Escorting a large load

[glasshouse]

Why would my wife and kids be in the pickup? I wouldn’t put them
In that position and to involve kids in a working environment is wrong, very wrong, too many distractions from the job in hand.

Most modern headers will be too big to legally tow with pickup

mine isnt “modern”

 

[principal skinner]

mine isnt “modern”

What about the header?

 

[snarling bee]

If the escorting vehicle tows the header most drivers assume that is the wide load. Yes they may be brain dead, but most are when it comes to sharing the road with others.

It is usually my wife, daughter or son who is escorting, and being behind on a dual carriageway is the most dangerous place to be. I would prefer a rear ended combine to a rear ended pickup and a loved one in hospital or worse. Luckily we only have a short length of dual carriageway to negotiate.

 

[yellow belly]

It might comply with the law, but I fail to see how a tractor can be an effective escort vehicle. As has been said, many people will simply assume that the tractor itself is the hazard, no matter what signage is attached to it. So IMO it has to be a pickup/van etc. On top of that vehicle should be VERY clear signage that a wide vehicle is approaching. Not some hand written scrawl on an old bit of wood, attached with baler band. The driver should be fully briefed on what is expected of them and the load driver should be fully aware of the details too. Escort drivers being ahead on a dual carriageway/too far ahead etc is a management issue. It is NOT the fault of the driver.

In my own tractor I consider my self as an annoying guest on the road. I don't pay road tax, don't have an MOT and I cause disruption to those that do. Everyone is on the road for a reason. My reason does not trump theirs.

People running with beacons on at all times (unless you're over width limits) is also a problem. It usually screams "look at my posh tractor" but has the result of most ignoring the hazard when there really is one. Put them on for dual carriageways, as per the law, only. Also, don't put rear worklights on on the road!! It's illegal and distracting.

Running agri kit on busy, fast moving dual carriageways (e.g. the A1) really does need a serious risk assessment for those that need to do it. Can it be done at quiet times? Can it be avoided with a longer route? Should you replace your 40km tractor with a Fastrac/ Unimog? The risk to the machine driver and approaching traffic is massive, along with the disruption it causes as vehicles try to pass. It is of course legal, but so is marrying your cousin........

Farm kit on the a1 is much safer and easier than on any other road i go on every thing can see us from 1/2 a mile back
on narrow B roads lorries and bikes plus school run mums in big 4 x4s make a very hazardous mix

 

[yellow belly]

If the escorting vehicle tows the header most drivers assume that is the wide load. Yes they may be brain dead, but most are when it comes to sharing the road with others.

It is usually my wife, daughter or son who is escorting, and being behind on a dual carriageway is the most dangerous place to be. I would prefer a rear ended combine to a rear ended pickup and a loved one in hospital or worse. Luckily we only have a short length of dual carriageway to negotiate.

We have far more near misses on B roads than on the a1

 

[FarmyStu]

We have far more near misses on B roads than on the a1

Do you necessarily see near misses on dual carriageways? They are happening behind you after all.

 

[snarling bee]

The problem with a dual carriageway IMO is the speed at which other vehicles are travelling compared to other roads.
Just because they can see you 1/2 mile away doesn't mean that you are safe.

We are talking potential injuries or fatalities here, not a dented wing or a smashed mirror. You can buy another combine or pickup, you can't buy a life or health.

 

[ORRA LOON]

I once drove a Grimme self propelled on the A1 at Newark for a few miles from the field to the first junction, but genuinely a terrifying experience as it only did 17mph and looking in the monitor watching lorries approach at 50 mph. No expects you to be going so slow. I would hate to have to farm on/near a dual carriageway.

 

[Brisel]

So just out of interest how many people actually apply to the local police force for a wide load movement order? For farms and dealerships this negates the need to apply for each movement and essentially covers your arse. Also escort vehicle is forbidden to tow .

I live near a county border, so have dispensations for 2 police forces. Easy enough - I just knocked up a spreadsheet with each tractor & combine with weights & dimensions. Every tractor here can be fitted with duals or have a 4m power harrow on the back, so I registered everything. I got a reply from both within a week & it lasts for 12 months. Every cab has a copy. You need to carry one in the wide vehicle and the escorting vehicle.

Code of practice for abnormal loads linked from here

There is a lot to comply with but I've never had any hassle from the police when escorting with just a pickup, flashing beacon and Wide Load Following sign on the roof. Really, I should have chevrons, high vis etc like the professionals do. The Code of Practice is what you'd be listening to in court if it all went wrong. It's not law, but is used as a default position by the QC prosecuting you.

 

[Exfarmer]

I personally think it is safer ifthe escort vehicle is towing the header, even if technically illegal. Although I am not sure if that has been tested.
it gives the following vehicles far more chance to overtake and this means they take fewer chances.
However if it is insisted by the police then we have to go along with it. Following a couple of Lexions towing 40foot headers is not good news if you are in a hurry.
However not sure about the tractor towing a header I followed yesterday, had quite thought things through.
i was. In a queue 4 or five whitevans etc. a couple of cars behind and I was quite mystified what was going on. Every time a lorry appearedthe other way , everything stopped and it seemed the lorries were having big issues getting past. Now this was not a very narrow road and is a regular cut through for beet lorries. It was only 3 miles on that he turned off , and I realised the dividers were still in place. Should such people be alllowed out. In public on their own?

 

[Robt]

Sorry, I disagree. Your average motorist doesn’t know that the tractor and header isn’t the wide load!

 

[snarling bee]

I think part of the problem generally with wide loads is that orange flashing lights are used by so many vehicles where there is no danger whatsoever. So when a really wide vehicle comes along nobody takes any notice. Why does a breakdown vehicle towing a car on a dolly need flashing lights going for example.

 

[johnboy87]

Not really sure what could be done to have avoided it, but had this happen a couple years ago when acting as the rear escort on a dual carriageway when moving the combine for winter storage

 

[Banana Bar]

Escort vehicle behind in dual carriageways, if something’s getting written of from a rear end shunt I would rather it’s my pickup than my combine!

Not if I’m in the pickup

 

[Banana Bar]

So just out of interest how many people actually apply to the local police force for a wide load movement order? For farms and dealerships this negates the need to apply for each movement and essentially covers your arse. Also escort vehicle is forbidden to tow .

Every 6 months. Keep the paperwork in every vehicle.

 

[yellow belly]

Do you necessarily see near misses on dual carriageways? They are happening behind you after all.

with escort behind for combine and full flashing lights we can see all vehicles aproaching from behind in the mirrors
the closeing speed is less than on a b and c road when we are going 18 mph towards a car doing 60 mph or more

the combine on the a1 is well within the lane giving plenty of width for lorries
much easier than b roads where there are ovehanging trees hedges walls and high kerbs or verge grips with barely enough room for a lorry and a car to pass

all the near misses have been on b and c roads people going to fast round bends and overtaking when they cannot see or when indicating to turn right
as if tractor woudnt turn into a field gate or a farm entrance often it is a car 4 or 5 back in the que on a bend
the worst was a white van came over a hill round a bend at more than 60 mph past the escort took to the verge and bounced over 2 verge grips

 

[FarmyStu]

with escort behind for combine and full flashing lights we can see all vehicles aproaching from behind in the mirrors
the closeing speed is less than on a b and c road when we are going 18 mph towards a car doing 60 mph or more

the combine on the a1 is well within the lane giving plenty of width for lorries
much easier than b roads where there are ovehanging trees hedges walls and high kerbs or verge grips with barely enough room for a lorry and a car to pass

all the near misses have been on b and c roads people going to fast round bends and overtaking when they cannot see or when indicating to turn right
as if tractor woudnt turn into a field gate or a farm entrance often it is a car 4 or 5 back in the que on a bend
the worst was a white van came over a hill round a bend at more than 60 mph past the escort took to the verge and bounced over 2 verge grips

Yeah I see what you're saying and have seen more than my fair share of crazy B road drivers. But as a regular user of the A1 I often end up in the queues behind machinery (Cranes can be a real pain). Obviously you're right that the people at the front can see the combine and flashing lights. But that's soon hidden by a line of HGVs and OAPs now travelling at 20mph and desperately trying to move into the overtaking lane. This is where it gets dangerous and chaotic. I just think this needs taking into account when planning a move.

That said, as a machinery geek, i usually look forward to seeing whats causing the holdup

 

[Andrew]

The idea of an escort vehicle behind with a trained driver is to prevent rear end collisions. Leave a decent gap from the vehicle you’re escorting and watch the mirrors like a hawk. If you see a vehicle that hasn’t twigged your speed, you accelerate and move left, hopefully giving the other driver time to slow and stop.

 

[Robt]

The idea of an escort vehicle behind with a trained driver is to prevent rear end collisions. Leave a decent gap from the vehicle you’re escorting and watch the mirrors like a hawk. If you see a vehicle that hasn’t twigged your speed, you accelerate and move left, hopefully giving the other driver time to slow and stop.

That is exactly the reason and what I have always done! Have had to move over on a few occasions when drivers haven’t noticed!

 

[holywell farmer]

Sorry, I disagree. Your average motorist doesn’t know that the tractor and header isn’t the wide load!

People get frustrated at slow moving or wide vehicles sadly these days.