For those who don?t farm

Ok, this seems small but it drives me nuts. I was mowing hay about four miles from home today. When folded in the moco still sticks out to the right. I always drive with the moco hanging off the right side of the road and the left rear tractor dual on the center line. I came to a series of mailboxes so I needed to swerve out. A pickup was coming (I actually knew him), so I throttled down to time it so he could go past before I needed to swing out. The more I pulled back on the throttle the more he slowed down. Mind you, I?m half in the ditch now, flashers flashing. I ended up stopping and so did he. We just stared at each other.

That makes me crazy. During planting season it is a daily occurrence. If I take to the ditch and slow down that is your cue to drive on. I?m not going to wave someone on as I don?t want to be liable if they wreck going past me, but read the other driver.

I am very thankful I live in an area that respects tractors on the road (for the most part) and I farm mainly two adjoining sections so my blacktop travel is limited. I?m not sure reading other drivers is something kids can do today with these cars that about drive themselves.

When we first moved here, machinery on the gravel roads was just as bad as passenger cars/trucks and semi's. Long, straight, level gravel roads means the average speed is 60 MPH. That's a lot of rock-slingin', not to mention getting dusted out not knowing if any more traffic is coming up ready to hit you.

I guess over the years enough folks have noticed that we slow down and get way over on our side long before the oncoming traffic reaches us, because more and more folks are doing the same. When the dust is REAL bad and there's no wind to blow it away, I'll even stop on the shoulder to let the other vehicle pass with clear line-of-sight. Seems folks really do appreciate a courteous driver.