Tractor speed limits.

arcon5

audigex wrote: »

That very much depends on the road. If you're travelling at 50mph on an open, straight, NSL road in good weather with no good reason, you're just holding others up. Legal, perhaps, but definitely a !!!!!! move.

There are plenty of NSL roads where even 50mph would be downright dangerous, though.

If you're on a road where it's safe to do 60mph, why would you deliberately hold people up? None of us are out on the road for a laugh, we have places to be: and we never know the reason why others are in more of a hurry than us.

Pressuring others to go faster than the limit is unacceptable, but so is forcing others to travel un-necessarily slowly.

You see this is exactly the kind of attitude I referred to!

What makes you think you as a person in a rush has a greater right than the person wanting to drive steadily yet at a perfectly reasonable speed?

Your reasons for being in a hurry are irrelevant.

You're clearly unable to comprehend the fact we are all as human beings different in how we perceive things, just because 60 may be appropriate for you doesn't mean it feels appropriate to everybody else.

Traveling at 50 is still making reasonable progress, so get over it.

AdrianC

arcon5 wrote: »

I didn't say anything was wrong with it! I said I didn't feel comfortable going too fast in it!

If nothing was wrong with it, then why on earth would you feel less safe doing a perfectly appropriate speed in it than in any other car?

If you think everybody from an 18year old with a new license to a 70 year old with slower responses should meet your needs then you need to open up your mind!

If we phrase that differently, as both of those people should be competent and competent to drive appropriately for the conditions, then perhaps you might start to appreciate my point.

And, yes, I do - very firmly - believe everybody sharing the road should be competent and confident. Cars are dangerous things, especially mixed with more vulnerable road users. There should not be any allowances for the incompetent or uncertain to use them.

force_ten

now we have discussed speed what about the fuel that the tractors are using when on the road

are the tractors that we see running up and down the highways and byeways of this country allowed to run on Red Diesel

AdrianC

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/excise-notice-75-fuel-for-road-vehicles/excise-notice-75-fuel-for-road-vehicles

force_ten

AdrianC wrote: »

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/excise-notice-75-fuel-for-road-vehicles/excise-notice-75-fuel-for-road-vehicles

in that article is says

Farmers must be warned, that tractors used on the public road for non-agricultural purposes, automatically lose their "agricultural tractor" status, and will therefore fall foul of taxation class, red diesel usage and weight restrictions.

so are contractors driving a tractor from one farm to another often over long distances being used for agricultural purpose

We had a spate of revenue and customs setting up camp near to the stock markets and pulling and dipping the tanks of all the tractors and lorries going to the stock sale

AdrianC

force_ten wrote: »

so are contractors driving a tractor from one farm to another often over long distances being used for agricultural purpose

We had a spate of revenue and customs setting up camp near to the stock markets and pulling and dipping the tanks of all the tractors and lorries going to the stock sale

If they're taking the tractor because they need to use a tractor when they get there, yes.
If they're taking the tractor because it's the nearest vehicle to hand that'll tow the trailer, no.

Moto2

audigex wrote: »

If you're on a road where it's safe to do 60mph, why would you deliberately hold people up? None of us are out on the road for a laugh, we have places to be: and we never know the reason why others are in more of a hurry than us.

Lots of people go out for a drive or ride, purely for the pleasure of it, you seem to be focused on your own little world.
I don't get that bothered at some people driving under the limit, after all if I was stuck behind someone for 10 minutes (unlikely) It'd only be a couple of minutes more on the journey time.

I'm more concerned about idiots ragging their German company car to the next database meeting - or whatever - like it's the only thing that matters, they're the ones you should be criticising, not someone going a bit slower than the law allows.

iolanthe07

Herzlos wrote: »

It's an awful lot easier to overtake a 15mph tractor than a 50mph tractor, especially if it's got an HGV trailer on the back.

Not on Somerset's twisty lanes it isn't.

Joe_Horner

AdrianC wrote: »

If a driver isn't "comfortable" driving at 60mph in conditions where it would be perfectly appropriate, then - frankly - they should probably consider getting more tuition or hanging up their licence.

There are a couple of fairly glaring problems with that (often repeated) argument.

First, if the NSL road in question really is completely open and straight, with good visibility, then any competent driver should have no trouble at all in passing someone doing 50. So the argument becomes invalid in the case of straight, open, roads.

Secondly, if the road isn't straight and open then the argument assumes that both drivers have equal, and good, knowledge of the area.

If you're in an area you're familiar with then you(should) be aware of the hidden entrances / unexpectedly tight corners / adverse cambers and assorted other hazards. So you can decide that 60 is appropriate. This is what should apply on our driving test because you will have practiced the route repeatedly and your instructor will have drawn your attention to any hidden hazards.

But the car ahead, doing 50, may not be as familiar with the area. In which case slowing down is the prudent and competent thing to do - a competent driver shouldn't be barrelling round unfamiliar bends only to find there's a farm entrance with a tractor pulling out.

On the other hand, if you're stuck behind someone doing 50 in an area you're not fully familiar with then it could well be that they are familiar with it and happen to know about the hazards you haven't spotted.

Either way, 50 in a 60 is perfectly reasonable.

AdrianC

Joe_Horner wrote: »

There are a couple of fairly glaring problems with that (often repeated) argument.

Now there's a surprise.

First, if the NSL road in question really is completely open and straight, with good visibility, then any competent driver should have no trouble at all in passing someone doing 50.

Oncoming traffic might disagree.

But the car ahead, doing 50, may not be as familiar with the area. In which case slowing down is the prudent and competent thing to do - a competent driver shouldn't be barrelling round unfamiliar bends only to find there's a farm entrance with a tractor pulling out.

I don't care how well you know the road, you shouldn't be tonking round bends that you can't see to be clear anyway. And I did say "where it would be perfectly appropriate".