Close to meeting the big man in the sky....

[Richard 1234]

Same thing happened to me a couple of months back - just getting dusk very similar road with overhanging trees.  Same size tractor - grain trailer two or three times the size - estimated 65 ft long with the tractor and completely blocked the road.  I could not believe it and immediately put my car in the hedge - the lad put two wheels of the tractor into the hedge on the other side and with the trailer at about 20 degrees drove on - I looked out of my window at the trailer towering over my car with about 6-9 inches to spare.
 
I turned round and followed him - there were no beacons on the cab and no number plate on the trailer. I stopped him at his farm and we exchanged views - he thought I was driving too fast and I thought it was lunacy bringing a rig that size up that road. called the next day and he refused to exchange insurance details because there had been no collision.  I had a £2000 bill for repairs to my car.  Made a detailed written complaint to the police and they said in a written response they would take no action.
 
Spoke to a farmer friend of mine who said there was effectively no restrictions or obligation to provide escorts, beacons or number plates, they could go where they like because they have to be able to access any fields.
 
Not much more to say.  I am definitely fitting dashcams to all our vehicles.
 
 

Not defending idiot driving in these huge tractor trailer set ups these days.
But how else are the farmers supposed to get stuff from field to Yard?

[Mark Bolam]

Carefully Richard, simple.
The big set ups round here know the crack thankfully, and are pretty good on the lanes.
As the main man says 'Better 2 minutes too late than 50 years too early.'

[Richard 1234]

Carefully Richard, simple.

The big set ups round here know the crack thankfully, and are pretty good on the lanes.

As the main man says 'Better 2 minutes too late than 50 years too early.'

 

Yes I get that. It was aimed more at the “its too big” comment. Some of the young lads drive the big quad tracks like lunatics round here. You really don’t want to get in the way of one of those!

I think they should have a pick up or something in front down these narrow lanes like they do with the combines on main roads but that cost time and money

[Westwood]

I must admit I cannot understand how someone of 17 (is it?) can drive a rig of this size and power on public roads without an HGV licence or any form of test other than for a car.  Everybody understands the need for farmers to get grain from field to yard but if a Sainsburys artic (about the same size) decided to use a road like this there would be hell to pay - and the driver would have needed an HGV licence of whatever level.

The odd thing is my site is on a road where to the right is a normal two lane road and to the left it rapidly narrows to a single track road with passing places.  I occasionally collect timber from the adjacent farm with a tractor and trailer by turning right for about 600 yards and then to his yard - because we are inexperienced I always escort my driver.  I would never turn left even in my 3.5 ton truck even though I could save a mile to customers in that direction.

In my view at the very least on single track roads where there is no alternative they should escort ahead - otherwise they take the long road round or not make the trip.  As I understand it the use of a beacon is not obligatory as is the attachment of number plates to the rear of the trailer.  I was astounded at the arrogance of the other party and the fact the police were not interested.  I suppose if I was travelling on that road I ought to be able to stop whatever the obstruction or circumstances is the argument.  My argument is that using rigs of this size on roads like this brings obligations driven by common sense if not common law.....

 

 

 

[Marc]

On 13/10/2017 at 18:35, arbogrunt said:

I've  had similar, a young lad roaring about in a fastrac with big trailers on, forced me off the road once. I mentioned it at the yard and a few of the blokes had similar stories. i passed a message onto him via the farm saying if he did it to me again, I'd come around to their yard and beat the crap out of him. It worked. Silly boys need deterence sometimes.

 

A fast track is only allowed to travel at 40kmph; unless run on a restricted operators license.

 

Our tractor can do 50kmph but as an ag vehicle again 40kmph apply...

 

Farmers are not the only ones, us arbs running Unimogs particularly one on the Facebook page bragging about towing his 18ton grain trailer at 60mph on the motorway without brakes... a nose weighted trailer at that where as Unimogs are designed around center balance trailers in their type approval..

 

Ag you can get away with murder! And we will not go into hitch design by well known suppliers not being anywhere fit for purpose 

[MattyF]

Agree it's drivers of all ages , surprised there isn't an nptc unit for tractor drivers ..they penalised young working class foresters and Arb's with doing every nptc before you can fart in a forest or site and rich landowners can get away with sticking a 17 year old exchange student on a fast track fully loaded and get away with it. I've Seen far too many incidents to mention.

[kevinjohnsonmbe]

Agree it's drivers of all ages , surprised there isn't an nptc unit for tractor drivers ..they penalised young working class foresters and Arb's with doing every nptc before you can fart in a forest or site and rich landowners can get away with sticking a 17 year old exchange student on a fast track fully loaded and get away with it. I've Seen far too many incidents to mention.

Ag sector has the pernicious, omnipresent overarching lobby influence of the NFU to enhance and maintain the beneficial trading status in that sector - regardless of the implications.

Forestry and Arb (nor any other industry sector) has anything like the degree of direct influence over government policy.

Without going off on a massive de-rail, you’ve only to look to policies such as hunting, badger cull, neo-nics, subsidies to start to realise just how far removed from public opinion some agricultural policies are. That doesn’t happen without massive lobby influence from the likes of NFU, CLA etc...

Looks like the MEMBERS of the NT are about to rise up and force the organisation to listen to the plebiscite on hunting.....

“...The general who became a slave. The slave who became a gladiator. The gladiator who defied an emperor. Striking story! But now, the people want to know how the story ends. Only a famous death will do. And what could be more glorious than to challenge the NFU in the great arena..?”

[Mark Bolam]

 

[kevinjohnsonmbe]

 

There’s one you’d never tire of punching....

[gdh]

3 hours ago, MattyF said:

Agree it's drivers of all ages , surprised there isn't an nptc unit for tractor drivers ..they penalised young working class foresters and Arb's with doing every nptc before you can fart in a forest or site and rich landowners can get away with sticking a 17 year old exchange student on a fast track fully loaded and get away with it. I've Seen far too many incidents to mention.

I think there is a ticket for tractors, there's definitely one for everything else- telescopics, loading shovels etc. I don't think it's popular though since it's basically covered by the driving licence. 

 

Edit: yep, there's a course for everything these days... 

Edited October 17, 2017 by gdh