Can you drive your tractor on the street?

texasjohn · May 17, 2006

My Kubota 5030 has a top speed of about 16mph... so, not speedy on the roads... I have SMV and flashers and run them whenever I am on the road.. which isn't often and for very short distances only because takes forever if going anywhere very far. I haven't researched the legalities lately, but believe that if you have a SMV and drive "friendly" then it is fine in Texas.

Soundguy · May 17, 2006

( now if he would have moved on the shoulder a bit and let us pass....haha.

)

IMHO.. that would probably have been illegal. I was told By FL DOT to either occupy the lane I was driving in.. or get completely off the road. Driving partially onthe shoulder counted as driving off the road and obstructing traffic.

5mph is right on the edge of 4/low, and 1/high (5th ) for many of the larger NH.. those are favored mowing speeds.. I personally use 1/high to mow.. then for the trip home, hit 4/high ( 8th ) and go at it.

It may well be as you stated.. he was in low range and was too lazy to change...

I can hit 18 - 20 mph on my NH7610 in 4/high.. plenty fast enough for me.

Soundguy

Soundguy · May 17, 2006

( now if he would have moved on the shoulder a bit and let us pass....haha.

)

IMHO.. that would probably have been illegal. I was told By FL DOT to either occupy the lane I was driving in.. or get completely off the road. Driving partially onthe shoulder counted as driving off the road and obstructing traffic.

5mph is right on the edge of 4/low, and 1/high (5th ) for many of the larger NH.. those are favored mowing speeds.. I personally use 1/high to mow.. then for the trip home, hit 4/high ( 8th ) and go at it.

It may well be as you stated.. he was in low range and was too lazy to change...

I can hit 18 - 20 mph on my NH7610 in 4/high.. plenty fast enough for me.

Soundguy

BX2230Dude · May 17, 2006

You got to be careful driving on the street. This poor guy was driving on a flat, straight, country road with good visibility when he was rear ended by a car. He apparently wasn't wearing his seatbelt. He was thrown off the tractor when it rolled and his leg was crushed by the ROPS. Word on the street is his leg was eventually amputated. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

This happened in Sonoma County, California earlier this month. Here's the newspaper article:

WORKER INJURED IN TRACTOR COLLISION
Published on May 6, 2006

© 2006- The Press Democrat

BYLINE: Mary Callahan

PAGE: B3

COLUMN: AROUND THE EMPIRE

A field hand piloting a tractor east of Cloverdale was severely injured when a trailer he was pulling was rear-ended by a car early Friday, causing the tractor to roll over and crush his leg, authorities said.

Jose Guadalupe Garcia Alvarez, 27, of Geyserville, was in stable condition at Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital but was at risk of losing his left leg, the CHP said.

Alvarez, an employee of Vino Farms management company, had been spraying nearby vineyards and was going off duty as he headed east on Crocker Road toward River Road about 5:30 a.m., Cloverdale fire engineer Roger Fletcher said.

Alvarez was traveling in the traffic lane when he was struck by an eastbound Ford Escort driven by Jose Concepcion Lopez Paredes of Guerneville, the CHP said.

Parades, 73, was traveling about 50 mph, which is the speed limit on the straightaway, Officer Barb Upham said.

Authorities are still investigating, she said.

BX2230Dude · May 17, 2006

You got to be careful driving on the street. This poor guy was driving on a flat, straight, country road with good visibility when he was rear ended by a car. He apparently wasn't wearing his seatbelt. He was thrown off the tractor when it rolled and his leg was crushed by the ROPS. Word on the street is his leg was eventually amputated. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

This happened in Sonoma County, California earlier this month. Here's the newspaper article:

WORKER INJURED IN TRACTOR COLLISION
Published on May 6, 2006

© 2006- The Press Democrat

BYLINE: Mary Callahan

PAGE: B3

COLUMN: AROUND THE EMPIRE

A field hand piloting a tractor east of Cloverdale was severely injured when a trailer he was pulling was rear-ended by a car early Friday, causing the tractor to roll over and crush his leg, authorities said.

Jose Guadalupe Garcia Alvarez, 27, of Geyserville, was in stable condition at Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital but was at risk of losing his left leg, the CHP said.

Alvarez, an employee of Vino Farms management company, had been spraying nearby vineyards and was going off duty as he headed east on Crocker Road toward River Road about 5:30 a.m., Cloverdale fire engineer Roger Fletcher said.

Alvarez was traveling in the traffic lane when he was struck by an eastbound Ford Escort driven by Jose Concepcion Lopez Paredes of Guerneville, the CHP said.

Parades, 73, was traveling about 50 mph, which is the speed limit on the straightaway, Officer Barb Upham said.

Authorities are still investigating, she said.

Buckcreek · May 17, 2006

Any one ever watch a movie called a straight story, It was based on a true story of a man who drove his garden tractor over 300 miles to see his sick brother. This thread reminded me of it. The police in my part of kentucky hardly pay attention to a ATV , much less a farm tractor,..

Buckcreek · May 17, 2006

Any one ever watch a movie called a straight story, It was based on a true story of a man who drove his garden tractor over 300 miles to see his sick brother. This thread reminded me of it. The police in my part of kentucky hardly pay attention to a ATV , much less a farm tractor,..

Bird · May 17, 2006

( I think it might depend on if tractor is on street for farm business or some other reason. )

We have so many laws, I'm not going to try to look up all the details, but I think in Texas it's legal to drive a tractor on a public road, street, or highway if it's for agricultural or construction reasons; i.e., technically would not be legal if you're just using it for transportation to the grocery store, to go visiting, etc. However, I can't imagine any officer stopping the driver of a tractor to inquire about the purpose of the trip. I'd be surprised if an officer stopped a tractor unless the driver did something dangerous, such as running a stop sign, driving on the wrong side of the road, weaving, or doing something to make the officer suspect the driver was intoxicated.

Bird · May 17, 2006

( I think it might depend on if tractor is on street for farm business or some other reason. )

We have so many laws, I'm not going to try to look up all the details, but I think in Texas it's legal to drive a tractor on a public road, street, or highway if it's for agricultural or construction reasons; i.e., technically would not be legal if you're just using it for transportation to the grocery store, to go visiting, etc. However, I can't imagine any officer stopping the driver of a tractor to inquire about the purpose of the trip. I'd be surprised if an officer stopped a tractor unless the driver did something dangerous, such as running a stop sign, driving on the wrong side of the road, weaving, or doing something to make the officer suspect the driver was intoxicated.

CDsdad · May 17, 2006

The county supervisor has more tractors on the road than anyone else. But, yes, we drive on the road. 7 miles from my house to borrow dad's, trailer 1/2 time, ride it 1/2 time.