Close call today

[Bmyers]

It was by the grace of God that my tractor didn't get hit by a truck doing 30+MPH today. I had to drive down the road a little less than a mile and make a left turn. I have my SMV, my hazards going, and a yellow LED warning light flashing.

As I was approaching my turn, I turned on my left turn signal, the car behind me had slowed. I started making my turn and a truck came flying around the car that was behind me that had slowed and I was looking right at him coming at me. Nothing I could do and grabbed wheel and braced for impact. He managed to swerve around me, throwing rock and dust everywhere and kept right ongoing. I looked at the car, which was now completely stopped and the driver's eyes were huge and he was just shaking his head. I finished my turn and pulled to the side, the car pulled behind me. He got out to just make sure I was okay, we talked, neither one of us thought at the time to try to get the plates on the truck. Both of us still can't figure out how the guy missed me, just very thankful he did.

So, be careful out there, even when you do everything right, there are still plenty of morons that will try to ruin your day.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

glad you're OK !!!! Sadly it's common on my road. I'm the 'hidden driveway', on a curve, supposedly a 40KM road. Typically they zoom past doing 60-65. Clocked one person at 83KM.
The odds are the driver was texting/talking or changing the radio.....

 

[ehenry]

I'd be willing to bet five crisp and shiny long wheelbase 10's the person in the truck had their face buried in their phone texting. I'm not going to mention age because I see distracted drivers of all ages and they ALL know better but continue driving distracted because it hasnt hurt them or anyone else....yet.

 

[BigG]

You have a cab so this will not help you but I still use hand signals when I drive my open tractor. The nuts on the road any more do not seam to respect themselves let alone someone else on the high way.

I have also started to turn off the 4 ways as I come to a left turn and turn on the left turn light only until I get thru the intersection. Then turn the 4 ways back on.

 

[RCW]

So glad everyone’s okay.

I know a person that did the same maneuver on his motorcycle, while his wife was on with him. Passing a tractor with manure spreader.

Don’t know all details, beyond the the loader took the bike out when the tractor turned left. He was pretty banged up. Wife didn’t make it.

He was in his 70’s and had riden a long time. Always known to be safe.

It only takes an instant.......

 

[Bmyers]

You have a cab so this will not help you but I still use hand signals when I drive my open tractor. The nuts on the road any more do not seam to respect themselves let alone someone else on the high way.

I have also started to turn off the 4 ways as I come to a left turn and turn on the left turn light only until I get thru the intersection. Then turn the 4 ways back on.

My tractor (assuming most of newer models due) turn off the emergency flasher and only lets the direction you are turning flash.

I know when the car driver and I was talking, he stated he had seen it go from both lights flashing to just the left so he knew I was turning that was why he slowed down. The truck, unfortunately, didn't see or didn't care.

 

[BigG]

Last night I delivered a new manure spreader to a farm and as I was coming home I got caught behind a cab tractor with a chisel plow. He was set up to run the strawberry fields so his tires covered from the center line to just across the side line. It was a back road with the ditch and mail boxes near the side line. I know I ticked off a whole string of cars behind me but I was not going to force the issue as I was driving a dually with a 102 inch wide gooseneck.

It was not worth the chance of forcing one of us into the ditch if I tried to pass him and it was dangerous for a car to pass me and then the tractor. So I rode over the center line to prevent a car from trying to pass me. We had a parade in just a few moments but I thought it was better to be slow then allow an accident to happen. I do not think the people behind me agreed but 60 ft of truck and 30 foot of tractor plus the gap was to long to pass on a back curvy road.

 

[RCW]

Last night I delivered a new manure spreader to a farm and as I was coming home I got caught behind a cab tractor with a chisel plow.

It was not worth the chance of forcing one of us into the ditch if I tried to pass him and it was dangerous for a car to pass me and then the tractor.

I wish everyone would have that much discretion.

When behind a tractor, I always look ahead on the road for barns, driveways, tractor paths, etc. that tractor might want to turn into. I also stay WAY back....

I'm sure I piss some drivers off that are behind me.

I was a little kid driving that tractor on the road a long time ago. People were better behaved around slow moving vehicles back then.

Drivers don't have that much common sense anymore...especially while texting on Facebook, or whatever hell they do with their cell phones.

 

[Cathy Liebchen]

Its common here to get well into the left lane a good ways from the left turn to block people from trying to pass from behind

 

[Tx Jim]

Bmyers
I'm glad you safely completed your turn. I've lost count how many times my tractor,rd baler & pickup have been passed while we're turning left from a Farm to market rd. To enter my driveway from the east is on a curve with a double center strip but the idiots that are in a big hurry pass us any way while our left turn flashing lights are blinking. I try to make them get grass stains on their tires & maybe stains in their undies!!!

 

[Thunder chicken]

Bmyers,
I’m glad your experience didn’t turn out badly. I had the exact same thing happen yesterday as well. At 2:45 in the afternoon, no where near any shift change time, rush hour, etc.... in a matter of a minute went from 0 cars to a dozen behind me for about 3/4 of a mile. I can do 40kph, not fast but not slow.... left turn signal on and just as I’m about to turn 2 idiots start to pass..... some day someone will have fork/bucket marks Along their side panels..... All we can do is have extra spidy senses and look an extra 5 times, and have a loud horn to beep and hope for the best.

 

[Orangeglow]

Glad you weren,t hurt. If I had a need to drive my tractor on a busy road, and was planning to make a left turn, I would come to a complete stop on the right shoulder of the road, then carefully check and re-check traffic in both directions, and when there is no traffic coming in either direction, then I would carefully and safely make my left turn. It,s unfortunate that everyone on the road these days is in such a big hurry, to get nowhere. All they think about is themselves. Please be careful out there, and like driving a motorcycle, train yourself to keep expecting the unexpected.

 

[SidecarFlip]

You have a cab so this will not help you but I still use hand signals when I drive my open tractor. The nuts on the road any more do not seam to respect themselves let alone someone else on the high way.

I have also started to turn off the 4 ways as I come to a left turn and turn on the left turn light only until I get thru the intersection. Then turn the 4 ways back on.

My M's do that automatically. When I indicate a left turn, the left turn signal flashed and the right illuminates solid.

Almost had an oops about 15 minutes ago.

Was pulling out of the farm lane and some idiot was flying low and fast like they usually do around here and we almost had a scene My M's are pretty big and heavy and I don't think an F150 is a good opponent for a 9K tractor. I think the dude laid a loaf in his pants and if he'd had hit me, would have been his fault and liability as farm equipment always has the right of way per Michigan law. I'm sure he was distracted and driving, real common here. texting or smoking dope or drinking and driving.

Seems as though people are always in a hurry to die.

 

[RCW]

Its common here to get well into the left lane a good ways from the left turn to block people from trying to pass from behind

Always did the same thing.

As a little kid, my father and grandfather both told me to make everything real "wide" so folks couldn't get around.

I was driving a small tractor with a load of hay behind it....couldn't see behind me.

Swinging over the center was the only way to know....

I was 8 years old or so...illegal then(?); probably. Commonly done(?); you bet.

 

[Magicman]

It was by the grace of God that my tractor didn't get hit by a truck doing 30+MPH today.

Thanks for sharing your experience Bmyers. The physics of farm tractors and motor vehicles doesn't mix very well when you add the vehicle's speed.

 

[sheepfarmer]

My M's do that automatically. When I indicate a left turn, the left turn signal flashed and the right illuminates solid.

Almost had an oops about 15 minutes ago.

Was pulling out of the farm lane and some idiot was flying low and fast like they usually do around here and we almost had a scene My M's are pretty big and heavy and I don't think an F150 is a good opponent for a 9K tractor. I think the dude laid a loaf in his pants and if he'd had hit me, would have been his fault and liability as farm equipment always has the right of way per Michigan law. I'm sure he was distracted and driving, real common here. texting or smoking dope or drinking and driving.

Seems as though people are always in a hurry to die.

My dad's expression for such occasions was "hell ain't half full".

 

[SidecarFlip]

What people tend to forget is that a tractor always has the right of way on a road (except a limited access highway unless by special permit). Basically, that means if someone collides with a tractor, they are liable.

 

[Mike9]

I'm glad it worked out for you and you and your tractor are OK.

I've been on the road and had people honk and swear, wave their fists out the window, then pass me on the double line in the hamlet no less. They don't have a clue apparently.

 

[bxray]

It is that some people do not care for anyone else but themselves.
They act like it is there road and yoi are in the way!
I was heading into town and a car passed another on a curve and hill.
Had to hit the brakes and just missed him.

 

[Palmettokat]

What people tend to forget is that a tractor always has the right of way on a road (except a limited access highway unless by special permit). Basically, that means if someone collides with a tractor, they are liable.

Not sure how widely that is true. I was making left turn in a no passing zone with signal on and officer charged me with making illegal turn. Very good friend who was attorney said I would need to ask for jury trial to have chance to win the case. Yes rural farming area.