Muddy Roads

[Rosie and David]

I drove around Europe (France, Spain and Portugal) for 3 months from October to December, did 5000 miles and my motorhome was not dirty. A week ago I drove to VanBitz, a round trip of 40 miles and my van looks like it had travelled across a ploughed field and that was with avoiding if I could the potholes and ditches. Oh and don't mention the hedges!

 

[Geistguy]

40 miles - how lucky you are !! Left home, stopped after 3 miles and van was filthy, we live in a rural area and too much plowing etc going on in muddy fields ! Roads are thick with mud.

 

[Rosie and David]

It is not as if the road between Axminster and Taunton is an autocross route. They have fields in Europe, they farm and plough but the roads are cleaner.

 

[Grianan]

Can happen in France too ? ... we arrived in October just after heavy rain, drove through the countryside where the maize harvest had just been brought in ... our van was absolutely filthy ??

 

[pagey]

had the same thing last october drove back from spain to citi europe van still clean drove from dover to epping absolutely filthy the same mainly due to the smart motorway also known as the m20

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[Ivory55]

I wonder if in France there is as many contract farmers moving between farms with their machinery or it’s all done in house on the farm.

 

[Pops 1]

We live in an agricultural country, sugar beet at this time of the year, suck it up or move to a city and don't venture into the country

 

[Reallyretired]

Washed my car again today, cant so much as open a door without muck all over hands. Mainly mud but constantly gritting the roads when no frost forecast doesn't help.

 

[Eggs]

I wonder if in France there is as many contract farmers moving between farms with their machinery or it’s all done in house on the farm.

Would it matter?, if it's anything like around here (Suffolk) the fields are not all adjoined. Contractors or not the roads get covered in mud by machines moving from field to field. The farmer next to me was lifting beat a few weeks back, the place was a mud bath, I'll live with for the peace and quiet.

 

[The Wino]

I think a lot of it is the grit and salt spread on the road.

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[Nirvanauk]

We live in an agricultural country, sugar beet at this time of the year, suck it up or move to a city and don't venture into the country

Suck it up?

 

[Lanerboy]

1 hr drive last week

 

[rosalan]

Not all negative. Whenever I drive in the French countryside, my fuel consumption goes right down, I am not sure why, Perhaps the tractors I am following all day break up the wind resistance. Bring it on, is what I say

 

[Nirvanauk]

Section 148 of the 1980 highways act says that whoever made the mess is responsible for clearing it up as it is dangerous. The photo below is my main road out. The farmer had no intention of cleaning it up. I called highways at 3 on a Friday afternoon and it was cleaned up by 8 that night. I have lived on a farm all my life so don’t give me any crap about “suck it up”. This was simply dangerous especially as my neighbour had to drive through it in the dark after a bout of chemo.

 

[george w menzies]

I wonder if in France there is as many contract farmers moving between farms with their machinery or it’s all done in house on the farm.

contract farming wont effect mud on road mud is localized to the field they are coming out off by the way thew should be keeping roads they are using clean

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[Pops 1]

Now we all know that the Highway Code is advisory only, however, the Highways Act which I think you are referring to is enforceable, and as you rightly point out, that shown in your photograph is unacceptable.
However, normal mud on Road is a fact of rural life at this time of year, so as I said, suck it up.

 

[Nirvanauk]

Duly changed. Thank you.

 

[Nanniemate]

I blame BREXIT...……..LOL

 

[pappajohn]

Section 148 of the 1980 highways act says that whoever made the mess is responsible for clearing it up as it is dangerous. The photo below is my main road out. The farmer had no intention of cleaning it up. I called highways at 3 on a Friday afternoon and it was cleaned up by 8 that night. I have lived on a farm all my life so don’t give me any crap about “suck it up”. This was simply dangerous especially as my neighbour had to drive through it in the dark after a bout of chemo.


View attachment 360391

Not as bad but it was early days.
We have a reprove this year.... Either the farmers land lease has expired or his curled his toes up.
25 to 30 acres left untouched since the wheat crop came in last August.

 

[Captain Pants]

Completely normal here. If you use country lanes, absolutely no point in washing your car or van from about October to March. Amazing how quickly it all disappears though given a few dry days and a bit of wind.

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[ctc]

Suck it up?

I am deeply shocked. Whatever next?

 

[tonyidle]

Now we all know that the Highway Code is advisory only, however, the Highways Act which I think you are referring to is enforceable, and as you rightly point out, that shown in your photograph is unacceptable.
However, normal mud on Road is a fact of rural life at this time of year, so as I said, suck it up.

The Highway Code is in several areas advisory. Where it is not is clearly marked. There is nothing advisory about leaving the roads clean:

The law
Vehicle operators, contractors and farmers who deposit mud on the road are potentially liable for a range of offences. This guidance note is not a complete statement of the law or of your responsibilities and possible liabilities.

A range of powers are available to the Police and the Highways Department, primarily the Highways Act 1980; and the Road Traffic Act 1988:

• Highways Act 1980 Section 137 states: “If a person, without lawful authority or excuse, in any way wilfully obstructs the free passage along a highway he is guilty of an offence”.
• Highways Act 1980 Section 148 states: “If without lawful authority or excuse a person deposits anything whatsoever on a highway to the interruption of any user of the highway he is guilty of an offence.”
• Section 149 of the Highways Act 1980 states: “If anything is deposited on the highway so as to constitute a nuisance/danger the Highway Authority can require the person who put it there to remove it forthwith”. Mud causes skidding and is therefore dangerous and a nuisance.
• Highways Act 1980 Section 161 states: “If a person, without lawful authority or excuse, deposits anything whatsoever on a highway in consequence of which a user of the highway is injured or endangered, that person is guilty of an offence”.
• Furthermore, the Road Traffic Act 1988 covers situations where a mechanically propelled vehicle is driven dangerously on a road. Driving dangerously can include driving a vehicle in a state that could cause danger to others.

"Suck it up" sounds very clever but doesn't reflect the reality of the situation: there is no reason for one group of users to inconvenience (at best) and endanger (at worst) another. Incidentally I have lived in a rural area all my life - part of it in a very rural location. Farmers in general make no attempt to clean their vehicles before leaving fields.

 

[Ivory55]

Not as bad but it was early days.
We have a reprove this year.... Either the farmers land lease has expired or his curled his toes up.
25 to 30 acres left untouched since the wheat crop came in last August.

View attachment 360397

Eu rules you’re not allowed to leave a field uncovered. Ie you can’t plough it and leave it not planted so they leave it with the stubble of the previous crop.

 

[Captain Pants]

The Highway Code is in several areas advisory. Where it is not is clearly marked. There is nothing advisory about leaving the roads clean:

The law
Vehicle operators, contractors and farmers who deposit mud on the road are potentially liable for a range of offences. This guidance note is not a complete statement of the law or of your responsibilities and possible liabilities.

A range of powers are available to the Police and the Highways Department, primarily the Highways Act 1980; and the Road Traffic Act 1988:

• Highways Act 1980 Section 137 states: “If a person, without lawful authority or excuse, in any way wilfully obstructs the free passage along a highway he is guilty of an offence”.
• Highways Act 1980 Section 148 states: “If without lawful authority or excuse a person deposits anything whatsoever on a highway to the interruption of any user of the highway he is guilty of an offence.”
• Section 149 of the Highways Act 1980 states: “If anything is deposited on the highway so as to constitute a nuisance/danger the Highway Authority can require the person who put it there to remove it forthwith”. Mud causes skidding and is therefore dangerous and a nuisance.
• Highways Act 1980 Section 161 states: “If a person, without lawful authority or excuse, deposits anything whatsoever on a highway in consequence of which a user of the highway is injured or endangered, that person is guilty of an offence”.
• Furthermore, the Road Traffic Act 1988 covers situations where a mechanically propelled vehicle is driven dangerously on a road. Driving dangerously can include driving a vehicle in a state that could cause danger to others.

"Suck it up" sounds very clever but doesn't reflect the reality of the situation: there is no reason for one group of users to inconvenience (at best) and endanger (at worst) another. Incidentally I have lived in a rural area all my life - part of it in a very rural location. Farmers in general make no attempt to clean their vehicles before leaving fields.

I agree farmers make no attempt to clean their vehicles, but as far as legal enforcement is concerned, it’s like parking on pavements, nobody is going to enforce it and how do you clear a muddy road anyway without just adding more inconvenience?

 

[tonyidle]

I agree farmers make no attempt to clean their vehicles, but as far as legal enforcement is concerned, it’s like parking on pavements, nobody is going to enforce it and how do you clear a muddy road anyway without just adding more inconvenience?

You don't - the farmers should be doing what builders have to do on a major in-town build: Clean the vehicles before leaving site. Roads are cleaned using a Diesel version of a wet carpet cleaner - it is a bit bigger too.

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[Stewart J]

40 miles - how lucky you are !! Left home, stopped after 3 miles and van was filthy, we live in a rural area and too much plowing etc going on in muddy fields ! Roads are thick with mud.

Same where I live, drove our new car home from dealer couple of weeks ago, 37 miles and it was hacky (Geordie term meaning absolutely filthy thranslated for the benefit of you Southern gentle folk)

 

[tonyidle]

Same where I live, drove our new car home from dealer couple of weeks ago, 37 miles and it was hacky (Geordie term meaning absolutely filthy thranslated for the benefit of you Southern gentle folk)

They'll never improve if you don't report them.

 

[pappajohn]

Eu rules you’re not allowed to leave a field uncovered. Ie you can’t plough it and leave it not planted so they leave it with the stubble of the previous crop.

I agree, which is why I said the farmer has either pegged it or his lease is up and there's no intention of ploughing or anything else.
He certainly wouldn't leave it fallow and pay rent for the privilege.

 

[Stewart J]

Tony we would need to report them daily there is no real solution at this time of the year farmers accessing very muddy fields to feed stock etc sometimes twice a day with tractors at quads etc those chunky tyres really deposit the muck once on tarmac. Not as bad as in previous examples in other replies but enough to make a mess especially after rain.

 

[gus-lopez]

Eu rules you’re not allowed to leave a field uncovered. Ie you can’t plough it and leave it not planted so they leave it with the stubble of the previous crop.

Regular occurrence around here.

and how do you clear a muddy road anyway without just adding more inconvenience?

Same as the builfing sites have to continual road sweeping machinery & everyone complains continually.

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