I WRITE in response to Mr David Turns' letter (Why do tractors have to slow down all traffic? Soapbox, October 13).

Firstly, can I say that as a farmer's daughter and a regular road user myself (A19 Selby to York), I fully understand his frustration.

However, I would like to politely point some things out.

Firstly, I have never heard a farmer "boast" about the long, unsocial hours they have to work. There is no "if" about the hours, it is fact.

Around harvest, crops (summer) and vegetables (autumn), some farmers work from 7am (sometimes earlier) until 10pm (sometimes later, especially in summer).

As a result family time is minimal and often they do not have time for a proper holiday (from my experience).

Would Mr Turns "boast" about this fact? I also wonder whether Mr Turns would have something to say if there were no bread or fresh vegetables in the supermarket each week?

Unfortunately, due to farm to field locations and restrictions imposed by factories, some rush-hour traffic by farmers is to be expected. Most considerate farmers will pull over to let, dare I say it, impatient drivers, past should they see a queue start to from behind them.

Amanda White, Wheldrake Lane, Crockey Hill, York.