Trail of the Dragon news Dec 2011 (Trucks banned on the NC Side)!

[skydivr]

BULLETIN: North Carolina has done what Tennessee won't do ...... ban trucks
heading to the DRAGON. It is now illegal for trucks longer than 30 feet to
operate on US 129 anywhere from US 19/74 all the way to the NC/TN State Line.
They are also banned on NC 28 from NC 143 all the way to US 129. Also on the ban
list is the entire Cherohala Skyway in North Carolina.

New signage will
be erected to advise of the Restrictive Routes.

[semi]

woohoo

[skydivr]

Effectively a 'fait accompli' for TN side of the Dragon from the last junction onto 129 (Foothills?) as there is no other route to take once you get to the good parts. No trucks are gonna want to go up the TN side and then turn around and go back. TN will either have to also block before the start of the good parts, or build a turnaround at their expense at the state line....I think this will be a good move for all riders - but bad for local commerce who requires hauling of goods.

[dadofthree]

No, the azzhats in TN will just spread some dirt and gravel on 129 every Thursday

[GNBRETT]

why no trucks? why are trucks such a hazard????

[dadofthree]

why no trucks? why are trucks such a hazard????

They tend to take up both lanes in the corners, sometimes resulting in the deaths of riders.

[skydivr]

why no trucks? why are trucks such a hazard????

You've never seen the Dragon, have you? the turns are so sharp a truck hauling a trailer can't get around them without crossing line, or putting the tralier off in the ditch...The video's don't do justice.

No, the azzhats in TN will just spread some dirt and gravel on 129 every Thursday

Only gravel I ever saw spread was on the inbred NC side....

[lil charlie]

Its about time

[Hayabusa4life]

About time!

[Hayabusa4life]

why no trucks? why are trucks such a hazard????

Turns are so sharp that the trucks needs to go into the incoming lane to go thru, heres a quick sample...

[SKECHE]

[Tiller]

why no trucks? why are trucks such a hazard????

Yea we are just talking about Semi's......not pick-up trucks. They are ok

[N2DEEP]

About time!!!

[Sous]

Good news!

[captain]

I thought the guy was reaching for a pistol in the second video...

[Black Sheep]

Trucks 30 ft or longer would typically weight 10's of thousands of pounds which beats up on the roads/corners too. Great to know it will be a safer place to ride!

[superbeagle]

Good news for all. How do they plan to enforce?

[k03gsxr750]

Fantastic news! Way to go NC!!

[k03gsxr750]

Family Sues For $14.5M In Fatality On ?Dragon? - The Daily Times

Betting this becomes a wake up call

[k03gsxr750]

The letter also noted that TDOT, in conjunction with the motorcycle industry, had conducted a series of studies on the Dragon in 2008 to identify the root cause of severe crashes and to then implement safety improvements. In researching fatal crashes, the department said that during the last three years only one crash involved a collision between a motorcycle and tractor-trailer.

Apparently, more than one person has to die in TN before it becomes statistically relevant.