| Author | Message | ||
     Bigevildoer |
Dwight "Ike" Woodard died Wednesday, August 3rd 2011 on the Tail of the Dragon at Deal's Gap. I know many people like to head down and usually there are groups from Badweb that go. If you have rode the Dragon, will continue to ride the Dragon or would like to and plan on it in the future watch this video. There is a new law trying to be passed as "Ike's Law" that would not allow commercial vehicles as it is a very technical 11miles and 318 turns. It is a sad story that people who have known him mentioned. In memory of Ike, please contribute to hopefully making one of the best roads for motorcyclists safer and more enjoyable... One of my favorite vloggers and one of my favorite videos from him as he talks about his personal things and the twisties http://www.youtube.com/user/ike955#p/u/1/auUujH4yA tM http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YkUOq...&feature=fe edu http://www.change.org/petitions/ikes...rcial-vehic les | ||
| Nillaice |
i am sorry to hear that this fellow has died. i take solace in that he was doing something i presume he enjoyed/loved i'm not saying this semi driver wasn't crossing the double yellow http://www.129pix.net/jps/store.jsp?act=preview&ii d=30021310949925542&clid=3001&gid=1676&eid=167&pag e=0 BUT it is a US state highway. you cannot legally stop someone from driving a street legal semi on the street . ... no more than you can stop some one from riding a street legalized race bike either. nor can i legally stop any of you from signing a petition. i think alot of people ride deals gap with the wrong mindset. it is not a motorsports playground. it is a public road. the whole time i was down there last month, i kept holding my self back and chickening out cuz i had a speaking doubt of someone else crossing the double yellow just around the next turn. i still enjoyed the ride, just not with a worry-free mind | ||
| Nillaice |
i seem to recall a "sportbike no-passenger" law with all these stipulations for the operator/rider that was being petitioned in texas cuz an upstanding young lady was killed when she was riding as a passenger on a sportbike alot of people on here seemed pretty opposed to that one... | ||
| J2blue |
+1 on what Nillaice said. ...and, I might sign a petition to ban any vehicle that used that road as their own personal recreation park. Commercial traffic has more reason to be on that road than recreational biker! When all the bikers raise enough money to build an alternate highway route through the gap to give to the public in exchange for the present road I might sign a petition to ban commercial traffic from that present road. And I am sorry that anyone had to lose their life on that route. | ||
| Kinder |
I don't agree with the banning of vehicles on roads unless it can be proven the roads are unable to accommodate the vehicle per the governing traffic act. Example: If a vehicle when navigating a corner (non intersection) cannot stay within its lane and has no marker vehicles it shouldn't be allowed on said road. | ||
| Sprintst |
You can ticket a vehicle for obstructing traffic you can ticket a vehicle for crossing the centerline you can restrict certain size and type vehicles from a road | ||
| Bigevildoer |
Nillaice and J2Blue. Look at this video. Particularly 1:40. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ebQP4SgFGgM Now you tell me if trucks shouldn't be banned from this road. They *CANNOT* make it without crossing the double yellow. I don't care if you're on a bike or a car - there's a SIGNIFICANT chance of accident here. Kinder - you're on the money here... (Message edited by bigevildoer on August 07, 2011) | ||
| Juniorkirk |
I signed it, if a vehicle cant stay in its lane, it doesn't deserve to be on that road. | ||
| Badlionsfan |
Juniorkirk Posted on Sunday, August 07, 2011 - 01:00 am: I signed it, if a vehicle cant stay in its lane, it doesn't deserve to be on that road. That is possibly the stupidest statement I've ever heard. If you have it, a truck brought it. Some towns have one way in or out, and it could be a twisty, fun road, or maybe has a narrow intersection that a truck has to use the whole road to make the turn. The people in these towns get it, and they give trucks room. Do YOU want pay the extra taxes to modernize all necessary truck routes?? Do YOU want to pay more at the store due to even higher transportation costs?? The answer to both questions is of course no. So before you make idiotic statements that are clearly based in zero awareness for reality, give it some thought. Better yet, go ride in a truck for a day, you'll have a new found understanding for the situation, as long as your brain is able to process the information, which of course is a huge question mark IMO. | ||
| Slaughter |
I hate it when people react with such (understandable) emotion and INSIST that our miraculous government do something to protect us from ourselves (again) The petition says nothing about suggested alternative routes, doesn't list vehicle definitions, nor does it show some positive examples of ways to implement alternative shipping. Like all e-petitions, it is simply an exercise in impotence and frankly is a pretty poor tribute to ANY person. IF people were serious, they'd get off their asses and actually DO SOMETHING - not spend 30 seconds to fill in a toothless petition. IF you want to do something, WORK on something - come up with alternatives, usable suggestions and not just a poorly-worded ban on "commercial vehicles" Spend a few minutes to look up the regulatory agencies, local and state highway folks and send them YOUR SUGGESTIONS. It is a poorly-thought-out, poorly-worded e-petition and like pissing in a dark suit, might give you a warm feeling but nobody is going to notice. Don't dis-honor the man by doing nothing and pretending to have done something. | ||
| Guell |
I refuse to support any law that has someones name attached to it. Its nothing more than a feel good attempt for the person creating it. It does nothing for the good of everyone and usually just infringes on others rights. Oh and by the way, usually e petitions dont do jack. | ||
| Bigevildoer |
Slaughter - this is the first step only. Somebody got off their butt and started the petition. Without the petition, politicians wouldn't even consider listening to somebody saying trucks don't belong on that road. Sure, the term "Commercial Vehicle" needs refining, as it would include any vehicles used by a company (taxis, cars, plumbing trucks etc). It's a start. By signing the petition, you're giving the person who started it the ammunition to take to the politicians. | ||
| Ridegreen2oo |
And when commercial trucks are banned every biker will go running to the closest cop when they see a semi entering, but hopefully that same cop isn't there when you are riding twice the posted speed limit. How many locals down there want to ban motorcycles on the dragon because a handful of them ride like assholes? | ||
| Sprintst |
scan this page before you decide http://tailofthedragon.com/dragon_trucks.html (Message edited by sprintst on August 07, 2011) | ||
| Court |
Rider education | ||
| Ohsoslow |
the banning of all commercial vehicles is a stupid idea. there needs to be some sort of length restriction or there needs to be an escort vehicle (car) with the truck. id be willing to bet that most truck drivers had no idea what they were getting into before the chose that route, it is after all a state highway. the person who created this petition probably knows nothing of the commercial truck industry. | ||
| Mountainstorm |
Where I live there are a number of public roads that have signs posted "No Tractor Trailers on Route "whatever"" or "Tractor Trailers not Recommended on Route "whatever"" And that's the VADOT determining that long trailers simply cannot negotiate the corkscrews without endangering oncoming traffic. Nothing emotional about that...it's called Common Sense I've ridden Deal's Gap and I can see no earthly reason a semi would need to travel that road. There are plenty of other routes to bypass those tight turns. Commercial Vehicles would still need to travel that road, delivery trucks, service trucks, construction workers, etc etc. Life must go on...just because we like to ride a particular section of road does not make it "ours" sorry to say. | ||
| Slaughter |
People need to THINK before REACTING "Commercial Vehicles" could ALSO include motorcycles being ridden for magazine road tests. Would I be a commercial vehicle with dealer plates? Commercial vehicle covers a WIDE territory. I'd like to start a petition to nobody in particular that people THINK before they copy and paste. | ||
| Hybridmomentspass |
"Oh and by the way, usually e petitions dont do jack." Bingo. Slaughter had a great post too. To the original poster - I am sorry that you lost a friend. Deals Gap/Dragon is a narrow road, and yes, there are lots of pictures and video online showing people crossing the yellow line. Sucks. But please keep in mind that it is not just commercial vehicles that cross the double yellow on that road | ||
| Paint_shaker |
If you are gonna link videos on the dangers of trucks driving on the wrong side of the road, it is probably best not to have videos showing motorcycles doing the same thing (especially the first video at around 19 seconds)... Just sayin... I've been known to carve a corner or 2, but the bottom line is it is a public road. Oversize vehicles unable to negotiate the road should not be allowed and riders/drivers need to remember this is a public road. | ||
| Badlionsfan |
While we're doing e-petitions, I'd like start one that'll ban all NON-Commercial traffic from the interstate system from dusk til dawn. It'll make my job a lot safer and less stressful. |
