Idiot For The Day

[bob]

OK, heres what I did. I usually get prepared for lawn cutting the night before. I waited until this morning to get prepared. I had to pull one mower off the trailer and put a different one on. No problem , right? About 1 1/2 miles away from home I noticed my trailer gate was still down! I couldn't here it dragging. If anyone asks me about it , I'll just tell them that I had to grind down part of the trailer gate!

[MOW ED]

Don't feel too bad, back in the beginning of this year I had a costly episode with my then new truck. If you care to find my post it was titled "I want to cry". It will make you feel a little better.
Stuff happens to all of us. Smile and learn from it. Have a nice day.

[eskals]

Bob:

You just reminded me to add yet another item to the old "mental check list." I've got to admit it is easy to do. I have an enclosed trailer with the double swing doors on the back. There have been a few times where i was about to pull away, and decided to jump out and make sure that they were shut. A few times i forgot to latch them.

At least nothing terrbile happened like a mower sliding off the back into traffic, or something like that.

We all make stupid mistakes. Aren't they the worst kind??

Eric

[chrisbolte]

I just hope no one has seen the stupid things that happen. I just want to know how often we get out zero turns stuck in a ditch?

[awm]

This makes my day . Other people do this to.
Iguess we are just human rather than stupid.

[jaclawn]

You got 1.5 miles before you noticed it? You must have one of those loud hippie type stereo systems in your truck. The farthest I have got was about 1.5 yards.

[KirbysLawn]

That's funny, I had my spraying trailer hooked up today and did the same thing. My son was at the drive when I turned around and he was laughing at me. To much on my mind I guess.

[bob]

Jaclawn, With the windows rolled up and the radio on and heater fan on full blast, I couldn't hear a thing. Also the mower that I put on was a Grasshopper with a bagger unit on the back. It impaired my veiw of the gate. I guess the bright side of the story is that it probably will never happen again.

[John DiMartino]

Man,I get my DCstuck in my ditch at least once a month-what a pain-it gets frame hung in the rear-even worse because of the trac-vac bracket.I am a amazed at how easy it is to get this stuck in a ditch-but on anything else itll go up any hill or over anything-just no good in ditches.

[cos]

Wow,

I thought I was a big dummy when coming to that stuff and now I can look back and laugh. I think everyone has a story or two to share.

[Indiana]

I hate to trim so I get sometimes too close to a ditch. I run a Walker model C and have been real bad to get it stuck in a ditch.

Man, I sure feel stupid flagging my helper down to help me get it out. Usually, it's just one wheel but the frame is always wedged in some mud. After getting it out, my helper always says, "How'd that happen?" I usually just shrug my shoulders.

[Nathan]

I wonder if I am the only one to ever see this. Someone I was working with tried to mow too close to the edge of a small river, lost it and completely dunked the mower in a bout 5 feet of water. I swear it wasn't me. I actually couldn't stop laughing and either could he, but not until after we got it started again.

[HealthyLawns]

I spray for the HOA at a ritzy golf club. We have a ton of lakes, and the guys seem to dunk a mower about every two months (We only have 7 big mowers)- I was filling my spray tank and drove off with the hose attached. I ripped all the pipes off the wall!!

[TLS]

Left in the morning with my backpack blower sitting on top of my A-frame mounted tool box. Pulled out of my driveway onto a busy main road and off slid my ole LESCO/Echo blower. Bounced a few times and stopped in the middle of the opposite lane! No one was coming (thank God) so I quick picked it up and put it in the pickup. NO-ONE saw me!!! And the best part is, it still works great, just a scratch on the top handle! I will NEVER do that again, thats for sure.

[HOMER]

This ain't lawn related but idiot related. We were coming back from a trip one day and needed gas. I pulled in to the station on my Mustang (gas filler on passenger side) and inserted the hose in filler neck. Waited for idiot attendant to clear pumps..............went inside to tell idiot attendant...................she was scooping ice cream to idiot rednecks, more money in that I guess. Looked across street and saw another gas station and thought "to heck with this, I'll go over there by golly!" Cranked the little ol' hot rod up to go across the street, I was P.O.'D by this time anyway, got about 30 ft from the pumps when all of a sudden it sounded like the rear end had fell out!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Looked in my rear view to see this long black hose haulin' a** back to it's pump. That dude stretched a long waaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyyy baby! Made one heck of a racket, all the rednecks just looked at me like I was stupid. Had to call the local redneck cops to write a report. No damage at all to the Ford?????????? Don't know why it didn't bend something, glad nobody was behind me, that hose would of killed em'.


Homer

[HOMER]

This one is business related.

I rode around for 2 years with my magnetic signs on my truck. I took them off a few months ago to wash the truck and my daughter just happened to read it. She let me know(after 2 years) that residential was spelled resididential!


They're in the shop now, I don't use em' anymore.

I hope nobody noticed.

Homer

[Eric ELM]

Homer, you gave me a good laugh on that first one. LOL :)
I have seen some bad spelling on signs too.

[Lawn Cruiser]

Stopped to fill up mowers on the way home one night and payed for my gas at the pump. Filled up went home just sat down and the phone rings,my wife answers it and it is the local police telling me that I left without paying. Come to find out that the pump didn't read my card.

[chrisbolte]

I know a few people that have forgot to pay the gas station. One was going on long distance trip and forgot. On their way back 3 days later they stopped in the gas station and said the forgot to pay 3 days ago. The gas station said it happens all the time. They didnt even care if they got the money now!

[thelawnguy]

Several years ago I was hauling a load of brush and without thinking jumped on the interstate. Wasnt 15 seconds before the whole bundle (along with my saw) snapped the ropes holding it down, flipped out the back and onto the shoulder-but in my mirror I see my orange Husky spinning like a hockey puck down the white line! Pulled over, ran back and grabbed the saw(light traffic) left the brush.

Only prob with the saw, the alum handle was ground almopst all the way thru from its ride on the concrete but other than that was fine.

[cos]

Funny story,

I was just out of high school. I was responsible for driving a box van and trailer. Me and the other young guy were talkin away and laughing. I look over in the pass. side mirror and see the enclosed trailer. I looked at him and said "what the heck is the trailer doing over in the other lane" Here it happen to fall off the ball and broke one chain and swung into other lane and looked like it was driving itself. After saying that (about 5-10 seconds later) I realized "oh shi#" and then pulled over without incident.

[Nathan]

Keep em coming, some of these are damn funny.

[Wayne Offiler]

The other morning I was driving along, my 1/2 full mug of coffee had become cold, so I flipped it out the window.
........except the window wasn't open!

[Rodg]

Ho! Ho! I think I have you all beat for ultimate stupidity!
When I first started I had a small single axle trailer with no back gate-just strap those mowers down! Yep!You guessed it-I forgot! YOU have not lived until you stop at a stop sign and see your own trusty walk behind go rolling on by through the intersection!Lucky for me it was a back street and no traffic! Talk about eager to get to the next job!

[1stclasslawns]

My stupid trick for the day happened a couple years ago.
I was hauling limbs and leaves after I'd mulched them. Pulled the old sears mower on the tilt trailer got the chainsaw and put it in the very back of the trailer, it had side boards and a gate, wouldnt fall out. Off I went forgetting to fasten the trailer down it tilted on me ever so easily I didn't notice it I looked in my rear view after pulling out on the highway and saw the thing tilted, I turned to see if what I saw was reelly what I saw. Truned back around to find a pullof and there was a car stopped right in front of me, I hit the brakes HARD to avoid hitting the car and WHAM..... THUD the trailertilted forward and threw the saw into the tailgate of the truck and it fell in the back of the truck. A couple scraches and a little dent. But no worse for the ware.

Jim

[johnnyjay]

1. I went to lunch one day and parked in a Super Market parking lot. As I turned in from the street I heard a strange noise but could not figure out what it was. After I parked I headed for the resturant. I got about 20 yards away and realized I had left my billfold in the truck. As I approached the trailer I saw my Stihl Trimmer hanging down beside the trailer. I had placed it in the rack but forgot to drop the pens and cotter key in place. Luckily, I had wrapped a chain around it to secure it to the trailer but the head had dropped off the rack and was dragging the pavement. The chain held the motor end it place. Also, I have a Edgit Guide wheel installed so it was dragging down the street making the noise I heard originally and probably protected it from permanent damage.

2. I was riding a velke on my 36" WB Exmark. I passed by a diamond street sign on the edge of the yard when the pointed end of the sign and my left hand engaged. The sign knocked my hand off the hand controls and the mower started to spin around to my right. (5 MPH) I jumped off the velke and was trying to catch up with the mower with my left hand but the spinning was too fast so I turned loose with my right hand knowing that the mower would shut down. The mower headed for my truck (99 GMC) and dropped off the curb and hit the truck at the front breaking the fog light. Now I have to buy a replacement light from the dealer. I backed the truck up 3 or 4 inches to free the mower. I didn't see any damage to the mower. I then tried for 3 or 4 minutes to crank the mower but it would not start. I noticed the belt was trying to turn each time I pulled the started rope. After looking around to see if anyone was looking or could see me I realized the mower blade was still engaged. When I disengaged it the mower started up first pull and no damage was done.

[Keith]

We've "laked" a few mowers. Had equipment fall out. All that stuff.

Recently though:

I took a friend up to the Home Depot to pick up a few items he couldn't fit in his CRX. The biggest being 4 sheets of medium density fibre board (the cabinet stuff). I don't know haw heavy they are, but I'd say they are over 100 pounds each. We loaded them up and figured it was easier to leave the tail gate down, and it was, until we had to pick up 3 sheets of fibre board out of the street. They just slid out one at a time off of each other, like it was in slow motion.

[tlcgrounds]

When I bought my first walkbehind one of my friends thougth it would be cool if he took it for a pinn ouround the yard. well I warned him how to stop it by pulling up on the ptols and how to make the lachine turn I went into the gargage and i heard the engine rev up and I turned around. The idiot put it in 5th gear and way drag racing it around the yard. well he tried to stop and tried to stop the machine with his feet and then tried to pull back on it. He tool his right hand off the controll to help his left hand and he pulled on the left brake. the machine drug him around in circles. The guy was flopping around like a fish. he got on his feet and let go but he lsot his balance and ran into a tree. Lucky for my the machine died and rolled out into the yard.

[Nathan]

I just thought of one that happened to me a couple of years ago. We used to run only 21" lawn boys and had a small trailer that we put 4 of them on. The trailer was cheesy and had a ramp that was only held up by a rope. We fastened the mowers with bungees and they usually stayed pretty well, until... One day I was pulling onto a busy street and had been waiting a while to make a left. Finally traffic opened up and I gunned it. I guess those bungees weren't too strong because all of the mowers broke loose, smacked the tailgate and knocked it down. The next thing I saw in my rear view was 4 lawn boys flying all over the street at about 30 mph. 2 of them went into the ditch on the left and the other 2 launched off the right embankment about 15 feet into the air and dropped into a field.

even though I hated those stinkin' lawn boys, they sure were tough.

[eslawns]

My wife and I had our wedding reception at her brother's house. He asked me to mow a few days before and make the yard look manicured. I had just gotten my first WB (new 36" Encore) and was mowing the high edge of a ditch when the mower slipped off and flipped over. The OPC's are on top of the handle bars, so it kept running. I spazzed for about 30 seconds, then used the throttle control to kill the engine. I almost killed myself flipping this thing back over and dragging it into the road. At first it wouldn't start, but it let it sit for 20 min's and it started OK, smoked for a second or so, and has been fine ever since. Boy are those Kawi 14's tough!

[cos]

When hooking up my 16' trailer, I set it down on the ball and locked it in. This trailer never came with safety chains. I took off and got two blocks, stoped at the stop sign, and here comes my tailer (zoom) right by me. My first reaction was to gun it and get in front of the trailer and let it hit the back of me. Here I am, driving like a maniac next to my trailer. It finally stopped and rested on the front lawn of someones house. I got out of the truck and had to look around to see if anybody was in histarics. I hooked it up and left with a big smile on my puss.

Suggestions:

A.Use safety chains
B.ALWAYS look under the tounge to make sure latch is locked under ball.
C.Don't be an idiot for the day.

[Cutter1]

cos....Thats some funny stuff!!!!


I use to just give one of my employees a truck with no trailer and a trimmer, etc..He fininshed a yard and loaded everything up. Except he forgot to close the tailgate!! He was driving down a highway and looked in the mirror and saw one of my old proline's rolling down the highway!! He got out in a panic and ran back and moved it to the side. He said he got some really weird looks and some laughs. I was working on some mowers and was wondering why I needed a sledge hammer to fix the wheel. I kept thinking, what in the world happen to this. He finally broke the news to me( a year later) The mower is in the parts department now!!

[MsBladePlls, Inc.]

Well,
Hard being the boss!! Now !! We where laying pine straw (350bales) when I am always stating be careful in the shrubs. Well my guys got a eye full when.. You know I just had to be there and some of those MEAN yellow jackets flew up the leg of my pants inside around a pretty tender area!! oh boy!! Did I come out of those pants or WHAT!! 25 hornets will make you dance a gig or 2!! I was stung pretty bad on the leg but gee did I get help or what !! Plus cars where honking.

The price you pay to be the BOSS!!.. 8-)..

[turfman99]

When I was a young man starting out in the landscape business back in '79, I had a trailer and a Kubota tractor and tiller and did custom tractor work. I was a part timer then , but I was like 21 and could work my day job, mow and till afterwards, drink beer until 11, and then do it again.

I was leaving to go do a tilling job, and hell, you don't need to chain down a tractor, you just put the brakes on and go. So I had a chance to get out in traffic and I jammed it hard and went. The tractor stayed. It rolled off into the street and damn near hit the town policeman who had pulled up behind me. Luckly, my position in the Fire Department got me more ridicule for it than trouble from the policeman.

I have never, ever since that day, not secured a piece of equipment down, and I sometimes move 4 larger pieces a day sometimes.

[bob]

My ex-partner and I had identical JD walkbehinds. He was backing the mower up, when he backed into a chainlink fence. Both handles and OPC's were sticking through the chain links. He was trapped. He had to stay there holding the brakes on. If he let go the mower would back into the fence further. I ran over and put the mower in a forward gear.

[ron]

OK HERE IS A GOOD ONE TODAY WHILE PULLING MY 6X14 ENCLOSED TRAILER WITH MY 98 CHEVY C250 I TOOK A VERY SHARP TURN TRYING TO MISS A BLUNT OBJECT LAYING ACROSS THE BUSY ROAD WHEN I HURD A LOUD BANG FROM THE BACK I LOOKED INTO THE DRIVER SIDE MIRROR AND WATCHED WITH HORROAS MY SUPER Z 52 IN RIDER AND MY 36 IN SCAGG WALK BEHIND NOT EVEN A YEAR OLD BOUNCE LIKE A BAD CHECK MY 36 IN ROLLED ABOUT 3 TIMES AND MY RIDER BOUNCED LIKE A BASKET BALL LUCKLY THERE WERE NO CARS BEHIND ME OR I WOULD BE LOST..THE POLICE STOPPED THE TRAFFIC WHILE I ATTEMPTED TO PUT AWAY MY MOWERS..WELL THANK GOD THE ONLY THING HURT WAS MY PRIDE.THE RIDER NO SCRATCHES THE 36 IN WELL THE TWO HANDLES WERE BENT SOME AND THE SAFETY PLUG CAME OUT AND ONE STRAP THAT WAS HOLDING THE GAS TANK WAS BROKEN AND MY SMALL WHEEL BENT......SLIGHTLY...WOW I SURE HAD A BAD DAY AFTER ALL THIS I HAD TO RETIRE FOR THE EVENING......

[plow kid]

Spud [my partner/buddy] left his 79 bronco running one day and it poped into gear somehow and decided to take a tour of my garage without opening the door first,it made the whole house shake when it hit the back wall,...lol

[thelawnguy]

Its a Ford thing. Back in the early 80s Ford sent stickers to the owners of all auto trans vehicles that you were to put on the dash, warning to leave parking brake on since they had a tendency to jump out of park.

[awm]

Got check from insurance for stolen equip.
I cashed it
That evening im getting gas an go to pay and
the wallets gone,over a thousand.Im runing all over the place looking for it.So I told the lady clerk I was going to have to go back to jobsite and find my wallet.
Shes grinning the whole time.She points to my nail
apron and says is that you or your wallet.THERE IT SETS
now why i put it there i dont know .But seems Im doing thAat
sort a thing more as I GET OLDER.Any got it back, whew
felt a little tupid tho

[plow kid]

http://content.communities.msn.com/isapi/fetch.dll?action=view_photo&ID_Community=GuidosEquipmentPics&ID_Topic=6&ID_Message=628http://content.communities.msn.com/isapi/fetch.dll?action=view_photo&ID_Community=GuidosEquipmentPics&ID_Topic=6&ID_Message=631

[leeslawncare]

Wait till you tey an drive 2 mile down the road with a flat a%$ tire ...then you feel very stupid!!LOL I've been there !!an done that .(anyone want a tee shirt?)LOL

[linky]

Plow Kid
f-o-r-d- found off road digging applies
Did it see its shadow?

[bob]

? sink hole?

[plow kid]

It`s a hole where the city checked the water valves and didnt pack the dirt back in, we found 6 more that day.
The truck sat there for a week while we waited for parts to fix my truck so i could pull a trailer with a bobcat excavator to the field to dig him out, in that time frame of a week, some punks broke out all the windows and stripped that thing, we cought them the night that we were digging it out, we had to go get more fuel because the rental shop left the tank dry. We decided to park in a different spot when we got back, i had borught my camcorder along to record the mud flinging process and we were walking along a path back to the field and we saw about 5-6 kids running around, spud grabbed the camcorder and started recording, now the police have the tape. we will see what happens.


ps. we got the truck out in 15 minnutes of digging

[Gtotoy]

A few years back i was cutting a retention pond with very steep walls the kind that hurt your ankles, using a hydro 52" exmark. Middle of august hazy, hot and humid, you know the feeling. I was cutting first or second stip around base of pond and out of nowhere I hit a hole, not large but large enough to jolt the left forward motion of the mower and throw the handle into my gut, and next thing i knew i lost the mower, and guess where it was heading, Yep, right strait into the pond. Well it took three guys waist high in the pond and a F250 to pull it out, I'll never forget it nor will i ever let one of my guys cut that area, its for me.well thats me idiot story for the day!!!!!!!

[lawnboy82]

ok; last year i had just gotten to a lawn, took the turf runner off the trailer and wouldnt ya know? i got it stuck so i went and got my chain, put the chain to the truck and then to the machine, went to back up. i put 2 nice gauges into this guy's new driveway because i forgot to raise the ramp.
most stupid story ever though: there is a rental shop around here; here is what happened: a guy was delivering a large backhoe. the machine was on a trailer. guy was alone. i think that he was pointing down a hill too. well he goes and takes the machine off, he had the machine half off when the brakes on the truck gave way. truck and trailer started going down the hill, through a stop light, the guy on the backhoe was putting the dipper down to try to stop the rig, but he only put big gauges in the road, the rig jackknifed and if i remember correctly they went through some bushes and landed in a lady's front lawn. may have gone into the house im not sure though. after hearing that story whenever i haul something heavy i have somebody at the truck holding the brakes down, when i am unloading. what a boob.
then there is always the good old can flipping out of the back of the truck, or other normal things.