Tractors on the roads

Muckie

Just wondering has any one else noticed the amount of tractors
pulling rather long trailers on main roads. Maybe the recession has put
alot of truck drivers out of business.
Saw a tractor just outside Naas drving in the hard shoulder too, didnt
think you were allowed to drive such a slow moving vehicle on a dual
carriageway maybe they can.

Biro

Muckie wrote: »

Just wondering has any one else noticed the amount of tractors
pulling rather long trailers on main roads. Maybe the recession has put
alot of truck drivers out of business.
Saw a tractor just outside Naas drving in the hard shoulder too, didnt
think you were allowed to drive such a slow moving vehicle on a dual
carriageway maybe they can.

Not on a motorway, but you can on a DC.

Smcgie

Dual carraigeway yes - motorway no

There has been uproar before as these JCB Fasttracks can do speeds of up to 80kmph and more than likely running on green/red deisel.
Its a big loophole for lorry men as the vechiles are classed as agri but are being used as commercials.. Expect to see more of them unless revenue crack down on them

maidhc

Smcgie wrote: »

Dual carraigeway yes - motorway no

Which makes no sense, as a tractor can drive on a 120km/h dual carriageway!

(and leave a trail of destruction in their wake with people moving into the overtaking lane at 20mph!)

L-M

Sileage and all that? I've seen loads in the past week or two for this reason.

Farls

Lad I know that sells feed sold his fleet of lorry's and bought in 50k JD's. They get the job done just as quick as a lorry mainly due to the nature of the roads they would mainly be travelling, plus they have other uses around this time of year when things are slow. You have the added bonus of runnin on the green diesel but that loophole was plugged I'm told, an agri vehicle has to be doing agri work to run on green, used commercially it should run on clear schtuff. I was wondering about that though, that would mean silage contractors etc would hav to run on the clear stuff.

As for more tractors on dual carriageways etc, maybe its just the lack of lorry's that is highlighting this now?

One for the lads in the dirty diesel forum.

maidhc

Farls wrote: »

You have the added bonus of runnin on the green diesel but that loophole was plugged I'm told, an agri vehicle has to be doing agri work to run on green, used commercially it should run on clear schtuff. I was wondering about that though, that would mean silage contractors etc would hav to run on the clear stuff.

That is the law in the UK. In Ireland an agri vehicle with a max speed of under 50km can run on green diesel irrespective of the work being doing.

Are people who de restrict their fastracks breaking the law if running marked oil? Yes! Is it enforced? Don't think so!

martydunf

Muckie wrote: »

Just wondering has any one else noticed the amount of tractors
pulling rather long trailers on main roads. Maybe the recession has put
alot of truck drivers out of business.
Saw a tractor just outside Naas drving in the hard shoulder too, didnt
think you were allowed to drive such a slow moving vehicle on a dual
carriageway maybe they can.

Its silage time lad. Happens every summer!:p

Cookie_Monster

Soc > Farming & Forestry - (You can learn all about silage and why it's blocking up the roads around now)

Cmar-Ireland

Saw one this morning. On the M7 outside Newbridge. Big tractor chugging along at about 30km/h in the left lane. Madness !!!

Mean while back in the real world... where people actually have work to get done using tractors.

igglou

Ah but don't you just love that freshly cut grass smell floating about on a sunny day!

Cmar-Ireland

Saul Stocky Whole-wheat wrote: »

Mean while back in the real world... where people actually have work to get done using tractors.

Without consideration of the rules of the road :rolleyes:

Biro

maidhc wrote: »

Which makes no sense, as a tractor can drive on a 120km/h dual carriageway!

(and leave a trail of destruction in their wake with people moving into the overtaking lane at 20mph!)

No, a dual carriageway is 100km/h. A motorway is 120km/h.

igglou

Not the N2 bypass, it's 120km and its a dual carraigeway.

maidhc

igglou wrote: »

Not the N2 bypass, it's 120km and its a dual carraigeway.

same with stretches of the N25 and N8.

Wishbone Ash

Muckie wrote: »

didnt think you were allowed to drive such a slow moving vehicle on a dual carriageway

Biro wrote: »

Not on a motorway, but you can on a DC.

Smcgie wrote: »

Dual carraigeway yes - motorway no

A tractor may travel on a motorway if it is capable of travelling at 80kph. Many larger tractors are.

The reason some are using tractors for haulage is mainly for these reasons:

1. A person from 16 years with a W licence or 17 years up with a B or W licence can legally drive them. (18 years for a truck with a C or CE licence).

2. There are no weight limits and few length limits. (A 16 year old on a W Learner Permit may draw up to 2 trailers on a public road up to a total lenght of 75 ft. The only restriction is that they avoid towns with a population greater than 10,000).

3. Cheaper tax (or sometimes green diesel).

4. No tachograph/ rest periods restrictions.

kippy

As mentioned above surely this is more to do with the farming season thats in it, silage, hay, livestock transportation, tillage etc than any scheme by hauliers to bypass various laws and taxes.
I find in general farmers on tractors of late to be very courteous and pull over to let traffic past when they can (since a tractor driver was done for not doing that in Mayo recently).
They do have their own work to do and the vast majority of them do it within the law. Anyone spot the number of L plated cars on motorways?

AugustusMaximus

Biro wrote: »

No, a dual carriageway is 100km/h. A motorway is 120km/h.

Local County Councils can up the speed limit to 120kph for any DC it sees fit.

Hell, I dunno if County Councils have the power to put any road up to 120kph.

Shadow Dancer

Cmar-Ireland wrote: »

Without consideration of the rules of the road :rolleyes:

Yeah, some tractor drivers are annoying and inconsiderate. But, it's not fair to tar everyone with the same brush. And for those that don't realise, milk comes from the cows, who live on farms. If there weren't any tractors, there wouldn't be any milk for your tea or coffee.:D

Mycroft H

I still think its metal that a 16 year old can drive a fastrac at 75-80kph while drawing a trailer of 5 or more tonnes, its sheer madness!


And yes for all ye city slickers, tis silage season, thats probably the main reason your seeing more tractors!

Claasman

landyman wrote: »

I still think its metal that a 16 year old can drive a fastrac at 75-80kph while drawing a trailer of 5 or more tonnes, its sheer madness!


And yes for all ye city slickers, tis silage season, thats probably the main reason your seeing more tractors!

people sometimes forget that most of the 16 year olds driving tractors have been driving machinery for a good few years before they get on the road, so they are not completly inexperienced.

Biro

Claasman wrote: »

people sometimes forget that most of the 16 year olds driving tractors have been driving machinery for a good few years before they get on the road, so they are not completly inexperienced.

True, some young fellas have far more wits about them in tractors than 20-somethings who just filled out a form and drove off.

martydunf

Claasman wrote: »

people sometimes forget that most of the 16 year olds driving tractors have been driving machinery for a good few years before they get on the road, so they are not completly inexperienced.

Too true. Been driving the tractors since I was 10 or 11.

trad

M50 southbound @ J12 a couple of years ago but "it happens every day"

M 50 tractor004.jpg

martydunf

martydunf wrote: »

Too true. Been driving the tractors since I was 10 or 11.

Same here I have been driving tractors(on my own in the cab) since 8 or 9. By the time it came to driving on the road I have a lot of driving under my belt. I also think people who learn driving tractors at a young age make better drivers. When you have been pulling/reversing trailers and multiple other tasks it gives much better judgement. You would be amazed how small a gap you can fit a car through when you are used to bigger machines!

I often see in this in town when I comfortably fit between two cars and then look in the mirror to see a smaller car than mine stopped and refusing to drive through.

maidhc

Claasman wrote: »

people sometimes forget that most of the 16 year olds driving tractors have been driving machinery for a good few years before they get on the road, so they are not completly inexperienced.

16 year olds don't have the cop on, nor can they see the danger. They also tend to have egos and a sense of belief in their own indestructibility. I was 16 less than 10 years ago, and I was also driving a tractor then, and I also started driving when I was about 9. I have seen both sides.

16 was grand when tractors were generally 40hp and had a max speed of 15mph. Modern machines however are only a step behind truck in terms of weight and speed, but the difference in regulation between the two is staggering.