On my way home last week, around 4:00, I came up on a slow-moving vehicle. By its nature, I figured it wasn't going far. I had about 1.5 miles left to get home, so settled in to mosey along at 5 mph. That road-blocker would either turn, or I would, within a short time. Thankfully, shorter than I had imagined. Less than a quarter mile from where I came upon it.
I gasped as we started down the approach to the low-water bridge. That vehicle dipped two tires off the right-side edge of the road! Lucky the whole thing didn't tip and lose its load!
Coming up off the low-water bridge, I was on level straight road, and could take a picture. I figured a tractor was pulling the trailer, thus the slow pace.
As you can see, there was no room to pass. Not that I contemplated it. I was just relieved that no traffic was coming the other way. This load was about to turn onto the driveway to the left, by that telephone pole up ahead. Not that it had a turn signal, or a driver with an arm long enough for me to see a manual signal. Oh, and you might notice that the bales were NOT strapped down! Just stacked on the trailer.
THIS is why it was going so slow. The procession was led by this little bobcat. That's what we call them, though this one is actually the John Deere brand, which I think is called a track loader. I asked Hick if such a little thing could load those large round bales, and he said sure it could, plus even heavier things.
There was a truck actually pulling the trailer. Again, nothing was strapping down those bales! There is at least one, and maybe two, over the wheels, sitting on the round ends, not visible from this angle. So at least 9 bales, maybe 10, on that trailer, ready to roll all willy-nilly if it tips or is hit by another vehicle.
I'm glad they got out of my way without incident! It would be hard for me to back T-Hoe over the low-water bridge to a turn-around place.
My gosh! Lucky for them that you were patient and they didn't run into cars coming from the other direction. I guess they just figured that the road wasn't used all that much and hoped for the best. I would have thought they'd at least tie those bundles down and try and arrange them so they weren't hanging out at the sides so much. I don't suppose they wanted to make two trips:)
ReplyDeleteI was so close to home, with no pressing schedule, that I didn't mind the delay. Good thing I didn't have to use the bathroom!
DeleteThis road has more traffic than you might think, for being in the middle of nowhere. I sometimes encounter 6 or 7 vehicles on this 2-mile section of county road. Not exactly rush hour, but also not a rarely-used country lane. At least they were going in the same direction the school bus travels, but I think it was ahead of them by about 10 minutes. I'd hate to imagine them meeting each other and deciding who would have to back up.
With that many unstrapped bales no wonder they were going slow, I'm glad they were, imagine them speeding along and hitting a bump so anyone travelling behind would get a roll of hay right onto their bonnet (hood).
ReplyDeleteGood thing that track loader was leading the way. It can't go fast with no wheels! I was sure some bales were going off then those trailer tires slipped off the edge of the blacktop going down the hill to the bridge. But thankful they didn't.
DeleteAs you can see, I stayed way back, until they were on level ground, and I wanted a picture. T-Hoe could probably carry a bale on the hood, but I wouldn't be able to see anything!
There are places in Alabama where we have people doing foolish things like that. I have been frightened a time or two. At least, the load did not shift and fall off.
ReplyDeleteStupidity knows no state lines, heh, heh! I am relieved that no bales fell off. Maybe that's why the track loader was there, in case re-loading was needed.
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