Nimbus

[rant]

Got stuck behind one for about 8 miles today!! [img]images/smilies/mad.gif[/img] When I caught up with the queue I was about 15th in line. Within a couple of miles there must have been about 30 cars trailing along in it's wake. The tractor must have been doing about 30mph (all in NSLA roads) but the traffic did that bunching/speed up/bunching thing that typifies a long slow moving queue.

Now, when I've been in this situation before, the tractor driver invariably sees the queue behind and pulls into a lay-by or junction to let the traffic by. Did this one? Did he heck. He just sat there pootling along oblivious to the traffic and irate drivers behind. It was difficult to overtake in the few places that were available due to oncoming traffic, number of cars between myself and the tractor, and the danger of someone in front going for it at the same time. (The road is the B6047 'twixt the A47 and Melton if anyone knows it. Great road when it's clear ).

Eventually got by just past Great Dalby on a long straight. I thought about giving the tractor driver a "Fridley" wave, but was too busy concentrating on the manoeuvre to bother.

Now, for most of those 8 miles I was content to just sit there and wait, expecting the tractor to pull in. By the time I got near him I was getting a little mad. It's this sort of inconsiderate driving that can lead to drivers taking risks in passing.

I bet he was having a right laugh as well [img]images/smilies/mad.gif[/img]

[/rant]

marty_t3

I used to get stuck behind the same ******* tractor in the way home from work (A71) at least twice a week. The guy used to pold along at 25mph in a 50 zone holding up masses of cars. He never pulled in and insisted on using the road during rush hour. Pi55es me off even more since he doesn't have to pay tax on it.

scunnered

iTrader: (1)

I think there's a limit as to how far a tractor or any other agricultural vehicle can be driven on public roads. If it is a farm tractor and he's using red diesel then he's most definitely braking the law. I beleive they are allowed to travel a reasonable distance to go between fields on the farmers property. Eight miles is is a bit much though.

Nimbus

It was at least 8 miles. That's just the distance I was beind him. From the look of the queue, he had already been traving a few miles before I caught up with him [img]images/smilies/mad.gif[/img]

Tommy 2000

he ain't breaking the law scunnered but he's defo an ignorant twot! pi55ing off cars is probably the only 'exciting' event in his calendar!

what gets me is that they have to mess around in their tractors late at night as well...so you get these huge machines taking up the whole road, either barely visible due to the sh1ttest lights known to man or the other extreme: blinding you with their spotlights!

if you do get stuck behind one, at least in Scoob you've got a fighting chance of getting past em!

NotoriousREV

Extract from the Tractor Drivers Handbook:

"Whilst driving on public roads during peak times, ensure that you have the widest possible contraption hitched to your tractor. In the event that you have several peices of equipment that are of similar width, use the one that has the most dangerous/scary looking spikes and/or the dirtiest. Equpiment that swings violently from side to side is also highly recommended. If you have no wide machinery, it is possible to use a very long and poorly lit trailer."

Nimbus

LOL.

Isn't there a bit about making sure that you have just come out of a very muddy field and that all wheels and tyres must catapult large quantities of mud/sh*t over the road and any passing / following vehicles?

ProperCharlie

It's a bit off topic but I really think that we could do with a *driving like a tw@t* forum where we could name and shame people who drive or ride like they want to kill someone or themselves, or just generally stupidly. I drive down the A602 between the A10 and Stevenage every morning and afternoon. Seen some really tw@t tastic action recently. Yesterday: Biker so keen to overtake he decided the best way forward was to squeeze between the cars he wanted to get passed (all doing about 50) and the cars going the other way (all doing about 50). This was at a really narrow stretch of road where there ain't much room between the two lots of traffic. People were trying to pull over to give him a fighting chance but in this stretch if you pull over too much you're in the middle of a wood!

Today: Guy in one of those rubbish merc people carrier/van with too many seats in things - decides he is on a mission to overtake evrything in sight, swerving back into lane in the face of oncoming traffic etc. Overtook him back on a clear stretch (just to give the turbo a bit of exersize ) but when he overtook me for a second time I just sat back and enjoyed the mayhem.

Charlie.

Tommy 2000

LMFAO @ Not REV!!! Spot on kid!

NotoriousREV

Charlie,

I was thinking of doing a website like that, but I got worried about the implications publishing people's registration numbers.

NotoriousREV

Further extracts from the Tractor Driver's Handbook:

"ensure your muck spreader leaks slightly at all times"

"any lights on your vehicle, including flashing beacons, must be non-functional. If they do function, they must be positioned in such a way as to dazzle other road users"

"for safety reasons, we advise strongly that your tractor leaves a trail behind it so that you can find your way home if you get lost"

"when approaching a blind bend whilst driving your combine harvester, always cross the double white lines onto the opposite carriageway"

MarkO

"When driving with a bailing attachment, ensure that the spikes are kept in the 'down' position to cause maximum fear and/or damage to oncoming traffic..."

NotoriousREV

"should a vehicle attempt to overtake you, a slow weave or a mis-timed indicator should prevent this."

"well rejoining a main road from a field entrance or from a junction, always wait for a vehicle that looks as if it's in a hurry. And then pull out in front of it."

MarkO

"...unless it's a car towing a caravan, in which case tailgate it to minimise the chances of any following vehicle successfully performing an overtaking maneuvre".

ProperCharlie

REV - I would agree that posting whole no. plates could proves problematic, but if you said something like 'the P reg Kawasaki on the 602 at about 4 pm last night' similar to what we do in *was it you*, it would leave everyone in little doubt as to who was being discussed. It would be good to have some kidnd of searchable facility so people could see if their offender has already been shamed by anyone...

Charlie.

MarkO

What difference would it make though? Frankly, if I cut somebody up, I'm not really going to care if some jerk posts about it on a website. And what's to stop people who make genuine mistakes from being villified in public?

NotoriousREV

MarkO, these were some of my other worries, hence I changed my idea to: Bad drivers should all be shot on sight. Sure, in the early days there'd be many, many deaths, but very quickly, the standard of driving would improve. It'd be the end of road rage. And it's cheaper than GATSO's.

MarkO

Sounds like a much better solution to me.

ProperCharlie

FFS MarkO,

1. The point is more to have a laugh than to make a difference
2. If someone 'innocent' gets 'vilified' in public - who gives a ****, happens on this and other bbs the whole time in any case
3. Are you calling me a jerk
4. The examples I cited were definitely not 'mistakes'. I'm not getting excited about their driving - i just find it surprising. It's a bit like watching those police videos on telly. Sad, but also kinda nice.

CharlieWhiskey

It sure is a great road! shame there are not that many overtaking opertunities!

This guy should, according to the Highway Code, should have pulled over to allow following traffic to pass.[img]images/smilies/mad.gif[/img]

There is no limit to the miles an 'agricultural vehicle' can drive on the road on red diesel! They can even get away with it in Land Rovers, why do you think they always have a sheep in the back

I like the 'Tractor Drivers Handbook' Etc! Maybe it should be muppetised as we could do with good a laugh in there!

MarkO

Yeah. Wanna go outside?

ProperCharlie

Sure. Better tell them that you may be gone some time...