Tractor accident

[hurleyjd]

12/8/2025 I was in a tractor accident. I was crossing the highway with the tractor and a load of hay on a trailer. There was a car that had pulled up and wanting to turn into the road that I came out of. The driver of that car was waiting for me to cross in front of him so he could turn into the narrow road that I came out of. A couple of young drivers ran upon the scene and realized every thing was blocked they tried to turn past the car waiting to turn and realized that path was closed. They turned back to the road shoulder and seen me and tried to stop 60 feet of skid marks. the hit on my 4630 Ford tractor was hit in the rear wheel and tipped on its side. I ended up under the front of the truck. First helicopter ride. with all saying it is a miracle he is alive. Here I am about three months later at home in a wheel chair. Busted up pelvis, several vertebrae cracked. A number of ribs broke. Been in hospital and to rehab facilities for three months, Home therapy the last two weeks broke right shoulder . Left shoulder with rotator cuff tear. Everything has to heal on its on before any attempt at surgery is done.

 

[kenny thomas]

We wondered where you had been. It sounds rough. Hope you're well soon.

 

[hurleyjd]

We wondered where you had been. It sounds rough. Hope you're well soon.

My daughter is here working the farm. After the accident we reduced the cow herd. I hope we picked the better cows. All are closer to the house an to feeding and hay. We have twenty or so heifers some to breed in may. I will be an old man when we realize any profit from these heifers. I am an old man now just turned 85 Jan 4

 

[Ky hills]

So sorry to hear that, but glad you survived.
Tractors and especially with loads of hay are dangerous on the roads.
I get nervous every time we move hay.
So much traffic and most folks don’t account for the possibility of slow moving trucks with hay wagons or tractors around the curves and hills.

 

[sstterry]

We hope you have a speedy recovery and are back on your feet soon. You will get through this; you are a "tough old bird." ;)

 

[simme]

Sorry about your misfortune. Most drivers now show little patience or respect for farm equipment. In the old days, tractors did not have turn signals. Now they do. Yet, in past times people seemed to anticipate where a tractor was going to turn. Now, even with turn signals, they focus on passing and not even notice the signal. I usually move into the center of the road well before I make a left turn. Attempting to block them from passing as I turn. Yet still have close calls. I suspect they are thinking the same thing about me as I am thinking about them.

That helicopter ride was probably the most expensive trip you have ever made. Hang in there. That 3 months had to be rough.

 

[Travlr]

12/8/2025 I was in a tractor accident. I was crossing the highway with the tractor and a load of hay on a trailer. There was a car that had pulled up and wanting to turn into the road that I came out of. The driver of that car was waiting for me to cross in front of him so he could turn into the narrow road that I came out of. A couple of young drivers ran upon the scene and realized every thing was blocked they tried to turn past the car waiting to turn and realized that path was closed. They turned back to the road shoulder and seen me and tried to stop 60 feet of skid marks. the hit on my 4630 Ford tractor was hit in the rear wheel and tipped on its side. I ended up under the front of the truck. First helicopter ride. with all saying it is a miracle he is alive. Here I am about three months later at home in a wheel chair. Busted up pelvis, several vertebrae cracked. A number of ribs broke. Been in hospital and to rehab facilities for three months, Home therapy the last two weeks broke right shoulder . Left shoulder with rotator cuff tear. Everything has to heal on its on before any attempt at surgery is done.

Don't want to wish anyone ill... but how's the impatient guy doing? And does he have good insurance?

 

[RDFF]

@hurleyjd, sorry to hear about your accident. I will pray for your healthy recovery.

I'm not saying that this had anything to do necessarily with your accident, but this is one of the reasons that I don't like to see "development" of any kind other than agriculture out in the rural ag districts. Zoning helps to keep some of the traffic away from where we're doing agriculture... As traffic increases, so do accidents... and eventually, regulations will kick in to restrict the occurrences of interaction between "commuter traffic" and "agricultural traffic"... and guess which one is going to win out at that point...

I don't know what it's like there where you are @hurleyjd, but all the times that I've been to Texas in the last 3 years or so, I've always been kind of shocked by how y'all let everybody subdivide and split off and develop housing and businesses and industry right out in what used to be pure ag country.

Small 2 lane FM roads barely wide enough for the large farm equipment these days, posted with 70 mph speed limits, with houses and businesses seemingly about every quarter mile, if not more sometimes. You're not going to have ag very long anymore... you've already lost it, IMO... it's just a matter of time till y'all realize it.

 

[TCRanch]

Wow! What a horrible accident! Did they put in those enormous hex screws in your pelvis? The ones in Mr. TC are bigger than anything at the workshop. Just be diligent about PT!! Sending prayers for a full recovery.

 

[wbvs58]

That sounds pretty tough. I wish a speedy recovery. He must have hit pretty hard to tip your tractor.

Ken

 

[Brute 23]

Sorry to hear that.

Some people are just stupid. Ive told the story on here before. I was hit by a car on a tractor also. They never touched the brakes.

The put passing lanes in front of one of our places now so it basically 4 lanes. We thought, man that will be nice. Its literally worse. People will practically run you over, even with wide open lane beside them. They wait until the last minute and swerve in to the next lane. It makes no sense.

A couple days ago one of those large, drivable motor homes was in front of me and one of their side lockers opened up. This door is a couple feet so it made the vehicle wider than its lane. I had the new trailer and we were coming in to construction. No way to fit beside them between the concrete barriers. I got kind of in the middle of the two lanes and put my flashers on. A couple vehicles ran up behind me and then moved to the right lane and waited. Then one guy came up and started trying to push me over and honking and stuff. I tried signaling it was the camper but he kept at it. When it opened back up I got beside the guy in the motor home and signalled to him his compartment was open and he pulled over. We all went around. The guy honking and making all the commotion wouldnt look at me as he went by. What gets me is, di you think me and all the other people were just hanging back for no reason? Do you think you know some thing we dont? He's just an idiot.

Its the same with the people. If other people are stopped. You should stop too. There is a reason. People dont just stop for no reason usually.

No sense...

 

[coachg]

prayers for a full recovery and as low pain as it can be . I know it won’t be pain free . I was turning in my driveway from the farm . Turn signal and my arm out to make a left turn . Lady I guess thought I was telling her to pass me . How we didn’t hit I can’t tell you . I think I’m more careful driving on the road than I am in my trucks .

 

[Silver]

That’s an awful rough deal. Wishing you a full and speedy recovery.

 

[Lucky]

Good to see you posting @hurleyjd sounds like you had a really tough accident hoping you have a speedy recovery. People drive crazy on the FM roads now and you've got to be careful out there. We come through Emory,Tx allot and the traffic in that area has gotten terrible.

 

[Dave]

Thoughts and prayers for a speedy recovery. One of the reasons I love it here. No traffic.

 

[dave_shelby]

Glad you made it through this. hurt just to read it, then three months in a hospital must have driven you stir crazy. you are a tough fellow.

prayers for continued recovery and hope to hear you getting back to life

 

[Ky hills]

Sorry about your misfortune. Most drivers now show little patience or respect for farm equipment. In the old days, tractors did not have turn signals. Now they do. Yet, in past times people seemed to anticipate where a tractor was going to turn. Now, even with turn signals, they focus on passing and not even notice the signal. I usually move into the center of the road well before I make a left turn. Attempting to block them from passing as I turn. Yet still have close calls. I suspect they are thinking the same thing about me as I am thinking about them.

That helicopter ride was probably the most expensive trip you have ever made. Hang in there. That 3 months had to be rough.

Thats a good description of drivers. Used to be the majority of people living out in the rural areas understood tractors and the likelihood of coming around a curve or topping an hill and tractor or a tractor and wagon or truck and wagon being there. Now the rural areas are home to city folks and folks several generations removed from the understanding of tractors and farming activity on the roads.
They fly around and get right up on a tractor. You’re right they don’t pay attention to turn signals and no longer understand hand signals. They think a hand signal is a sign to pass.
My wife does what you describe by getting over part way in the other lane.
On our road I’m afraid to do it as I’ve had people in cars literally seem like they are trying to squeeze around me on one side or the other. With the traffic and layout on our road it’s dangerous to not be within the lane. Very often vehicles are tailgating right up almost against my drawbar. If I was to lower my lift arms it would probably make contact with their vehicles, I’m not even able to slow down to turn in my driveway sometimes. Then most times I’m paranoid about turning from the left afraid there will be a car whipping around.
Then a lot of times they hold down the horn as they go by, give the middle finger salute, or holler obscenities out their window and sometimes a combination or all 3.

 

[midTN_Brangusman]

12/8/2025 I was in a tractor accident. I was crossing the highway with the tractor and a load of hay on a trailer. There was a car that had pulled up and wanting to turn into the road that I came out of. The driver of that car was waiting for me to cross in front of him so he could turn into the narrow road that I came out of. A couple of young drivers ran upon the scene and realized every thing was blocked they tried to turn past the car waiting to turn and realized that path was closed. They turned back to the road shoulder and seen me and tried to stop 60 feet of skid marks. the hit on my 4630 Ford tractor was hit in the rear wheel and tipped on its side. I ended up under the front of the truck. First helicopter ride. with all saying it is a miracle he is alive. Here I am about three months later at home in a wheel chair. Busted up pelvis, several vertebrae cracked. A number of ribs broke. Been in hospital and to rehab facilities for three months, Home therapy the last two weeks broke right shoulder . Left shoulder with rotator cuff tear. Everything has to heal on its on before any attempt at surgery is done.

I’m praying for a full and speedy recovery for you Mr Hurley!

 

[Farm Family]

Prayers for a speedy recovery. Glad your daughter is helping out.

 

[Travlr]

Thats a good description of drivers. Used to be the majority of people living out in the rural areas understood tractors and the likelihood of coming around a curve or topping an hill and tractor or a tractor and wagon or truck and wagon being there. Now the rural areas are home to city folks and folks several generations removed from the understanding of tractors and farming activity on the roads.
They fly around and get right up on a tractor. You’re right they don’t pay attention to turn signals and no longer understand hand signals. They think a hand signal is a sign to pass.
My wife does what you describe by getting over part way in the other lane.
On our road I’m afraid to do it as I’ve had people in cars literally seem like they are trying to squeeze around me on one side or the other. With the traffic and layout on our road it’s dangerous to not be within the lane. Very often vehicles are tailgating right up almost against my drawbar. If I was to lower my lift arms it would probably make contact with their vehicles, I’m not even able to slow down to turn in my driveway sometimes. Then most times I’m paranoid about turning from the left afraid there will be a car whipping around.
Then a lot of times they hold down the horn as they go by, give the middle finger salute, or holler obscenities out their window and sometimes a combination or all 3.

Around here (Central Utah) people will climb your bumper no matter how fast you are going... but refuse to pass. The wife and I went for a leisurely drive in scenic country a couple of days ago on roads with very little traffic, and drove at 45/50 miles an hour to look at the scenery... and invariably we'd get someone climbing our bumper and refusing to pass on long stretches of empty road. I think we pulled over three times to let people pass even though there was no one in the oncoming lane for as far as we could see.
And something else that is odd, people will speed up if they are being passed.