Tractors/Farm Machinery

JP Liz

I apologise if this the wrong form but i didn't know where else to post.

Over the past few weeks i meet numerous amounts of tractors and/or farm machinery on the roads. I know this a busy time for them but they seem to have no regard for other motorists.

Some of these drivers were children barely out of nappies, no indigator lights, no number plates.

I understand their speed is slow but on a main road thye have traffic backed up

A few signal me to pass out when there was oncoming traffic

below is from RSA website

RSA & IFA Issue Joint Summer Road Safety Appeal

The Road Safety Authority (RSA) and the Irish Farmers Association (IFA) have issued a joint road safety appeal today Friday 6th June 2008.
Road users in general are being warned to expect an increase in the number of agricultural vehicles using the roads over the Summer and Autumn period.
This is the busiest time of year for farmers as it coincides with silage and harvest season. All road users are being advised to watch out for tractors, trailers and other farm machinery exiting from fields and farm yards and to exercise caution when travelling behind or meeting such vehicles on the public road. Watch out for agricultural vehicles and only overtake them when safe to do so. Road users are advised to expect the unexpected.
Drivers of agricultural vehicles are being reminded that they are governed by road traffic laws on driver licensing, insurance, standards in relation to vehicle roadworthiness, vehicle lighting and motor tax.
IFA President Padraig Walshe said “I am advising farmers to be safety conscious whenever bringing a farm vehicle onto the public road. Farmers should be aware of traffic building up behind them and keep left where possible to allow other vehicles pass safely. I would appeal to other road users to show patience when encountering farm machinery on the road. With understanding on both sides, the roads can be safer for everybody.”
Mr. Noel Brett, CEO, Road Safety Authority also advised farmers that “Your driving mirror must provide an adequate view of the road to the rear. Do not carry a passenger unless the tractor is equipped to carry one and the trailer should not be used for transporting people unless it has provision for carrying them.”
He added “All agricultural vehicles must have proper working brakes on both tractor and trailer units and must be fitted with lights, reflectors and indicators. In addition a vehicle should not be loaded in such a way that would make it unstable on the road, and beware of low bridges, overhanging trees, overhead cables and uneven road surfaces which could cause the load to shift and possibly overturn.”
Drivers of agricultural tractors and trailers are reminded to ensure that wheels are regularly washed down to avoid carrying mud and stones onto the public road. Be particularly careful when transporting material such as silage, slurry, sand and gravel so that it does not spill on the road and pose a road safety risk.
All tractors must be fitted with safety frames. This is to protect the driver from being crushed underneath if the tractor overturns.
For large vehicles consider whether there is a need for advance warning of other road users and whether an escort vehicle is required. Make sure that the drivers you use are competent and that tractors are driven at an appropriate speed for the road conditions. Watch out for vulnerable road users especially children, pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists.
All road users should remember that this is harvest time. When using roads especially in rural areas expect the unexpected, danger could literally be around the next corner. Look, listen and keep yourself safe.

chopperbyrne

What part of the country are you in?

JP Liz

chopperbyrne wrote: »

What part of the country are you in?

Cork County

Steve_o

Its silage season... its the same in Laois, always is this time of year.

Clare Bear

They have to do their job. They have to drive on the roads. For the most part from what I've seen the majority (not all obviously!) of them pull in as often as they can (you can't expect them to pull in every 2 seconds or they'd never get there!) and are quite courteous. It can't be easy doing their job having loads of cars beeping behind them.

chopperbyrne

JP Liz wrote: »

Cork County

My sympathies

ScumLord

Tractors drive so slow it's very easy to overtake them. It annoys me more to see a line of cars sitting behind a tractor when they've had plenty of opportunity to overtake.

I have no problems with tractors or truck drivers, they're a necessity, they have to drive their tractor to work. The crowd behind them complaining more than likely don't need to drive their car to work.

mikemac

JP Liz wrote: »

Over the past few weeks i meet numerous amounts of tractors and/or farm machinery on the roads. I know this a busy time for them but they seem to have no regard for other motorists.

You seem suprised, are you new to living in a rural area?
Yes, you are going to be slowed down on main roads but just wait and most drivers will pull in somewhere and let you pass.
It isn’t easy driving tonnes of machinery and having motorists beeping and flashing you.
No need to get impatient.

And some tractor drivers will hold you up but just like you, they have pressures and deadlines to meet. In fact, with the changeable weather, they are under far more pressure than a lot of motorists.
Wait for somewhere safe and pass out. And if you can’t then relax, you live in rural Co. Cork and the farmers were there long before you were

JP Liz wrote: »

Some of these drivers were children barely out of nappies, no indigator lights, no number plates.

Don't exaggerate anyway :rolleyes:

JP Liz

micmclo wrote: »

You seem suprised, are you new to living in a rural area?
Yes, you are going to be slowed down on main roads but just wait and most drivers will pull in somewhere and let you pass.
It isn’t easy driving tonnes of machinery and having motorists beeping and flashing you.
No need to get impatient.

And some tractor drivers will hold you up but just like you, they have pressures and deadlines to meet. In fact, with the changeable weather, they are under far more pressure than a lot of motorists.
Wait for somewhere safe and pass out. And if you can’t then relax, you live in rural Co. Cork and the farmers were there long before you were




Don't exaggerate anyway :rolleyes:

I'm not exaggerating some had children driving them and they were not over 18

BTW what is the age limit for a licence to drive a tractor???

A few were turning left or right into fields or farms and had NO indigator lights

mikemac

JP Liz wrote: »

I'm not exaggerating some had children driving them and they were not over 18

BTW what is the age limit for a licence to drive a tractor???

A few were turning left or right into fields or farms and had indigator light

A few were turning and had indicator lights? What's the problem?

You need to be 16 to get a category W licence.
This allows you to drive a works vehicle such as a tractor or JCB.
So they don't have to be 18, again what's the issue?

Source: http://www.citizensinformation.ie/categories/travel-and-recreation/motoring-1/driver-licensing/categories_of_motor_vehicles_and_minimum_age_of_drivers_in_ireland

smellslikeshoes

Not much point in complaining about it, either be patient or move into the city.

Sherifu

JP Liz wrote: »

I apologise if this the wrong form but i didn't know where else to post.
Over the past few weeks i meet numerous amounts of tractors and/or farm machinery on the roads. I know this a busy time for them but they seem to have no regard for other motorists.
Some of these drivers were children barely out of nappies, no indigator lights, no number plates.
I understand their speed is slow but on a main road thye have traffic backed up
A few signal me to pass out when there was oncoming traffic

The smell of freshly cut grass and sunny weather. Good times.

Toto Wolfcastle

JP Liz wrote: »

I'm not exaggerating some had children driving them and they were not over 18

There's a difference between being barely out of nappies and not being 18 yet. So yes, it was an exaggeration.

120_Minutes

one thing I'll agree with the op on: the age of these kids. Remember this is not your fathers Massey they're driving, tractors today don't look out of place in a monster truck rally, and they let post pubescent teens drive them? Accident waiting to happen imo.

Jigsaw

Them children shouldn't be driving tractors until they are 18 or so. As for holding up the traffic, it has pissed me off in the past but I guess the farmers are all just trying to make a living and there is little that can be done to avoid congestion, apart from issuing all farmers with a chinook.

JP Liz

janeybabe wrote: »

There's a difference between being barely out of nappies and not being 18 yet. So yes, it was an exaggeration.

Ok i may have exaggerated but they are very young some of the drivers

ScumLord

120_Minutes wrote: »

one thing I'll agree with the op on: the age of these kids. Remember this is not your fathers Massey they're driving, tractors today don't look out of place in a monster truck rally, and they let post pubescent teens drive them? Accident waiting to happen imo.

I don't know these kids have been brought up on a farm, that's 16 years of experience. Tractors don't go fast and feel very, very slow on the road. It's kind of essential they do as much different farm work as they can if farming is to be passed down the generations.

Jigsaw wrote: »

Them children shouldn't be driving tractors until they are 18 or so. As for holding up the traffic, it has pissed me off in the past but I guess the farmers are all just trying to make a living and there is little that can be done to avoid congestion, apart from issuing all farmers with a chinook.

Even if they did something with main roads between the more major towns. It could help with tractors sticking to back roads or hard shoulders.

PaulKK

Contractors will not allow just anyone to drive their machines. Do you have any idea how much some of their equipment costs?

Anyone over 16 can drive a tractor, and I can gaurentee you the guys working for the silage contractors are pretty handy at driving them, backwards and forwards, with trailers and without. Most of them will have been driving tractors for 8 years or more. I have no problem with young lads driving them. Some people are just intimidated by big machinery on the road.

vincenzolorenzo

I do a bit of driving for a silage contractor and i can see where the op is coming from. But believe me, from our position in the tractor we see every type of driver there is. First you have the crazy nut jobs who'll do anything to get past and will usually sit right on you back wheel on a narrow little road or overtake coming into a bend or against oncoming traffic. Then you have the other extreme: a straight stretch of road, clear as far as the eye can see and they sit right behind you, afraid to move out. Who's the better driver in that situation? Not the guy behind you, I can tell you!!

But yes we do try and keep in wherever possible its just that sometimes on back roads there is nowhere to keep in. On the issue of experience. I've been in tractors since i was literally in nappies, driving them since I was 8 years of age and have been driving for a contractor for six years now. And a lot of drivers would be in a similar position to me as well, with plenty of experience