Hosting a Tractor Drive question

My parents are on a committee to help put together a Tractor Drive. Some questions have came up and was wanting some feedback from the YTMAG family.

They were adopting a rule about no pull behind trailers. Mainly for safety reasons. (99% of people would be fine, but there will always be one idiot in the crowd)

Another rule is all drivers must be 16. (Yes I realize that some 15 year olds are safer than some 70 year olds....but that is not my point here)

The main question is how can we include teenage people and others who would like to participate, but does not want to drive a tractor in it? I thought of have a couple of designated hayride style wagons with good lighting and a responsible adult(s) to ride in the wagon to keep someone from say jumping out.

This is a fund raising event so then the question also goes to what is expected (money wise) from participants that only ride? 50%? 75%? 100%?

I was wondering what others have done in the past.

Thanks in advance for any help!

As part of our ride we have the same rules.

Instead of an age limit we require all drivers to hold a valid drivers license. (quasi age limit but catches the 17-18 or older person with no lisense.

For point 1) YOU ARE THE ORGANIZER. No trailers means no trailers. Have the rules package sent to participants up front.

E-mail me with phone number if you want to discuss our forms etc.

what part of country are you in?

Jeff

The drive will be in Pinckneyville, Illinois (which is located about 75 miles south east of St. Louis, MO). It is scheduled for the first Saturday in June.

NO RIDERS !!
LIABILITY INSURANCE as organizers.

i vote you just make sure anyone under 16 is compedent with the tractor, and used to it. Im not 16.....

why no trailers. if you have a good hitch an use safety chains, that is what we do on our tractor rides. have to have safety chains. i have a cabin build on a john deere running gear, my wife an grandkids ride in on all of our tractor rides. why not make it a family event, instead of just one. you need to have the triangle on the back of the towed vehicle also.
johndeeregene

No riders, no trailers and you want me to donate money to participate? Nope, I would wait for an event that is more user friendly.

A tractor ride must be family friendly if you want more than just some tractor drivers to attend.

Trailers can be safe enough. You are not going to go more that 12mph or so. Probably half to three quarter throttle at the most.

Drivers must have a valid drivers license.

Alcohol has no place in a tractor ride.

Stay off the busy roads, rides can realy mess up traffic flow I would think.

That is the trouble with tractor rides, 1 tractor = 1 driver, NO RIDERS, what is the rest of the family going to do?

I have never been on a tractor ride, but I do it all the time when I drive between fields and the farm places. I always thought it would be neat to have a drive in the river valley here, drive to some remote park, have a picnic/cookout and drive back. What better way to spend a day?

You might want to set an age limit on the tractors, maybe pre-1960. You really don't want a new 200hp JD with duals following a '49 "B" JD.

I really don't see how you can make it a big fund raiser. Yes, you can charge and entrance fee of, say, maybe $10-20, but you are going to have to provide refreshments/food at stops and of course a port-a-potty. You are also going to have have a lead unit, someone who knows where to go and the rear unit to drag any unit off the road if it stalls. I suppose if you go through towns you will have to get the law enforcement involved.
Brian(MN)

My club (located in Alexandria, MN) is part of a tractor drive that the Humane Society puts on the second Saturday or Sunday of July. I think it cost $7.50 to $10.00 to bring a tractor and $5.00 to tow something behind. There is also a brown bag lunch provided. I haven't done it, as there is usually something else going on. I can post more info when it gets closer.

James,
Not many tractors were made to accommodate riders, this rule needs to be STRICTLY enforced. I agree, though about trailers or wagons, again with supervision, not a bunch of kids who get bored and start horsing around. And NO ALCOHOL, unless it is the fuel tank.