Our farm is split in two by a rural road that carries milk tankers, log trucks, school buses and gravel trucks from the hills down the valley to the town. And the only place to cross the road is 100 metres from a blind corner. To make matters worse, Pearlie Girlie does not know the road rules.
To make sure the cows are on the road for the shortest time possible, we bunch them up like a pack of marathon runners at a starting line.
Let us at it!
Then we stand at the road with flashing lights and signs aplenty to warn drivers and only let the cows across when the coast is clear.
We're 100m down the slope straddling the road - watch out!
Still, we have seen smoke pour out of semi trailers desperate to stop in time, L platers “coast” right through at 60 km/hr and others roar past at 100km/hr metres away from the first or last cow. I would like to build an underpass but the cost is around $80,000 plus “extras”. One day, we will be able to afford it but please slow down on rural roads. We’re not the only ones.
By the way, Victoria’s road rules say:
- When a Give Way To Stock sign is displayed, you must slow down to a speed which will enable you to give way or stop if necessary to avoid hitting an animal.
- When a stop sign is displayed at a stock crossing, you must stop before reaching the crossing and must not proceed until all animals have crossed the road.
The Milk Maid Marian 
We have the same problem. Last time we were moving young stock along a road I got abused for not having any signage up. I was a bit concerned that somebody had sped past the sign, too close and knocked it over – it happens periodically. When i got back to the sign, it was as I had left it. If it had have been any further to the right, the drivers would have had to swerve to miss it; yet drivers choose not to see. Many people do the right thing and slow down when they see the sign, but many do not. I am dreading the day I have to go and take photos of where the signs are in an attempt to prove we are doing the right thing.
One day an L-plater suggested we get the animals out of his way. We don’t move cattle along the roads because we like to, but because it is a necessity as we run a rural entreprise in an increasingly urban and busy environment.
LikeLike
Oh boy can I relate to that. Some of them you’d like to be able to throw a hand-grenade in their window as they go past!
LikeLike
The highest visability for signs is yellow/black text. Also consider attaching a flourescent flag (you can buy them for bicycles) or a flouro shirt to the sign for greater visability. Just a thought.
LikeLike
Pingback: Dicing with death | The #Agvocate | Scoop.it