I got to one of my farms today, which is on the side of the A413, and i parked up in the little layby just outside his farm so i could open the gate. A police car came past and asked what i was doing. The farmer comes out to see what was going on, and after a bit of debate, the policeman says if he sees me reverse into the farm off the road, he’ll book me (he didnt say what for, ‘i’ll book him’ were his actual words). He then went down the road and parked up and watched to see what i was doing.
I drove off in the end and went back a bit later, but i’ve been doing this since i started, and there’s no other way to get into this farm but reverse in, because my hose wont reach the milk storage system, and even if i drove in forwards, i’d have to reverse out onto said road
Was he just being picky due to boredom? Or will i get screwed over if he catches me? I’ve looked on Google and cant find anything that says it’s illegal.
Thanks for clearing that up Rog. The A413 isn’t the best road to reverse off of, but i’ve never had much bother from other traffic. This placeis slap bang in the middle of a 1 mile (ish) straight bit of road, soi wait until there’s noting coming either way before i start, it gives people plenty of time to see me. God knows what was wrong with this copper, he must have caught his wife shagging the milkman or something!
Although it probably isn’t appropriate here, on Operating Centre can have a restriction on the ‘O’ Licence that says you must enter and leave the operating centre in forward gear. This would obviously be an ‘O’ Licence issue rather than illegal!
farmer:
i did think there was something in the highway code aabout not reversing on to a road implying the preffered way was reversing off the road
HC rule 201
Do not reverse from a side road into a main road. When using a driveway, reverse in and drive out if you can.
farmer:
but then again its years since i read the highway code
Good memory but it’s always good to keep up to date
You don’t even have to buy one - HC online
In AD we call them LIVE and DEAD (or not so live) areas - always reverse into a dead area and drive forwards into the live one - you always get to see into the dead area before reversing into it
He must be very bored Im reversing off roads 20 to 30 times a day in my job although my company is trying its best to reduce our reversing to a minium at the moment which is good policy I suppose when you spend all day in housing estates !!
There is a simple way to clear it up if it happens again. IF this was a normal beat bobby and not a traffic cop, then you tell him to get off his power trip and get a proper TRAFFIC officer to come down and and educate him on the highway code.
Explain this to me, if reversing off a road is illegal… WHY in the car driving test do you reverse round a corner into another road?!?
You may reverse off a main road onto a minor road, you may not reverse off a minor road (eg farm track) onto a main road for obvious reasons.
God I really hate beat bobbies, they really need to get off their power trip and get on with the bloody job.
You should have explained the situation to him and if he still thought it was dangerous ask for his assistance afterall he’s the one with the right to stop traffic plus a car with blue flashing lights
Perhaps you parked in the space where he normally has his daily snooze, or he’s behind on his weekly quota of fines and needs to dish em out, either way it people like that who give the police a bad name
Make sure you have someone watching. Also ask him if reversing back out onto the road on your blindside is more dangerous than reversing into the farm where you can see clearly. If he bangs on about either option being no good say that the other option is to spend 45 minutes unloading on the side of the A413.
Its check mirrors time indicate left bang on every light I can stop move forward use hand signals to stop the drivers behind who usually wants to overetake me then I reverse in to the site.
I know it looks quite big but theres been alterations since the photo and you DO need to reverse on to the site its a nightmare but I usually hope I get a truck behind me as they usually understand a bit more than car drivers.
C-Kay:
Now i know it’s not illegal, i’ll just do it next time
If he’s a right twit he could try booking you with obstruction.
I’d be tempted to drive in, then phone plod and ask for assistance as you have no option other than to reverse out onto an A road & you consider this dangerous. Explain that under normal circumstances you would have reversed in, but have been threatened with being booked.
Chances are he’ll be the one sent to assist you.
Should quieten him down a bit.
Edit: Ofcourse you could also explain the situation to your employer and request they visit said farmer & suggest (with pressure!) that he create a hard turning area.
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