my father, his backhoe and the mountain

[dirtlooter]

last year, my father managed to take a very scary ride on his backhoe down a steep area behind and above his new home. He lives on the side of Rich Mountain and yes, it is pretty steep. It is a place where someone that knows how to run equipment can safely do it. People run logging machines all up and down places like this everyday all day long. But my 83 old father is not one of them and needs to stay off of the backhoe there. Last year a huge pile of dirt slowed him down enough to finally get stopped. A recent shingles shot had a severe reaction which really slowed him down and aged him even more. He also has a dozer up there as well. the dozer and the backhoe are there mainly so he can finish his road that keeps washing out. He has the culverts etc to put in but it has rained too much and too often so far. I would like for him to just sell the equipment and then pay someone to do the work but oh no. So yesterday, he came as close to rolling the backhoe as you can get with out doing it. He managed to get stopped in a very bad position but was able to climb out to safety. He called a younger friend who came with his son to safely right the machine. This shook him up pretty good and maybe has him thinking but who knows. It is a hard thing for a guy to realize that he no longer can safely do something. I didn't find out until after it was all done and over with and I live about 300 yards down below him. He is 83 and still trying hard to be the man that he once was and I feel for him. The sad part is that he gets around better than I do so I am of little help right now. Caught between a rock and a hard place.

 

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[nomad 11]

i used to operate a case 380 bucket no backhoe. and those rear tires were filled with liquid. i dont know what they were filled with ? but combined weight ? all i know is i wouldnt want to go for a bucking bronco ride down the side of a mountain on it. dont sound like one of those thrill rides i'd like to take another thing i figured out is ? i dont have good luck and that includes with doctors and meds. last doctor i saw he had me so messed up on meds i had to walk out on him. i told him i'll take my chances with God and he didnt even respond. now i'm a walking zombie. Gods will ? dont know ? i dont think i'm going to make it till 83 never the less ? good luck to ur father. maybe he needs adult supervision now with his tractor ?

 

[IMAUDIGGER]

For what it’s worth, I’d offer the following friendly advice.

Unless your father has a degenerative brain condition, resist the urge to tell him how he needs to live his life. Don’t speak down to him like he’s less of a man. He’s probably pretty smart and figured out he F’d up and needs to be more careful. He obviously knew when to ask for help.

Ask yourself how you want to be treated when your that age and how you would want to spend the tail end of your life. Sitting on the sidelines playing it safe or living your life? I offer that having watched ALL of my grandparents age and die. Enjoy your time with your dad and make extra effort to give him a hand as much as he will willingly accept. Helping can include getting others involved that can do what you can’t.

Your very lucky that he’s still active and ambitious at that age. He sounds like a go getter and a good example.

I’ve gotten a backhoe kind of stuck climbing a hill without weight in the front bucket...it started pulling a wheelie after getting most of the way up a long hill. Never mind the brakes were questionable. I had to get my younger brother to rescue the equipment. $hit happens as they say.

 

[Peyton Manning]

Backhoes are much like supermodels, lots of fun and hard to resist

 

[dirtlooter]

I love my father and have a deep respect for him, just don't want to go up to check on him and find him crushed by the backhoe. and I am not going to tell him what he can do and not do, at least not yet anyways, not that he will listen anyways. He was always a take the bull by the horns guy in everything that he did. He's retired from 3 or 4 places including the Air Force. Yeah, the dozer and the backhoe are big toys but we have used them to do a lot of work. His reaction time is getting slower and slower.

 

[Peyton Manning]

Does it have roll bars?

 

[U.B.]

You are between a rock, and a hard place for sure. I admire your Dad’s grit, and hope that in 16 years I’m still going that strong, at 83. I think IMAUDIGGER has it right. Stay close to your Dad, and let him live his life; with as much help as you can give him. You’ll know when it’s time to pull on the reins. Good luck.

 

[IMAUDIGGER]

I love my father and have a deep respect for him, just don't want to go up to check on him and find him crushed by the backhoe. and I am not going to tell him what he can do and not do, at least not yet anyways, not that he will listen anyways. He was always a take the bull by the horns guy in everything that he did. He's retired from 3 or 4 places including the Air Force. Yeah, the dozer and the backhoe are big toys but we have used them to do a lot of work. His reaction time is getting slower and slower.

No insult intended ( as personal as it is) I’m sure there’s nothing but the best intentions. I totally agree there’s a time when our abilities diminish. If there is a cognitive brain condition (other than simply getting old), and dangerous irrational decisions are being made...there is definitely a responsibility to step in. If I was of rational mind, I’d want to steer by own boat as long as possible...even to my own demise.

I have a pertinent experience that I will not share here.

 

[IMAUDIGGER]

Does it have roll bars?

Roll bars do no good if your not strapped in to your chair.

I’ve yet to see a backhoe operator fasten their seat belt.

 

[broken_detector]

last year, my father managed to take a very scary ride on his backhoe down a steep area behind and above his new home. He lives on the side of Rich Mountain and yes, it is pretty steep. It is a place where someone that knows how to run equipment can safely do it. People run logging machines all up and down places like this everyday all day long. But my 83 old father is not one of them and needs to stay off of the backhoe there. Last year a huge pile of dirt slowed him down enough to finally get stopped. A recent shingles shot had a severe reaction which really slowed him down and aged him even more. He also has a dozer up there as well. the dozer and the backhoe are there mainly so he can finish his road that keeps washing out. He has the culverts etc to put in but it has rained too much and too often so far. I would like for him to just sell the equipment and then pay someone to do the work but oh no. So yesterday, he came as close to rolling the backhoe as you can get with out doing it. He managed to get stopped in a very bad position but was able to climb out to safety. He called a younger friend who came with his son to safely right the machine. This shook him up pretty good and maybe has him thinking but who knows. It is a hard thing for a guy to realize that he no longer can safely do something. I didn't find out until after it was all done and over with and I live about 300 yards down below him. He is 83 and still trying hard to be the man that he once was and I feel for him. The sad part is that he gets around better than I do so I am of little help right now. Caught between a rock and a hard place.

Hey brother where at in Arkansas u from? I'm from ft smith area