Road care and courtesy needed at harvest time

"Not everyone has appreciated the recent sweltering temperatures in some South Island districts but for arable farmers in the middle of harvesting, the golden weather is both a bonus and a race to get crops in before Mother Nature switches moods," says Federated Farmers arable industry chairperson and Waimate farmer Colin Hurst.

During harvest, combine harvesters, large tractors towing implements and other over-size agricultural vehicles often need to use public roads to move between different parts of the farm and between farms.

"They’re bulky and of necessity - and by law - move at lower speeds than other motorists,” Hurst says.

"Farmers are asking other drivers to show a bit of patience and common sense when coming across these large vehicles on the road.”

"If a tractor or harvester does pull over to the edge of the road, take your opportunity to pass if you can do so safely. Most of them will be moving no faster than 30-40kph or so, so it’s not essential to have the same several hundred metres of clear road ahead needed when overtaking much faster moving vehicles,” he says.

Hurst says refusing to pass can result in a long line-up of vehicles and that’s when some drivers’ patience frays and they do something risky.

Federated Farmers is also urging the operators of farm vehicles to keep traffic flows in mind, and to remember their responsibilities in terms of protruding implements/headers and, where required, use of beacons and hazard panels.