Dangers In Tractor Pulling

It's been quite a while since I last posted. Some urgent matters need to be prioritized. But I'm back, in a different location though. But anyway, let me tell you a story.

I went to a tractor pulling this weekend, my first one. I was amazed how people take this sports so seriously and spend that much money on perking up farm tractors' and trucks' speed and motor capacity for short-distance but heavy-weight-pulling race. I still don't fully understand the mechanics of the entire race but I noticed one of the racers in the light tractor class category, a boy maybe about 11 to 12 years old, puny looking. He looked quite small on the tractor seat with not a single safety gear or suit.

I coudn't believe it. He was just in jeans and shirt. I even asked the man beside me if this race doesn't have any age limit or safety requirements. And to my surprise he said, "It's just a light tractor and the boy has been running tractors since he was 8; besides the father is around."

And I was like, are you serious? Of course, I didn't tell that to his face but I was surprised. Is that how other people also feel about it? How if accident happens? I don't even want to imagine it. But, accidents happen in the blink of an eye and in the most unexpected ways. Some adult racers have put on their over-all race suits and safety helmets but some didn't. So obviously no strict guidelines are being followed.

I find it too irresponsible for the part of the organizers not to implement certain standards for this kind of race.

However, congratulations to our friend, he won 1st and 2nd places in his tractor class category on the 2 laps of the race.