One armed lorry driver!

[Nithsdale]

 

[thorpe]

Was an spark round here with one arm, be retired now.
A neighbouring farmer had a man working for him with a wooden leg, from above the knee, wasn't keen on tractor driving but could do it.
MF 35 he threw his leg over the steering wheel & pushed his knee with his hand to work the clutch, new leg every year or so, most others got about 3 years out of a leg he said.

i suppose ive done well then its took 50 years to feck left knee waiting on the right knee now, thats 52 years.

 

[Sharpy]

The best guy I ever worked with at putting hay bales on an elevator had only one arm, ripped off by a pto shift at 6 years old, bales placed evenly and square every time. Mucked byres holding the shovel with one hand, wheeled the barrow by putting a bale string round the handle and over his shoulder, I think he had to tip it to the side though.

 

[unlacedgecko]

Was just about to post this

 

[unlacedgecko]

 

[Nithsdale]

View attachment 938225

I thought he had no arms when I first looked at that

 

[Purli R]

Years ago I think it was mctaggarts livestock haulage from Castle Douglas had a one armed driver,he never needed help.

I thought he had no arms when I first looked at that

 

[tepapa]

My grandad lost use of one of his arms after getting it caught in a threshing machine. I'm guessing some time in the 50's as my father did a lot of the heavy work as he grew up.
He had some kind of disability benefit but someone snitched on him as he was seen blocking a gap where sheep were getting out, so they stopped the payment, oh how the benefit system has changed.

 

[Nithsdale]

Years ago I think it was mctaggarts livestock haulage from Castle Douglas had a one armed driver,he never needed help.

Yes! I think he is one of the McTaggart family IIRC. Don't think he drives any more

 

[quattro]

I think there was a blacksmith at foggathorpe east York’s, I remember been with someone who took a cylinder head to be welded
this was along time ago

 

[Cab-over Pete]

In a village named Shustoke north of here there lived a blind man in a small cottage. He used to repair CB radio units.

I never went there but I know folks who did and they said his work was faultless.

 

[windymiller]

There's 4 lads in this county in wheelchairs, from varying accidents, still doing what they can around the farm, tractor work, office work etc to keep their interest going.

 

[Dry Rot]

Not farming, but as a hitch hiking student I got picked up by a one legged driver who used his walking stick to depress the accelerator. That was over 60 years ago but I remember it quite clearly. Probably because he explained he'd lost his leg motor racing. Quite scary! That accelerator was depressed flat to the floor all the time and it hadn't slowed him down one bit!

 

[Stewartry hill]

Yes! I think he is one of the McTaggart family IIRC. Don't think he drives any more

Duncan not a Mac taggart white unit was his own still driving as far as I know

 

[2wheels]

I paralysed my left arm & hand 41 yrs ago,motorcycle accident, & have been working on the farm for 38yrs now.We used to have cows,beef & arable on 350 acres but sold the cows 30 odd yrs ago. I can do virtually everything apart from milking & a few other things.
After hurting my right leg once I found that apart getting to the tractor & climbing in I could do a days ploughing with 1 arm & 1 leg!
Now it's just me on my own & apart from getting a contractor in for combining & hedgecutting, I do most things single handedly,literally! I should add that I can't do everything because I do go & ask for help sometimes

aye we take our health for granted most of the time until reading something like this then realise how strong and determined folk can be. did you accident stop you motor biking?

 

[curly]

My grandad lost use of one of his arms after getting it caught in a threshing machine. I'm guessing some time in the 50's as my father did a lot of the heavy work as he grew up.
He had some kind of disability benefit but someone snitched on him as he was seen blocking a gap where sheep were getting out, so they stopped the payment, oh how the benefit system has changed.

I received a disability benefit for 3 years 1979 to 1981 while I was part time at college but then came back to the farm & worked there ever since & not had any benefits since as I don't need any. Apart from the subsidy benefit!

 

[redbaron]

All my life we had a worker who was born with one hand missing. He's still alive, in his early 80s now. Only thing he couldn't do without help was to roll up the shirt sleeve on his "other" arm in hot weather! He would use a scythe all day long, including frequent sharpening...screen potatoes onto the rocker all day...drive a tractor etc..etc...

 

[curly]

I gave up 2 wheel motorcycling because at the time DVLC took away my motorcycle licence & I couldn't get insurance at that time without a licence so couldn't retake a test without any insurance!
So I changed to 3 wheels & built a VW trike followed by some more trikes that I built with japanese motor bike engines.
I have raced them at tarmac speed hillclimbs for the past 25 years & sometimes even won! I have broke lots of class records over the years & now racing my trike with a Suzuki GSXR 1000 engine with my youngest son, 25 years old, as my passenger

 

[Tomr10]

Biggest thing I always regret is my eyes so simple to protect

 

[toquark]

I know a chap with a paralysed arm, he gets a lot more done than many with the full use of two.