Everyone needs to slow down

While harvest is going on, with combines, semi-trailers and tractors with gravity boxes on the road, many people will put their lives, their passenger’s lives, and the farmers in the farm equipment in peril. Many of our farm tour guests don’t understand or know what a slow-moving vehicle sign means or that the law is the same for passing agricultural equipment as it is with a regular vehicle. They are unknowingly breaking the law, but also their lack of patience could be deadly. When looking at our farm equipment, we are sharing that 30 mph is the most these tractors pulling agricultural equipment can do. So slow down, be safe, and enjoy your time out in the country.

But then there are those drivers who are aware. They are knowingly passing in no-passing zones. Cars and trucks are passing us, people are whipping their fingers and beeping their horns, yelling at us to get off the road. Farmers are often the target of road rage. I think this attitude has increased more in the past few years. There seems to be a loss of respectful driving, being nice to each other on the road, and patience when getting on or off the exits.

I wonder if these people start off their day in a bad mood and just carry it with them as they head to their destination. I believe there is an overall change in some of these people’s frame of mind. They are isolated in their cars, feeling powerful, or maybe just angry.  They feel the urge to push right up close to the car in front of them or stomp down on the gas pedal to roar past a car, tractor or combine, to feel dominant on the road. I think they feel exhilarated, casting fear over the drivers who have been rudely intimidated by their aggressive driving.

 As farmers, we experience this rage every time we move equipment from field to field. We pull out onto the highway knowing that someone is going to try to pass us in a no-passing zone or pass us going up a hill. So often this happens with their kids in their car. They are fearless, thinking they are on the road and that farmers should not be driving so slowly, making them late to school to drop off their kids or heading to work. They would like to blame us for the start of their bad day, but time management is their issue.

From early spring throughout the growing season, we go to check our crops. We drive slowly, often pulling over to scout for weed and insect pressure to ensure our crop is healthy and will grow to its potential. Since there are not many farmers left in our communities, many others can’t understand the importance of driving slowly. I remember being a child and riding in the car with my grandparents going out for a Sunday drive. My grandpa drove slowly to the park, to get ice cream, or to visit other old people. Grandpa had a car with a big engine and used to comment about how many horses were underneath the hood. This image was very confusing to all of us kids. I am sure his car today in the hands of one of these aggressive drivers would be very intimidating to me, and most other drivers, too.

I drive a little over the speed limit, not more than 5-7 miles over fearing a speeding ticket. On the expressway, I keep up with traffic and respect the warnings of a speed trap. Recently, I was harassed by a driver who crept up so close behind my car I could not even see his headlights or his license plate. I was in the car with my daughter, Anna, and her baby, Piper. It was like he came up from behind and was pushing his rage forward, giving me an ill feeling. He didn’t pass in the passing zone, but stayed tight on my butt. Was he drunk or on drugs? He seemed to be angry, driving too close behind me. I was fearful to tap my brakes to give him a warning to back off and afraid to slow down because he was close enough to rear-end me. Anna could feel my nervousness, as she began to look back in her sideview mirror, too. I put on my turn signal about a half mile ahead to pull into a driveway so he would get off my tail, but even then, he was just feet away from hitting our car.

As he drove by, Anna got the license plate number and called it in. She told the operator who answered the 911 call that it was not an emergency and reported the plate number, color and make of the car, and where we were driving. The operator said he would alert other officers in the area, and then asked if we were OK. At the end of the conversation, the operator also said that they were thankful we were safe from the raging driver.

There is a lot that has changed in the last few years. Road rage is a common thing, Mental health is a topic we all know and sympathize with as long as we are not the target of anger. Someone being in a bad mental state is a hazard for others on the road. It is good to call in these aggressive drivers to help make the road safer for everyone. In the end, everyone needs to take a deep breath, be patient, forgiving and kind to one another. Have a safe harvest, and be careful out on the roads.

Tina Hinchley, her husband Duane and daughter Anna milk 240 registered Holsteins with robots. They also farm 2,300 acres near Cambridge, Wisconsin. The Hinchleys have been hosting farm tours for over 25 years.