an emergency, it can be as simple as a string tied to the coil wire.

FYI my daughter started pulling when she was 11 on an Oliver 77, but we practiced operating the tractor, including backing up, before she pulled onto the track.

Regards
Rich

 

[D beatty]

In this area they have to be 16 and a letter of consent from parents.

 

[johninmn]

Everywhere around me is 14 with anyone under 16 having a parent/guardian consent form signed.

 

[Welding man]

Our club went through this 2 years ago and after 2 near misses, the board decided to do something. I drew up and implemented a drivers test for anyone under 16 years of age. The driver must be able to start and stop the tractor,name all the controls, put the tractor in gear ,pull onto the scales and be checked and weighed, exit scales and back up to the sled. If they can do this we don't care how young they are,and we give them a drivers license. If they can't they don't pull.They must be tested on the tractor they pull and it must have wheelie bars and a kill switch. We have tested several youngsters and we haven't had any more near misses.

 

[t martin]

It comes down to how they handle the machine. I have seen 10 year olds more sure footed on a tractor than some 40 year olds. I started at age 12 but at that time i had 4+ years driving experience in the field.

 

[830 man]

I have seen plenty of youngsters pulling around here. They all pulled first gear, had wheelie bars and most of the time the father walked along side the tractor holding a switch that killed power to the coil. I'm sure the parents also had to sign a waiver.

 

[CGpuller]

Theres a useful young driver"s test at edgeta.com that could be modified to your preference.

 

[Super Trucker]

At my club we let any kid that can handle a tractor RESPONSIBLY pull with remote a kill switch. My son started at 7 but he is a exception to the rule. He handles a tractor 10x better then most of the guy's BUT he knows he has A LOT of eyes on him waiting for him to screw up so they can jump on the band wagon. Now my youngest son will probably drive a tractor when he buys his own. He just doesn't have the want or wisdom to drive. Some of you on here watch my boy pull and have commented on how well he does,and I appreciate that. I do like the driver license deal . With the driver course and a basic class on operating is the way to go.

 

[Anonymous-0]

My son started at 7 years old on a wore out G and showed how well he could handle it so this winter we rebuilt it last winter and he just keeps improving. We went to a pull sunday and after the pull the flag man shook his hand and complemented on his pull as well as many seasoned pullers. I think if we wait until 16 the sport will completly die out. Not All kids are capably but there are several out there.

 

[Super Trucker]

I feel the same way. If we punish those who can because of those who can't we will have nobody who cares and all our tractors will be sent to scrap as we pass on. I know I had other things on the mind by the time I was 16.

 

[MJT Lifes Good Pulling]

I have the responsibility of being a promoter as well as a Puller with two young nephews who love to pull. I had them practice home backing up to a pile of wood, and made them tighten until they hated it.. The have been taught to watch everyone and thing around them.. These boys are safer and better pullers then half of the grown pullers. The youngest started at 9 years old with a first place and will be one of the best pullers in the Northeast as gains more experience... The point of this rambling is that they will likely want to pull when they are 16, if we wait until then the hormones and cars will take over, and the sport will die, and I can tell you the people they get to know at tractor pulls are better than the average they would meet elsewhere. I would prefer as a promoter that these tractors had shut offs which many don"t..
Mike