TRACTOR TALK
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"Oi can't read or write, but oi can drive a tractor (or a JCB Fastrac!)..." But I must agree with Paul Fox of Manea, Cambs (Soundoff, CM 13-19 Jan). I have voiced my opinions of this (Sound Off, CM1319 Sept 1995)—my real beef is this: the haulage industry is desperately short of drivers. A 21-year old pays 12,000 to get his HGV licence and then cannot get a driving job.
But along comes a JCB Fastrac, going down the road hell for leather, pulling an old 40ft tandem trailer that has not been tested for 25 years, driven by a 17-year-old who thinks he's Stirling Moss.
In my area there have been a few fatal mishaps involving agricultural tractors. Tyres that are intended for field use were never really intended for continuous road use.
I have seen plenty of JCB Fastracs with 0-licence discs on them and plenty without. It is usually farmers who operate them "to save costs", running on red diesel. And what a job they are to overtake safely.
If anyone out there does not like my criticisms of the farmers or JCB Fastrac users they're welcome to ring me up and tell me on 07970 230476. John Beckett, Lorry (Inver (30 years' experience), Norfolk.