Something Don't Seem Right ?

[marsh man]

Just been reading our local news paper and on the front page the head line states Miracle escape , the brief details are a young boy was driving a eight ton Case Puma and trailer that was filled up with Maize , the tractor was traveling on the A1101 when it veered across the road and went straight over an oncoming car driven by a american service man , what looked like a miracle the car driver wasn't badly hurt , the 18 year old tractor driver was arrested on suspicion of being unfit for driving through drugs .

Do it seem right a 18 year old can drive a eight ton tractor on the public roads in the first place , irrespective of taking drugs ?  

[bigroomboy]

Well he's an adult so has the rights and therefore responsibilities of everybody else. I don't think age is a factor here just that some people are unreliable and shouldn't be trusted with that sort of responsibility.

[Cosmicblue]

Some guidance here: In Brief - Agricultural vehicles and the law

[Deker]

I've seen the video of this and the car driver is lucky to be alive, very fortunate to have been driving a LHD car.

https://www.facebook.com/AFamnncosnco/videos/431192225783952

Edited September 29, 2022 by Deker

[Cosmicblue]

Wow!  Thanks for sharing.

[clangerman]

in all forms of driving some should not be given a shopping trolley let alone heavy machinery lucky escape 

[bigroomboy]

Nasty video. Just reminds you every time you go out something random could finish you off and there isn't much you can do about it. Why is it always that the low lifes that cause these issues just jump out like nothing has happened. It's exactly the same on police interceptors where they roll a stolen car 5 times over a roundabout and immediately all four doors open and 5 chavs bolt in all directions...?

[marsh man]

5 minutes ago, bigroomboy said:

Nasty video. Just reminds you every time you go out something random could finish you off and there isn't much you can do about it. Why is it always that the low lifes that cause these issues just jump out like nothing has happened. It's exactly the same on police interceptors where they roll a stolen car 5 times over a roundabout and immediately all four doors open and 5 chavs bolt in all directions...?

Yes I agree , looking at the video it seem both the drivers were very lucky including the first car the tractor just missed , gone are the days where a little Fergie tractor would poodle down the road towing a small wooden trailer , now they can go nearly as fast as a car while towing several tons of various crops on most types of road , is it any wonder that these type of accidents are becoming much more common ?

[wymberley]

Looks to me as though the first car he hit was luckier still.

[B725]

The tractor and fully loaded trailer would be in excess of 20 ton , you can take a tractor driving test at 16 year's old I did mine just after I turned 16.

[oowee]

Thats horrible. One very lucky driver. Lots of kids driving tractors on the farms I shoot. 

[Old Boggy]

Lots of tractors and trailers full of maize currently in this area, many appearing to go too fast around the country lanes. One shed its load of maize on a mini roundabout, obviously going too fast, but fortunately no one was hurt.

OB

[johnphilip]

The tractor driver was probably  on the phone,  see loads of tractor drivers on there phones around here . It's always the same at harvesting times  they seem to go mental trying to get the crops in , they think there is not enough hours  in the day .

[ditchman]

2 hours ago, marsh man said:

Just been reading our local news paper and on the front page the head line states Miracle escape , the brief details are a young boy was driving a eight ton Case Puma and trailer that was filled up with Maize , the tractor was traveling on the A1101 when it veered across the road and went straight over an oncoming car driven by a american service man , what looked like a miracle the car driver wasn't badly hurt , the 18 year old tractor driver was arrested on suspicion of being unfit for driving through drugs .

Do it seem right a 18 year old can drive a eight ton tractor on the public roads in the first place , irrespective of taking drugs ?  

im not sure but i believe you can hold/take a tractor liecence when you are 16........then when you pass your car test it is "updated"......you will have to check me on that tho !

[B725]

[countryman]

12 minutes ago, johnphilip said:

The tractor driver was probably  on the phone,  see loads of tractor drivers on there phones around here . It's always the same at harvesting times  they seem to go mental trying to get the crops in , they think there is not enough hours  in the day .

Same here, I know they need to get the job done , on our country lanes one of these tractors will  just about go down them, they drive faster than you would in your car.

[mossy835]

i cant belive what i just saw,

[Big Mat]

That tractor was part of one of the AD gangs, they are a huge danger on the roads.

Carting 40+ miles into the digester. They've been up by my inlaws the last week, they don't stop for junction,  full throttle everywhere. Living on a diet of red bull, nearly always on the phone. It's a wonder no one has been killed.

They roll dozens of trailers a year, last time I went past, there was a pile of maize outside their gate where someone had rolled. 

[mellors]

Its the same round here youngsters on minimum wage fast tracks huge silage trailers. No restrictions on hrs worked or driving, lights and tread on tyres is an optional extra. Also running on red diesel when its haulage and should be on white. Its time they looked at what's going on with farm equipment. 

[Vince Green]

Several times down here in Cornwall I have been shocked to see tractors being driven on the back roads by very young kids. I'm guessing at around twelve years old.

Also huge trailers on busy roads with no number plates, brake lights or indicators.

Don't even get me started on Quad bikes.........

Rural anarchists

[Rem260]

I knew of one person who used it as his daily commute to the farm at which he worked. No VEL and red diesel. 

[marsh man]

7 hours ago, ditchman said:

im not sure but i believe you can hold/take a tractor liecence when you are 16........then when you pass your car test it is "updated"......you will have to check me on that tho !

You would think there was a age restriction this day and age on the size of the tractor they can drive on public roads and the weight they can carry . I wonder if the insurance cough up if the lad was convicted of driving under the influence ? 

Only this last week there was an inquest about a young lad who was crushed to death when a fork lift he was driving rolled into him when he got off to check the lorry he was loading , the poor lad had only been there for three weeks and never got to spend his first wage's , he was by himself and a part was faulty that should had prevented the fork lift moving when no one was on it . dangerous ole places to work in the farming industry. 

 

[Walker570]

9 hours ago, bigroomboy said:

Well he's an adult so has the rights and therefore responsibilities of everybody else. I don't think age is a factor here just that some people are unreliable and shouldn't be trusted with that sort of responsibility.

Spot on.  In the main tractor drivers, certainly in our area are pretty professional.  It does seem that this was a one off.

[gamekeeper1960]

Just now, Walker570 said:

Spot on.  In the main tractor drivers, certainly in our area are pretty professional.  It does seem that this was a one off.

I would say in my experience as someone who drives for a living...that I have met to many tractor drivers this summer who have one hand on the mobile phone.....I would have thought by now that the would all be hands free ...or is this not the case...?

[Walker570]

No coppers about to see them off. Have not seen a patrolling police car for years.  Would have been manner from heaven in my day.

Had a young woman on her lap top at a red light on a traffic island yesterday, she didn't see the change to green and almost shot forward on red, then went back to the lap top until she got a blasting from me and the 40 tonner behind me ....it will take a week for MY ear drums to get over that.

Edited September 29, 2022 by Walker570