NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL ASSEMBLY

1971 SESSION

 

 

CHAPTER 128

HOUSE BILL 232

 

 

AN ACT TO INCREASE THE WIDTH OF FARM EQUIPMENT WHICH MAY BE OPERATED ON PUBLIC HIGHWAYS BY SPECIAL PERMIT FROM FIFTEEN AND ONE-HALF FEET TO EIGHTEEN FEET.

 

The General Assembly of North Carolina do enact:

 

Section 1.  G.S. 20-116(j) as the same appears in 1969 Cumulative Supplement to 1965 Replacement Volume 1C of the General Statutes is amended by deleting the words "fifteen and one-half" appearing in line two and inserting in lieu thereof "eighteen" so that the section after amendment will read as follows:

"(j)       Self-propelled grain combines or other farm equipment self-propelled or otherwise, not exceeding eighteen feet in width may be operated on any highway, except a highway or section of highway that is a part of the National System of Interstate and Defense Highways, and provided, that such combines or equipment may be operated on numbered federal or State highways exclusive of the Interstate System, only by special permit as provided in G.S. 20-119; permits issued in compliance with G.S. 20-119 for equipment covered under this section may be on an annual basis and shall expire on January 1 of the year next following the year of issuance: Provided, further, that all such combines or equipment which exceed ten feet in width may be so operated only under the following conditions:

(1)        Said equipment may only be so operated during daylight hours; and

(2)        Said equipment must display a red flag on front and rear, said flags shall not be smaller than three feet wide and four feet long and be attached to a stick, pole, staff, etc., not less than four feet long and shall be so attached to said equipment as to be visible from both directions at all times while being operated on the public highway for not less than 300 feet; and said equipment shall travel only on routes designated by the special permit required under this section and for distances not to exceed ten miles; and

(3)        Equipment covered by this section requiring special permit to be operated on permissible or designated highways, which by necessity must travel more than ten miles or where by nature of the terrain or obstacles the flags referred to in subsection (2) are not visible from both directions for 300 feet at any point along the proposed route, must be preceded at a distance of 300 feet and followed at a distance of 300 feet by a flagman either on foot or in a vehicle. Each flagman must carry and display, by hand or mounted on his vehicle, a red flag, not smaller than three feet wide and four feet long. Said flag shall be attached to a stick, pole, staff, etc., not less than three feet long and every such piece of equipment so operated shall carry and display at least one red flag not less than three feet wide and four feet long. Equipment to be operated for a distance in excess of ten miles may not be so operated on Sundays, or holidays; and

(4)        Every such piece of equipment so operated shall operate to the right of the center line when meeting traffic coming from the opposite direction and at all other times when possible and practical.

(5)        Violation of this section shall not constitute negligence per se."

Sec. 2.  This act shall become effective upon ratification.

In the General Assembly read three times and ratified, this the 29th day of March, 1971.