Tractor Drivers (rant!!)

W

whitenblack

Member
Joined
18 September 2009
Messages
22
Visit site
Why do they think they rule the roads? On my way home from the yard this lunchtime I was forced onto the verge on a narrow country lane by a tractor that didn't slow down. My poor little car is now in hospital to have 2 new wheels as I happened to find a rock in the long grass! I know they're busy at this time of year but that was just rude and arrogant IMO. GRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH
mad.gif
crazy.gif

They do slow down for horses though.
 
We are farmers
crazy.gif
blush.gif
but alot of the time I agree with you. Another bug bear of mine is when they are on a main road with queues of traffic behind and they don't pull over to let everyone by
mad.gif
My OH is a traffic friendly tractor driver
tongue.gif
grin.gif
 
Sorry to jump on this post but I vaguely remember someone on here saying that a tractor driver should pull over if there were more than five cars behind him, providing he has somewhere safe to do so. Did I dream this?
 
I still shiver when I remember last year going to my dads, we took the scenic route and whilst on our side of road, going about 20mph we met this tractor and trailer WITH THE PRONGS DOWN!!! I had to brake and skidded into the verge to avoid him as he was going fast!

I always thought it was illegal for a tractor to drive prongs down?? I guess he thought he wouldnt meet anyone, but what if I had been going the speed limit? Or I was on a horse that was having a paddy?
 
[ QUOTE ]
Sorry to jump on this post but I vaguely remember someone on here saying that a tractor driver should pull over if there were more than five cars behind him, providing he has somewhere safe to do so. Did I dream this?

[/ QUOTE ]

They should, but often don't.......
 
i find the contract drivers are the worst for recless driving were we are aspecialy during silage and hay making, trying to get it all done in a set time and move on to the next farm.
 
I bellive the days of unregulated use of agricultural tractors on the roads are comming to an end VOSA and the other goverment agencys are clamping down on non agricultural uses like hauling diggers and building materials and rules about safety and roadworthyness are coming in ....
wink.gif
 
Not just the contract drivers. A local horse hating farmer has chased people down the road, he drove at speed into my car, then swerved and just missed me (i was waiting in the end of my drive to pull out).
Another local didn't slow down, squeezed past a quietly walking horse trapped between 2 banks and tore a hole in her side.

Just this week I was forced to sling my car right into a hedge damaging the paintwork, when I met a tractor travelling at speed on a narrow windy lane, luckily I was going slowlk. I would love to see the results if 2 tractors met each other in the same place.

Years ago a tractor with a hedge trimmer attached pulled out of a field. I parked up completely on the verge and waited. He forgot to bring trimmer in and removed the roof of my car whilst I was sitting in it! Took him quite a while to realise too.

Another time a tractor drove past 3 pull ins and kept going and removed the side of my stationary car as I had no where to go!
 
[ QUOTE ]
Not just the contract drivers. A local horse hating farmer has chased people down the road, he drove at speed into my car, then swerved and just missed me (i was waiting in the end of my drive to pull out).
Another local didn't slow down, squeezed past a quietly walking horse trapped between 2 banks and tore a hole in her side.

Just this week I was forced to sling my car right into a hedge damaging the paintwork, when I met a tractor travelling at speed on a narrow windy lane, luckily I was going slowlk. I would love to see the results if 2 tractors met each other in the same place.

Years ago a tractor with a hedge trimmer attached pulled out of a field. I parked up completely on the verge and waited. He forgot to bring trimmer in and removed the roof of my car whilst I was sitting in it! Took him quite a while to realise too.

Another time a tractor drove past 3 pull ins and kept going and removed the side of my stationary car as I had no where to go!

[/ QUOTE ]

Jeez where do you live next to, the farm for the blind
crazy.gif
 
I remember when I was younger, my mum had parked outside the primary school to pick us up, and a tractor had come along.

And tried to squeeze thro the gap between my mums car and the wall!! It didn't make it! Tractor got wedged, and people had to lift my mums car up onto the kerb for it to carry on!

Cars could just about fit thro, why did he think he could get a tractor thro?! Lol!
 
[ QUOTE ]
Not just the contract drivers. A local horse hating farmer has chased people down the road

[/ QUOTE ]

Must admit that my OH hates horsey people (cause he thinks they all lie when selling horses, don't pay their livery bills, want the best hay but want to pay cattle hay prices and most of them are townies, pushing up house prices so we cannot afford to live where he does most of his work) but he would never run anyone off the road and would never intentionally frighten a horse with his tractor. As far as I'm aware, he has never damaged a car with his tractor, but driver do stupid things, like trying to over take when he is turning right with a baler and sledge behind. And yes, the indicators were on and working properly!
The only drivers who have run me off the road are some local boy racers. The other sort I hate are townies driving 4x4s who won't pull on the verge forcing me to do so in my 306!
Most tractor drivers I meet whilst out on my horse will stop and sometimes even turn off their engines even though there is no need as my horse is totally tractor proof!
 
[ QUOTE ]
The other sort I hate are townies driving 4x4s who won't pull on the verge forcing me to do so in my 306!

[/ QUOTE ]

We keep the horse at a local riding school whilst I'm at uni, and the parents (southeners) of the kids who have lessons there seem to think because they have one riding lesson a week they need an enormous 4x4 (entire yard is concrete, driveway off from main road). My OH has great pleasure in stopping in the middle of the driveway and FORCING them into the grass laybys, as we have a little fiesta.

Back home, I was riding my fairly skittish SJer int middle of countryside. An old farmer in a rattly tractor came FLYING down the (one car, no room for tractor and horse) road, I pulled horse off road into an open gateway to let him past and save death, and he just swore at me, and screamed at me to get out the field! I shouted that I was just waiting for him to pass, but he didn't hear, and sat and waited for me to come out, I had to get off and try squeeze my horse past him, who was rearing around, only for him to accelerate off.

Generally they are ok though. It's just the superiority complex "I own the countryside, I can do what I want. Get out". You might own a field, but we pay road taxes too.
 
I'm a townie that drives a 4x4 ( couldn't pull my trailer with a 306) Pay my livery and the going rate for my hay. And have never ran anyone up a grass verge. And its townies who buy the produce that farmers make.
 
We have six tractors and a JCB and we do not think we own the road at all, but we do need to drive on the lanes from our farm otherwise we couldn't do our job.

We can't help it if the tractors are wider than the half the country lane though, but do pull over as much as we can when something is coming.

We will also pull over, if we can, to allow cars to pass us if they build up a tail behind us. However, on a country lane with lots of twists and turns, it's not always safe to wave traffic past you.

That said, we're not contractors and only drive relatively short distances on the road in our tractors.

The biggest safety issue I'd like to see stopped is the allowing of 16 year olds to drive a tractor legally on the road, towing trailers too, with L Plates.

Lots of contractors employ these boys at silaging time and it's simply a recipe for disaster. They cannot possibly have any roadsense and are in charge of a vehicle that could do an awful amount of damage.
 
sorry meant to say that's only because the 4 x 4 riding lesson parents try to force us in our little fiesta off the driveway and into the grass/rocky verge. They have a 4x4, we have a fiesta, THEY can move over if they're not polite enough to wait in the layby they passed as we were heading down.
 
God, don't you just hate those bloody tractors using the main roads, incoveinient for other road users to have to slow down on country roads that were first put in place to make the job of a farmer that little bit easier
smirk.gif

I'm so sorry we get in your way, I'm sorry farm machinery is often difficult to drive on the roads because it's first design feature is to be of use in the field, not to fit around cars.
Perhaps you should take into consideration quite how difficult it is to drive a tractor ON the road before passing judgement.
We don't like doing it, but we don't actually have a choice, you know.
 
Ermm - country roads were put in for many reasons, besides making the job of a farmer easier
confused.gif
I think it is that 'we own the road' mentality that is the very problem posters are discussing. Err - no, you don't.


I heartily agree with the poster who commented on young lads driving tractors - they really gun them round here and have no road sense or consideration. They are basically being a 'boy racer' with farm machinery on a road used by dog walkers, horse riders, pram pushers.

When one stopped at the junction at the top of the road, I took him to task - I asked him how he would feel if he ran over a child - I reminded him his life would be ruined as well(cos boys are selfish so I had to appeal to self interest). He looked about twelve and like a rabbit in the headlights having an adult woman engaging with him. But I noticed he did slow down in future - or at least past my field he did
grin.gif

A
 
[ QUOTE ]
Looking at those big black weird eyes you have, I think I would have been frightened of you as well
smirk.gif


[/ QUOTE ]

Look into my eyes, do not look around the eyes, look into my eyes
grin.gif
 
[ QUOTE ]
We have six tractors and a JCB and we do not think we own the road at all, but we do need to drive on the lanes from our farm otherwise we couldn't do our job.

We can't help it if the tractors are wider than the half the country lane though, but do pull over as much as we can when something is coming.

We will also pull over, if we can, to allow cars to pass us if they build up a tail behind us. However, on a country lane with lots of twists and turns, it's not always safe to wave traffic past you.

That said, we're not contractors and only drive relatively short distances on the road in our tractors.

The biggest safety issue I'd like to see stopped is the allowing of 16 year olds to drive a tractor legally on the road, towing trailers too, with L Plates.

Lots of contractors employ these boys at silaging time and it's simply a recipe for disaster. They cannot possibly have any roadsense and are in charge of a vehicle that could do an awful amount of damage.

[/ QUOTE ]

Completely agree with this. 16 year olds are not old enough to drive cars so why on earth are they allowed to drive HUGE tractors + trailors/foragers/other dangerous equipment on public roads its crazy. Not to mention the ridiculous hours these lads work through summer, its just not safe.
 
[ QUOTE ]
If car drivers have to take additional driving courses and tests to tow a trailer or drive a lorry over 3.5 tons then the time has come for anyone wishing to drive a tractor to take a course and test.

[/ QUOTE ]

You can take a tractor driving test at 16 qualifying you to drive a tractor and trailer on the road.
 
[ QUOTE ]
sorry meant to say that's only because the 4 x 4 riding lesson parents try to force us in our little fiesta off the driveway and into the grass/rocky verge. They have a 4x4, we have a fiesta, THEY can move over if they're not polite enough to wait in the layby they passed as we were heading down.

[/ QUOTE ]

No need to apologize, the reply wasn't mean't for you.
smile.gif
 
Bringing this post up again.
Yesterday I rode my ned on the lanes to get to the woods. Met 2 tractors that I asked to stop using the recognised hand signal so that I was able to park safely in field entrances, then I waved them on and thanked profusely.
Had a lovely ride and came down out of woods onto lane. Heard a tractor coming up behind us so asked him to stop. urrrm.... he didn't, just kept coming followed by his boss in another tractor (know the farmer) Anyway 1st driver was indicating to turn off which he did rather fast. 2nd farmer keeps coming behind us. Now my horse isn't the most confident girl where large vehicles are concerned and was by now in a bit of a stew and skittering on the road but did the farmer stop? No. He kept coming and pushing us towards the main road. Cars stopped and we stood on the other side while farmer drove away.
This morning got horsie in and she was sweating on hearing our farms tractors (kept on working farm)
Had her 6 weeks and worked hard with her on her tractor issues. Now this.
Think to ride out now would be suicidal as I think she's lost trust in me.
What to do?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top