what were the engineers thinking, why no road gear

[OkeeDon]

uno, the difference is things that are used only, or primarily, on a road, and things that are used primarily off the road but use the road only occasionally. It's not just farmers; most construction equipment is also exempt.

Truck-mounted fruit loaders, like the one pictured in the attacment, are exempt if they can't go over a certain speed, but if they can achieve highway speeds must get a restricted registration plate (as shown in the picture) which allows them to drive in daylight hours without the normal lights, etc. I'm not certain, but I think the requirment has to do with the fact that police can catch something traveling at 15 MPH, but the faster stuff needs something to identify them if they try to run away. That seems to be the primary reason why any vehicle needs an identifying number plate (other than giving government another excuse to collect another tax).

Also, the only reason why the roads are improved is for the other vehicles you mentioned; the tractors couldn't care less whether the road is improved or not.

In my area, there's at least one large diary operation (MacArthur Farms) which has constructed their own dirt service road alongside the highway. It's kept graded and in good condition by their own equipment, and runs literally for miles between their various operations.

Concerning the comments about road rage and tractors, I think I was always more or less tolerant about tractors, especially if they made an effort to stay near the shoulder and make it easy for others to pass, but I have to admit that since I have gotten a tractor I have gotten even more "friendly" towards the occasional slow-down. I take the opportunity to note what the tractor is and how it's configured...

 

[jmc]

Re: what were the engineers thinking, why no road

Sure- its an 8.5714% increase! Or 18.2143 hours saved on a cross contry trip.

 

[Soundguy]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Should not a tractor have to have a license to be on the road )</font>

According to -most- states DOT... farm implements may be driven on public streets 9 not interstates ) without a tag.. without a licensed driver.. and without paying road fuel tax.

There is a specific mile limit that can be driven.... but then.. my tractor doesn't have a mile reading on the tach.. soooo.

Soundguy

 

[pruntyc]

I once worked for a BIG wheat farmer in OK. We used the roads to get from field to field, but his fields were so big it was some distance to them. We didn't have 3 pt hitches in those days, so we were pulling a plow behind us. So we sometimes weren't going the top road gear speed. But that was the only time we were on the roads. So he should have to have a tag for that????? If farmers would quit working as much and produce less, who do you think would pay the price for that? Sure they would make less, but I'll bet the man that isn't farming would pay more for it than the farmer. To make a tractor have a licence, is like saying you have to have a licence on all the tools one uses. Because it might be kind of a toy for some people, but for a real farmer, the tractor is a tool, not a toy.

 

[markct]

yea that is the one interesting thing about farm machinery, no need for a licence even on the road. here in connecticut ya cant even drive a moped without a licence. no registration is needed on a moped but ya do need a valid drivers licence. yet i remember when i was 11 or 12 years old taking my fathers NAA to my cousins house and plowing there driveway in winter, sure seemed exciting back then to be able to drive a motor vehicle on the road! i dont mean to say that they should change the law to require a licence as that would make a problem for alot of hard working farm kids, im just saying its sorta surprising that atleast a drivers licence isnt required. i remember there used to be an older fellow around here that had a massey ferguson that he drove into town a few times a week with a carryall on back, he had lost his licence to DWI so it was his only transportation. it used to be parked in front of the local package store alot so i dont know if he learned his lesson or not but thats another matter

 

[cowboydoc]

I know a farmer here that got a DUI and lost his license. He tryed to do the same thing with his tractor. He drove it to town and they busted him because he wasn't doing farm business with the tractor. They stated he was using it for transportation and that wasn't allowed on public roads. The only way he could drive his tractor on public roads was if he was actually doing farm related work with it.

 

[slowrev]

Re: what were the engineers thinking, why no road

Yep, you must be doing farm business. He should have stopped and got a bag of feed with the beer /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[R_squared]

Re: what were the engineers thinking, why no road

Good thinking! The police would probably want to see a receipt also. You won't get much milage out of that bag of feed.

 

[markct]

yep thats the way the law is writen technicaly you have to be doing farm related work. like here in connecticut you can drive ag tractors on the road but construction equipment you need a transport plate on it, and a licence too i assume. i get a bit nervous when i drive my road grader up the road every now and then since its realy not legal.

 

[R_squared]

Did you check to see what the fines would be? Would you get points against your license?