Beware: local roads spell trouble

The most common mistake I see on B-roads is down to familiarity. Because we’re usually on roads we’ve been driving all winter, we ride as we expect them to be rather than what we can see. Familiar roads can bring out the laziness in us, so we don’t look as hard as we should do. On these roads it’s an advantage to know your agriculture – farm vehicles are one of the most dangerous things you’re likely to encounter. They’re always moving slower than you think, they always seem to position themselves round blind bends and they have a habit of turning right into fields. As a crash investigator I see a lot of problems with people over-taking tractors because whichever way an agricultural vehicle is turning, it always turns right first – they need the whole road. When you’re thinking about overtaking, if you’re in doubt, hold back.