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Tractor Safety stay off the the road if you can

Tractorpoint Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 13 NJ

2023-05-31          201634

A local Texas man was driving his compact tractor to the gas station to get fuel when he was struck by a Semi Tractor Trailer. He is still recovering. You may be tempted to drive on the highway but for for fuel better to store your fuel at home



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Tractor Safety stay off the the road if you can

Murf Join Date: Dec 1999 Posts: 7249 Toronto Area, Ontario, Canada   Pics

2023-05-31          201637

Unfortunately this is all too common an occurrence.

As some of the others here who are also active, or had been, in farming or construction, taking anything slower than the speed of traffic out onto the road is taking your life into your hands.

Just recently I was on the road after working up some of our acreage in preparation for planting this years potatoes. Folded up for roading (transport) I’m 12’ wide, 12’ tall and with lots of flashing yellow lights, 60’ long and 40,000 pounds of steel doing 25 mph. There is ZERO room for idiots or errors.

Yet some water-head in an SUV decided the 30 seconds they could save passing me in a blind spot was critical to their days schedule. Thankfully nobody was hurt, a few soiled sets of drawers I’m sure, a couple of drivers seats will need steam-cleaning, but nobody died, or was even injured.

Never take anything for granted, never miss an opportunity to thank those you love to tell them so, or thank the good Lord for another day on this planet with those you love.


Best of luck. ....

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Tractor Safety stay off the the road if you can

kthompson Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 5275 South Carolina   Pics

2023-06-01          201644

I agree with both thoughts above. In April of 2000 we moved into our current home. Left first house on a not major highway but with much more traffic and very little tractor traffic. I would always get up to see who was driving their tractor by when I heard one. Sadly, today I know without getting up who it is, well 95% of the time, only true farmer left around me. The dumbest of farming is heavy here, houses! They just never harvest them!!

About six years ago following a hurricane was using my JD 5525 with front end loader hauling dirt to fill in some washing. Had flashers on, it filled the lane. Working in a no passing zone for two reasons, sharp curve from my left and hill top to my right. Now, don't make fun of our hills here, little feller but enough to hide what was coming over the top. As I was making left hand turn with flashers and turn signal on a CITY TRANSPLANT who never understood rural roads (he would park in the road but would drive like it was his) came around me as I was turning. Did about $15,000 damage to his Dodge pickup and almost scratch the pain on the JD bucket. I ended up making illegal turn and my insurance paying for his repair. Friend who is attorney said a jury trial will flip that but felt it was better to let my insurance company pay and make a NONE LOCAL RURAL TYPE NEIGHBOR quite than to take it to court.

A few years ago on a the most major route we have east west in our county to the beach had a local farmer killed as vehicle hit his farm tractor from the rear at full highway speed. I would say we really have few serious tractor accidents on the road in this general area. The one that stands out was two counties over on Halloween. A person had his family and friends on trailer for trick and treating with no trailer lights. I totally blame him for the accidents and deaths.

Murf, the size of your ridge really makes one think, so they no longer do eye test for licenses? I have cut back from farming so no longer have such a rig but know much rather be hit with my having the weight advantage! Also have realized with grapple having it open and about driver seat high when on the road on coming drivers give me a little more room! They really did with hay grapple!!
I live in South Carolina, not a large state. Still a lot of real rural areas. This week we were at 411 auto accident deaths year to date. That is over 82 per month! That keeps up we will have about a 1,000 for the year. We have so many really stupid accidents. Some minor but others fatal. There is a semi major curve on semi major rural road. that a few have been killed on in last few years. Why? The road is open yard and hay field to see the full view either way. Had a lady roll her car taking her child to school who was thrown out and rolled the car onto or over him. Have people totally speeding run off of the curve and them local, knowing the road. A week ago another killed for same reason. As Murf has pointed out, those few seconds you are saving driving like that my send you to your maker before you exit the curve.
BTW, don't ask me on testing while driving!! ....

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Tractor Safety stay off the the road if you can

Murf Join Date: Dec 1999 Posts: 7249 Toronto Area, Ontario, Canada   Pics

2023-06-01          201648

Kenny my friend, we call those *special* people “citiots”.

They’re pretty easy to spot;

-they think the lines painted on the road are made using explosive paint, they can’t move over them into an empty oncoming lane to give pedestrians or bicyclists a safety buffer..

-they will come to a full stop to make a left turn when the oncoming lane is empty. I’ve seen several accidents when folks tried to pass that slow moving traffic and the turning vehicle suddenly appeared in front of them. Bang.

-they drive at the same speed, regardless of weather, road conditions or traffic.


Best of luck. ....

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Tractor Safety stay off the the road if you can

kthompson Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 5275 South Carolina   Pics

2023-06-05          201654

It is obvious they are migrating south. Or are they migrating north?
I still like this comment from years ago. "Just when they make something fool proof, someone improves the fools."
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