Motorcyclist killed striking farm implement

[MHarryE]

Motorcyclist dies after hitting farm implement | kare11.com

Looks like the tractor driver was doing everything right and then some. On the right side of the road, flashing lights on, additional rotating beacon, but the motorcyclist still hit him. Roading home after dark always makes me nervous because I can see people coming toward me who despite my warning flashers and SMV reflector don't seem to recognize I am there and I am not going the speed limit.

 

[LD1]

Wonder if he had an SMV sign? Are those required in MN?? The article makes no mention of it??

Not trying to find fault with the driver, but here in OH, no amount of lights, strobes, or signs is replacement for a SMV sign. And as right or wrong as it may be, without an SMV sign here, the tractor operator would be cited.

Either way, it is a tragedy indeed.

 

[RoyJackson]

On the picture shown in the article, it appears the implement raised (like the wings of a batwing cutter). That may have blocked the tractor's lights and SMV sign. However, you can't really tell for sure from the picture.

 

[PioneerMan]

It may not have been the best choice to move this at night if it could have been avoided. But it does seem he was within the law. Im sure the tractor driver feels bad enough. Unfortunate.

 

[joshuabardwell]

It may not have been the best choice to move this at night if it could have been avoided. But it does seem he was within the law. Im sure the tractor driver feels bad enough. Unfortunate.

According to the commenters, it was not a farmer moving a tractor, but a roadside ditch mower. Any number of job-related reasons why he might have been moving at dusk. As one of the commenters on the post said, "What is he supposed to do? Drive his tractor on the road during the day? Then you'd just complain about him blocking traffic when it is busy. So he moves the tractor late in the day when the road isn't busy, and you curse him for not having enough light."

Also, if it was a roadside ditch mower--and, hence, a county or state employee--then there's no question that the tractor was probably compliant with the law.

 

[ray66v]

here in OH, no amount of lights, strobes, or signs is replacement for a SMV sign. And as right or wrong as it may be, without an SMV sign here, the tractor operator would be cited.

I never though about that. When I bought my tractor, the first thing I did was remove the SMV sign.

I almost never go on the road, but I am going to have to see about finding a spot for the sign now.

They never cite the mini bikes, 4 wheelers, or snowmobiles for being on the road here, but with my luck...

 

[Timm250]

It looks like the implement was a disc mower for cutting hay.

 

[sdkubota]

According to the commenters, it was not a farmer moving a tractor, but a roadside ditch mower. Any number of job-related reasons why he might have been moving at dusk. As one of the commenters on the post said, "What is he supposed to do? Drive his tractor on the road during the day? Then you'd just complain about him blocking traffic when it is busy. So he moves the tractor late in the day when the road isn't busy, and you curse him for not having enough light."

Also, if it was a roadside ditch mower--and, hence, a county or state employee--then there's no question that the tractor was probably compliant with the law.

Excuse much?

 

[JDgreen227]

I never though about that. When I bought my tractor, the first thing I did was remove the SMV sign.

I almost never go on the road, but I am going to have to see about finding a spot for the sign now.

They never cite the mini bikes, 4 wheelers, or snowmobiles for being on the road here, but with my luck...

Why would you remove the SMV sign? On my tractor is it mounted on the rear of the seat so there is no reason to remove it to gain space. When I mow my 450' of road frontage on the shoulder, I would want as much warning visibility as possible to the traffic coming up behind me at 60+ mph. Here in Michigan mini bikes and ATV's are illegal on the road, but snowmobiles are legal. Makes no sense to me at all.

 

[ray66v]

Why would you remove the SMV sign?

My tractor is a small sub compact, and where the sign was located, it gets in the way of egress to use the backhoe.

I never imagined I needed the sign, (the tractor has flashers), or envisioned ever using the tractor on the road anyway.

The only operating on the street I ever do, is going next door to plow my neighbor's drive, once or twice a year. :confused3:

 

[JDgreen227]

My tractor is a small sub compact, and where the sign was located, it gets in the way of egress to use the backhoe.

I never imagined I needed the sign, (the tractor has flashers), or envisioned ever using the tractor on the road anyway.

The only operating on the street I ever do, is going next door to plow my neighbor's drive, once or twice a year. :confused3:

Thanks for explanation...my insurance coverage on my tractor is voided if I leave my premises and enter the roadway, even if I am just pushing snow across the road. My insurance agent told me that in the very unlikely instance I am involved in an accident with a motorized vehicle, he would hope I had the legally required SMV sign affixed to my tractor.

 

[TripleR]

Farm equipment operators in my area are pretty compliant overall. Just like with car/truck drivers, there are those who aren't, I don't see condemning everyone because you've seen someone operate improperly.

 

[LD1]

Farm equipment operators in my area are pretty compliant overall. Just like with car/truck drivers, there are those who aren't, I don't see condemning everyone because you've seen someone operate improperly.

:thumbsup:

 

[oldnslo]

Any bets on the MC driver was under the influence? If he could not see or avoid a tractor on the road he shouldn't be driving his bike. Yes I ride bikes and drive tractors.

 

[MHarryE]

Highway 10 is a 4 lane highway. Reports indicate the tractor with mower was incompliance with warning flashers and even the non-required rotating beacon. The highway has a wide paved shoulder and that is where farmers usually drive. You can tell from the picture it was right at late sunset so visibility may have been an issue - dark enough it is getting difficult to see but light enough the warning lights don't really stand out. Minnesota is a rural agricultural state. Farm implements have the right of way on all but Interstates meaning motorists are required to move over and slow down. The comment that we farmers don't pay road taxes is way out of line. We minimize the time spent on a road - that is money wasted. We do, however, have over 3,000 acres to cover and roading is a necessary nuisance. We make up for it in all of the road taxes paid on our trucks and other on-highway vehicles. We sure don't run any colored diesel in our trucks - that is a $30,000 fine and as we live near a major truck route, there frequently are highway patrolmen out checking so we would never risk dyed fuel in a truck even though they might spend the majority of the time off-highway. Not sure if tractor with mower in this case was mowing roadsides (never have seen them out this late at night) or a farmer. Local townships, however, do contract mowing to anyone who makes the lowest bid so this could be a person moonlighting and on his way home when it got dark.

 

[burnieman]

Do you think

 

[Don87]

Pictures can be deceiving though, especially in a case like this. We have no idea(according to the article), what time the accident happened.
One can be certain that a significant amount of time passed before the news crew got on the scene to snap the photo.

I've seen accidents, with fatalities, such as that take 4 to 8 hours to clean up,