Rules for roadway use

[ultrarunner]

Around here it's wheat - The Palouse. One must always be on guard when traveling the county roads in this area. USUALLY there will be a vehicle in the lead with lights flashing and some type of "wide vehicle" sign.

The tractor/cultivator or combine can take the entire road. I've always been able to find a pull-off or driveway to wait for their passing.

The tractor or combine will have its light flashing and traveling at VERY reduced speeds.

I've never, in my 38 years here, seen nor heard of this situation requiring any intervention from LEO.

Whether the tractor or combine is under their own power or on a trailer - the "unit" will still be just as wide.

However - I do wonder about the city folks, their uber fast BMW's and this exact situation. I guess it all works itself out - never seen an accident.

Either that or somewhere there are quite a few fast cars all balled up and in a big pile.

The young, slick city dude, his fast sports car, a vivacious blond - - see them on the county back roads very often. God must be very forgiving......

I was in Germany and witnessed reckless driving that could have been horrific... country road raised above farm fields of strawberries and potatoes...

Traffic was moving slow behind a tractor towing equipment... maybe 4 cars behind with a brand new BMW approaching from behind fast... the road had a broad lazy curve with excellent visibility... noon on a Sunday with clear blue sky.

The BMW pulls out at high speed to pass all of them...

What the BMW didn't see was an older woman on a bicycle making a left turn and the farm tractor stopping behind her as she started making her left turn... the BMW hit and woman and bike were air born and landed 30 or 40 feet away in the strawberry patch...

I found out later the woman survived with multiple broken bones... 70 years old and riding home from Sunday church as she had done all her life...

Driver was 22 with his girlfriend in a 5 series BMW a week old...

 

[1930]

I was in Germany and witnessed reckless driving that could have been horrific... country road raised above farm fields of strawberries and potatoes...

Traffic was moving slow behind a tractor towing equipment... maybe 4 cars behind with a brand new BMW approaching from behind fast... the road had a broad lazy curve with excellent visibility... noon on a Sunday with clear blue sky.

The BMW pulls out at high speed to pass all of them...

What the BMW didn't see was an older woman on a bicycle making a left turn and the farm tractor stopping behind her as she started making her left turn... the BMW hit and woman and bike were air born and landed 30 or 40 feet away in the strawberry patch...

I found out later the woman survived with multiple broken bones... 70 years old and riding home from Sunday church as she had done all her life...

Driver was 22 with his girlfriend in a 5 series BMW a week old...

What a shame

 

[4570Man]

Careless driving from both parties. Slow moving vehicles have to use caution before making left turns.

 

[DonRybak]

!930, if you Google Florida Statute 316.2295 it lays it all out for you. That is if you can understand all the legal lingo........Don

 

[1930]

!930, if you Google Florida Statute 316.2295 it lays it all out for you. That is if you can understand all the legal lingo........Don

I couldnt get past what the heck my implement of husbandry has to do with using a tractor on the roadway

316.2295 Lamps, reflectors and emblems on farm tractors, farm equipment and implements of husbandry.
(1) Every farm tractor and every self-propelled unit of farm equipment or implement of husbandry manufactured or assembled after January 1, 1972, shall be equipped with vehicular hazard-warning lights visible from a distance of not less than 1,000 feet to the front and rear in normal sunlight, which shall be displayed whenever any such vehicle is operated upon a highway.
(2) Every farm tractor and every self-propelled unit of farm equipment or implement of husbandry manufactured or assembled after January 1, 1972, shall at all times, and every other such motor vehicle shall at all times mentioned in s. 316.217, be equipped with lamps and reflectors as follows:
(a) At least two headlamps meeting the requirements of ss. 316.237 and 316.239.
(b) At least one red lamp visible when lighted from a distance of not less than 1,000 feet to the rear mounted as far to the left of the center of the vehicle as practicable.
(c) At least two red reflectors visible from all distances within 600 feet to 100 feet to the rear when directly in front of lawful lower beams of headlamps.
(3) Every combination of farm tractor and towed farm equipment or towed implement of husbandry shall at all times mentioned in s. 316.217 be equipped with lamps and reflectors as follows:
(a) The farm tractor shall be equipped as required in subsections (1) and (2).
(b) If the towed unit or its load extends more than 4 feet to the rear of the tractor or obscures any light thereon, the unit shall be equipped on the rear with at least two red reflectors visible from all distances within 600 feet to 100 feet to the rear when directly in front of lawful lower beams of headlamps.
(c) If the towed unit of such combination extends more than 4 feet to the left of the centerline of the tractor, the unit shall be equipped on the front with an amber reflector visible from all distances within 600 feet to 100 feet to the front when directly in front of lawful lower beams of headlamps. This reflector shall be so positioned to indicate, as nearly as practicable, the extreme left projection of the towed unit.
(4) The two red reflectors required in the foregoing subsections shall be so positioned as to show from the rear, as nearly as practicable, the extreme width of the vehicle or combination carrying them. If all other requirements are met, reflective tape or paint may be used in lieu of the reflectors required by subsection (3).
(5) Every farm tractor and every self-propelled unit of farm equipment or implement of husbandry designed for operation at speeds not in excess of 25 miles per hour shall at all times be equipped with a slow moving vehicle emblem mounted on the rear except as provided in subsection (6).
(6) Every combination of farm tractor and towed farm equipment or towed implement of husbandry normally operating at speeds not in excess of 25 miles per hour shall at all times be equipped with a slow moving vehicle emblem as follows:
(a) When the towed unit or any load thereon obscures the slow moving vehicle emblem on the farm tractor, the towed unit shall be equipped with a slow moving vehicle emblem. In such cases, the towing vehicle need not display the emblem.
(b) When the slow moving vehicle emblem on the farm tractor unit is not obscured by the towed unit or its load, then either or both may be equipped with the required emblem, but it shall be sufficient if either has it.
(c) The emblem required by subsections (5) and (6) shall comply with current standards and specifications of the American Society of Agricultural Engineers approved by the department.
(7) Except during the periods of time stated in s. 316.217(1), an agricultural product trailer which is less than 10 feet in length and narrower than the hauling vehicle is not required to have taillamps, stop lamps, and turn signals and may use the hauling vehicleç—´ lighting apparatus to meet the requirements of ss. 316.221 and 316.222. However, the load of the agricultural product trailer must be contained within the trailer and must not in any way obstruct the hauling vehicleç—´ lighting apparatus.
(8) A violation of this section is a noncriminal traffic infraction, punishable as a nonmoving violation as provided in chapter 318.

 

[Jstpssng]

Warning lights & slow moving vehicle(SMV) sign is all that's required in Texas. None of my tractors that I drive on public roads have brake(stop) lights

If somebody hits you they obviously are driving too fast and not paying attention.

I met a big 8 wheel tractor with folding discs headed up the highway today. We never used to see them this far south, but a few years ago a big family farm from downstate bought a lot of land in the area, to raise potatoes,oats, and corn. Later this summer we'll see the tractors with boom sprayers, tall enough to straddle the rows without wrecking the plants.

 

[aczlan]

Warning lights & slow moving vehicle(SMV) sign is all that's required in Texas. None of my tractors that I drive on public roads have brake(stop) lights

Same here in NY.

Aaron Z

 

[Jstpssng]

Careless driving from both parties. Slow moving vehicles have to use caution before making left turns.

Different country with different laws, but with that many cars behind the tractor the motorist should have used more caution. The cyclist probably couldn't even see the car around the tractor and other vehicles.

 

[Bavarian]

Careless driving from both parties. Slow moving vehicles have to use caution before making left turns.

The highway traffic act in Germany states, if a vehicle clearly indicates a left turn it cannot be passed. Yes, even a bicycle is a vehicle. The young fella might not have seen her indicating her turn due to the equipment, but his passing was unsafe to begin with.

 

[4570Man]

The highway traffic act in Germany states, if a vehicle clearly indicates a left turn it cannot be passed. Yes, even a bicycle is a vehicle. The young fella might not have seen her indicating her turn due to the equipment, but his passing was unsafe to begin with.

I never said it wasn’t reckless. I don’t care what the traffic laws saw. People pass slow moving traffic all the time and making a left turn without knowing what is behind you is a good way to get hit. Farm equipment and bicycles aren’t very good at clearly communicating turns either. Most drivers don’t know what the stick by the steering wheel does. Expecting someone to understand hand signals that often aren’t even used is a lost cause.

 

[aczlan]

I never said it wasn’t reckless. I don’t care what the traffic laws saw. People pass slow moving traffic all the time and making a left turn without knowing what is behind you is a good way to get hit.

I had a lady in a BMW pass me on the left shoulder doing what had to be 70MPH+ in a 55MPH zone while I was making a left turn with the tractor.
She had 2 wheels on the pavement and two in the gravel. I suspect that she didn't pay attention to the turn signals on the tractor...

Aaron Z

 

[4570Man]

People around here seem to think that when their driving lane is obstructed that makes the other lane a free pass. I’ve seen plenty of people nearly hit an oncoming vehicle while making a careless pass.

 

[Jstpssng]

People around here seem to think that when their driving lane is obstructed that makes the other lane a free pass. I致e seen plenty of people nearly hit an oncoming vehicle while making a careless pass.

This comment seems at odds with your previous statements... and you are absolutely right this time.
You are supposed to maintain control of your vehicle at all times. The traffic was stopped... he chose to pass without finding out why. Even if signals were used you won't see them if you're 4 cars back. If it had been a school bus in front and a kid had been run over; would that also have been the student's fault?

 

[4570Man]

Would you run out in front of a bus without checking what’s in that lane? Falling victim to someone’s stupidity doesn’t mean you’re innocent. I never suggested the BMW driver wasn’t driving recklessly nor did I suggest it wasn’t his fault. I still stick to my original statement that being a slow moving vehicle and not checking for traffic before making a left turn is also reckless. If you aren’t aware of careless passers and take precautions against them you have no business on a slow moving vehicle.

 

[4570Man]

Here’s what happens when you blindly run from stopped lanes into other lanes. I don’t think I need to say how lucky that kid is. Incredible near miss of child as truck driver slams on brakes - YouTube

 

[Jstpssng]

Here’s what happens when you blindly run from stopped lanes into other lanes. I don’t think I need to say how lucky that kid is. Incredible near miss of child as truck driver slams on brakes - YouTube

That one's scary. I saw a very similar miss years ago on the first day of school, a kid had just walked across the road to get on the bus when a loaded dump truck came through and never touched the brakes. It was just a matter of seconds from disaster.

 

[ruffdog]

A few years back there was a change in our laws concerning passing slow vehicles. You can NOT pass farm equipment that is wearing a SMV sign in a 2 lane no-passing zone.

 

[4570Man]

A few years back there was a change in our laws concerning passing slow vehicles. You can NOT pass farm equipment that is wearing a SMV sign in a 2 lane no-passing zone.

It’s still going to happen. If you don’t check and prepare for that fairly common scenario than you’re also a bad driver.

 

[ultrarunner]

I'm certain the BMW couldn't see the bike and the bike rider couldn't see the BMW. I was coming from the other direction and saw the cars stop and the bike rider signal and could see the BMW pull out at a high rate of speed followed by the screath of brakes which was like slow motion unfolding. Had the BMW not been speeding there would have been enough time to safely stop. The road was 100 km speed limit.

 

[ruffdog]

It’s still going to happen. If you don’t check and prepare for that fairly common scenario than you’re also a bad driver.

So, if you are pulling a loaded hay wagon with a 8N and you are going to turn left into the farm driveway, how do you "check" without committing to the turn?