As a fourth generation farmer, Bill Clift’s family has been farming locally since the early 1900s and he’s certainly noticed some changes.
“We’ve seen the size of equipment grow substantially over the years, and it seems maybe like people’s patience has gotten less over the years," Clift said.
He understands that people don’t like getting stuck being large farm equipment, and assures them that farmers don’t like it, either.
“We don’t like moving equipment up and down the road because we’re not being productive when we’re doing that,” he said.
“We just ask for everybody to be patient with us, because I understand that it’s hard because everybody is trying to get where they’re going, but the roads are narrow and there’s a lot of money involved – both with other people’s vehicles and our farm equipment.”
Clift said the equipment drivers do try to find places where they can pull over and let others pass, but that if they did that every time there was a car behind them, it would take forever and they would end up impacting more drivers. Plus, machinery drivers must also follow the law, and Clift said that goes for no passing zones.
“it doesn’t matter what’s going on, the law says in a no passing zone, you’re not supposed to pass,” he said.
Clift said one issue he sees is drivers not knowing that the turn signals on machinery work different than those on cars. The taillights of the equipment are always flashing, but go solid when a turn signal is activated.
“If you turn your left turn signal on, the right flashing lights will go solid and the left flashing lights will be blinking,” Clift explained. “it’s kind of hard for people that don’t understand and know."
He added that misunderstood turn signals are where a lot of accidents happen.
Source: timesleader.net
Photo Credit: istock-tillsonburg
Categories: Kentucky, Rural Lifestyle