Tractors should not be on main roads at peak commuter time. AIBU

[Hoolajerry]

We live in a relatively rural town which traditionally has a large farming community. We have very poor public transport links. We have one major road which bypasses the town and is approximately 30 minutes to a major motorway. Without fail whenever you travel on this road there are tractors. In the morning there can be significant tailbacks 20+ cars long. Unfortunately the road does not lend itself to overtaking (amongst one of the most dangerous in the country). It also does not have many pull-in places and even if they do you will meet another one fairly soon.
I had this conversation with DH and he said that as a rural community they have a right to be there whenever they like. However, these are not small business tractors as per traditional farms, they are massive contractors who have set-up in the last 10 years who are therefore based significant distances from the farms they serve. One in particular is very new and has bought up swathes of land throughout the locality and has its base 2 miles from the motorway but comes all the way to our town it what seems to be a constant stream.
I know that I am being slightly unreasonable so this is a little lighthearted but it pisses me off that everyday my journey to work is taken at a snails pace following bloody tractors. AIBU?

I also live rurally and drive to work btw.

YABU. Most large tractors will do 30mph . What's the rush? Allow plenty of time for your journey taking the tractors into account.

Grow your own food

Most farms hire in these large machines as they are too expensive to buy just to use a few times a year
You do realise that the roads are congested because there are too many cars on the road ....the majority just carrying 1 person ?

Yabu. Theres a lot of ignorance on this thread.

Those complaining about contractors, have you thought about why smaller farms might be needing to use contractors? It could be because people are so unwilling to pay a decent price for their food so small farmers can't afford the machinery needed to farm the land productively, so it's either hire contractors to farm it for them or lose the farm altogether. In other cases, some crops are only ever harvested by contractors due to the machinery being far too expensive for most farms to afford. For example, sugar beet harvesters or pea harvesters. Another reason might be that the council/property developers have forced them to sell so much of their land off for houses that they don't have enough land left to sustain the cost of multiple farm vehicles plus the workers to drive them. We do a lot of work for people in this scenario.

Most large tractors will do 30mph .

Not on windy, rural roads they won't - there's rarely room for them to pass other cars so they tend to go around 15mph or so to avoid accidents and to allow them to stop safely and quickly if necessary.

I live rurally, and I feel a bit mixed about this.

On the one hand, they are producing our food, and generally pull in to let people past.

On the other hand, a few drivers don't give a shit about other road users. I was once stuck behind a tractor. Driver drove past a good number of suitable places to pull in. Result was, I was too late at the hospital for my passenger to say goodbye to their parent.

floravus Those complaining about contractors, have you thought about why smaller farms might be needing to use contractors? It could be because people are so unwilling to pay a decent price for their food so small farmers can't afford the machinery needed to farm the land productively, so it's either hire contractors to farm it for them or lose the farm altogether.

Well, around me its because all the farm owners are extremely wealthy people who only farm as a hobby, so they do so by getting contractors in. Appreciate it varies in different areas though but I suspect my scenario also isn't uncommon. Many of them are not originally local to the area but have had a lot of money to spend and bought a farm and then continued farming it but by using contractors.

Another reason might be that the council/property developers have forced them to sell so much of their land off for houses that they don't have enough land left to sustain the cost of multiple farm vehicles plus the workers to drive them. We do a lot of work for people in this scenario.

I haven't heard of farmers being "forced" to sell large acerages, I don't think this is possible under compulsory purchase law as it wouldn't meet the necessary tests based on aims and objectives. But I do know a number of wealthy landowners who have made an absolute fortune from selling land to developers. Enough to be multi-millionaires and to never have to work again. I'm kind of loving how they must still stick to the "poor farmer" disguise though!

The reason round here that they use large pieces of farm machinery on different farms is because they have a machinery owning/financed ring and have arranged the farms and land mainly to have easy access and fields which are set up to allow working by large machinery - no awkward corners, or paths running through them, wide gateways. That model of farming simply isn't suited or possible for small farms or small farmers. I can't get local contractors to cut my hayfields because they are all too busy to bother with such small jobs, and I have 15 acres.

Qual We have absolutely had to sell land we don't want to. CPOs mean that even if we say no, if the developers can prove the development 'makes sense' then they can override our decision but we would get a tiny percentage of the value of the land. For example, we have land that borders the edge of the town, so it is seen as a natural extension of the town, and therefore if we said no to selling it, it would likely be taken anyway. Likewise, we have another area of land that they want to build a bypass on. We have no say in that.

That's terrible "floravus". How many acres do you mind me asking? I got an offer of £650,000 from a developer, contingent on planning permission, on half an acre because it had road access. No question of compulsory purchase. I know someone who sold land for a bypass for millions. Completely changed their lives.

I'm on the fence here, tractors I generally find a minor irritation, but very funny that nearly all the posters think this is just a deep rural issue, it really isn't. They are on the main roads into the city /major road network around me. The traffic is generally bad enough as it is without adding in a tractor. But the quarry wagons are just as bad, so I just put up with them.

However yellow things should perhaps be banned in rush hour on main dual carriageways, they cause such hassle. They are (along with tractors) banned on the A1 in Newcastle for periods of time, so does happen.

We have around 2500 acres and then farm around another 500 more. We do get offered a lot of money for land to sell it, but it just gets pumped straight back into the farm. (So either buying more land elsewhere, upgrading farm properties for farm workers, upgrading farm machinery etc).

Sorry but no sympathy here. Wherever you live there are local benefits and local problems.

Living in a city - pollution and crime.
Living in a suburb - commuting costs.
Living in the country - farmers working.

yellow things

What are yellow things?

Also the funny thing is last year when the snow hit hundreds of drivers become stuck in it. Who came out to help out? Tractor drivers. That’s who!

And they're always helping out when there are floods and when trees have blocked rural roads.

This time of year is really busy for farmers (especially arable farmers) and sometimes a lot of it will depend on what the weather forecast is like for the day.

I very much they do it on purpose to inconvenience you. (Yes, I live in a similar situation; lots of tractors, plus a herd of cows crossing the road yesterday morning and those ladies don't hurry for anyone).

Just chill or leave earlier. Yes it can be annoying but unfortunately unavoidable unless you move away to a more urban area.

I get so annoyed and upset to see horsey idiots (yes! I said idiots!) taking people and sometimes older children to gallivant on roads during rush hour on a bloody horse!!!. I feel so bad for the horses, for the drivers that got to be careful, extremely slow and be in time to pickup the kids from after school etc.

Good job you don't live near me. There are 2 racing yards within a mile of my house and they road work the horses on our estate, starting from about 7.30-8 am. I often have to wait for a high-spirited racehorse to come by before starting my engine.

One memorable Monday, some sheep got out as well, and it was bin day, so the bin lorry and recycling lorry were both trying to collect. It was mayhem!

Yes, thank you Lakie! DH snow ploughs the local roads that don't get gritted and whenever there is adverse weather of any kind you can guarantee he will come home late having helped numerous people out of ditches etc on his way home. Someone came to the door last winter with a crate of beer for him because DH had helped him out of the snow, he was an on call doctor!

I feel so bad for the horses, for the drivers that got to be careful, extremely slow and be in time to pickup the kids from after school etc.

Holy shit car drivers have to be careful how awful for them. They should drive carefully at all times or shouldn't be on the road! The horses have just as much right to be there. I really do despair of many people who are in control of cars on our roads. Instead of driving too fast SET OFF EARLIER and if you are late accept that is your own fault.

I followed in a stream of about 30 cars yesterday because some middle aged man in Lycra felt it was his right to cycle along the A272 at peak time and overtaking opportunities are limited.

The A272 is one of my favourite roads @CherryPavlova. Beautiful countryside, lovely villages, but hell if you're in a hurry.

@Henrysmycat

And moronic drivers like you are why I refuse to ride my horse on roads anymore. I don't trust drivers to actually have any consideration for horse riders. Considering how many people get hit now when on their horse. But hey its fine to you, just kill someone so you aren't late to pick up your child from school.

Yes, you are being unreasonable.

YAB VERY U

Do you need your vehicle to do your actual job? If not, then you are just part of the ones creating unnecessary "rush hour" traffic.

As long as tractors don't speed like lunatics and take half the road, what's the issue? Give yourself more time on the road, it will save you so much grief.

I do object to finding myself face to face with one going round a bend because they decided they prefer the middle of the road when they clearly have space on their own side but drive too fast.

@floravus When the hurricane hit in 1987, one village near me was totally cut off. Local farmers, and anyone with a chainsaw, just set to, sawing up tree trunks and moving them.

By the time the council got round to showing up 2 days later, everything was back to normal.