Encounter with a tractor

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661-Pete
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Encounter with a tractor

Post by 661-Pete »

This happened yesterday and I'm really annoyed about it - but it's not in the usual run of things.

Cycling on a narrow country lane, I came face to face with a large tractor pulling an even larger trailer. There was no room to pass, but between us there was a field entrance to my left. So I dismounted and ducked into the field entrance to let the tractor pass.

Only then did I discover that said field entrance was almost a foot deep in soft mud! :evil: I could see it was muddy, of course, but not that muddy! Shoes, socks, and trouser bottoms absolutely soaked in the stuff (I suspect there was some animal 'product' mixed in as well).

Only then, once I'd sunk in to well over my ankles, did the tractor driver indicate that he was turning right - i.e. into that field. So I had to make the best of my way out of the morass to let him pass. I wonder if he delayed his indication deliberately, to see me make a fool of myself?

I thought of reporting the incident to the police, but what's the point? Has any offence been committed? Was it my fault perhaps? I was wondering about "Driving without due care and consideration" - I know for example that deliberately splashing a pedestrian counts as an offence under that rule - but that isn't really the situation here.

I should also point out that the roadway in the vicinity was also heavily smeared with mud - not a foot deep, but enough to make it slippery. The tractor had evidently already made many trips into and out of that field. Are there any laws about that?
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richardfm
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Re: Encounter with a tractor

Post by richardfm »

I expect you would be wasting your time reporting it.
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mattsccm
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Re: Encounter with a tractor

Post by mattsccm »

Nothing major really done wrong apart from a lack of communication. Sadly Indicating standards are so low nowadays as to be non existent and thus whilt he may have been wrong it wasn't unexpected, and did you give him let time to let you know? As for the conditions. Irrelevant.
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Paulatic
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Re: Encounter with a tractor

Post by Paulatic »

You say
The tractor had evidently already made many trips into and out of that field
yet you didn’t wait on the road and let him turn in?
Tractor drivers around here don’t usually indicate as their spare hand is holding a phone close to their ear.
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NATURAL ANKLING
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Re: Encounter with a tractor

Post by NATURAL ANKLING »

Hi,
Thank your luck stars it was not far worse.
I was out on my local lanes and heard a tractor coming up to the corner (single track with 8 feet hedges, wide enough for a tractor only)
He past the gate pull in at the corner and whilst turning towards me, and looked out straight across the field..............................with probably a second to spare he looked down the lane to see me on my bike :shock:

A second later and he could well of crushed me and the bike and not even know I was there, I could not probably of dodged the tractor with so little width.
If I was a second earlier to the corner I would still be crushed probably.

Had similar with a quad and dog on the rack................the quad was up on two wheels to avoid me........farmer again..............same farm father this time, tarmac lane single track farmer starts to exit field without looking left at all.......I watch his every move and slow.........on exiting onto road he sees me close by....and looks shocked I was there.............did not proceed with care at all........fortunately tractors normally can wake the dead from sleep with noise so you can hear them even when you cant see them.

Thats three incidences above!
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rjb
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Re: Encounter with a tractor

Post by rjb »

It's that time of year. Here on the Somerset levels muck spreading tractors are prolific and they are artic lorry sized, taking up most of the road and laying a mud mat down where they have exited a field. The majority of them are considerate of cyclists usually slowing down and pulling well over as the road allows. We don't have a problem with them unlike motorists who can't get past, or house owners who think they are in an earthquake zone every time one of these monsters go past.

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fastpedaller
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Re: Encounter with a tractor

Post by fastpedaller »

Had a scary one before Christmas, as I slowly rounded a bend hearing a noise(single track road), there was a tractor (or machine of some sort) about 20 ft away and moving at speed towards myself and another cyclist who then arrived from behind me - we both just about jumped onto the verge opposite. The 'driver' was cutting the hedge at the edge of the verge and looking at it instead of where he was going. The din (from his in-cab radio) and the machinery meant he could hear nothing - If there had been a car he'd have just flattened it unless the driver had put it in reverse and gone back VERY quickly. We shouted to get his attention whilst this was happening and he hadn't a clue we were there. :shock:
Debs
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Re: Encounter with a tractor

Post by Debs »

I think it comes down to how alert the tractor driver is, and also how considerate.
Most tractors i pass are okay, a cheery wave and we past without problem, but there are a few that put the frighteners on. A couple of months ago i had a very close pass with a tractor traveling head-on towards me on a 4m wide country lane, he was driving in the middle of the road doing about 30mph and didn't attempt to either slow down or give me some room, with no where to go i brushed the hedgerow with my left shoulder while the tractor hurled past with those huge 5' high wheels whirling around 2 inches away to my right. Absolutely terrifying!
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NATURAL ANKLING
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Re: Encounter with a tractor

Post by NATURAL ANKLING »

Hi,
There's only one thing that will give you even more dread.
A large vehicle with a big mirrors at head height.
Had this one day with a truck On a single track road, as per usual they drive in the middle of the road with no consideration for anything else, I just ducked before I was decapitated :twisted: :twisted: :twisted:
Not even sure he saw me although I was in full view.
If I hadn't of been on the left and I was in the middle he would probably have driven straight over me.
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Debs
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Re: Encounter with a tractor

Post by Debs »

When i find myself cycling along a narrow country lane and approaching an oncoming vehicle, regardless as to what type of vehicle it is, i probably make the mistake of expecting them to drive with the same care i would if it were me driving the vehicle and approaching a cyclist, and that is to reduce speed and move over to the left as to allow safer clearance while passing. Indeed many do just this, but not all.

Having experienced a few incidences of dangerous close passing with oncoming vehicles on quiet country lanes, i'm beginning to suspect that some drivers expect the cyclist to simply jump off the road out of their way so the motor vehicle may steam on past without any hindrance.

On three occasions i've had a very close on-comer pass with a guy driving a school mini-bus, but at least he's considerate enough to blast his hooter just to alert me of his total refusal to slowdown and give a little room, the last encounter i had with this guy he actually sped up and passed me with horn blaring. Next time i'm determined to get his number and report it in.
Last edited by Debs on 8 Feb 2020, 1:19pm, edited 1 time in total.
Cyril Haearn
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Re: Encounter with a tractor

Post by Cyril Haearn »

'Terror' is the word, I fear
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661-Pete
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Re: Encounter with a tractor

Post by 661-Pete »

Paulatic wrote:You say
The tractor had evidently already made many trips into and out of that field
yet you didn’t wait on the road and let him turn in?
I did wait - but the tractor gave no indication that it was going to turn. How was I to know that it was working that field, rather than others? Anyway the layer of mud on the road only started beyond the turning.
Tractor drivers around here don’t usually indicate as their spare hand is holding a phone close to their ear.
Can't answer that for sure.... :shock: :roll:
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pwa
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Re: Encounter with a tractor

Post by pwa »

Didn't the trail of mud on the road curve into the field entrance to show the tractor had been turning that way before?

I doubt the delayed indicator was deliberate. It's possible but unlikely. You were doing your best to sort out the impasse and most tractor drivers I meet show appreciation for that.

As for mud on the road, some is inevitable in rural areas after rain but it comes down to how much is reasonable and acceptable, and when does it become just too much and unacceptable.
gbnz
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Re: Encounter with a tractor

Post by gbnz »

pwa wrote:
As for mud on the road, some is inevitable in rural areas after rain but it comes down to how much is reasonable and acceptable.


Have to admit while most local farmers are ok, we've one whoalways covers the road deep in sh...t for 5-6 months of the year. Absolutely no effort made to scrape the worst off. I always make a point of having a pi....s in his farmyard on passing, which is quite satisfying (NB. Particularly when he's just across the yard :lol: )
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