Trucks pay taxes to move products. Ride at the POSTED speed limit on the tail, and avoid the fate of wannabe racers and donorcycles. We've had bikes come at us WAY OVER the center line, like its ONE WAY traffic. There are trucks and Motorhomes to contend with. Its NOT a private track. However, if you don't survive the "Tail" because you were playing 'racer" its "natural selection" and now we don't have to "DEAL" with you anymore. Making it safer for those that respect the rights of others.
@Tennessee4Me No one should be over the line neither bike nor truck. But I think it is clear to see who is at fault in this video. While no bikes should cross the yellows either. I think the poster of this video is just trying to point out that it is almost impossible for a truck to make these turns with a load. So knowing that they will be placing others in danger why do they even take it? The worst part is the LEO's do not seem to care.
@parkze17 They watch trucks do this right in front of them and do nothing. But motorcycle riders get pulled over left and right. I agree that riders who are being unsafe should be stopped but when a truck driver crosses the yellow lines be almost 1/2 his truck they need to be stopped too.
My son and I drove all the way from Texas to run the Tail. It was great and got us hooked on High Performance Driving Events. Lots of tracks in Texas and no Semi trucks.
There was at least half the lane left for you, the one motorcycle could have fit if the rider was looking through the corner and had slowed down properly before getting there.
@JeepCherokeeful Given you're not panicking having a wall of metal turn up in front of you and having to decide in milliseconds if you risk colliding with it or rather keep it safe and take a, in comparrison, harmless trip into the woods. Also there was no guarantee the truck driver wouldn't target-fixate and go straight for you. It's quite too easy to asses these situations in slowmo and without the actual risk. Leaving the road was the right choice IMHO.
@weavhipe Bikes need to slow down. I was ran off the road there twice 2 weeks ago. Not a rig in sight. Bikes. And I swerve off the road to not hit them while they are enjoying the comforts of my lane. Because they don't want to slow down. As a lifelong resident of East Tn, that wasn't my first or even my 100th trip down the dragon, nor the first accident I've seen caused by bikers. I say the cops aren't writing bikers enough tickets. Speeding is the big problem here.
@311stoneybaby311 But I suppose I should just keep my car off the dragon too, right? Because it doesn't belong there, right? Not like it's a PUBLIC road or anything.
@311stoneybaby311 fyi there are many roads in the US that dont permit semi trucks...even though they are public. so if your car is not capable of staying in a single lane while negotiating a turn on the dragon, the yes, keep your shitty car off the dragon too
I signed the petition to ban the truckers from this road. I hope others will to! It's sad when a person is out enjoying this road and a trucker knows that they shouldn't be on it, but yet they come anyway. Then they kill an innocent person. Next time it could be a vehicle with kids.
@davesmusic77 that would be true if no one wanted to have fun and take risks on an awesome road on an awesome machine. its the fact that these drivers are such idiots that makes us motorcyclists have to take these ridiculously cautious steps to avoid their bullshit. If every cage driver was amazing and aware we would be able to use our whole lane and it wouldn't be considered 'chancey'.
Who ever says the trucker was not at fault needs glasses! That diesel was 3/4 of the way into his lane!
Your looking at that video in slo-mo jack ass.....imagine being on the bike and seeing that as you prepared to turn. You wouldnt have the time to think if he would make it back into his lane or not. The trucker was obviously going much faster than he should have been. The rider on the bike had nothing to be blamed for.
....Good save man. That could have been much worse. Jackass trucker..
@epwookie you do know that it is legal for a commerical vehichle to go into the other lane if needed to take a corner. And on this road, it is needed.
@SirloinBeefBurger I'm just saying that he is allowed to do that by LAW Back in the 70's, the gov. made it legal to do this. If the biker would of took him to court, the biker would of been at fault for failure to control.
Honestly, if you look at statistics, %40 of crashed have a truck envolved in it. And from that %40 percent about %90 percent are found to have the other driver at fault. Put yourself in the drivers seat. Would you rather damage the trailer or make a wider turn?
@trucker908 On August 3rd, 2011, A semi killed a friend of mine on the Dragon. The truck was taking up both lanes, covering the white lines. The truck struck my friend with the rear portion of the trailer which ran over my friend and his bike. The only way to avoid the impact would have been to go over the cliff. Some choice if there was any real time to think about it.
Those big rigs simply do not belong on that road. Period.
The truck driver was charged with vehicular homicide.
@Fudmottin I have to agree with you that semi trucks don't belong on that road, but some just take the wrong turn and head up that road by accident. Nothing they can do.
I just hope 1 day people will learn how to drive around trucks we cant stop on a dime or turn that sharp without crossing the line On that note as a rider its our duty to be safe and watch for things constantly coming in our paths
Thats y i blame both riders speed was a factor in this
@abbazaba1979 wrong attitude jack, it is not our job to drive around you...you are a professional driver and i would think that something as famous as US129 might me pretty common knowlege. and if not, while your plotting your cross country expedition, i recommend looking at a fcking map and avoiding the roads that look like a 90 year old with parkinsons tried drawing a straight line. theres a dif btw taking a wide turn and taking both lanes in blind curves
@ormazd58 me wrong attitude ?? I ride a bike and trucks and let me say if u dont watch for trucks your just stupid.....on my trip to the dragon i came into a curve with a big rig....guess what ??? I was doing the speed limit and i dident runn off the road or into the truck so being both a trucker and a rideri watch out for everything no matter what i drive......and u should to if u dont wanna die on ur bike...but next time plz not such a smart butt
@abbazaba1979 lol yeah sorry if i offended you but im sick of truck driver's that shouldn't be driving, there are many true professionals that would do the right thing and say hey, maybe i should not be on this road.,or better yet plan ahead and not run that route. My job puts me in conversations with truckers on a reg basis and i hate the ones that think bc they in a big truck we have to adjust our driving for them. if i speed fine, give me a ticket but dont run me off the road thats not fair
@ormazd58 yeah tru man lotta bad mouth truckers but companys like swift make there drivers take that road....but reall all i was saying b4 really is that the guy in the video was rideing way over the limite for that road ...the dragon is lotta fun but trucks is no supprize there unfortunately .....i agree trucks shouldent be alloud there but its not against the law so there they right in front of us riders all we can do is watch out...me as a driver will never go there in a rig
@abbazaba1979 thats insane to make em run that route, beside from what i understand it is banned for trucks on the NC side, just not the TN side, but how do you cross TN and not enter NC lol. i get that yall have a really hard job, Lord knows i could never do it. and yeah a lot of riders do run that road pretty fast, myself included, and yeah i know its dangerous. i just dont see how in this instance it is anything other than the truckers fault...that said i do try staying to the outside lol
@ormazd58 just looked it up there trying to ban as of this year i hope it passes in the mean time be safe i watch out for riders but alot of trukers dont care ive had truckers switch lanes with me allready there scarry stuff
@baneofFreeSpeach well first off i drive a truck and a bike 2nd this road is NOT truck restricted a smart rider looks for these things
Now with that said i do think the road should be restrictrd but since its not its us the bikers duty to pay more attation and not speed at the dragon this is a great place to go if ur a smart and alert rider
@abbazaba1979 Your a fucking moron. Look where the truck was at. HIS SIDE OF THE ROAD. so you want to get technical. Sure it didn't RUN him off the road but it was that or eat the front end of a semi. You obviously don't ride a motorcycle or you would understand the delicate handling it takes in corners. this is 100% the semi's fault and they should be severely fined and/or have their license taken. There is no need for these trucks to be on these roads.
@abbazaba1979 soooooooo a truck drivin in the opposite lane going into a bend that the bike was already cornering into then had to re adjust his turn and went off the road.... the question you gotta ask yourself pal is, if the truck had not been there would he have gone off the road....the answer is NOOOOOOOO, making this 150% the trucks fault idiot
@DBird23 ok i may be a idiot but u need to know what yoyr talking about b4 talking first off at the dragon the speed limit is 35 mph this dude is way faster than that if he was doing 35 he coulda easly stoped and not went over the mtn or hit the truck
Also if u think for a second a truck that size can take a turn with out takeing both lanes u dont need a drivers license In other words if you travel the dragon expect this to happen if you drive like a deranged lunatic
@abbazaba1979 so how far over the line can a truck go before he is breaking the law and it becomes his fault? and why doesnt the rule apply to every other vehicle on the road?
I applyed for swift transport...thank god they turned me down....too "SMART" for them was the word the recruiter used...i have a cdl class A and a motorcycle license...swift..the worst in the industry..ask any non-swift truck driver...they will all comfirm this.
trucks are banned from the dragon...but fucking idiot drivers from SWIFT "ironic is it not" are driving on it because they only hirer morons that just got into the country and just got thier cdls 2 weeks prior...SWIFT..fucking joke of a trucking company...managment..dispatchers...drivers...all alike....dumb useless assholes...
@PsychoDaveFilms ...Look here at youtube all vids of bikers on dragon and see how often BIKERS drive to fast and cross the Lane!!! DAMN BIKE-RACERS!!! Drive slow and carefuly and you will be saved! But dont cry like little girl about truck drivers who have a very hard job!!!
@HorstHaubitze Don't get your panties in a bunch, I agree about the bikers. If you can't keep it in the lane then you shouldn't be on the road or going at that speed. The truck drivers are more noticeable about crossing the line. They force cars to back up, they congest traffic. If a motorcycle crosses the line well, worse case is he gets hit by a car and dies. Doesn't block the traffic up until the ambulance gets there. Just saying..
@HorstHaubitze I drive my car up there and get run off the road very dangerously by freakin semis in the 15 mph turns! You don't have to be racing do be driven off the road by trucks that don't belong on the dragon. There are double yellow lines for a reason, you DON'T cross them!!!
@HorstHaubitze ya seems to be very hard to keep you truck between the lines.....iffff you cant keep it between the lines,,,shitt find a new profession
Hey stupid tractor trailers are allowed to cross double yellows due to their length but the driver should have been more aware of oncoming traffic. As for the guy on the bike. You were driving outside you braking zone. Means traveling faster than you are able to stop in case of an emergency. So both parties had a negligent part in your crash.
My advice is to stay off the Dragon on weekends during the warmer months, too many bikers at too many different skill levels on it along with the cops! If you must test your riding skills and have never been on it, trust me there are tighter curves than anywhere I found in Colorado or most any other states. And there are a lot of blind curves and hills that can have anything coming at you in your lane , grandpa in a motorhome, log truck, another biker who couldn't handle the curve.
glad your ok. i was just there yesterday. no trucks but there were a few idiot cars crossing the double yellow and several bikes crossing head-on (not to pass). The dragon is not Isle of Man. People need to maintain lane - period.
Every tractor trailer should be ticketed for driving Deals Gap, there is no way in hell they can maintain lane around the switchback corners! It's impossible.
Wow! Not just in your lane but fully blocking every last inch of it. All that was left was like 1 foot and the little bit of shoulder. I can't believe you went down with so much control. I probably would have high sided or stood it up and drove straight off the edge of the road and into the woods...
There is always a chance that oncoming traffic will x over to your lane on narrow winding roads. Make sure you stay as far rite as possible on left hand bends and only leave that line when you have a good view ahead. Staying rite will give you more forward vision.
after reading some of these post.... well heres just a little FYI to all the people that are saying "maybe that truck had to be on that road, dont be mad" The only thing on that road is TREES, no reason for a truck that size to be on a road that twisty unless they are just trying to find a shorter way. Take a look at a map and try to find all the roads that cut from western North carolina to Eastern TN.... there arent many but I-40 isnt too far either, they could just go that way & be safe
@PinkBuellGirl yeah you would think they would read a map but Tom Tom works, right? a professional would read a map but then i wouldnt call the dumbasses passing semi's through there professionals
it's not a state highway. it's a federal route..hence the US route 129. and starting sometime in 2011 north carolina has banned semi's from going on 129. now tn just needs to do the same.
i would have done the same thing, that has to scare the shit out of you, come around a corner and suprise, freakin semi in your lane, i would rather take a chance with a tree for sure
maybe you guys should stop riding the yellow line. but true drivers should not take this road ,one that check their route before the start are the ones you dont find on roads like this,because they know they wont gain any time taking it.
@Kholmesii The road is a state highway with posted limits. Cars, trucks, tractor trailers all use the road. I have ridden it 2 1/2 times. On the 1/2 time a young guy was racing and lowsided his bike. It slides into my path. That was the day I got my first helicopter ride. And major surgery. There were two other guys in the helicopter with me from two separate accidents. It is just a road; it is hyped up by the guy that owns the store at the end.
The road is a state highway with posted limits. Cars, trucks, tractor trailers all use the road. I have ridden it 2 1/2 times. On the 1/2 time a young guy was racing and lowsided his bike. It slides into my path. That was the day I got my first helicopter ride. And major surgery. There were two other guys in the helicopter with me from two separate accidents. It is just a road; it is hyped up by the guy that owns the store at the end.
They usually got police escorts or something letting u know they are coming...they shouldnt be on there anyways someone needs to get a petition started! id sign it!
What the average person does not realize is that on long vehicles the back wheels do not follow the same track as the front wheels. The back axle cuts a tighter turn than the front. When on a windy road you must drive attentive to what the back axle is doing. If necessary you drive over the line to insure the back axles stay on the roadway. Commercial tour coaches must go further into opposing traffic because unlike articulated trucks a bus doesn't bend in the middle. Just general info.....
Crazy semi thought he was in London or something. That isn't cool. Truck needs to stay in his own lane or use another road. Regardless of what speed on coming traffic is doing. Period.
Were you burning your headlight? Trucks make a lot of noise on mountain roads - you can hear them for a long time ahead if your own muffler noise isn't drowning it out.
@low666life If thats the way you feel, go out and try to find something to buy that was not delivered by a truck. Or better yet try living without goods that were delivered by truck. You will freeze to death while you are starving naked...Trucks are the heart of our economy, if they stop delivering, the economy shuts down. Pure and simple, yet the general public wants to treat truckers like scum and give them a hard time while they are doing a vital job to support our country...
Under no circumstances is it legal to drive into the lane of on coming traffic. It doesn't matter if there is a double yellow, double-double yellow, or broken white.
If there was an accident it would have been his fault, period.
Please accept my appology for hurting your feelings in an earlier comment I made. I removed that comment. If you get hurt that easily perhaps you should stay away from motorcycles, can openers or anything mechanical. I wouldn't go near a wheel barrow if I were you. I just watched your video about church members protesting "Barney Frank" marriages. I agree with them..You seem to be well educated but those nasty bags under your eyes tell me you need a bit more sleep. Stay safe.
Until semis are banned from there.. you can't ride it like a bat out of hell and expect that someone might not be in your lane.. another car or even another bike. The road comes with risks.. you agree to take those risks when you ride like a moron going way too fast and not being ready for any emergency. Just sayin'
its a public road, not a track. if your going to engage in that activity, then you do so at your own risk. If you take your bike to the track, there will be track workers, rider coaches, EMS and FIRE DEPARTMENT, ON SITE and READY. Which is safer is clear.. which is CHEAPER is also clear. But dont expect track safety, on an open road.
@marionmedic I doubt that at the moment he encountered that truck he was doing more than 40mph (yes, a little quick) however, that truck was on the wrong side of the road. Pure and simple. What would have happened if another truck, a caravan or a large bus were coming the other way at the speed limit (30 mph)? Do you think any of those other vehicles would have had a chance in hell of avoiding that truck? No, they would have hit or also run off. And that truck would have been 100% at fault.
its a road not a race track.yes the truck was on the wrong side of the road but if you were doing the speed limit you would have had much more time to react. slow down and live
just got back from the gap on my motard. fortunately for now stuff like this doesn't happen. with the gap only accessible from the NC side, no semis have a reason to be on that road.
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isnt the speed limit 30 mph. i drive a truck and ride a bike . wonder how many trucks you've cut off in you're car. bet you always drive like a saint. just saying.
@wazoo919 big trucks probably HAVE TO drive over in the wrong lane on these kind of roads...
this was the bikers own fault, as you should allways be able to come to a complete stop within the viewable area in front of you.
Besides; it looks like he froze up when passing the front of the semi, because he was probably not looking through the corner correctly (hell, it happens to everyone once in a while)
@NorcanDiaboli I just recently finished Truck Driving school, some corners you have to go into the other lane. Either that or run the risk of your trailer going off the road and getting damaged or in some cases, pulling you off the road as well.
Also as many others say, Big vehicles over 20-30 feet in length should probably be banned from the Dragon for everyone's safety.
@NorcanDiaboli I'm sure some of the truckers hate it, but if you can't stay in your lane, stay off of the road. It's not demeaning to their driving ability, but a limitation of reality. As defensive drivers, we compensate for the mistakes of other drivers, but we are not obligated to do so and the Dragon doesn't leave us with many options.
@NorcanDiaboli your argument is invalid. Regardless of where he was looking the fact remains that the truck drove into HIS lane and forced him off of the roadway. I can be going 3000000000 miles an hour in MY lane but if someone drives into MY lane coming towards me and we crash it is THEIR fault. This motorcyclist should never have to compensate for the fact that some tard drove into HIS lane regardless of the reason.
@juicefromaus1 I doubt that at the moment he encountered that truck he was doing more than 40mph (yes, a little quick) however, that truck was on the wrong side of the road. Pure and simple. What would have happened if another truck, a caravan or a large bus were coming the other way at the speed limit (30 mph)? Do you think any of those other vehicles would have had a chance in hell of avoiding that truck? No, they would have hit or also run off. And that truck would have been 100% at fault.
@juicefromaus1 well you should know then a bike - v - truck aint a competion, Ive seen a few of these vids on this road and I would ban trucks, just saying
@juicefromaus1 ... two different issues numb nuts ... and fail at topic deflection. Simple answer ... trucks should be banned from mountain roads that they cannot navigate properly (as thru traffic). As destination traffic they should be required to have an escort.
Any trucker who is stupid enough to take US 129 as thru traffic should be chucked off one of the cliffs like the stupid fucking twat they are.
i know you must have craap your pants when you saw the truck, but you could have slowed right down turning to the right preventing yourself from falling... anyway you dont tend to think of stopping when a truck is coming towards you soo you did good missing it.
Jim Kidwell you are a bitch. That truck was breaking the law and you call out the motorcycle rider. You are probably one of those guys who sits in the passenger seat of your minivan while your wife drives you to your ballet lesson. Let me know what kind of car you drive so I can pass you in a wheelie.
your very lucky, i had a close friend killed due to something just like that, except it wasnt a street bike but an atv quad that he was riding... pulled onto the road in a curve an a gas truck flyin around the curve on the wrong side of the road...he was already on the road an traveling b4 the truck came around the corner an the truck couldnt get his truck back to his side of the road... killed him almost instantly...
You had the video - all you needed was the license plate of that moron driving the truck and you would have been paid for your damages, both personal and property. How I know? I'm a lawyer!
Unfortunate the biker hit the skids but every biker knows to assume everyone else on the roads are idiots. Not just to say it but be prepared for it. I have never been on this road but I would be riding over towards the shoulder to see what was coming on a left angle curve than near the middle of the road. At least that will give some hope to get out of the way at the last second if someone crosses the line
ok, this comes from a truck driver who has the knowledge most people don't. US129, "the tail of the dragon", is not to be used by commercial vehicles from Chilhowee, TN to Topton, NC. If you don't believe me, you can go to any truck stop, look in the front of a truckers atlas and find the restricted routes listed. Any driver using the dragon as a through road is a moron and gives the rest of us drivers a bad name.
Semi should be banned from that road, period. They are a threat to everybody there.
And before arguing on how the motorcyclists are often the real threat, you should know that this road has so many twisties that we are really not riding that fast. Of course if you don't know anything about bikes it is impressive to see a knee down. I can tell you guys, I can put my knee down at 30mph so it doesn't mean shit about how fast were going !
Do you really want the government to step in and legislate who can use it? Because if they can't use it for interstate commerce you might just find it shut down for good.
The guy in the video makes a good point that a flag car in front would save a lot of trouble.
@ajas95 That's unlikely. Truckers can use the INTERSTATES rather than these types of roads. This road, if shut down to semi trucks, will blow up in popularity, because the #1 risk to riders and drivers will be gone. the massive influx of new and returning drivers and riders (returning from quitting it due to the dangers) will pour so much money into the local economy that the road will be maintained rather easily.
Trucks have no place on roads so twisty and so popular for casual sporty rides.
Unfortunately this part (and most all of) the Dragon is in TN. Most people stay in NC and spend their money in NC. That is why THP and Blount county doesn't care to hand out tickets like flyers. . . they are just generating THEIR share of revenue from the Dragon.
This was definitely the riders fault. Everyone knows that the safety of the trailer is more important then everything else, including human life. I hope all you mother fucking cocksucking faggot truck drivers that go on this road in the future drive right the fuck off a fucking cliff. Glad I could help.
The Dragon is a public road . True some trucks shouldn't attempt it, but the Dragon is not just there for a biker's amusement either. There are a lot of twisty roads all through that area that are less crowded and just as fun to run on. I dare say 9 out of ten times it is the bikers who make the Dragon unsafe. Oh, and I've run the Dragon so I'm not just talking out my ass. :)
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Post more videos like this. I love seeing these arrogant tough guy bikers get what they deserve! This bunch of fucking clowns drive that road like they own it. Good for this trucker who showed this speeding ass that's not the case!
Really so when the next time a truck runs you off the road I will laugh at your ass. I hope you get hurt like I did but someone like you will just enjoy the pain and love it.
Obviously the truck was speeding and shouldn't have been. You however were speeding. If you'd been driving the speed limit you might have seen the truck in time. You idiots think you have some right to drive that road any way you want. You act like you own it. This video shows that you don't!
Kidwell, have you actually been on this road?? The biker was riding at or very near the speeds posted, but in no means riding like "f-ing" clown as you put it. The trucker was taking the only line available to them in many cases. Again if you are familiar with route you would know. Your lack of local knowledge and your elementary grasp of the english language and use of profanity expose your for the moron you really are.
I've been on this road many, many times. I live in Blount County. I enjoy taking my pickup out and driving this road. The added benefit is pissing off all the self made tough guy bikers because I drive the speed limit while on it!
Your use of the term "self made"; I don't think you understand the connotation in which you employ it. Self made indicates a GOOD thing; 1. having achieved wealth, status, etc., by one's own efforts
2. made by oneself
The term you were searching for, I believe, is self righteous. Not to say wazoo IS self righteous, but this fits the context of your insult better.
1) confident of one's own righteousness, esp. when smugly moralistic and intolerant of the opinions and behavior of others.
I dont know if anyone said this already but, If a large truck cant take a particular curve while maintaining the lane he or she is in with oncoming traffic then that truck should be banned from traveling on that particular road. Speeding aint cool but failing to maintain your lane against head on traffic is nuts.
bollox. i dont know about the u.s but our highway code says give hgv's more room on the road. if you banned trucks because they need to use more space they wouldnt get anywhere. and remember without us every country would be fucked. infact without us you wouldnt have the computer your using because we took it to the store.
The Dragon is pretty much in my back yard, and I can tell you that trucks should be banned from it. That's not to say anything against trucks, it's just that the road is so tight that their presence creates a dangerous situation for everyone. There are many turns where the front wheels hang off the road on the outside and the trailer hangs off on the inside, even with the tandems moved all the way forward. It's not uncommon at all for trucks to turn over or get stuck on the Dragon.
you are some kinda damn moron, have you ever been up there???? there is a lot of diff ways to get across besides the gap, and that trucker was a moron for goin up there, I dont even know how he got that far without running of the road, its a matter of safty not the TRUCKER IS KING OF THE HIGHWAY bs
just reading the arguement here between retardhalo and dg121480. im a uk lorry driver. not sure about us laws but here if there is no weight limit or unsuitable for large vehicles signs then the road is fair game. although id be inclined to side with the biker here the semi was taking a fair amount of road not to mention not stopping although in his defence he may well not have realised you came off. Remember no lorries means you get fuck all. mind that when you want trucks banned everywhere
I watched a guy on a super bike get sucked under a semi after he drifted it and went to pass. his brain squirted out of his helmet like the juice from a grape as his body was being wrapped around the tire. i doubt he even realized he was crashing b4 he died. taking unnecessary risk on a bike is like playing russian roulette with 5 in the cylinder. you got luckier than a horse shoe made of 4 leaf clovers to hear that click this time. save thrills for the track or die seeking them.
There should be no reason for a semi to be on US129. Oh hell, somebody would be picking up some teeth if I wrecked. I swear most of the time someone wrecks on a bike its because of another dumbass on the road. Someone not looking, or texting, or tailgating. I feel for you man. Hopefully you had frame sliders. It didnt look like you hit too hard.
2) You shouldn't be driving faster than you can handle. If you're going fast enough that you can't stop when you see something on the road you're going too fast.
Trucks pay taxes to move products. Ride at the POSTED speed limit on the tail, and avoid the fate of wannabe racers and donorcycles. We've had bikes come at us WAY OVER the center line, like its ONE WAY traffic. There are trucks and Motorhomes to contend with. Its NOT a private track. However, if you don't survive the "Tail" because you were playing 'racer" its "natural selection" and now we don't have to "DEAL" with you anymore. Making it safer for those that respect the rights of others.
Tennessee4Me 1 month ago
@Tennessee4Me No one should be over the line neither bike nor truck. But I think it is clear to see who is at fault in this video. While no bikes should cross the yellows either. I think the poster of this video is just trying to point out that it is almost impossible for a truck to make these turns with a load. So knowing that they will be placing others in danger why do they even take it? The worst part is the LEO's do not seem to care.
parkze17 1 month ago
@parkze17 They watch trucks do this right in front of them and do nothing. But motorcycle riders get pulled over left and right. I agree that riders who are being unsafe should be stopped but when a truck driver crosses the yellow lines be almost 1/2 his truck they need to be stopped too.
parkze17 1 month ago
My son and I drove all the way from Texas to run the Tail. It was great and got us hooked on High Performance Driving Events. Lots of tracks in Texas and no Semi trucks.
MR112571 3 months ago
Why the fuck do they allow big ass trucks like that on this road? They dont need to be up there knowing bikers are gonna be there riding.
89powerup 3 months ago
fucking semi's...stay OFF THE DRAGON ASSHOLES!
Sasquatch1369 4 months ago
There was at least half the lane left for you, the one motorcycle could have fit if the rider was looking through the corner and had slowed down properly before getting there.
JeepCherokeeful 4 months ago
@JeepCherokeeful show me a video of YOU doing that?
cothtr 4 months ago
@JeepCherokeeful Given you're not panicking having a wall of metal turn up in front of you and having to decide in milliseconds if you risk colliding with it or rather keep it safe and take a, in comparrison, harmless trip into the woods. Also there was no guarantee the truck driver wouldn't target-fixate and go straight for you. It's quite too easy to asses these situations in slowmo and without the actual risk. Leaving the road was the right choice IMHO.
kaichen1988 4 months ago
the cops sure right us a ticket for crossing the line.but not big rigs?shit they have both sides all the way ban em from it
weavhipe 5 months ago
@weavhipe Bikes need to slow down. I was ran off the road there twice 2 weeks ago. Not a rig in sight. Bikes. And I swerve off the road to not hit them while they are enjoying the comforts of my lane. Because they don't want to slow down. As a lifelong resident of East Tn, that wasn't my first or even my 100th trip down the dragon, nor the first accident I've seen caused by bikers. I say the cops aren't writing bikers enough tickets. Speeding is the big problem here.
311stoneybaby311 5 months ago
@311stoneybaby311 But I suppose I should just keep my car off the dragon too, right? Because it doesn't belong there, right? Not like it's a PUBLIC road or anything.
311stoneybaby311 5 months ago
@311stoneybaby311 fyi there are many roads in the US that dont permit semi trucks...even though they are public. so if your car is not capable of staying in a single lane while negotiating a turn on the dragon, the yes, keep your shitty car off the dragon too
ormazd58 3 months ago
I signed the petition to ban the truckers from this road. I hope others will to! It's sad when a person is out enjoying this road and a trucker knows that they shouldn't be on it, but yet they come anyway. Then they kill an innocent person. Next time it could be a vehicle with kids.
bobbiejo200825 5 months ago
@davesmusic77 that would be true if no one wanted to have fun and take risks on an awesome road on an awesome machine. its the fact that these drivers are such idiots that makes us motorcyclists have to take these ridiculously cautious steps to avoid their bullshit. If every cage driver was amazing and aware we would be able to use our whole lane and it wouldn't be considered 'chancey'.
MS3boostin 6 months ago
WTF is a semi doing there.. damn
stupidkaydoo 6 months ago
well done indeed
KLRCory 6 months ago
Who ever says the trucker was not at fault needs glasses! That diesel was 3/4 of the way into his lane!
Your looking at that video in slo-mo jack ass.....imagine being on the bike and seeing that as you prepared to turn. You wouldnt have the time to think if he would make it back into his lane or not. The trucker was obviously going much faster than he should have been. The rider on the bike had nothing to be blamed for.
....Good save man. That could have been much worse. Jackass trucker..
epwookie 7 months ago
@epwookie you do know that it is legal for a commerical vehichle to go into the other lane if needed to take a corner. And on this road, it is needed.
trucker908 5 months ago
@trucker908 you cant seriously be justifying this?
oh btw there is a petition floating around to ban commercial trucks on deals gap... google and sign it!
SirloinBeefBurger 5 months ago
@SirloinBeefBurger I'm just saying that he is allowed to do that by LAW Back in the 70's, the gov. made it legal to do this. If the biker would of took him to court, the biker would of been at fault for failure to control.
Honestly, if you look at statistics, %40 of crashed have a truck envolved in it. And from that %40 percent about %90 percent are found to have the other driver at fault. Put yourself in the drivers seat. Would you rather damage the trailer or make a wider turn?
trucker908 5 months ago
@trucker908 On August 3rd, 2011, A semi killed a friend of mine on the Dragon. The truck was taking up both lanes, covering the white lines. The truck struck my friend with the rear portion of the trailer which ran over my friend and his bike. The only way to avoid the impact would have been to go over the cliff. Some choice if there was any real time to think about it.
Those big rigs simply do not belong on that road. Period.
The truck driver was charged with vehicular homicide.
Fudmottin 5 months ago
@Fudmottin I have to agree with you that semi trucks don't belong on that road, but some just take the wrong turn and head up that road by accident. Nothing they can do.
trucker908 5 months ago
that was close. good thing he didnt hit the tree u were target fixed on..
ryanjstewart1 7 months ago
I just hope 1 day people will learn how to drive around trucks we cant stop on a dime or turn that sharp without crossing the line On that note as a rider its our duty to be safe and watch for things constantly coming in our paths
Thats y i blame both riders speed was a factor in this
abbazaba1979 7 months ago
@abbazaba1979 wrong attitude jack, it is not our job to drive around you...you are a professional driver and i would think that something as famous as US129 might me pretty common knowlege. and if not, while your plotting your cross country expedition, i recommend looking at a fcking map and avoiding the roads that look like a 90 year old with parkinsons tried drawing a straight line. theres a dif btw taking a wide turn and taking both lanes in blind curves
ormazd58 3 months ago
@ormazd58 me wrong attitude ?? I ride a bike and trucks and let me say if u dont watch for trucks your just stupid.....on my trip to the dragon i came into a curve with a big rig....guess what ??? I was doing the speed limit and i dident runn off the road or into the truck so being both a trucker and a rideri watch out for everything no matter what i drive......and u should to if u dont wanna die on ur bike...but next time plz not such a smart butt
abbazaba1979 3 months ago
@abbazaba1979 lol yeah sorry if i offended you but im sick of truck driver's that shouldn't be driving, there are many true professionals that would do the right thing and say hey, maybe i should not be on this road.,or better yet plan ahead and not run that route. My job puts me in conversations with truckers on a reg basis and i hate the ones that think bc they in a big truck we have to adjust our driving for them. if i speed fine, give me a ticket but dont run me off the road thats not fair
ormazd58 3 months ago
@ormazd58 yeah tru man lotta bad mouth truckers but companys like swift make there drivers take that road....but reall all i was saying b4 really is that the guy in the video was rideing way over the limite for that road ...the dragon is lotta fun but trucks is no supprize there unfortunately .....i agree trucks shouldent be alloud there but its not against the law so there they right in front of us riders all we can do is watch out...me as a driver will never go there in a rig
abbazaba1979 3 months ago
@abbazaba1979 thats insane to make em run that route, beside from what i understand it is banned for trucks on the NC side, just not the TN side, but how do you cross TN and not enter NC lol. i get that yall have a really hard job, Lord knows i could never do it. and yeah a lot of riders do run that road pretty fast, myself included, and yeah i know its dangerous. i just dont see how in this instance it is anything other than the truckers fault...that said i do try staying to the outside lol
ormazd58 3 months ago
@ormazd58 just looked it up there trying to ban as of this year i hope it passes in the mean time be safe i watch out for riders but alot of trukers dont care ive had truckers switch lanes with me allready there scarry stuff
abbazaba1979 3 months ago
@baneofFreeSpeach well first off i drive a truck and a bike 2nd this road is NOT truck restricted a smart rider looks for these things
Now with that said i do think the road should be restrictrd but since its not its us the bikers duty to pay more attation and not speed at the dragon this is a great place to go if ur a smart and alert rider
abbazaba1979 7 months ago
That was not the truckers fault I drive a truck and a motorcycle and your description you say the truck ran you off the road that is inaccurate
abbazaba1979 7 months ago
@abbazaba1979 Your a fucking moron. Look where the truck was at. HIS SIDE OF THE ROAD. so you want to get technical. Sure it didn't RUN him off the road but it was that or eat the front end of a semi. You obviously don't ride a motorcycle or you would understand the delicate handling it takes in corners. this is 100% the semi's fault and they should be severely fined and/or have their license taken. There is no need for these trucks to be on these roads.
BaneOfFreeSpeech 7 months ago
@abbazaba1979 soooooooo a truck drivin in the opposite lane going into a bend that the bike was already cornering into then had to re adjust his turn and went off the road.... the question you gotta ask yourself pal is, if the truck had not been there would he have gone off the road....the answer is NOOOOOOOO, making this 150% the trucks fault idiot
DBird23 7 months ago
@DBird23 ok i may be a idiot but u need to know what yoyr talking about b4 talking first off at the dragon the speed limit is 35 mph this dude is way faster than that if he was doing 35 he coulda easly stoped and not went over the mtn or hit the truck
Also if u think for a second a truck that size can take a turn with out takeing both lanes u dont need a drivers license In other words if you travel the dragon expect this to happen if you drive like a deranged lunatic
abbazaba1979 7 months ago
@abbazaba1979 so how far over the line can a truck go before he is breaking the law and it becomes his fault? and why doesnt the rule apply to every other vehicle on the road?
ormazd58 3 months ago
I think you couldve still made it, you target fixed, i probably wouldve done the same in that situation.
psurollsovau 8 months ago
OOhh that sucks ! ! !
JLUnlimited 8 months ago
I applyed for swift transport...thank god they turned me down....too "SMART" for them was the word the recruiter used...i have a cdl class A and a motorcycle license...swift..the worst in the industry..ask any non-swift truck driver...they will all comfirm this.
usmc2076 8 months ago
@usmc2076 swift is for sure the worst
abbazaba1979 7 months ago
@abbazaba1979 takes em like 12 years to back into a dock XD.....and forget asking them to straight back
usmc2076 7 months ago
trucks are banned from the dragon...but fucking idiot drivers from SWIFT "ironic is it not" are driving on it because they only hirer morons that just got into the country and just got thier cdls 2 weeks prior...SWIFT..fucking joke of a trucking company...managment..dispatchers...drivers...all alike....dumb useless assholes...
usmc2076 8 months ago
did the semi stop?
otacon451 9 months ago
Damn truck drivers... They shouldn't be on that road if they can't keep to their lanes.
PsychoDaveFilms 9 months ago
@PsychoDaveFilms ...Look here at youtube all vids of bikers on dragon and see how often BIKERS drive to fast and cross the Lane!!! DAMN BIKE-RACERS!!! Drive slow and carefuly and you will be saved! But dont cry like little girl about truck drivers who have a very hard job!!!
HorstHaubitze 8 months ago
@HorstHaubitze Don't get your panties in a bunch, I agree about the bikers. If you can't keep it in the lane then you shouldn't be on the road or going at that speed. The truck drivers are more noticeable about crossing the line. They force cars to back up, they congest traffic. If a motorcycle crosses the line well, worse case is he gets hit by a car and dies. Doesn't block the traffic up until the ambulance gets there. Just saying..
PsychoDaveFilms 8 months ago
@HorstHaubitze I drive my car up there and get run off the road very dangerously by freakin semis in the 15 mph turns! You don't have to be racing do be driven off the road by trucks that don't belong on the dragon. There are double yellow lines for a reason, you DON'T cross them!!!
jcsockher 8 months ago
@HorstHaubitze ya seems to be very hard to keep you truck between the lines.....iffff you cant keep it between the lines,,,shitt find a new profession
DBird23 7 months ago
Hey stupid tractor trailers are allowed to cross double yellows due to their length but the driver should have been more aware of oncoming traffic. As for the guy on the bike. You were driving outside you braking zone. Means traveling faster than you are able to stop in case of an emergency. So both parties had a negligent part in your crash.
40318003 9 months ago
My advice is to stay off the Dragon on weekends during the warmer months, too many bikers at too many different skill levels on it along with the cops! If you must test your riding skills and have never been on it, trust me there are tighter curves than anywhere I found in Colorado or most any other states. And there are a lot of blind curves and hills that can have anything coming at you in your lane , grandpa in a motorhome, log truck, another biker who couldn't handle the curve.
LkOutMtnMan 9 months ago
This has been flagged as spam show
glad your ok. i was just there yesterday. no trucks but there were a few idiot cars crossing the double yellow and several bikes crossing head-on (not to pass). The dragon is not Isle of Man. People need to maintain lane - period.
Every tractor trailer should be ticketed for driving Deals Gap, there is no way in hell they can maintain lane around the switchback corners! It's impossible.
3ald3eaver 10 months ago
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3ald3eaver 10 months ago
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nightranger509 11 months ago
@nightranger509 Do goldwings count as bikes these days or is it more of a house that just so happens to be on 2 wheels?
Had you been in that same situation i reckon the semi would be the one swerving off the road trying to avoid the monster goldwing.
Antifaith29 10 months ago
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nightranger509 10 months ago
good save . ive been to the dragon and ran it 4 times..it isnt easy but it is fuuuuuuun
will3020 1 year ago
Brutal, that truck was way over the centre line.
littlespeedfighter 1 year ago
Hey wazoo, did the driver stop and check to see if you were alright?
needleonthevinyl 1 year ago
One thing is for sure, if I could have got the bike back up, I would have gotten the license number of that fucking truck.
clintonearlwalker 1 year ago
You handled that perfectly, Wazoo. Good job. Did the trucker even stop after he ran you off?
GooseThunderfoot 1 year ago
Wow! Not just in your lane but fully blocking every last inch of it. All that was left was like 1 foot and the little bit of shoulder. I can't believe you went down with so much control. I probably would have high sided or stood it up and drove straight off the edge of the road and into the woods...
weeeezzll 1 year ago
There is always a chance that oncoming traffic will x over to your lane on narrow winding roads. Make sure you stay as far rite as possible on left hand bends and only leave that line when you have a good view ahead. Staying rite will give you more forward vision.
mod69rocks 1 year ago
Better to go in the ditch than get run over by semi lol
tjohn1986 1 year ago
after reading some of these post.... well heres just a little FYI to all the people that are saying "maybe that truck had to be on that road, dont be mad" The only thing on that road is TREES, no reason for a truck that size to be on a road that twisty unless they are just trying to find a shorter way. Take a look at a map and try to find all the roads that cut from western North carolina to Eastern TN.... there arent many but I-40 isnt too far either, they could just go that way & be safe
PinkBuellGirl 1 year ago
@PinkBuellGirl yeah you would think they would read a map but Tom Tom works, right? a professional would read a map but then i wouldnt call the dumbasses passing semi's through there professionals
ormazd58 3 months ago
it's not a state highway. it's a federal route..hence the US route 129. and starting sometime in 2011 north carolina has banned semi's from going on 129. now tn just needs to do the same.
ice750 1 year ago
i would have done the same thing, that has to scare the shit out of you, come around a corner and suprise, freakin semi in your lane, i would rather take a chance with a tree for sure
matthias2986 1 year ago
It sucks when you do everything right and some moron (the trucker) costs you ... hope you escaped without much injury.
utahprof 1 year ago
maybe you guys should stop riding the yellow line. but true drivers should not take this road ,one that check their route before the start are the ones you dont find on roads like this,because they know they wont gain any time taking it.
runre46 1 year ago
did you sue ??? or did u bitch out like a girl ????
Lps2005 1 year ago
i had this happen to me but it was a big coach, missed it by a foot or so, right in the middle of my lane he was too >:(
gpzDave 1 year ago
This has been flagged as spam show
@Kholmesii The road is a state highway with posted limits. Cars, trucks, tractor trailers all use the road. I have ridden it 2 1/2 times. On the 1/2 time a young guy was racing and lowsided his bike. It slides into my path. That was the day I got my first helicopter ride. And major surgery. There were two other guys in the helicopter with me from two separate accidents. It is just a road; it is hyped up by the guy that owns the store at the end.
leefoll 1 year ago
The road is a state highway with posted limits. Cars, trucks, tractor trailers all use the road. I have ridden it 2 1/2 times. On the 1/2 time a young guy was racing and lowsided his bike. It slides into my path. That was the day I got my first helicopter ride. And major surgery. There were two other guys in the helicopter with me from two separate accidents. It is just a road; it is hyped up by the guy that owns the store at the end.
leefoll 1 year ago
did he stop to see if he needs to finish the job .......basterd truck driver
paintslinger2009 1 year ago
They usually got police escorts or something letting u know they are coming...they shouldnt be on there anyways someone needs to get a petition started! id sign it!
GTAWHIPGAME 1 year ago
Dude I'm glad you're okay, that was close.
xkevoxkillzx 1 year ago
You can't fight physics. That is why the Department of Transportation rates certain roads based on vehicle length both articulated and straight.
havefunletsauction 1 year ago
yea man it sucks, i heard their closing deals gap. Ive only been twice being 19 and i loved it
TheAlexHumphrey 1 year ago
you shoulda turned around and got his plate #.. as of 03 it's illegal to drive big rigs down that road. big 10,000 dollar fine.
canthony1019 1 year ago
WTF are semi's doing on that road? Semi's should be banned from there
yourleftnut1 1 year ago
Truck Mother fucker
AndersonThyago1 1 year ago
What the average person does not realize is that on long vehicles the back wheels do not follow the same track as the front wheels. The back axle cuts a tighter turn than the front. When on a windy road you must drive attentive to what the back axle is doing. If necessary you drive over the line to insure the back axles stay on the roadway. Commercial tour coaches must go further into opposing traffic because unlike articulated trucks a bus doesn't bend in the middle. Just general info.....
havefunletsauction 1 year ago
Crazy semi thought he was in London or something. That isn't cool. Truck needs to stay in his own lane or use another road. Regardless of what speed on coming traffic is doing. Period.
MisterLeadFoot 1 year ago
Were you burning your headlight? Trucks make a lot of noise on mountain roads - you can hear them for a long time ahead if your own muffler noise isn't drowning it out.
ArtStone 1 year ago
You looked at tree. I saw that you did.
oldcbr 1 year ago
fkn truckers they stank!!!!
low666life 1 year ago
@low666life If thats the way you feel, go out and try to find something to buy that was not delivered by a truck. Or better yet try living without goods that were delivered by truck. You will freeze to death while you are starving naked...Trucks are the heart of our economy, if they stop delivering, the economy shuts down. Pure and simple, yet the general public wants to treat truckers like scum and give them a hard time while they are doing a vital job to support our country...
Hawk6DM 1 year ago
Don't listen to the haters.
It doesn't matter HOW fast you were going.
Under no circumstances is it legal to drive into the lane of on coming traffic. It doesn't matter if there is a double yellow, double-double yellow, or broken white.
If there was an accident it would have been his fault, period.
Intrepidman 1 year ago 2
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FatherTimeST1300 1 year ago
Comment removed
Intrepidman 1 year ago
@FatherTimeST1300,
I should have said 'If there is an accident the accident is his fault', grammar Nazi,
Intrepidman 1 year ago
@Intrepidman
Please accept my appology for hurting your feelings in an earlier comment I made. I removed that comment. If you get hurt that easily perhaps you should stay away from motorcycles, can openers or anything mechanical. I wouldn't go near a wheel barrow if I were you. I just watched your video about church members protesting "Barney Frank" marriages. I agree with them..You seem to be well educated but those nasty bags under your eyes tell me you need a bit more sleep. Stay safe.
FatherTimeST1300 1 year ago
This has been flagged as spam show
@FatherTimeST1300,
That was really cold, man. Cold.
Intrepidman 1 year ago
Until semis are banned from there.. you can't ride it like a bat out of hell and expect that someone might not be in your lane.. another car or even another bike. The road comes with risks.. you agree to take those risks when you ride like a moron going way too fast and not being ready for any emergency. Just sayin'
BellesAZ 1 year ago
the rider has some ultra quick reflexs avoided the semi started breaking then turned his bike to the right to avoid the tree infront of him
Auszug21 1 year ago
now you can upgrade to a 125cc
impleasen 1 year ago
@impleasen
That was really cold, man. Cold.
FatherTimeST1300 1 year ago
its a public road, not a track. if your going to engage in that activity, then you do so at your own risk. If you take your bike to the track, there will be track workers, rider coaches, EMS and FIRE DEPARTMENT, ON SITE and READY. Which is safer is clear.. which is CHEAPER is also clear. But dont expect track safety, on an open road.
polivo011 1 year ago
You were at fault.
Speed too fast for road conditions, and you couldn't stop in time.
Take your crotch rocket to a track if you wanna race.
129 is a PUBLIC Highway, not a race course.
marionmedic 1 year ago
@marionmedic I doubt that at the moment he encountered that truck he was doing more than 40mph (yes, a little quick) however, that truck was on the wrong side of the road. Pure and simple. What would have happened if another truck, a caravan or a large bus were coming the other way at the speed limit (30 mph)? Do you think any of those other vehicles would have had a chance in hell of avoiding that truck? No, they would have hit or also run off. And that truck would have been 100% at fault.
Pwn00b 1 year ago
its a road not a race track.yes the truck was on the wrong side of the road but if you were doing the speed limit you would have had much more time to react. slow down and live
GLOCKIOMM 1 year ago
you did good man, I'm glad you didnt slam the brakes and high side it.
fdfd434343 1 year ago 7
@fdfd434343 Thanks, I did my best.
wazoo919 1 year ago 2
just got back from the gap on my motard. fortunately for now stuff like this doesn't happen. with the gap only accessible from the NC side, no semis have a reason to be on that road.
glad you're okay
goingtoscotland 1 year ago 8
@goingtoscotland Thanks.. me too.
wazoo919 1 year ago
This comment has received too many negative votes show
isnt the speed limit 30 mph. i drive a truck and ride a bike . wonder how many trucks you've cut off in you're car. bet you always drive like a saint. just saying.
juicefromaus1 1 year ago
@juicefromaus1 Cut off and run off the road for your life is 2 different things..
wazoo919 1 year ago 31
@juicefromaus1 Yes it is 30mph.. How many times do you drive in the wrong lane? I guess all truckers like to play chicken on twisty roads.
wazoo919 1 year ago 32
@wazoo919 big trucks probably HAVE TO drive over in the wrong lane on these kind of roads...
this was the bikers own fault, as you should allways be able to come to a complete stop within the viewable area in front of you.
Besides; it looks like he froze up when passing the front of the semi, because he was probably not looking through the corner correctly (hell, it happens to everyone once in a while)
NorcanDiaboli 1 year ago
@NorcanDiaboli I just recently finished Truck Driving school, some corners you have to go into the other lane. Either that or run the risk of your trailer going off the road and getting damaged or in some cases, pulling you off the road as well.
Also as many others say, Big vehicles over 20-30 feet in length should probably be banned from the Dragon for everyone's safety.
goshops 1 year ago
@NorcanDiaboli I'm sure some of the truckers hate it, but if you can't stay in your lane, stay off of the road. It's not demeaning to their driving ability, but a limitation of reality. As defensive drivers, we compensate for the mistakes of other drivers, but we are not obligated to do so and the Dragon doesn't leave us with many options.
GooseThunderfoot 1 year ago
@NorcanDiaboli your argument is invalid. Regardless of where he was looking the fact remains that the truck drove into HIS lane and forced him off of the roadway. I can be going 3000000000 miles an hour in MY lane but if someone drives into MY lane coming towards me and we crash it is THEIR fault. This motorcyclist should never have to compensate for the fact that some tard drove into HIS lane regardless of the reason.
Soldier334 1 year ago 2
This has been flagged as spam show
@juicefromaus1 I doubt that at the moment he encountered that truck he was doing more than 40mph (yes, a little quick) however, that truck was on the wrong side of the road. Pure and simple. What would have happened if another truck, a caravan or a large bus were coming the other way at the speed limit (30 mph)? Do you think any of those other vehicles would have had a chance in hell of avoiding that truck? No, they would have hit or also run off. And that truck would have been 100% at fault.
Pwn00b 1 year ago
@juicefromaus1 well you should know then a bike - v - truck aint a competion, Ive seen a few of these vids on this road and I would ban trucks, just saying
2wheelsteve 1 year ago
@juicefromaus1 ... two different issues numb nuts ... and fail at topic deflection. Simple answer ... trucks should be banned from mountain roads that they cannot navigate properly (as thru traffic). As destination traffic they should be required to have an escort.
Any trucker who is stupid enough to take US 129 as thru traffic should be chucked off one of the cliffs like the stupid fucking twat they are.
fcguy7 1 year ago
@juicefromaus1 didn't know there was an exception to truckers when it comes to the double yellow line.
andrew71787 9 months ago
i just jizzed in my pants x^D^D^D
Gottesritter 1 year ago
luckkkyyyyy
MaxPayne19146 1 year ago
i know you must have craap your pants when you saw the truck, but you could have slowed right down turning to the right preventing yourself from falling... anyway you dont tend to think of stopping when a truck is coming towards you soo you did good missing it.
RYZO66 1 year ago
why did this guy run straight off the road, he could have easily turned left to stay on the pavement?!?
suzukigs 1 year ago
scary shit man!
hurbt1980 1 year ago
Jim Kidwell you are a bitch. That truck was breaking the law and you call out the motorcycle rider. You are probably one of those guys who sits in the passenger seat of your minivan while your wife drives you to your ballet lesson. Let me know what kind of car you drive so I can pass you in a wheelie.
chickencollect 1 year ago 3
your very lucky, i had a close friend killed due to something just like that, except it wasnt a street bike but an atv quad that he was riding... pulled onto the road in a curve an a gas truck flyin around the curve on the wrong side of the road...he was already on the road an traveling b4 the truck came around the corner an the truck couldnt get his truck back to his side of the road... killed him almost instantly...
capthowdy126 1 year ago
You had the video - all you needed was the license plate of that moron driving the truck and you would have been paid for your damages, both personal and property. How I know? I'm a lawyer!
CEOTerminator 1 year ago
great decision on which way to lay the bike down dude! the other way would have been bad!
keep riding, be safe!
supraspnkr 1 year ago
Are these trucks saving some time by taking this road? I don't see why they would risk hitting someone or getting stuck.
There are 1,000's of pictures of stuck semis on this road, stupid idiots.
mooosestang 1 year ago
BAN SEMI TRUCKS FROM DEALS GAP !
shootnmove 1 year ago 39
man those trucks will not move on the gap
TINTMANALABAMA 1 year ago
Crash and burn baby, you gotta pay your dues to ride the Tail of the Dragon!
object69hotmail 2 years ago
Unfortunate the biker hit the skids but every biker knows to assume everyone else on the roads are idiots. Not just to say it but be prepared for it. I have never been on this road but I would be riding over towards the shoulder to see what was coming on a left angle curve than near the middle of the road. At least that will give some hope to get out of the way at the last second if someone crosses the line
doable1 2 years ago
after a "little contact" with a truck while you're on the bike it is more likely that you'll be a dead man than a rich man
Anticitizen419 2 years ago
ok, this comes from a truck driver who has the knowledge most people don't. US129, "the tail of the dragon", is not to be used by commercial vehicles from Chilhowee, TN to Topton, NC. If you don't believe me, you can go to any truck stop, look in the front of a truckers atlas and find the restricted routes listed. Any driver using the dragon as a through road is a moron and gives the rest of us drivers a bad name.
neondriver04 2 years ago 66
Semi should be banned from that road, period. They are a threat to everybody there.
And before arguing on how the motorcyclists are often the real threat, you should know that this road has so many twisties that we are really not riding that fast. Of course if you don't know anything about bikes it is impressive to see a knee down. I can tell you guys, I can put my knee down at 30mph so it doesn't mean shit about how fast were going !
xzistpo 2 years ago 4
Do you really want the government to step in and legislate who can use it? Because if they can't use it for interstate commerce you might just find it shut down for good.
The guy in the video makes a good point that a flag car in front would save a lot of trouble.
ajas95 2 years ago
@ajas95 That's unlikely. Truckers can use the INTERSTATES rather than these types of roads. This road, if shut down to semi trucks, will blow up in popularity, because the #1 risk to riders and drivers will be gone. the massive influx of new and returning drivers and riders (returning from quitting it due to the dangers) will pour so much money into the local economy that the road will be maintained rather easily.
Trucks have no place on roads so twisty and so popular for casual sporty rides.
TJvigilante 2 years ago
Unfortunately this part (and most all of) the Dragon is in TN. Most people stay in NC and spend their money in NC. That is why THP and Blount county doesn't care to hand out tickets like flyers. . . they are just generating THEIR share of revenue from the Dragon.
ezelder 1 year ago
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Heck,I vote just shut down the road completely and build a new straighter one.Tear out the old one.Fixes all the problems.
SPUPRR 2 years ago
@SPUPRR
it also ruins the whole point
garrett686 1 year ago
michaelcarter83 -- do you ride a CBR ? cause you seem like a faggot
420ChuckDizzle420 2 years ago
@420ChuckDizzle420 faggots ride those squidly lil gsxr's...... real men ride hondas
drops600rr 1 year ago
This was definitely the riders fault. Everyone knows that the safety of the trailer is more important then everything else, including human life. I hope all you mother fucking cocksucking faggot truck drivers that go on this road in the future drive right the fuck off a fucking cliff. Glad I could help.
michaelcarter83 2 years ago
obsess much?
tvicena 2 years ago
The Dragon is a public road . True some trucks shouldn't attempt it, but the Dragon is not just there for a biker's amusement either. There are a lot of twisty roads all through that area that are less crowded and just as fun to run on. I dare say 9 out of ten times it is the bikers who make the Dragon unsafe. Oh, and I've run the Dragon so I'm not just talking out my ass. :)
MrDpaquette 2 years ago
wtf is a semi doing on that road?
FliiiAfghani 2 years ago 4
This allmost happened to me this August..Love that road.
inkmonster0u812 2 years ago
Scary! I've ridden on the Dragon a few times but it's getting too scary for me in my old age ;)
TheChocolatier6464 2 years ago
baaaaaad:S:S:S:S
Peterknechtl90 2 years ago
SLOW DOWN.
papabugs71 2 years ago
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Post more videos like this. I love seeing these arrogant tough guy bikers get what they deserve! This bunch of fucking clowns drive that road like they own it. Good for this trucker who showed this speeding ass that's not the case!
JimKidwell 2 years ago
Really so when the next time a truck runs you off the road I will laugh at your ass. I hope you get hurt like I did but someone like you will just enjoy the pain and love it.
wazoo919 2 years ago 2
Obviously the truck was speeding and shouldn't have been. You however were speeding. If you'd been driving the speed limit you might have seen the truck in time. You idiots think you have some right to drive that road any way you want. You act like you own it. This video shows that you don't!
JimKidwell 2 years ago
@wazoo919 JimKidwell is a D-Bag!
mongo289 1 year ago
Kidwell, have you actually been on this road?? The biker was riding at or very near the speeds posted, but in no means riding like "f-ing" clown as you put it. The trucker was taking the only line available to them in many cases. Again if you are familiar with route you would know. Your lack of local knowledge and your elementary grasp of the english language and use of profanity expose your for the moron you really are.
motohead00 2 years ago
I've been on this road many, many times. I live in Blount County. I enjoy taking my pickup out and driving this road. The added benefit is pissing off all the self made tough guy bikers because I drive the speed limit while on it!
JimKidwell 2 years ago
Your use of the term "self made"; I don't think you understand the connotation in which you employ it. Self made indicates a GOOD thing; 1. having achieved wealth, status, etc., by one's own efforts
2. made by oneself
The term you were searching for, I believe, is self righteous. Not to say wazoo IS self righteous, but this fits the context of your insult better.
1) confident of one's own righteousness, esp. when smugly moralistic and intolerant of the opinions and behavior of others.
Yay!
hotdogevox 2 years ago
The truck driver was the clown in this case. He was on the wrong side of the road, you moron.
motormanish 2 years ago 2
@JimKidwell Left you a nice comment on your channel.
mooosestang 1 year ago
I dont know if anyone said this already but, If a large truck cant take a particular curve while maintaining the lane he or she is in with oncoming traffic then that truck should be banned from traveling on that particular road. Speeding aint cool but failing to maintain your lane against head on traffic is nuts.
zzacco 2 years ago
bollox. i dont know about the u.s but our highway code says give hgv's more room on the road. if you banned trucks because they need to use more space they wouldnt get anywhere. and remember without us every country would be fucked. infact without us you wouldnt have the computer your using because we took it to the store.
rsrex 2 years ago
The Dragon is pretty much in my back yard, and I can tell you that trucks should be banned from it. That's not to say anything against trucks, it's just that the road is so tight that their presence creates a dangerous situation for everyone. There are many turns where the front wheels hang off the road on the outside and the trailer hangs off on the inside, even with the tandems moved all the way forward. It's not uncommon at all for trucks to turn over or get stuck on the Dragon.
thenameisdaniel 2 years ago 3
you are some kinda damn moron, have you ever been up there???? there is a lot of diff ways to get across besides the gap, and that trucker was a moron for goin up there, I dont even know how he got that far without running of the road, its a matter of safty not the TRUCKER IS KING OF THE HIGHWAY bs
jacket4256 2 years ago
the us has more land mass than your tiny island so laws are different
tvicena 2 years ago
just reading the arguement here between retardhalo and dg121480. im a uk lorry driver. not sure about us laws but here if there is no weight limit or unsuitable for large vehicles signs then the road is fair game. although id be inclined to side with the biker here the semi was taking a fair amount of road not to mention not stopping although in his defence he may well not have realised you came off. Remember no lorries means you get fuck all. mind that when you want trucks banned everywhere
rsrex 2 years ago
DG121480***** SO YOU THINK that the trucker was right in what was doing? Right being the fact he was taking THE ENTIRE FUCKING ROAD? What a prick!
lfvfd421 2 years ago
I watched a guy on a super bike get sucked under a semi after he drifted it and went to pass. his brain squirted out of his helmet like the juice from a grape as his body was being wrapped around the tire. i doubt he even realized he was crashing b4 he died. taking unnecessary risk on a bike is like playing russian roulette with 5 in the cylinder. you got luckier than a horse shoe made of 4 leaf clovers to hear that click this time. save thrills for the track or die seeking them.
dragonclawjta 2 years ago
It's hard to say because of the slow motion, but it looks like you could've saved it. Whaddya think?
GenevaSuspension 2 years ago
this is why 18 wheelers are supposed to stay on the highways
Destro357 2 years ago
did u sue him
edbean420 2 years ago
There should be no reason for a semi to be on US129. Oh hell, somebody would be picking up some teeth if I wrecked. I swear most of the time someone wrecks on a bike its because of another dumbass on the road. Someone not looking, or texting, or tailgating. I feel for you man. Hopefully you had frame sliders. It didnt look like you hit too hard.
rmj2n 2 years ago
1) That truck should have never been on that road
2) You shouldn't be driving faster than you can handle. If you're going fast enough that you can't stop when you see something on the road you're going too fast.
fixedd 2 years ago 5
we cant all drive at 20mph forever.
LocustsAreSwarming 2 years ago 2
that's bullshit bro! really pisses me off
chamine 2 years ago