[tsk1979]

Originally Posted by addyhemmige

No offence to anyone here, but it is not fair to say we have to ban tractors.

Nope nobody wants to ban tractors

Look at the picture from a rural perspective.

A farm owner has to sell his produce in the nearest town. How does he do it? he has to transport it in a tractor or a truck or a bullock cart. The nearest way to get to town is on a national highway. There are alternate village roads, but they are quite bad and also the distance is longer. Why would he waste money on extra fuel and extra time. He is not driving the tractor for free, he has paid his taxes. Is it his fault that the highway goes through his village? As someone in this forum pointed out, the highways may not be planned keeping the villages in mind & villages too, are affected by the growth of a highway in the middle of the village.

there is a law in place which allows villagers to take their produce to mandis on tractors. However tractors are subsidized vehicles and are allowed only in agriculture. The problem is when they are used as mini buses, construction material carriers etc.,

Also, please don't compare the situation in America to India. It is not at all fair.

I'm not saying that just because the tractors have the right to be on the road, they can drive however they want. Here is where the police come into the picture. They should ensure that all vehicles follow rules (including cars, bikes, trucks etc). We do have to educate tractor drivers and owners on the basics of highway driving.

It is certain maniacs who sit behind the wheel of a tractor who give a bad name to all others.

Just my 2 cents here

Most of tractors on highways are actually used for non agricultural uses(except in harvest season), and police does nothing to enforce the already existing law

[addyhemmige]

Originally Posted by tsk1979

there is a law in place which allows villagers to take their produce to mandis on tractors. However tractors are subsidized vehicles and are allowed only in agriculture. The problem is when they are used as mini buses, construction material carriers etc.,

One of my friends who was planning to start a brick factory near my hometown, purchased a tractor on subsidy. He was supposed to use it exclusively for the brick factory. But, the subsidy was given only on the basis of his plans to start a brick factory. His brick factory didn't materialise due to various reasons, but he still uses the tractor on his farm. So, I don't think tractors are allowed only for agriculture.

[tsk1979]

Originally Posted by addyhemmige

One of my friends who was planning to start a brick factory near my hometown, purchased a tractor on subsidy. He was supposed to use it exclusively for the brick factory. But, the subsidy was given only on the basis of his plans to start a brick factory. His brick factory didn't materialise due to various reasons, but he still uses the tractor on his farm. So, I don't think tractors are allowed only for agriculture.

I think on highways tractors are allowed only if transporting agri produce.
Along with that the trailer should have tail lamps(I am yet to see a trailer with tail lamps).
Inspite of this clear tail lamp law, police never challan tractors without the same

[addyhemmige]

Originally Posted by tsk1979

Along with that the trailer should have tail lamps(I am yet to see a trailer with tail lamps).
Inspite of this clear tail lamp law, police never challan tractors without the same

I have never seen a trailer with tail lights. Also, I have seen a lot of tractor-trailers with different registration numbers. The tractor will have a different no & the trailer will have a different registration no. Is that legally allowed?

[arindamray]

My observations:

a) The trailer is wider and when loaded does not give driver any view of the back. So the driver does not bother to check.

During GQ2 run, we observed a tractor veering right when an Esteem trying to overtake it, successfully nudging it on the median (the median was low in that place), damaging fender and both the doors.

b) No registration number. We tried to see the registration number of the tractor following the accident, but could not find any. And then we checked every tractor we crossed in next 2-3 hours drive. None of them, yes, none of them sported the registration number.

@addyhemmige: you should consider yourself lucky to find the registrion number; that too not one, but two!

Originally Posted by addyhemmige

I have never seen a trailer with tail lights. Also, I have seen a lot of tractor-trailers with different registration numbers. The tractor will have a different no & the trailer will have a different registration no. Is that legally allowed?

[lordofgondor]

My 2 paisas:

1. This situation is there to stay as I believe bringing sense to these tractor drivers & enforcing the law is not happening for the next couple of generations (at least).
2. What we, the drivers who frequent the highways have to do is to be very cautious when there's a tractor in your field of view. Slow down, honk enough to make sure you have the tractor guy's attention and only then move past.

BTW, regarding the 2 registration numbers, I read somewhere that the tractor and it's trailer are registered separately.

[arin_12]

Originally Posted by arindamray

b) No registration number. We tried to see the registration number of the tractor following the accident, but could not find any. And then we checked every tractor we crossed in next 2-3 hours drive. None of them, yes, none of them sported the registration number.

Recently I witnesses one accident near my office. While a OMNI van was trying to over take a Tractor, it toppled as the tractor hit the OMNI. The tractor did not bother to stop. Even I could not find the No plate.
Location Bommanahalli Junction.

[Surprise]

These tractors come in wrong way & if someone in a life saving attempt cuts away closely avoiding the dash, these people will have a feel " Don't you see such a big vehicle coming in the opposite direction"

Traveling at good speeds in the wrong direction (speed lane of the opposite side) without bothering for anything. I slowed down, put my widows down & shouted at them. They accepted with a smile as if they were used for it

Location: Guess its somewhere after Villupuram

[sohail99]

I had a really-really close escape from what could've been a real tragic accident a few months back!

Me and my friends were returning from my friend's brother's marriage at around 2-2:30 in the morning.

I was driving(Chevrolet U-VA). We were cruising at around 60-70km/h on high beams as there was not even a single street light on that stretch of road. There was no road divider there.

Then i spotted two weakly flickering lights, what was supposed to be the headlights of a tractor! so i switched to low beams so that the tractor driver could see better.

When i was quite near him, i suddenly spotted long bamboo bales coming like at least 3-4metres from both sides of the cargo of the tractor!!

I suddenly swerved to the left(speed at that time=60) fortunately U-VA maintained its grip(Goodyear Eagle) and i was able to control the car before it went off the road!

Man i was shaking! Phew

These tractor drivers are totally careless!

Even during my daily commute to Gzb and back, Tractors are mostly responsible for traffic slowdowns and jams! (NH-24)