Petition to ban commercial vehicles from US129 (Deals Gap)

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Re: If You or Want To Ride The Dragon

Okay I see your point. Obviously the road was built long before such large tractor-trailers became commonplace.
 
Re: If You or Want To Ride The Dragon

BusaBob said:
Retro/CruisinGrrl:

Yes, it is a public road, but it definitely should not be open to all traffic. The road simply is not safe to be traveled on by large transport trucks or buses, as it it too narrow and too twistie.

There are several areas on the Dragon where such vehicles cannot continue without crossing over into the oncoming lane (often at blind corners), or without allowing their vehicle to completely block both lines of traffic. This is dangerous for everyone involved, regardless of whether you're travelling at the speed limit or not.
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This is my point exactly and as I understand it in some places there are laws such as "fail to keep right". in addition to semi trucks i'd include some RVs/motorhomes/pickup-trailer combos.

from looking at google maps in the past there are alternate routes to get to the required towns...
 
Re: If You or Want To Ride The Dragon

SkyRider said:
is the dragon a shortcut? cuz what kinda trucker in their right mind would drive there? it's not like they get paid extra for driving on a difficult road. if the gps routed them there and they can't turn around, an u turn ramp should be built. maybe...?
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It's a big short cut. Trucks are not permitted through the Smokey Mnts Park. It's something like a 200 mile route to go around it. Most truck drivers that i have talked with that have went through... will do anything possible not to go back.
 
Re: If You or Want To Ride The Dragon

SkyRider said:
is the dragon a shortcut? cuz what kinda trucker in their right mind would drive there? it's not like they get paid extra for driving on a difficult road. if the gps routed them there and they can't turn around, an u turn ramp should be built. maybe...?
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Taking Deals Gap (aka "The Tail of the Dragon") saves time, as you would have to take the interstate around the Great Smokey Mountain National Park otherwise, but trucks and buses are simply too large for the small, twisty mountain road.

the Tail of the Dragon is literally cut into the side of a mountain/hill. Along the roadway itself, there is no room to build a turn-around for trucks or buses.

Like I said, there are some limited warning signs, but by the time truck/bus operators realize what they're in, there is no turning back.

http://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=U...;FXIwGgIdtn4C-w&mra=dme&mrsp=0&sz=8&via=1&z=9
 
Re: If You or Want To Ride The Dragon

CruisnGrrl said:
This is my point exactly and as I understand it in some places there are laws such as "fail to keep right". in addition to semi trucks i'd include some RVs/motorhomes/pickup-trailer combos.

from looking at google maps in the past there are alternate routes to get to the required towns...
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a lot of those roads on google maps are very secondary roads, often even narrower and less well maintained/constructed than the Dragon. some are only gravel roads to private homes/cottages.

to avoid taking the interstate around the Smokey National Park, you have to take US129...it was just never designed to accommodate large transports.

actually, i read or heard somewhere that it used to be a goat path, and then moonshiners used it during prohibition when it was just a dirt mountain road.
 
Re: If You or Want To Ride The Dragon

Man, if the semi's can't safely navigate those roads, they should keep the **** out. Not only are they dangerous to motorcyclists, but a serious danger to everybody, cars and bikes.
 
Re: If You or Want To Ride The Dragon

Is there anyone that went down this year (the group that went down for a week) encounter trucks, buses etc, maybe insights from people who have been down to chim in on their experience...

Would it be realistic to have time sections where truck are allowed (like the no left turns from Xam-Xpm, or no parking from 3pm-7pm) So trucks could be allowed to enter at a certain time and then it closes, so if truckers do get routed wrongly by the gps or take it to cut down time, riders and cars can know that they are potentially on the route?
 
Re: If You or Want To Ride The Dragon

cnr1993 said:
I think this is where most of the truck pics are coming from. I have heard about this road and was thinking of going, I won't until trucks and long vehicles are banned. Right now it's a deathtrap.

http://tailofthedragon.com/dragon_trucks.html
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it's not a death trap. it's a beautiful piece of road, albeit very technical. buses and trucks are rarely on it.

that website has a compilation of photos over a number of years. they're trying to get trucks officially banned from using US129.

as was posted earlier, i would imagine most truckers who know better stay off of it. it's the ones who don't that soon regret it.

if you stick to the speed limit and take it easy around blind corners, looking well ahead (be ready to brake), you will be ok.
 
Re: If You or Want To Ride The Dragon

S500K said:
Is there anyone that went down this year (the group that went down for a week) encounter trucks, buses etc, maybe insights from people who have been down to chim in on their experience...

Would it be realistic to have time sections where truck are allowed (like the no left turns from Xam-Xpm, or no parking from 3pm-7pm) So trucks could be allowed to enter at a certain time and then it closes, so if truckers do get routed wrongly by the gps or take it to cut down time, riders and cars can know that they are potentially on the route?
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i would prefer to see them banned outright. the road is just too narrow and tight for them. it's unsafe.
 
Re: If You or Want To Ride The Dragon

Man, if the semi's can't safely navigate those roads, they should keep the **** out. Not only are they dangerous to motorcyclists, but a serious danger to everybody, cars and bikes.
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Don't forget themselves, roll overs, go down a ditch, take out a tree etc.

it's not a death trap. it's a beautiful piece of road, albeit very technical. buses and trucks are rarely on it.
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I was going to ask, people who have been down there, how many trucks, buses did you actually see. I don't think convoy's head down it....
 
Re: If You or Want To Ride The Dragon

the three times i've been there (one week each time), i saw 1 or 2 each trip.

because of the people voluntarily escorting the buses/trucks, there's enough warning time to slow right down.

just take it easy on the corners (all 318 of them). a lot of the corners are tighter than many of our on/off ramps here.

also, there are plenty of sweet, sweeet riding roads in the area, not just US129
 
Re: If You or Want To Ride The Dragon

I was down there early in July this year and when we pulled over at the look out almost at the end, a few bikers stopped right after us and were quite upset that they were almost run over by a semi. I recall seeing it but it was on a fairly straight part of the road. Still this is not a place for any vehicle of that size and should not be allowed! It is simply not safe for either them or those around them travelling this stretch of road. Just my thoughts.
 
Re: If You or Want To Ride The Dragon

omnivore said:
I estimate 6-10 trucks use it daily.
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wow. had no idea there could be that many.

i just saw the 1-2 each week i was there
 
Re: If You or Want To Ride The Dragon

Can't believe some chuckleheads on another forum I read are defending trucks on that road....
Check out this video - particularly 1:40.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ebQP4SgFGgM

Trucks can't stay in their own lane.... only a matter of time before a truck wipes out a group of riders or decapitates some people in a convertible...
 
Re: If You or Want To Ride The Dragon

First off R.I.P. to the rider

Secondly, I've been going to the gap for I guess a decade now, car and motorcycle. Everyone knows its a sweet road and the speed limit there is something stupid like 20 or 30 MPH. I think only the HD guys do that speed or under that. We all know why we go there and we all know the risks. You want people to sign a petition so we can break the law :confused:
 

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Re: If You or Want To Ride The Dragon

Graves said:
First off R.I.P. to the rider

Secondly, I've been going to the gap for I guess a decade now, car and motorcycle. Everyone knows its a sweet road and the speed limit there is something stupid like 20 or 30 MPH. I think only the HD guys do that speed or under that. We all know why we go there and we all know the risks. You want people to sign a petition so we can break the law :confused:
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maybe you didn't read some of the above posts, even at/below the speed limit the trucks make it unsafe on some of those corners by blocking the entire road.
 
Re: If You or Want To Ride The Dragon

CruisnGrrl said:
the forks of the credit is a public road too, yet busses and trucks are banned there, how ever there are detours for them...
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Simple reason why they're banned - the hairpin near the top is impassable for a vehicle of that length.
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