Tractor reverse ramming

[Debs]

At 15 mph that means fifteen yards behind, not five metres. For dangerous vehicles best to allow more, preferably half the county.

If a tractor suddenly and without warning pulls out in your path, it is going to be very close up, that is not joyfully and deliberately following too closely behind but getting an emergency stop situation with a very close encounter. Also at 5, 10, 15 or whatever meters, i was slowing but not gaining distance because he was also slowing down fast with no brake lights or indication. Then to brake hard to a stop and immediately reverse without any warning. This occurred over a fairly short distance and transpired very quickly.

Pulling out onto public highway without giving way to traffic.
Careless driving or driving without due care and attention.
Dangerous driving, reversing into vehicle behind.

Driver may not have a driving licence, he may of been drinking alcohol, may not have been insured, we will never know.

[PDQ Mobile]

I think I would make a complaint to your local police. They could go and have a word and it might just save someone's life.

By the way, glad you escaped unscathed.
Otherwise what would we do for the best jokes.
Go safe.

[wjhall]

On a ride yesterday, ......

Cycling slight-downhill gradient around 20mph, ....

I needed to brake very heavily .....
... slowly freewheeled to gain more space behind.
...., as it sped up to 15mph or so.

I lingered ... freewheeling within 5 meters .... over a short distance but tractor driver quickly slowed down for bend in road....... Then .... .... - by then within 2 meters behind trailer.

Had no time at all to get out of the way, ......

[philvantwo]

You say you were going downhill at 20mph, then you had to break hard over bumpy tarmac and then you were doing 15mph, 15ft behind a trailer?

[Postboxer]

This sounds like two incidents to me, first the pulling out, which sounds unbelievably dangerous, pulling out blind onto the road. I can only think that somehow the driver thought he could see there were no cars coming somehow and didn't consider cyclists, but that seems unlikely if the OP had no way of seeing the tractor first before it pulled out. Second the braking and reversing, this is hard to assess without knowing more details about the tractor and trailer combination and what visibility the tractor driver had, along with how long after they pulled onto the road, the stopping and reversing occurred. It's possible that after not spotting the OP when pulling out onto the road, they never got far enough away to see them in their mirrors before reversing into them, then believed there was nothing behind them as they hadn't seen anything approach them from behind. Or it was just more reckless driving from them. It's also possible they saw you approaching so decided to speed up to pull out in front of you, which would make the both incidents even worse.

I think the police should have been called, twice, as both incidents were clearly life threatening.

[GayUnicorn]

Sounds incredibly dangerous, are there such cameras that last more than an hour of so.
Go pro seems excessive price and batteries don't last it seems.
Interesting to see what you choose

[pwa]

On a ride yesterday, my usual rural country lane course, a nominated national cycling route.

Cycling slight-downhill gradient around 20mph, suddenly a tractor + trailer pulled out of a field though a gate without giving way, far too close for comfort.

I needed to brake very heavily over bumpy tarmac ground to avoid impact with trailer.
This brought me too close to the rear of trailer, so i slowly freewheeled to gain more space behind.
The tractor + trailer kicked up a huge amount of dry soil dust like a brown cloud, as it sped up to 15mph or so.

I lingered feathering the brakes & freewheeling within 5 meters or so behind over a short distance but tractor driver quickly slowed down for bend in road. No brake lights or number plates on trailer. Then he very suddenly broke hard to an abrupt stop and immediately proceeded to reverse ram me - by then within 2 meters behind trailer.

Had no time at all to get out of the way, the trailer quickly came back and shunted against my front wheel pushing me back a few inches, knocked me off balance but didn't fall over... for a second or two believed i was going under the trailer, but it came to a stop in the nick of time.
I was busy screaming very loudly at this point but don't think the tractor driver could hear me over the noise of his engine.

I quickly dismounted bike to climb up on grass verge, the earth kerb was 18" high so this took a few seconds, as soon as i got up on the verge the tailer was reversing again and shoved the rear wheel of my bike as i got off the road.

Standing on the verge looking at the driver in the cab, a 40 something man who looked completely oblivious to the accident he could have caused on the road.
There was another tractor + trailer oncoming which he was backing-up to make room for a pass, all his attention would seem to be on the oncoming tractor.

Don't think the driver even knew i was there at all - until i remounted by bike in front of his tractor [ as we glared at each-other ] and rode away.
He followed me for 200 meters before turning off into a side road.

Glad you weren't injured or worse.

You were clearly the victim of another person's mistake. The driver should have emerged from the field entrance with more care. I have a tiny bit more understanding for the subsequent reversing, because I have driven a minibus with a long trailer behind it and sometimes you can't see as much as you would like to. But even there, part of the answer to that is to reverse very slowly so that if anyone or anything has moved into your blind spot behind the trailer, at least you allow them time to see what you are doing and get out of the way.

I could go on to suggest things we could all do as cyclists to defend ourselves against this sort of thing, but that might be interpreted as placing the blame on you, and I definitely do not want to do that. As far as I know you may have been employing defensive cycling measures as much as I do. I'm glad you posted because it reminds me to keep alert and expect the unexpected, even on the quietest lanes.

[Jdsk]

I'm glad you posted because it reminds me to keep alert and expect the unexpected, even on the quietest lanes.

Well said.

Jonathan

[Oldjohnw]

I'm glad you posted because it reminds me to keep alert and expect the unexpected, even on the quietest lanes.

Well said.

Jonathan

That is my approach, whether cycling, walking or motoring. I don’t assume the driver is out to get me, or has some malevolence intent, but that he hasn’t seen me.

[LollyKat]

Richard’s Bicycle Book was pretty scathing about tractor drivers, and how they tended to behave as if they were in an empty field at all times. My father, who taught us all to drive, took the same view and warned us never to overtake a tractor if there was a field opening ahead as they could turn suddenly without warning. I’m glad the OP escaped.

[Debs]

...As far as I know you may have been employing defensive cycling measures as much as I do. I'm glad you posted because it reminds me to keep alert and expect the unexpected, even on the quietest lanes.

Thanks everyone for kind words, understanding, support. Very shaken up i was, luckily no injury or damage done.

Yes i am a careful and defensive cyclist, Mr Smidsy hasn't knocked me off my perch in over 20 years so maybe some of this good fortune is due to an older wiser 63 year old diligence, although blessed with what is usually a relatively safe cycling environment all things considered, and i certainly do ride responsibility with all due consideration to other road users.

We all need to be extra vigilant and extra careful at this time due to lockdown ending, my observation around here is general traffic is more busy and feisty than it has been for over a year....

My old hero Sargent Esterhaus comes to mind :

[merseymouth]

Hi Debs , Similar thing happened to me years ago whilst time-trialing on the old Rhydymym course.
Riding correctly I had a tractor do just the same thing! Avoided a prang, then screamed blue murder at the driver as I got past him.
Reported the incident to the event organizer, only to be told off for upsetting the farmer????????????
The organizer was not one of life's gentlemen, in fact a bruiser, but I held my ground.
When we ride by the rules of both the road and RTTC regs, I expect not to suffer abuse from such a person. I won't name him, but many in the Liverpool DC will recognize the individual. MM

[axel_knutt]

I had a tractor and trailer pull out in front of me at the bottom of a hill once. If I'd knocked another inch off my stopping distance I'd have missed him, but as it was I skinned my knuckle when it got trapped between the brake lever and the near side rear corner of the trailer. I don't think he ever knew I was there.

[Debs]

Hi Debs , Similar thing happened to me years ago whilst time-trialing on the old Rhydymym course.
Riding correctly I had a tractor do just the same thing! Avoided a prang, then screamed blue murder at the driver as I got past him.

Under the psychology of TT race factor mode, it sounds like you experienced high adrenaline anger. Like what is often seen with Formula 1 drivers.
Shouldn't remonstrate too harshly with a tractor driver.

[merseymouth]

Well Debs, As I have worked in a "Workshop For The Blind", I know only too well when someone has not taken advantage of their sight organs! The driver never bothered to look, plain and simple.
As he was leaving a field, to turn onto the highway his behaviour was indefensible. My reaction to his presence saved him from an expensive insurance claim, as well as me from pain! MM