Michigan rules of the road

[smfcpacfp]

I have owned my tractor for less than a month, but I am just curious what the rules are in terms of driving on the road. I am from farm country in Ohio (Allen County) and the farmers seemed to pretty much do what they wanted to on our local roads, around their farms. It doesn't have a license plate, so exactly what is allowed?

 

[Podunkadunk]

This is all I could find for you, from the Michigan DMV website: Michigan Commercial Drivers License FAQ's - DMV.ORG

Are there CDL exemptions?

Yes. You won't need a Michigan CDL if:

You're on active duty in the military―or in the National Guard―and are operating military vehicles with military licenses.
You're a police officer or firefighter and are operating emergency vehicles.
You're a farm worker operating a farm vehicle within a 150-mile radius of your farm. (You will need an "F" endorsement on your regular operator license if you're driving a combination vehicle whose towing vehicle weighs more than 26,000 pounds.)
You are driving your own motor home.

Also, this is how Michigan defines a farm tractor:
Michigan Vehicle Code Section 16 - "Farm tractor" defined:
Sec. 16.

"Farm tractor" means every motor vehicle designed and used primarily as a farm implement for drawing plows, mowing machines, and other implements of husbandry.

History: 1949, Act 300, Eff. Sept. 23, 1949

Ps. Nice toys by the way, especially the R-1! I am a sportbike nut also, well...used to be. I don't own them anymore (sold them last summer), but I can still feel that acceleration! I bet your neighbors love that D&D pipe!

Podunk

 

[hockeyhead]

You have an orange triangle and flashes on, you are good to go around where I live. I've driven my cut on the main roads at least 20 times with out incident, mostly moving it to friends houses to do work on a weekend. I'm delayed by extremely large tractors/ impliments, combimes, large farming machinery in general, 20 times a year. This is just part of life where we choose to live.

 

[Z-Michigan]

You have an orange triangle and flashes on, you are good to go around where I live. I've driven my cut on the main roads at least 20 times with out incident, mostly moving it to friends houses to do work on a weekend. I'm delayed by extremely large tractors/ impliments, combimes, large farming machinery in general, 20 times a year. This is just part of life where we choose to live.

I'm in Michigan also and as far as I know this is right on. Orange triangle and flashers, and stay off interstate freeways (duh) and you should be good. Ideally stay off state highways (Mxx) but you can legally be on them if you need to be. Just stay to the side, shoulder if practical, and have blinkers on.

I am in a heavily farmed area and tractors use roads all the time. Combines are a bit more of an issue as they take up 20' or more with their harvesting heads attached, but they still do use the roads. I would use a heavy dose of common sense if you're piloting something more than 8' wide - not at rush hour on a state highway, eh? I do see farmers pulling grain bins with tractors on public roads, that seems to be normal and accepted.

If you're going to drive your tractor on roads I would strongly recommend you have liability insurance covering you for this - probably part of your homeowners (or farmer's business) policy. Not all policies cover this - ironically State Farm does not! Worth asking your agent about and switching companies if it's not offered by your current company.