classic33
Leg End Member
So all doing the same as the tractor driver then.
The Media War on Cycling
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raleighnut
Legendary Member
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Tractors are getting far too big, what's fine on the open prairie is far too big for England's lanes. Look at the monstrosity Clarkson bought for his farm even Caleb an experienced farm hand takes the mickey out of it.
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PedallingNowhereSlowly
Senior Member
I think we are getting a bit off track here 
It's not about who is holding up who, and whether one use of the public highway is more legitimate than another.
It's about the media (and social media) propogating myths about cycling and dehumanising cyclists.
It's not about who is holding up who, and whether one use of the public highway is more legitimate than another.
It's about the media (and social media) propogating myths about cycling and dehumanising cyclists.
Slick
Guru
It is for construction, but farmers can still access red diesel.
Drago
Legendary Member
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- Suburban Poshshire
I think we are getting a bit off track here
It's not about who is holding up who, and whether one use of the public highway is more legitimate than another.
It's about the media (and social media) propogating myths about cycling and dehumanising cyclists.
Yes, we know the media stir the pot and provoke hatred and division as a way of selling units.
It was ever thus.
We can spend the whole thread nodding in agreement and sighing at the injustice of it all, but that's been done to death and has not taken us further forward.
Or perhaps you could tell us how to do something about it?
presta
Guru
They're on the list that motorists get hot under the collar about too, as are road maintenance workers.
The A120 just to the west of Marks Tey is very busy, and carries quite a lot of freight, but isn't wide enough for lorries to pass cyclists. Cars yes, lorries no. I have stopped to let the queue pass, but it takes several minutes to clear, and when I put the bike back on the road, the traffic is at a standstill again before I've even had time to get back on it. (It's also quite a long detour to bypass it if I'm going to Colchester.)
newts
Veteran
- Location
- Isca Dumnoniorum
So it's OK to delay 40+ people for 10 minutes each who are also working for a living?=and how long would it take said tractor driver to then get pulled back onto said busy road? 20-30 minutes until a big enough gap emerged, when (s)he's actually working for living. How much longer did your journey take 8 or 9 mins, possibly less probably saved you getting stuck behind that bus or lorry?
My original post on this topic was a tractor driver being held up by cyclists & inconvenienced during their working days. Said agricultural workers can't expect cyclists to get out of their so they don't have to slow down on their working route, yet it's ok for them to to be inconsiderate to other road users.
newts
Veteran
- Location
- Isca Dumnoniorum
No one demanded anything, just for other road users to be a little more considerate🙄
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Drago
Legendary Member
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- Suburban Poshshire
And that's we ignore them.
Sadly all we're doing here Is giving them validation by perpetuating the discussion.
ebikeerwidnes
Guru
- Location
- Z’ha’dum
Clearly if a vehicle of any type is holding up the people behind it then it should move over and let them pass when possible
Thing is - a cyclist can move over on a few feet of gate entrance
but a massive tractor has a bit more trouble finding a suitable space
having said which rude morons exist on every category of road user
classic33
Leg End Member
And when safe to do so.
I've held position in front of a tractor because there was no safe spot to pull over on. I know there's a safe spot, for both of us, further on so I aim for that.
Gates open to one side, is it going in there? If it is, and I pull up at one I'm then blocking them getting into the field. It's happened twice to me.
I've taken road centre and stopped short of the gate due to a tractor headed for the gate, holding cars up behind me. It'd meet me further down the road if I'd not stopped. And I now have something bigger than me on the road, in front of me. All for the sake of maybe half a minute. Anything following behind me now has the tractor to deal with, not just me.
I'm aware that they have a job to do, especially the contractors. Often sun up to sun down and beyond, and they're not paid for travelling between jobs.
Dogtrousers
Kilometre nibbler
Thing is, they guy who wrote that stuff above that we're avidly arguing about has never driven a tractor in his life. He's just grabbed an image of a cyclist and a tractor from somewhere and made up a load of bollocks.
classic33
Leg End Member
I think that picture was staged. The tractor is to close to the rear of the cyclist.
He goes on about what might happen on a single track lane/road, but he's not on a single track lane/road. He can move into the other lane and pass the cyclist.
A bigger danger, tractor wise, is the increasing number of them being used on building sites, not agricultural use.
Again they're paid by the job, and the quicker they get it done the quicker they move onto the next one. There's been one clocked, locally to me, doing in excess of 40mph on the wrong side of the road outside a school. The lorry in front wasn't going quick enough for the tractor driver.
Slick
Guru
The rise of the fast tractor has been quite metaphoric. I've never liked them and usually they are piloted by the youngest of operators. Admittedly, youth on its own isn't automatically a negative, but in this instance, it usually is.
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