Damage caused by contractors

[Matt]

Neighbour asked for my opinion on some damage caused by a round bale getting away from the baler on a bank. Now he knew it was steep and the contractor isnt careless and wouldnt of just let them go anywhere. Would it be normal for contacter to put it all right or sort of a 50 50 solution. I struggled to come up with a answer for him.
Yes i would be pee'd off, but if it had of been me that asked for it to be baled then i would expect to share some responsibility. Have had contracters bales go through fence here when it could of been dropped in a hollow but we sorted fence.

 

[Recoil]

I think the farmer should sort it aslong as the contractor wasn't being careless. Accidents happen however careful you are.

 

[Grassman]

Unless the contractor was totally negligent then it's just one of those things that happens. I have had bales roll on what was virtually flat bits in a hilly field.
But if a bale rolls and causes an accident then I would imagine the tractor driver is liable.

 

[Lofty1984]

I'd say no way why should the contractor pay especially as he is a tidy chap you say, if its that steep then you can't expect not to have it happen no matter how careful the baler man is. Your pal might find he can't get anyone to bale for him if this is the route he wants to go down. How much damage did it do??

 

[Grassman]

1. Also I have seen bales sitting in the field happily then it starts going on its own!

 

[Matt]

If its the bank im thinking of one bit you would struggle to back the baler up it if it was a bit slick.

 

[Lazy Sod]

I remember watching a baler working up and down a steep field on Exmoor.

The driver reversed back at angle as much as possible, so as to leave the bales at 90 degrees to the direction of working, so that they would not run away.

There was also the added advantage that the bale collecting tractor could work up and down the slope.

 

[Matt]

The field i think it is has got 2 slopes to it.

 

[PeteWithABeard]

It's not unknown when it's steep, for a bale to roll end over end.

 

[7610 super q]

It really is quite simple, if you damage someone else's property, then you pay for the damage. If you bale a steep field, and bales roll off then it's your responsibility.

 

[Lofty1984]

It really is quite simple, if you damage someone else's property, then you pay for the damage. If you bale a steep field, and bales roll off then it's your responsibility.

If that's the case want to come bale some of our steep ground the fence needs replacing at the bottom

 

[7610 super q]

If that's the case want to come bale some of our steep ground the fence needs replacing at the bottom

I meant the owner of the field, not the contractor.

 

[Gong Farmer]

I knew a student who's main job in one summer employment was to stand at the bottom of the hill in any sloping fields being round baled, and shoulder-charge over any that came down towards the road.

Sounded great fun

 

[7610 super q]

I would have thought square bales would be better, although that was pooh-poohed on another thread?

 

[dogglercowman1]

My contractor baled a field recently that was dry and not greasy and he needed towing up every row because it was that steep

 

[dogglercowman1]

When i was younger bout 18 yrs ago friend of mine asked me to help cart some round bales off a bankside.....when i got there contractor hadnt arrived so twiddling our thumbs we went to the pub......getting slightly carried away we consumed 5 pints of stella each...on returning to hillside we realised contractor had been and gone and was all baled up.....we started to cart bales ,my mate was loading with 2 wheel drive international and was loading my trailer....with 10 bales on the base in a drunken moment of sillyness i turned up hill and all bales rolled off....8 stayed put in a pile but 2 had other ideas.......my mate decided to charge after them .....i know you would have had to be there but i chuckle to my self every time i remember when he hit the first bale with his front wheel and damaging his tractor and both of us laughing as the other bale gathered pace and went through a wood at bottom of hill and ended up in a golf course.......older and wiser now shoudnt av gone to pub....but we did get away with it....sadly sometimes others dont

 

[buffalo_soldier]

Contractor caused damage here this year, his fault he came and repaired it when he had a bit of downtime.

Asking a contractor to bale on a slope I think is more a 50:50 thing. Farmer repairs damage, Contractor knocks a few bales off the invoice. imo

 

[rob1]

I knew a student who's main job in one summer employment was to stand at the bottom of the hill in any sloping fields being round baled, and shoulder-charge over any that came down towards the road.

Sounded great fun

Bit like the cheese rolling at coopers hill then,

 

[capfits]

Ask contractor to pay for the repairs in this situation= contractor not coming back.

 

[Matt]

I do think the owner of the ground is perhaps been a bit hard on contractor. Expect knowing the lad he will end up puttinh it back as it was even though i said to the bloke the best you could get is he pay for materials farmer sorts it.