Air July 2, 2003

Thank you Gary, and good morning everyone. Wheat harvest continues to move along and the more sunny breezy days we have right now the better! Wanted to call to your attention a couple of field plot tours in neighboring counties. These are no till soybean drill field plot tours, they are on July 9 and 10th, next Wednesday and Thursday, they are at 7:00 in the morning, that's right, A.M., and one is in eastern Dickinson County and one is in Riley County west of Leonardville. Call me for directions to either one!

Half the year is now history and that means 4th of July is just ahead. With the 4th on a Friday we're going to have a lot of people with long weekends and there will be a lot of people out on the road. Additionally, locally and across much of Kansas, wheat harvest is still under way. While many of you may think of the 4th of July as a holiday, a producer who is still cutting wheat may not. So, we have heavy holiday traffic, you have the added extra of a three day weekend holiday traffic and then you throw wheat harvest in on top of it. Talk about recipes for accidents and disaster. The success and safety for this coming weekend is in your hands. It doesn't matter whether you are driver or passenger, everyone in your vehicle is going to contribute to the safety of that vehicle. First of all, Thursday afternoon and evening and Sunday afternoon and evening are probably going to be the heaviest traffic times. Plan on more congestion and simply accept that you won't make as good of time on the road. Allow more time to get where you are going. One of the biggest problems on the roadways today is from people in too big of a hurry who go too fast and follow too close. Bumper to bumper is fine when you are stuck in traffic, but not when you are going 70, or faster, down the interstate. If there is less than two seconds between you and the vehicle ahead of you, you are too close. Be on the lookout for slower moving harvest equipment. You can be on these vehicles before you know, so slow down early for everyone's sake. Leave the driving to a sober driver. If the driver of your vehicle has been drinking, take the keys away. Heat and sun alone can take their toll on your alertness - add a few drinks and you can have a severely impaired driver. 4th of July Holidays should be fun. Don't let an accident spoil that fun!

This is Chuck Otte, Geary County Extension Agent, with Ag Outlook 2003.

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