Q: This time of year there are a lot of tractors driving on roads near farms. Is it legal to pass a tractor in a no-passing zone?
A: The Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius once said, “The impediment to action advances action. That which stands in the way becomes the way.” This quote has been popularized by modern stoic writer Ryan Holiday as, “The obstacle is the way.” Being a fan of stoic philosophy, I’ve been asking myself, “If the obstacle is a tractor, and I’m in a no-passing zone, how does the tractor become the way?” Maybe Marcus meant it as a metaphor and I’m taking it too literally.
And if I am taking it too literally, the tractor probably isn’t an obstacle. But I’m getting ahead of myself. Any driver should already know that solid center lines indicate a no-passing zone. The question then is, are there any exceptions to the no-passing zone law?
Yes, there is one exception. The law doesn’t apply “when an obstruction exists making it necessary to drive to the left of the center of the highway.” (The driver still has to yield to oncoming traffic.) This leads to more questions: What is an obstruction? And when is it necessary? Neither of these terms are defined in traffic law, but we can get a hint from Washington’s criminal code on how “necessary” might be understood. I’m admittedly using it out of context, but in the criminal code necessary is defined, in part, as having no other reasonable alternative.
While “obstruction” isn’t defined, it is used in other places in traffic law, and most frequently it refers to a stationary object blocking the roadway. For example, the secure-your-load law describes objects that have fallen out of a vehicle and onto the roadway as obstructions.
We’re getting into interpretation of the law which, as you might recall from Schoolhouse Rock, is the job of the judicial branch of government. (I just rewatched that episode and had forgotten that Schoolhouse Rock describes the three branches of government as a three-ring circus with clowns.) I’ll share my understanding, but I’m no lawyer and my opinion carries no weight in a court of law.
A tractor fits the definition of a motor vehicle in the law, and it’s more appropriate to consider it a slow-moving vehicle than an obstruction. The law prohibits passing a slow-moving vehicle in a no-passing zone.
Even if you were to argue that a tractor driving on the roadway is an obstruction, I still don’t think you could legally pass it in a no-passing zone, because it doesn’t meet the “necessary” requirement. Since the tractor is driving, it’s going to eventually pull into a farm or reach a stretch of road where it’s safe to pass. You might not like the wait, but it’s a reasonable alternative to passing in a no-passing zone.
The exception to crossing the centerline in a no-passing zone is intended for inanimate objects, like a couch that’s fallen out the back of a pickup truck. It’s not going to get out of your way, so it’s necessary to go around it. (Or if you’re a kind-hearted soul and you think it’s safe you could push it out of the roadway, but that might be a dangerous option.)
Getting back to our stoic teachers, maybe it’s not the tractor that’s the obstacle, but our sense of urgency. Then the tractor becomes the way; the way to practice patience. Too philosophical and preachy? Fair enough. Even so, I’m sticking with my answer: It’s not legal to pass a tractor in a no-passing zone.
yup
in Ontatio it is legal to pass on a solid line if the move can be done safely without obstructing oncoming traffic.
its only illegal if you get caught. just put your blinker check 3x for oncoming traffic acclerate to the point you can pass the tractor rapidly, wave to the farmer nicely as u pass and carry on
Is that tractor licensed to us the roads and highways
tractors and farm equipment are not licensed to be on the road and should be given tickets. I believe they should have to pay for a license to drive on road or put on a low boy trailer.
then your food would cost more you moron, farm tractors do have a right to be on state or county roads with a triangle 🔺️ and lights. if you don’t like farmers then quit eating the food they grow !
Amen !!! That was Plain and Simple!!
I whole Healthy agree with it would cost the Dickens out of Farmer put a tractor on a Trailer and pull it a couple hundred Yards or a couple thousand yards and that being said the Farmer would have to cover the cost somehow and that somehow would put of your pocket
slow down have some consideration for the person who supplies your food.tbese people are up before dawn harvest all night sometimes when they have too.slowing you down on your way to get coffee should be the least of your worries.what are you people gonna do when the American farmer is gone? we.all know you and your lazy ass kids aren’t gonna do it.pull your head out and look around America 90 percent.of you don’t even matter.
They are not required to be registered for road use if used for farming, if they are used commercially ie plowing snow for hire, landscaping etc then yes they need to be registered.
Paul, they have the right to be on the highway with proper safety lights, reflectors, etc.. You might be one of the folks that think that can of vegetables you like is magically grown in a back room of Food Lion and appears on the grocer’s shelf. New Yorker? A no-passing zone is usually fairly short; slow down and enjoy the scenery! Most tractors and the cultivating equipment they are pulling are amazing pieces of equipment. Look it over, try to figure how it’s used, it’s only a moment out of your day! And, BTW, if you’re not careful, that tractor may beat you to its destination! Especially if you get hit head on trying to pass it.
Yeah, because that wouldn’t force more farmers to sell their land and equipment to corporate farms now would it? Paying for a license that would cost a ridiculous amount of money in any state because they might drive a few miles down a two lane blacktop road where their next hay or crop field is at is beyond a stupid idea. Paying a trucking company to move equipment a few miles down the road on a low boy would come at an astronomical cost,, and so would buying a semi tractor and low boy to do it themselves when need be. You clearly have no clue how much personal property tax farmers pay every year for their home, land, livestock (per head mind you) and equipment. Someone else from the city that has absolutely zero clue what they’re talking about.
That’s what farmers need. One more tax to get from one pasture to the next. Probably caused by their land being cut in have by a road put in for someone else’s convince.
move back to the city urban center where you belong.
the person that owns the tractor pays taxes?
People with CDL can’t pass anything on a double yellow
Irrelevant
yes, they are. if they do have the big orange reflective triangel farm vehical sign on them.
they are legal & covered under farm insurance policies.
That could have been answered in one sentence. That reminds me of the old saying ” if you ask him what time it is he’ll tell you how to make a watch”
True can’t pass tractor in no passing zone, but at same time in my state tractor must pull over as soon as possible when there’s a line of traffic behind them.
no they do not have to pull over in most states and provinces. MTO, Ontario, states farm equipment should use the traveled portion of the road only because the shoulder is not designed to handle the heavy loads. just a tractor alone is well over 10,000 lbs.
No farm tractors on the highway, no food on Tommy’s table. Are we in that big of hurry?
I think at the very minimum the little triangles that these farmers use on their equipment should be registered because most Farmers just take the triangles and transport them from one vehicle to the next if that was me and my car I would get a ticket for that I have nothing against farmers but I do think they take advantage of the situation.
you cant put the triangle from vehicle to vehicle. if its a piece of farm equipment then most likely they come with the tractor at purches. you cant put it on a registerd motor vehicle.
Hear Ye, Hear Ye !!!
contrary to popular belief, farm tractors and equipment DO NOT have the right of way on farm roads, they are how ever able to USE the roads . as a slow moving non licensed vehicle, they Are however obligated to move off of the road and allow traffic behind them to pass. once traffic is cleared they can move back onto the pavement and proceed. and NO theybare not allowed on US hwys or interstates. they must be transported.
They are allowed on some rural interstates. imagine my surprise topping a hill with my 18 wheeler in Idaho to find a huge tractor and plow chugging along on the interstates! Bicycles too!
add more expence to farmers and you will be eating what China sends you.
The operator of farm equipment doesn’t like having to use public roads! Accidents involving farm machinery more often than not result in the death of the operator it’s not a safe environment for them.
It can be frustrating to have them slow you down but it is done because of necessity and no other reason!!
We had a 15 year old neighbor boy killed on a tractor by a logging truck that passed on a double yellow line when the tractor made a left turn unfortunately in the path of the passing truck. I’m a farmer and like to use the roads, but it is a necessity to access portions of our land. Most farmers are courteous enough to make passing safe when possible. Don’t pass… please.
what’s a 15-year-old boy driving a tractor for in the first place where I live our kids have to be 17 18 just to drive a car
@Mark L and your point? Albeit thev15 year old was licensed as most heavy AG States allow 14vand 15yr olds get their license so they can help with the family farm.
Are you one of those city clowns that decided to move to the country during COVID to work from home? Going from City Clown to village idiot.
why was a 15 yr old driving with out supervision. i know in the country they start young but thats on the parents for letting him drive on the road. kids dont think they need to look and stuff they have been raised with video game rules.. that if u are in front of it its in the past or u can go fast and then just turn the steering wheel and u will actualy turn
That is why the law is, NO PASSONG ON A DOUBLE YELLOW LINE. And that is on every paved road. You are evidently NOT A FARM BOY!
Tractors should be on the shoulder during no passing zones or pull over if they can I think they should have turn signals on tractors up high so people behind them to see them if they are moving vehicles they all have turn signals
Tractors should be on the shoulder during no passing zones or pull over if they can I think they should have turn signals on tractors up high so people behind them to see them if they are moving vehicles they all have turn signals
In New Jersey it is illegal to drive a tractor on the shoulder. Moot point because most roads here don’t have a shoulder anyway.
Go one step further with your article. The tractor is driving below, well below, the posted speed limit. This creates a dangerous road hazard to drivers going the speed limit. Should the police cite the tractor driver for impeding the flow of traffic?
Being well below the posted speed limit is meaningless. That is a max limit. Only limited access roads like interstate highways have a minimun speed and slow moving equipment is not allowed.
that’s why the tractor has a red triangle recognized by law in all states as slow moving vehicle.
I frequently travel between two farms using a tractor and hay equipment. For this application trailering would be silly. There is nothing more frustrating for a farmer than an impatient motorist. My biggest worry is when there is a line of 3 or 4 cars and the last one who just pulled into line decides to pass all the cars and me! Talk about zero patience. Slow moving vehicles appropriately marked and implements of husbandry have the same rights to be on roadways that allow them (non interstates) as anyone elseAND we are not required to pull to the shoulder.
I believe “common sense ” should come into play
1)) no on coming traffic ( visibility ahead)
2) speed limit of the road way
3) how fast the farm equipment is traveling
4) how much traffic is backed up ( a hazard also )
I live in farm country and this is daily except maybe in winter ( I’ve seen state troopers pass farm equipment on a double yellow line ) use your head
If it is safe to Pass Then pass it
if a tractor is holding up traffic of 10 vehicles or more, they are supposed to pull over at the next safe place to do so to allow traffic to pass.
In West Central Missouri, the Rurals don’t even license their “Farm pickups”. i.e. No tabs or license plates. “How do you like those apples?
This article should be titled: “The rule, regarding passing farm vehicles, that no one in the US will ever comply with”. Waste of time. Virtually nobody cares about that farmer, because it means delaying their donut, and posting about the delay, and their priceless life-coaching insights, for, like, three minutes. Then, the idiot moron will pass, after an indecisive period, at nearly the worst possible time, thus inviting the following idiot morons, who live to be “influenced”, to behave the same way. Note: I am an idiot to even respond, here. See how easy it is?
After 25 yrs in law enforcement, and now full time farmer, have been on both sides of issue. Never gave ticket or witnessed ticket for yellow line pass of farm vehicle when done safely, ie: no crash other violation. Had good academy instructor that gave great traffic enforcement statement: be mindful of spirit of the law, not just letter of the law. He furthered that we would be surprised daily at motoring publics (and keyboard warriors) lack of good judgement and sound reasoning. Sadly, I sometimes resemble that last part…and the comment on watchmaking.
Hay farmer here; we drive on county rds when we have to – it’s the most nerve-wracking part of hay season. Drivers inevitably pass recklessly, in no-passing zones, on blind corners and hills… another common hazard recently has become drivers who follow for a while; then when I put my left-hand turn signal on to pull into a field they interpret it as permission to pass and do so fast. I have almost been hit 3 times now like that. When you take the 4-H/OSHA tractor safety course the instructors stress that driving on the shoulder raises the risk of a driver passing recklessly.
Please be patient and don’t pass until it’s safe, and then do so slowly – a car appearing suddenly at my left tire makes my heart skip. We are only going 2 miles – you can afford the extra 4 minutes, and it just might save a life… maybe your own, or some poor innocent.
I’m taking a little different tack on the definition of obstacles being the way. Maybe the double yellow line is the obstacle. In the state of Oregon, most of the county roads in the farming communities only have solid yellow lines. I will look for a safe place to pass, consider the risk, observe the obstacle (solid yellow line), see the only way ahead, and pass the tractor. period.
only had issue 1 time being little late for work as Farmer moving Tractor from 1 part of his farm to another, Foreman pitched a fit, didn’t even have tool out of car, told him would see him tomorrow , left before even starting, called man that signs paycheck explained what happened, said so 1 vacation day then
I whole Healthy agree with it would cost the Dickens out of Farmer put a tractor on a Trailer and pull it a couple hundred Yards or a couple thousand yards and that being said the Farmer would have to cover the cost somehow and that somehow would put of your pocket
I whole Greatly agree with it would cost the Dickens out of a Farmer put a tractor on a Trailer and pull it a couple hundred Yards or a couple thousand yards and that being said the Farmer would have to cover the cost somehow and that somehow would be out of your pocket
I whole Greatly agree with it would cost the Dickens out of a Farmer to put a tractor on a Trailer and pull it a couple hundred Yards or a couple thousand yards and that being said the Farmer would have to cover the cost somehow and that somehow would be out of your pocket