What is it with tractor drivers?

Over a period of five days I have at least twice been part of an ever-increasing convoy of vehicles stuck behind the most unthinking, inconsiderate, ignorant, impolite class of road user - a tractor driver.

Six miles or more on a major road (an A road) doing a boring 20 mph or less, passing road ends, lay-bys, passing areas, but not a sign from the blinkered driver of the farm vehicle that he is in any way aware that he has a queue of traffic building up behind him/her.

I’m not on about being in a hurry or needing to be in front of everyone, but there’s something in the Highway Code about slow drivers being observant and courteous enough to pull over when possible to allow those behind to pass safely and go on their way.

Tractor drivers? Some seem never to have heard of being considerate. And they obviously don’t know what rear view mirrors are for. So, we sit behind, crawling along, becoming more and more impatient, blood pressure rising, impatience building, until someone, somewhere decides to make a break for it, and puts everyone at risk, creating an accident in the making.

I fully appreciate that farmers and their employees have to meet deadlines just like the rest of us, but it only takes a moment or two to pull over, let the queue pass and resume their journey,

We live in a rural area so we know full well that farmers are under pressure from many quarters, but alienating fellow road-users is something that takes only a little common sense to avoid.

All I ask of these tractor drivers is this - look behind you, think, and pull over when you can. Please.

Allan Muirhead

Kirkby Lonsdale