(Corn) Field Safety and Driving

I don’t really drive that much but I sure have been a lot of posts about driving. This makes another one…

I think it is just one of those things that happens every year when the air starts to get that specific kind of crisp. The humidity finally decided to pack its bags and leave for the winter, and the leaves start to think about turning. For those of us who live here in the Midwest, that change in the air usually means one thing is coming: harvest time.

It is a beautiful time of year. The light hits the fields in the late afternoon so it look like a painting. But for anyone who spends time on our country roads, this season brings some real challenges. It can be a busy time with back-to-school giving way to harvest time, and it is a time for a reminder on the rules of the road.

The first thing people notice is the corn. It is amazing how fast it grows, and by this time of year, it is standing tall. For those who live in town, it might just look like a pretty green wall, but for those driving the back roads, it is a major visibility issue. When the corn gets that high, it creates a tunnel effect. You can be cruising along at a reasonable speed, and because the stalks are so thick and tall, you might not see a car coming from a perpendicular road until it is almost right next to you.

It is not just the side roads, either. Sometimes the corn grows so heavy and tall that it can actually obscure the upcoming intersections or even make it hard to see where a turn is supposed to happen. It can be a bit startling to see a tractor or another car suddenly appear out of the stalks like it was just sitting there. Because we are a community that values being polite and keeping things moving smoothly, it is easy to get frustrated when someone pulls out suddenly, but we have to remember that they might genuinely not have seen us because of the foliage. It is a good idea to keep your eyes moving and assume that there is always something hidden behind that wall of green.

Then there is the machinery. If you have lived here long enough, you know that the harvest can set the tone for an area. It is work that keeps our local economies going and our families fed. But that work involves some of the biggest pieces of equipment you can find on any road. From now until the end of the harvest, our rural roads are going to be shared with combines, tractors, and those massive grain trucks, all of which move painfully slow on a one-lane road.

These machines are built for power and scale, not for quick maneuvers. A combine harvester is a massive piece of engineering, and it takes up a significant amount of space. When you see one coming, it is always best to give it plenty of room. They are heavy, and they do not stop on a dime. If you are behind one, try to be patient.

The trucks hauling the grain are also something to watch out for. These trucks are often loaded to their maximum capacity, which means they have a lot of momentum. They need extra time to slow down and even more space to make a turn. I have seen some folks get a little impatient and try to pass these trucks on narrow shoulders or around blind curves, and that is just asking for a situation that nobody wants to deal with. In our part of the country, we try to avoid conflict, and a road accident is the last thing anyone wants to deal with during any time of year.

One of the things I appreciate about our community is that we generally look out for one another. We are a people who like to keep the peace. When you see a farmer out there working, it is helpful to remember that they are likely working some of their longest hours of the year. They are tired, they are focused, and they are trying to get their crop harvested before the weather turns. If you see a tractor blocking the road or moving slowly, it is usually not because they are trying to be difficult. They are just doing what needs to be done to provide for their livelihood. A little extra patience goes a long way.

I think a good rule of thumb for the next few weeks is to just slow down a bit more than you normally would. If you are heading down a county road where you know there are active fields, take that extra second to look for hidden driveways or farm paths. Be prepared for the possibility that a vehicle might appear from behind a row of corn at any moment. It is much better to be five minutes late to your destination than to have a close call, or worse, on a back road.

We should also be mindful of the dust and the noise. During harvest, the roads can get pretty dusty, which can affect your visibility even more. If you are driving behind a piece of equipment, try to keep a safe distance so you are not caught in a cloud of dust. And while it can be loud, it is just the temporary sound of the season. It is the sound of our neighbors working hard.

I also want to mention the importance of being predictable. If you have to pull over to let a large piece of machinery pass, try to do so in a way that is clear and safe. Signal your intentions, and if you can, give a friendly wave. That little bit of communication helps keep the mood light and ensures that everyone stays on the same page. We are all in this together. We all want to get home to our families safe and sound at the end of the day.

So, as the days get shorter and the fields turn to gold, let us just take a little extra care. Keep your eyes peeled for those hidden roads, give the big trucks some space, and remember to be kind to one another. It is a beautiful time of year in our neck of the woods, and I would much rather see everyone enjoying the harvest than worrying about a preventable accident. By being aware of the hazards, by being patient with our neighbors, and by staying alert to the changing landscape of our roads, we can make sure that this harvest season is a successful and safe one for everyone.

Author

Corey Fields

Lifelong Midwesterner (40+ years), rooftop solar owner since 2022, EV driver since 2023, gardener, and road-tripper. Writing about practical living, technology, and the places that make the Midwest home.

Take Your Foot Off the Gas and Learn The Art of the Coast

August 11, 2026

Neighborly Advice

Have you ever been driving along on the interstate and see the brake lights of the car in front of you briefly come on for seemingly no reason? I know I do. I call it “phantom braking.” Most of the time, the driver would have known traffic was slowing down. They had the opportunity to simply ease off the accelerator, allowing the vehicle’s natural momentum to carry it forward at a reduced speed. Instead, they chose to hit the brakes, creating a ripple effect of sudden stops that can be dangerous for everyone on the road. Learning to coast is one of the simplest ways to become a smoother, more efficient driver. When you see traffic ahead beginning to bunch up, a slow vehicle ahead, or a stop light, take your foot off the accelerator sooner before reaching for the brake pedal. This allows for a gradual reduction in speed that is much easier for the drivers behind you to react to. It creates a smoother flow of traffic, reducing the “stop-and-go” stress that makes highway driving so exhausting. Why One Tap Causes a Traffic Jam # Traffic engineers have a name for what happens next: a “phantom traffic jam.” When one driver brakes a little harder than they needed to, the driver behind them brakes a little harder still, and so on down the line. A few cars back, someone comes to a complete stop for no visible reason. Researchers have even recreated this on a circular test track, where drivers going in a circle with no obstacles at all still created stop-and-go waves just from small, uneven braking. Smooth drivers who leave space and ease off early can absorb those waves instead of passing them along. Coasting works best with room to do it. A good rule is to keep at least three seconds of following distance between you and the car ahead. Pick a sign or overpass, and when the car in front passes it, count. If you reach it before you get to three, back off. That space is what lets you lift off the gas and slow down gently instead of reacting at the last second. Coasting in an EV # I’ve been driving an EV since 2023, and coasting works a little differently there. Most electric vehicles use regenerative braking. When you lift off the accelerator, the electric motor runs in reverse like a generator, slowing the car and sending some of that energy back into the battery. Many EVs offer a “one-pedal driving” mode where lifting off the accelerator slows the car firmly enough that you rarely need the brake pedal at all in normal traffic. That makes coasting even more rewarding in an EV. Every slowdown you plan ahead for puts a little range back in the battery instead of turning it into heat in your brake pads. It also means the brakes on many EVs last a very long time. The same habit works in a hybrid, too, since hybrids also use regenerative braking. Beyond the safety and comfort factor, coasting is just plain practical. For gas-powered vehicles, it saves on fuel by reducing the constant cycle of acceleration and braking. For EVs, it’s also more efficient, as it preserves battery life and maximizes range. It also puts significantly less wear and tear on your brake pads and rotors, saving you money on maintenance down the road. Next time you see a slowdown ahead, try to coast for a while. It might clear up before you even need to reach for the brakes. It’s better for your car, better for your wallet, and a lot smoother for your neighbors.

Cool Energy Savings: Wash Your Laundry in Cold Water

August 13, 2026

Neighborly Advice

One of the biggest ways we waste money at home is by heating water that doesn’t actually need to be hot. If you switch your laundry to cold water, you stop draining your hot water supply and save on your natural gas or electric bill. A few years back, I saw on the detergent bottle that it said “cold water wash compatible” and it did not make any sense to waste that energy on my clothes if it wasn’t necessary. I switched to the tap cold setting and everything has washed perfectly well since. It is not usually the default setting on the machine, so it takes a few extra button pushes each load, but it is a small effort for a decent bit of savings. I have been doing it for years and the clothes are just as clean. Where the Energy Actually Goes # The washing machine motor doesn’t use much electricity. Heating the water is the expensive part. According to ENERGY STAR, about 90% of the energy a clothes washer uses goes to heating water. That means switching from warm or hot to cold cuts out almost all of the energy cost of a load, without changing anything else. Modern detergents are designed for it. The enzymes in today’s detergents are made to break down stains and dirt at lower temperatures, which is why so many bottles now advertise cold-water cleaning. Cold water is also gentler on fabrics, so colors fade less, clothes shrink less, and they tend to last longer. When Hot Water Still Makes Sense # Cold isn’t always the right call. Hot water is still useful for: Heavily soiled or greasy work clothes where the grease needs heat to loosen up. Sanitizing bedding, towels, and clothes when someone in the house has been sick. Cloth diapers and anything else the manufacturer says to wash hot. For everyday shirts, jeans, socks, and sheets, cold does the job. More Easy Hot Water Savings # While you’re thinking about hot water, a few other quick wins: Check your water heater temperature. The Department of Energy suggests 120°F for most households. Many water heaters ship set to 140°F, which wastes energy and raises the risk of scalding. Wash full loads. The machine uses close to the same energy whether it’s half full or full. Use the high-spin setting. It wrings out more water, so your dryer runs for less time. Fix dripping hot water faucets. A slow drip of hot water is money going down the drain, literally. Switching to ’tap cold’ is a cool move that keeps your hot water ready for when you actually need it. It is just common sense. Save that extra money for something you can actually enjoy.

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