Bloody Tractors!

Ginjafro

Its that time of year for haymaking and harvesting and the tractor drivers seem more psychotic than usual. Picture this - You are going up a long, narrow hill and Cider fueled tool wants you off HIS road. He accelerates and even if you are on one of Contador's beef drips you can't out run him. What do you do? Take a primary position and risk getting run over? Pull over, if you can and why should you? Breath in and rip your arms and legs on the shrubbery on one side and making contact with his wheels and bailer on the other side?

I know all that sound quite dramatic but I am sure I am not the only one to have suffered near death experience by some prick on a tractor. I contacted the local Police the other day about such an incident and they were quite supportive but other than having had a word with said tractor driver, there was fek all they could or would do about it, despite the fact the driver did admit the complaint I made was fact and what he did amounted to driving without "due care and attention". The Police told me that even though the tractor had made physical contact with me it was not being regarded as "hit & run and failure to stop and report an incident" and therefore not a criminal matter. They told me it was being dealt with as an Insurance matter with the driver's Insurance company, WTF!

I have also experienced drivers with bad attitude coming towards me, narrow road, no where to pull in and what do they do? They just keep their foot down and not even attempt to slow down or stop.

So, is it a common problem or just limited to a small corner of rural Cornwall? What would you do?

By the way the tractor was huge and looked something like this:

giant_man

No, you don't pull over and let him go, you have every bit of right as he does of being on the road. I have lived in rural areas and some of the tractor drivers do speeds on little B and C roads like you wouldn't believe, usually driven by young bucks trying to prove something (usually to their competitive farm colleagues!).

I know some tractors are feckin' big but you should stand your ground and take a firm position on the road. You have a right to be there!!

Cleat Eastwood

I pull over - no harm done letting a faster machine get ahead of me. My pet peeve at the mo is the farmers doing the hedge cutting - grrrr - massive thorny chunks in the road. :evil:

CYCLESPORT1

Most sensible cyclist would pull over and get a wave of thanks from the driver.

StillGoing

On a long ride the other day I was glad of the chance to sit behind one and let him tow me along for a mile or two while I had a rest.

raymondo60

Get them in central London all the time - blimmin nuisance!

giant_man

CYCLESPORT1 wrote:

Most sensible cyclist would pull over and get a wave of thanks from the driver.

there again, i guess it depends how fast he is going! lol

Bozman

philthy3 wrote:

On a long ride the other day I was glad of the chance to sit behind one and let him tow me along for a mile or two while I had a rest.

Did exactly the same on Saturday, i let the tractor pass and got a cracking tow for a couple of miles.

Three motorcyclists hit a tractor when it pulled straight out from a field near Newbourgh on the A515 Ashbourne/Litchfield last week, 1 dead and two in hospital.

Ginjafro

giant man wrote:

No, you don't pull over and let him go, you have every bit of right as he does of being on the road. I have lived in rural areas and some of the tractor drivers do speeds on little B and C roads like you wouldn't believe, usually driven by young bucks trying to prove something (usually to their competitive farm colleagues!).

I know some tractors are feckin' big but you should stand your ground and take a firm position on the road. You have a right to be there!!

Whilst I agree with you, this driver was clearly a complete nobhead and lunatic and I just felt I could not risk taking primary because of the speed he was accelerating to. He forced me to the left, eg to pull over in a very narrow uphill lane with no regard for my safety, trapping me between him and the Cornish Hedge.

CYCLESPORT1 wrote:

Most sensible cyclist would pull over and get a wave of thanks from the driver.

As I said in my OP the road was too narrow for this sensible cyclist to pull over and let him pass by safely. I doubt he would bother to wave anyway.

slowondefy2

I'd use the same strategy as when any vehicle is behind you on a narrow road: take the whole lane/road (assertively preventing an inappropriate overtake) until the vehicle has roughly matched speed behind you, then pull over (and lift the bike onto the verge if necessary) to let them by. A bit of a bugger if you're on a steep hill but there we are, it's all good training.

If there was really no room to pull over whatsoever, but the tractor ended up forcing its way past anyway, I don't understand how you didn't end up killed under the wheels.

d4evr

My main problem with farmers and tractors is the crap they leave on the roads after them, which they very rarely clean up after them (which they are mean't to do). I know they have a living to make etc etc but this is dangerous to every other road user, not just cyclists. I've had many a near off on mud they leave behind. It really grips my sh!t !!!

Secteur

Cyclist vs Tractor...

Who is going to come off worst in an accident?

In situations like this I tend to forget "principals" and just pull over.

t.m.h.n.e.t

I personally wouldn't want to risk arguing with a tractor that may well have all manor of spiky equipment attached, I'm quite happy with the number of holes I already have.

Ginjafro

slowondefy2 wrote:

I'd use the same strategy as when any vehicle is behind you on a narrow road: take the whole lane/road (assertively preventing an inappropriate overtake) until the vehicle has roughly matched speed behind you, then pull over (and lift the bike onto the verge if necessary) to let them by. A bit of a bugger if you're on a steep hill but there we are, it's all good training.

If there was really no room to pull over whatsoever, but the tractor ended up forcing its way past anyway, I don't understand how you didn't end up killed under the wheels.

There was no verge, just a Cornish Hedge, which is an ancient structure of stone and earth that gets covered in shrubbery. I didn't get killed under its wheels more by luck than design. Just think how many times you may have been walking in a narrow country lane and you meet a car (who may or may not slow down or stop) and you have to press up against a hedge with the car just inches from you. Now imagine that if the car went past you at speed. You might not get killed but its a bit bloody close.

Secteur wrote:

Cyclist vs Tractor...

Who is going to come off worst in an accident?

In situations like this I tend to forget "principals" and just pull over.

Agreed but in my case there was nowhere to pull over. However, if the tractor driver had waited a few more moments he could have easily and safely passed just that little bit further on. The fact was he would have known the lanes and all passing points, as I do but he was a complete dick!

slowondefy2

Ginjafro wrote:

There was no verge, just a Cornish Hedge, which is an ancient structure of stone and earth that gets covered in shrubbery. I didn't get killed under its wheels more by luck than design. Just think how many times you may have been walking in a narrow country lane and you meet a car (who may or may not slow down or stop) and you have to press up against a hedge with the car just inches from you. Now imagine that if the car went past you at speed. You might not get killed but its a bit bloody close.

Secteur wrote:

In situations like this I tend to forget "principals" and just pull over.

Agreed but in my case there was nowhere to pull over. However, if the tractor driver had waited a few more moments he could have easily and safely passed just that little bit further on. The fact was he would have known the lanes and all passing points, as I do but he was a complete dick!

Doesn't sound good at all. Sounds like I would have been under the front of the tractor because I just take the middle of the lane until there's a suitable spot to stop! I suppose from a tractor driver's point of view, if they're hauling a heavy load up hill, it can be quite a big deal to have to come to a stop and then pull away again (depending on the tractor - I've driven knackered old tractors which would not be able to get going again if you had to stop on some hills, or other tractors where the semi-automatic gear box and large power available makes it trivial).

I've had most success with being assertive about giving commands to drivers. If I can hear them close behind looking for the overtake where it's clearly inappropriate I sit up and give a clear stop signal, coupled with moving far enough right to take the entire lane (usually slightly to the right of where a car's left side wheels go). If there's a passing spot in view I'll usually point to where I intend to pull in. Being too assertive can come across as antagonistic, but being not assertive enough invites more silly driving, in my experience.

d4evr wrote:

My main problem with farmers and tractors is the crap they leave on the roads after them, which they very rarely clean up after them (which they are mean't to do). I know they have a living to make etc etc but this is dangerous to every other road user, not just cyclists. I've had many a near off on mud they leave behind. It really grips my sh!t !!!

Report it to the County Council, they're normally quite hot on chasing it up (at least, Dorset CC were when I was a lad on the farm!).

Mikey23

Just had a close encounter with a large rapidly moving tractor on a narrow country lane in Cornwall. He wasn't slowing down and gave me inches to get past and I was fortunate to make it. If I had wobbled I would have been mashed

Ginjafro

Mikey23 wrote:

Just had a close encounter with a large rapidly moving tractor on a narrow country lane in Cornwall. He wasn't slowing down and gave me inches to get past and I was fortunate to make it. If I had wobbled I would have been mashed

In South East Cornwall by any chance?

blackpoolkev

Tractor drivers round my way seem to be a decent bunch.It's a shame that the O.P. had a run in with one,but tarring them all with the same brush is unreasonable.

Defyand

Cyclist vs Tractor...

Who is going to come off worst in an accident?

In situations like this I tend to forget "principals" and just pull over.

Live to ride another day

Ginjafro

blackpoolkev wrote:

Tractor drivers round my way seem to be a decent bunch.It's a shame that the O.P. had a run in with one,but tarring them all with the same brush is unreasonable.

I was wondering when someone might say that. For balance and fairness I will say that one of my friends is a farmer who so happens to ride a Specialized Secteur and another was a farmer who teaches and assess at a local agricultural college. The farmer has stated that if any of his drivers drove so badly he would get rid of them. The assessor knows the driver concerned and said the person concerned was and always will be an idiot. More disturbingly though he reckons only a huge fine or actually killing someone may change his attitude, only may though.

A few other drivers who may or may not be related to this particular farming business have displayed lack of due care and attention to other road users around here, not just me. On the other hand some drivers are perfectly civilised and considerate and always get the thumbs up from me when they drive well. One of the things I am trying to do is persuade my farming friends to spread the word that there are some bad apples out there pissing off their local community, farming and non-farming, and they need to wise up if they are not to risk giving all farmers a bad name around here.

oldwelshman

If I hear one of these fast tractors coming I ease off and let them pass then follow them wherever they go, great training

thescouselander

Can't believe the attitude of the police here. Did you have evidence that the tractor hit you? If so I'd tell the police that you want your complaint taking seriously and if they still refuse lodge a formal complaint.

Ginjafro

thescouselander wrote:

Can't believe the attitude of the police here. Did you have evidence that the tractor hit you? If so I'd tell the police that you want your complaint taking seriously and if they still refuse lodge a formal complaint.

I don't have evidence and it would be my word against his. Making "mild" contact such as brushing a wing mirror does not seem to count. Had I feigned something, such as falling off my bike and lying in a heap in the road they would have taken it more seriously.

Past threads have discussed near misses and similar incidents and it is more often than not impossible to pursue much beyond an offendor getting a severe talking to. So I am not surprised and never expected the Police to do much. To be honest I was more surprised at the Policeman turning up on my doorstep within 48 hours of me reporting the incident and learning they had already spoken to the tractor driver.

Unfortunately I am just one of many cyclists who has experienced something pretty nasty but in today's climate and general attitude towards cyclists, rarely warrants further action.

tiredofwhiners

Tractor drivers round my way are fine - North Hampshire.

I'd rather be 'wronged' and alive, than stick to my rights and be dead.

If you want to annoy tractors, get in your car and drive in front of them at 5mph - much safer.

jamienorton

ill pull over on slow narrow roads, and let them past, my view is, im out on a ride for pleasure, their most likley out working all day. Ill do the same if a lorry is having trouble finding a place to pass.

Ginjafro

jamienorton wrote:

ill pull over on slow narrow roads, and let them past, my view is, im out on a ride for pleasure, their most likley out working all day. Ill do the same if a lorry is having trouble finding a place to pass.

Which is fine IF you have somewhere to pull over safely, which I did not. Had the prat waited a moment a safer passing place would have been available in less than a minute.

the_cyclist_of_catan

I wonder if there is a problem of perspective here.

There are lanes and lanes.

I do most of my riding in and around Staffordshire - lots of country lanes. Even the single-track ones are quite wide, there is good visibility most of the time and passing - or being passed - is rarely an issue. Few tractor drivers - it's usually car drivers who are guilty of poor behaviour. The verges are sometimes grassed before giving way to any hedges - stopping and standing aside is rarely a problem.

Last week I was in south Devon. I imagine that the lanes are pretty similar to those in Cornwall. Lots of *really* narrow lanes, which I felt nervous about when I was driving my car (and petrified when descending on the bike). Many more agricultural vehicles, a couple of them driven by complete knobs. The hedges are high, dense, hem the road in and leave little opportunity to get off and stand aside (I tried that once and almost lost my toes). The experience is altogether more claustrophobic than I am used to. Yet some of the locals, *knowing* that they are the only traffic using that particular lane, drive at inappropriate speeds and manners when it turns out that they are *not* the only ones using the lane.

Ginjafro

The Cyclist of Catan wrote:

I wonder if there is a problem of perspective here.

There are lanes and lanes.

I do most of my riding in and around Staffordshire - lots of country lanes. Even the single-track ones are quite wide, there is good visibility most of the time and passing - or being passed - is rarely an issue. Few tractor drivers - it's usually car drivers who are guilty of poor behaviour. The verges are sometimes grassed before giving way to any hedges - stopping and standing aside is rarely a problem.

Last week I was in south Devon. I imagine that the lanes are pretty similar to those in Cornwall. Lots of *really* narrow lanes, which I felt nervous about when I was driving my car (and petrified when descending on the bike). Many more agricultural vehicles, a couple of them driven by complete knobs. The hedges are high, dense, hem the road in and leave little opportunity to get off and stand aside (I tried that once and almost lost my toes). The experience is altogether more claustrophobic than I am used to. Yet some of the locals, *knowing* that they are the only traffic using that particular lane, drive at inappropriate speeds and manners when it turns out that they are *not* the only ones using the lane.

There is a lot of truth in what you say. Also, when I come across considerate drivers who are not hooning it, slow right down or stop for me they always get a big thumbs up to thank them and re-enforce the message that their kind of driving is appreciated.

t4tomo

Defyand wrote:

Cyclist vs Tractor...

Who is going to come off worst in an accident?

In situations like this I tend to forget "principals" and just pull over.

Live to ride another day

This^^^^^

IT the unwritten rule in the countryside, the biggest vehicle has priority.

snoopsmydogg

t4tomo wrote:

Defyand wrote:

Cyclist vs Tractor...

Who is going to come off worst in an accident?

In situations like this I tend to forget "principals" and just pull over.

Live to ride another day

This^^^^^

IT the unwritten rule in the countryside, the biggest vehicle has priority.

thats pretty much the unwritten rule for all the roads. if it's bigger than you dont f**k with it

Mikey23

Ginjafro wrote:

Mikey23 wrote:

Just had a close encounter with a large rapidly moving tractor on a narrow country lane in Cornwall. He wasn't slowing down and gave me inches to get past and I was fortunate to make it. If I had wobbled I would have been mashed

In South East Cornwall by any chance?

Launceston area