Still happening on the dragon

GNBRETT said:
people are crushed and killed on motorcycles just about every month somewhere in this country by either a tractor trailer or car so nothing unusual there. I still think its a small inconvenience to be held up by a truck getting stuck every once in a while. there is risk on every road you ride on. its a highway, not a race track. the road is not designed for motorcycles. its a state highway designed for full weight vehicles.

I could post 20 different videos showing how normal riders on normal roads that have been killed by trucks and or cars. that doesnt really prove anything other then people die on motorcycles just about every day in this country. and usually its because they are riding on a highway designed for CARS and somehow think its their own personal race track cause it has twisty roads....???

id be willing to bet 90% of those killed on the Dragon were those hauling ass around corners taking chances. its NOT from those are just cruising so to blame the truckers for motorcycles crashing on the Dragon is rediculous.

you want to ride like ur on a race track go to a race track. again, its a state highway designed for many different vehicles and if trucks have a tough time fitting then they shud widen the roads.
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Yes its a public road you are correct, its also an ALTERNATIVE route! Its not the only route to get where one needs to go.
So in small towns with bridges that have a weight limit of say..... 20K LBS. these should be ignored by 80K logging trucks?
Yeah the city should spend millions of dollars and raise the taxes of low income people who live in the town this way the truck driver can cut 25 minutes off his route...

Do you know how many people make there living off the Dragon by tourists? Yeah widen the road, allow more tractor trailers on it, resulting in higher taxes to the residents, tourist will get tired of coming YEAH Great Idea! some people I swear!!:banghead:



And why we are at it lets allow mopeds with a top speed of 25 MPH on freeways with speed limits of 70MPH
 
lankeeyankee said:
Yes its a public road you are correct, its also an ALTERNATIVE route! Its not the only route to get where one needs to go.
So in small towns with bridges that have a weight limit of say..... 20K LBS. these should be ignored by 80K logging trucks?
Yeah the city should spend millions of dollars and raise the taxes of low income people who live in the town this way the truck driver can cut 25 minutes off his route...

Do you know how many people make there living off the Dragon by tourists? Yeah widen the road, allow more tractor trailers on it, resulting in higher taxes to the residents, tourist will get tired of coming YEAH Great Idea! some people I swear!!:banghead:



And why we are at it lets allow mopeds with a top speed of 25 MPH on freeways with speed limits of 70MPH
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its an ALTERNATIVE route for motorcyclists as well. some how I doubt the Dragon's revenues from tourists come from squids racing around thinking they are the next GP race star....:whistle:

and furthermore its a STATE highway so taxes come from the STATE not the towns that the dragon passes thru so ur comment on low income people having to pay for upgrades makes no sense.
 
I'm a former trucker, and trucks shouldn't be on that road, and alot like it(unless they are delivering on that road or have escorts).
If for no other reason for their own well being(since alot of folks don't care about anyone).
If you're a trucker on any road, and have tractor wheels in one ditch and trailer wheels in the other, regardless of how you got there(unless you have escort vehicles). If (and eventally when) an oncoming vehicle comes around that curve and hits your truck, and dies; You just got charged with manslaughter, in any state.
That should be enough reason not to take the risk. Let alone the fact that myself and many others wouldn't intentionally jepordize your family and friends or mine on the road.
Lack of common sense in government to pass a simple law. Special permit truck traffic this road only. Alot of roads need that designation.
 
The two times I attended a Busa bash down there I almost had 2 head-on collisions while in my truck traveling to or from Robbinsville towing my bike. Riders go over the yellow line so much that it's a real wonder they didn't kill themselves on the front of my chevy. I've been through a head-on on a bike against a truck. I don't wish that on anyone.
 
GNBRETT said:
people are crushed and killed on motorcycles just about every month somewhere in this country by either a tractor trailer or car so nothing unusual there. I still think its a small inconvenience to be held up by a truck getting stuck every once in a while. there is risk on every road you ride on. its a highway, not a race track. the road is not designed for motorcycles. its a state highway designed for full weight vehicles.

I could post 20 different videos showing how normal riders on normal roads that have been killed by trucks and or cars. that doesnt really prove anything other then people die on motorcycles just about every day in this country. and usually its because they are riding on a highway designed for CARS and somehow think its their own personal race track cause it has twisty roads....???

id be willing to bet 90% of those killed on the Dragon were those hauling ass around corners taking chances. its NOT from those are just cruising so to blame the truckers for motorcycles crashing on the Dragon is rediculous.

you want to ride like ur on a race track go to a race track. again, its a state highway designed for many different vehicles and if trucks have a tough time fitting then they shud widen the roads.
Click to expand...

I have a lot of respect for your profession, and certainly don't doubt your experience. However, your post only proves to me that you have not been on this stretch of US 129. Yes, there are plenty of riders who treat it like their personal racetrack, but there are even more who don't. While annoying, the real issue is not being held up by trucks. The problem is when you come around one of the many short-radius blind curves and meet a truck who is not only in your lane, but blocking the entire road. Not only is he blocking the entire road, but he's also coming right at you. Even if you are going slow enough to stop before you get to him, there's an excellent chance that he cannot stop before he gets to you. That leaves you two options: Eat a truck, or take a dive down the mountain.

Nevermind that the trucks are prohibited by law from using this section of 129, but a simple fact is that if they brought escort vehicles, the highway would be much safer. Your assumption that the only riders who have an issue with trucks are the ones who ride aggressively is just incorrect.

Please make the trip down here sometime and see what it's all about. Those of us who have been there seem to agree on what the problems are.
 
Do you know how many people make there living off the Dragon by tourists? Yeah widen the road, allow more tractor trailers on it, resulting in higher taxes to the residents, tourist will get tired of coming YEAH Great Idea! some people I swear!!
Click to expand...

do you know how many people make their living as a truck driver?????? probably way more than by tourist at the the dragon....yeah some people I swear:poke:

just take a minute to consider this.......

everything you own or use has been brought to you by a ........ you guessed it a ...... TRUCK!...... how bout cutting them a little slack.
 
Guys, in one of my many positions advancing in my family's business, I drove a truck (HAZMAT included). Having seen it, I would NEVER attempt to cross the Dragon, but if I were a stranger and hadn't seen it before and my GPS told me it saved me 50 miles, I might try it. Problem is that once you get in it, there's no place to turn around.

On the NC side it's prohibited, on the TN side it's not. I don't think TN is clear enough about exactly how it's NOT POSSIBLE to navigate a large trailer thru it without violating lanes.

Having said that, I followed a masterful coal truck driver, who went thru there impressively once, but he drug his trailer thru with only one side of his trailer axle actually in the air on RH turns once (he only had a 35 ft. trailer attached and a cabover).
 
put a toll booth on each end with someone in it. few people come off unemployment and it stops unwanted trucks without proper permits and escorts. problem fixed!
 
MoeMar said:
put a toll booth on each end with someone in it. few people come off unemployment and it stops unwanted trucks without proper permits and escorts. problem fixed!
Click to expand...

Earlybird would go broke in one weekend...
 
We have the same issue here in California. Big trucks will keep you on your toes.

Spring Fling 2011 047.jpg

Spring Fling 2011 047.jpg
 
Flicka said:
I have a lot of respect for your profession, and certainly don't doubt your experience. However, your post only proves to me that you have not been on this stretch of US 129. Yes, there are plenty of riders who treat it like their personal racetrack, but there are even more who don't. While annoying, the real issue is not being held up by trucks. The problem is when you come around one of the many short-radius blind curves and meet a truck who is not only in your lane, but blocking the entire road. Not only is he blocking the entire road, but he's also coming right at you. Even if you are going slow enough to stop before you get to him, there's an excellent chance that he cannot stop before he gets to you. That leaves you two options: Eat a truck, or take a dive down the mountain.

Nevermind that the trucks are prohibited by law from using this section of 129, but a simple fact is that if they brought escort vehicles, the highway would be much safer. Your assumption that the only riders who have an issue with trucks are the ones who ride aggressively is just incorrect.

Please make the trip down here sometime and see what it's all about. Those of us who have been there seem to agree on what the problems are.
Click to expand...
my parents lived in Sevierville for 8 years. ive been there on numerous occassions and enjoyed it every time when visiting. im sure I havent been there as often as you but I and every other biker knows what the Dragon is and the problems that exist there. if you as a biker dont take that into account then thats on you and no one else.

I can think of 1/2 a dozen roads around here where trucks have a hard time making it around corners. in fact, the bridge around the corner from my house causes trucks to come to a complete stop when negoiating the turn which is tight and cars have to give them room to pass. thats a common issue everywhere unless one lives in Florida or Texas.

there are roads all over the country like this. not just US 129. I would be willing to bet people like urself that have traveled that road know exactly where the tight corners are that might be problematic. whenever I traveled that road I slowed down considerably around corners I was not familiar with. the fact is CARS kill way more people around corners then trucks do.

in my experience bikers crash because they go zipping around corners their not familiar with riding at break-neck speeds that are beyond their skill level. thats the real reason bikers crash and die. not the truckers.

the city where I work has a big beautiful beach and park. one of the nicest in all Connecticut (the rest of the city is a chithole but the beach is nice) and several years back they BANNED all motorcycles from entering the park which is huge and has a beautiful stretch of road right along the coast line. bikers from NY, NJ and all over CT use to come there to ride but because a few idiots that would pull wheelies and ride like azzholes they decided to ban all bikes from entering the park.???

my solution was to have someone check for a proper license, reg and insurance before entering. that would eliminate probably 95% of the idiots who caused problems there and ruined it for everyone else cause most of the idiot riders are not legit which is why they run from the police when stopped usually.

unfortunately its the irresponsible BIKERS themselves that cause most accidents anywhere in the country. the Dragon is no different.

preventing trucks from entering the road is easy. if the state doesnt want to take the proper steps to prevent that then thats their problem not the truckers. the Dragon is a scenic road for many to travel on and sight see. its not designed for bikers who think their at Laguna Seca....:whistle:
 
Brett, it's my mistake for thinking you hadn't been there. I guess we just don't see it the same way.
 
like I said im sure im not as experienced as you guys at the problems that road can have since im sure you guys travel it often but when a biker crashes around a corner that is so tight that a trucker has to pretty much come to a complete stop its not the trucker that is traveling too fast around that corner its the biker thats traveling too fast.

its actually one of the reasons I dont have a liter bike any longer cause if its not a truck causing the issue then its the person in the car text messaging and crossing over.

I prefer to stay on roads that have divided highways with barriers but the Dragon is like no other road and I can see your point with truckers since its the kind of vehicle that doesnt give you much room to avoid it and striking a ditch probably isnt a much better option.

if the state doesnt want trucks on that road then they should hang several of these at the entrance with an area to turn around....

th-2.jpeg
 
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