Inconsiderate drivers and tractor operators, bad mix...

[tduby]

You Sir should go into Farming. You are obviously missing out on a very lucrative business by not doing so.

Nope my grandpa was a farmer and every day he told me to get an education and be something better so I did.
I guess your friend who plants 25,000 acres is one of those poor family farmers barely making it we should all look up to. Like the other guy said in Europe they pull the heads off and tow them but here they figure I’m only going a mile down the highway I can drive with a 16’+ head down the road and make on coming traffic swerve out of the way.
Nor did I ever suggest going back to old 8n tractors you guys sure love to use hyperbole in your arguments. But clearly there is some middle ground if you have a large farm that requires you to move equipment on public roads it should be under a certain width and if that requires smaller equipment like then I guess that is the price of doing business.

 

[ovrszd]

There're people on this thread that have railed against big business and corporate America, yet your friend fits the bill. Guess it just depends on who's ox is getting gored.

My wife's good friend farms 10,000 acres and raises 6-8000 hogs every year. Darn right it's a large corporation.

So on the one hand, we have the image of the family farmer going out of existence, and on the other we praise people that can farm tens of thousands of acres.

Kinda :dance1: isn't it?

Everybody admires the little guy that can make a go of it until he becomes the big guy.

Farms getting larger is inevitable. Thus, equipment getting larger is inevitable. Thus, family farms turning into larger corporations is inevitable.

I would be hard pressed to find a farmer under 50 years of age here that isn't a part of a large family/corporation farm or doesn't have an off farm job to pay the daily living expenses.

 

[ovrszd]

One of the best ways to make a little money is to spend a lot of money trying to farm.

Reading through this thread makes it clear to me that some people don't have a clue how things work and others have zero consideration of others needs.

And no intention of changing their mind.

 

[Reb954]

No one knows what they don't know but some aren't even willing to accept the fact they may not know what they don't know. Hence, their arguments go in circles and make no sense.

 

[ovrszd]

Nope my grandpa was a farmer and every day he told me to get an education and be something better so I did.
I guess your friend who plants 25,000 acres is one of those poor family farmers barely making it we should all look up to. Like the other guy said in Europe they pull the heads off and tow them but here they figure I’m only going a mile down the highway I can drive with a 16’+ head down the road and make on coming traffic swerve out of the way.
Nor did I ever suggest going back to old 8n tractors you guys sure love to use hyperbole in your arguments. But clearly there is some middle ground if you have a large farm that requires you to move equipment on public roads it should be under a certain width and if that requires smaller equipment like then I guess that is the price of doing business.

I was responding to your comments that farmers aren't at risk. They will get bailed out by the government if things get bad.

My friend is a multi-millionaire. I would guess his net worth at $100M. He started farming with his Dad at 21 right after getting out of the Marines. He owns 13K acres of tillable land. Another 8K acres of non-tillable. Cash rents another 12K acres each year. 4 huge combines with 35' bean heads and 12 row corn heads. 4 center pivot 4wd tractors. 3 large FWA tractors. 2 24 row planters. 6 more planters of smaller sizes. 10 semi truck grain haulers. Not sure how many thousands of bushels of grain storage capability. 24 employees not counting himself and his two adult Sons. Largest farmer in my County easily. The most considerate, modest man you'll meet. Can't get more than a couple hours of sleep at a time. Has been in the hospital several times for stomach ulcers. Wake up in the middle of the night puking up blood. Constantly stressed. Always on the move. I don't envy him at all. I highly respect him. He deserves everything he has. He would never consider thinking you should look up to him. He'll offer you all the advice he can when you decide you want to try your hand at it.

As to hyperbole. There have been suggestions regarding equipment width/size that farmers should limit themselves to. A 4 row planter is overwidth. So is a combine with a 4 row head. That's why I went with the 8N and 2 row planter example.

Sometimes we just need to read our posts a couple times before hitting the reply icon.

 

[ptsg]

I love tractors and machinery. I don't know about you guys, but every time I get "stuck" behind a tractor, backhoe or machinery in general, I just sit behind them appreciating the machinery, implements, small details like guards over lights, etc, what tires are they running, etc. I don't care how many cars I have behind me or if they're in a rush or not. :laughing:

After a while, when it's 100% safe, it's when I overtake them if I really have to.

 

[ovrszd]

No one knows what they don't know but some aren't even willing to accept the fact they may not know what they don't know. Hence, their arguments go in circles and make no sense.

This is a good discussion. And a thoughtful discussion. I've saw one poster take three completely different stands without even knowing he did.

 

[ovrszd]

I love tractors and machinery. I don't know about you guys, but every time I get "stuck" behind a tractor, backhoe or machinery in general, I just sit behind them appreciating the machinery, implements, small details like guards over lights, etc, what tires are they running, etc. I don't care how many cars I have behind me or if they're in a rush or not. :laughing:

After a while, when it's 100% safe, it's when I overtake them if I really have to.

I totally agree. And if I'm not critically in a hurry I will hang back a half mile behind a slow moving tractor or piece of farm equipment so they can go on down the road to their destination without having to stop or pull over to let me by. Or if I see one coming at me I'll dive into a gateway or driveway to get out of their way. They are trying to make a living. I'm just cruising.

 

[MossRoad]

I love tractors and machinery. I don't know about you guys, but every time I get "stuck" behind a tractor, backhoe or machinery in general, I just sit behind them appreciating the machinery, implements, small details like guards over lights, etc, what tires are they running, etc. I don't care how many cars I have behind me or if they're in a rush or not. :laughing:

After a while, when it's 100% safe, it's when I overtake them if I really have to.

My wife often asks me why I take certain roads around here. I often reply "Because we might get stopped by a train." I like watching them, farm equipment, construction equipment, and airplanes.

 

[HAR]

I reached out to my local State Representative, and asked for what he had with regard to ag vehicles and ROW in Vermont. Here is what he sent:
V.S.A.=Vermont Statutes Annotated

Under 23 V.S.A. §4(81) defines a vulnerable user as follows: "Vulnerable user" means a pedestrian; an operator of highway building, repair, or maintenance equipment or of agricultural equipment; a person operating a wheelchair or other personal mobility device, whether motorized or not; a person operating a bicycle or other nonmotorized means of transportation (such as roller skates, rollerblades, or roller skis); or a person riding, driving, or herding an animal.

Under 23 V.S.A. § 1033(c) a motor vehicle operator who is approaching a vulnerable user must å…Žxercise due care, which includes reducing speed and increasing clearance to a recommended distance of at least four feet, to pass the vulnerable user safely, and shall cross the center of the highway only as provided in section 1035 of this title.

The requirements for crossing the center line in 23 VSA 1035 can be found here: Vermont Laws

In addition, 23 V.S.A. § 1039(a) also provides that the operator of a motor vehicle shall not, in a careless or imprudent manner, approach, pass, or maintain speed unnecessarily close to a vulnerable user.

So, when a motor vehicle approaches an operator of agricultural equipment on a highway, the operator of the motor vehicle is required to exercise due care and pass the agricultural equipment according to the standards for passing