Harvest Home - a Seasonal Warning

[fortyniner]

It's that time of year when you are likely to find large tractors hurrying down small lanes. This is what happened to me on Downs Road
near Funtington in lovely rural West Sussex.

Nearing the bottom of the lane - single track with passing places - and rounding the last bend, I found a tractor and trailer coming towards me and filling the whole road.
Intimidating to say the least!
I braked heavily and we came to a stop some few feet apart.
Unfortunately for me, my panic braking sent me over the handlebars in a spectacular 'face plant'.
The kind neighbour who came to help mop up the blood and look for bits of tooth, said that speeding tractors on this section of road is not a new problem.

There was no collision between the tractor and me, so a bit of an own goal really - Cycling UK incident line confirm that as the tractor driver was doing nothing wrong, it was not a case they could take on.

So, something to bear in mind at this time of year as you pedal down those quiet country lanes!

[BakfietsUK]

I know the area well fortyniner. The tractors go way too fast around there, even on the main roads they are a hazard. I was cut up by one of them a few days ago.

Actually as it sounds like you were injured it might be as well to report it to the police as they may be other complaints made against them. They do upwards of 25mph around that locality on main roads and minor roads.

I hope you are not hurt badly.

[landsurfer]

25 MPH Tractors !!!! with trailers.....
Ban them, and replace then with 60mph pick up trucks with trailers immediately !!
And safe braking courses for all ....

Been there, done that, give me farmers tractors over farmers pick up trucks every time.

Sorry to hear about the injuries though.

[ChrisButch]

...and the legal limits on tractor road speed and size are being increased....

[landsurfer]

JCB Fastracs .... be scared , be very scared !!!!

[MikeF]

It's that time of year when you are likely to find large tractors hurrying down small lanes.

Yes last week I found myself meeting one who was belting along a narrow road occupying its whole width. For me this was on a straight piece of road, and fortunately with a convenient minor junction to wait in. It's a bit alarming and the driver made no attempt to slow. This was Tanyard Lane near Danehill in East Sussex.

[ambodach]

Not sure of the current legislation but many of the bigger tractors had a 40mph speed limit.Hauliers were a bit miffed because they were used to take livestock to markets and could drive on main roads at realistic speeds. The same ones are also used of course on smaller roads and in the Black Isle when taking in grain are a bit of a menace. Around Forfar it was potatoes.

[ChrisButch]

As discussed on other threads, problems with excess tractor speed and general road conduct are mainly due to the widespread use of contractors for harvesting. The drivers are working to a tight deadline and usually have no connection with the local community.

[Revolution]

Tractors scare the be-jesus out of me. Their wheels have no guards - getting clipped by one doesn't bear thinking about. Also they are often driven by children! Well surprisingly young farmers at least. A lot of the tractor traffic around me are contractors, driving at alarming speed to get from one job to the next. I am surprised that there are not more fatal accidents, not just cyclists but pedestrians too.

[Postboxer]

Compared to cars, they are slower, bigger so easier to spot, noisier, so easier to hear coming, then also do most of their driving in the countryside, where there are less pedestrians and probably less cyclists than in urban areas, so the numbers of interactions is going to be less.

[Flinders]

As discussed on other threads, problems with excess tractor speed and general road conduct are mainly due to the widespread use of contractors for harvesting. The drivers are working to a tight deadline and usually have no connection with the local community.

That's certainly the case round here. One I saw the other week was driving very fast and using a hand held phone as well.
They also often work in convoys- three tractors each with a trailer, too fast, and too close.

[Flinders]

Tractors scare the be-jesus out of me. Their wheels have no guards - getting clipped by one doesn't bear thinking about. Also they are often driven by children! Well surprisingly young farmers at least. A lot of the tractor traffic around me are contractors, driving at alarming speed to get from one job to the next. I am surprised that there are not more fatal accidents, not just cyclists but pedestrians too.

Some of them also have complex equipment behind them that is wider than they are, spiky and dangerous.

[Postboxer]

Indeed, I nearly knocked a motorcyclist off once, I was pulling the tractor up onto a steep verge to let him past, he went to squeeze past at the same moment the grasscutter on the back swang to the right a little, as I was pulling up on the left the tractor had tilted, think I caught him on the shoulder and luckily he stayed upright and carried on his way.

[ANTONISH]

Compared to cars, they are slower, bigger so easier to spot, noisier, so easier to hear coming, then also do most of their driving in the countryside, where there are less pedestrians and probably less cyclists than in urban areas, so the numbers of interactions is going to be less.

Well they are easier to see if one's view isn't obscured by hedges and trees. My experience is that I often come across them on a bend with little time to react. I don't agree that they are necessarily slower than a car on a narrow lane - in fact some seem to go faster - and some tractor drivers are unwilling to slow to give me time to get out of the way - I do agree they are bigger - they fill the width of a lane but many tractor drivers show scant regard for other road users.
A local cyclist told me there had been problems with a foreign tractor driver who habitually pulled out of a field onto the road without proper care. A complaint was made to the farmer with little effect - the driver's latest exploit was to spear the side of a car with his bale lifting apparatus.
Yesterday whilst cycling a harvester was operating next to the road. It raised a massive dust cloud such that it was impossible to see if there was any oncoming traffic - as I rode into this cloud I realised that I couldn't see ahead and any following vehicle couldn't see me.
It often seems to me that farmers consider themselves above safety considerations.

[Vorpal]

The speed limit for tractors is 25 mph (increased this year from 20 mph). Conditions may warrant somewhat slower speeds.

Exceding the speed limit is, of course illegal. Exceding a safe speed is likely to be considered careless.

It may be possible to have the tractor driver prosecuted. If you wish to do this, you should complain to the police, keeping in mind that they need to issue a Notice of Intended Prosecution to the tractor driver wihin 14 days of the incident. the likelihood of prosecution increases if the neighbor who helped you is willing to serve as a witness.