| Author | Message | ||
     Mortarmanmike120 |
Hey Matt, I wasn't planning on NOT having it resolved. I'm just trying to figure out the best way to actually resolve it. My ethical standards are too high to try to weasle out of something I rightly deserve. On the other hand, no sense in taking a bigger hit then I need to. | ||
| Wile_ecoyote |
I must've played that video a hundred times trying to figure out what that guy did to go straight off the road. He just shot by and didnt even fake a move to get back over the double yellow. His buddy damn near did the same thing. I guess baggers dont handle that well. Maybe a bagger-squid? | ||
| Jlnance |
From this website: http://www.dmv.org/nc-north-carolina/point-system. php it appears that you get 3 "points" on your license for speeding over 55 mph. They explain that these points are different from the points your insurance company uses, so I'm not sure if it's even relivant to your situation. Perhaps you should call your insurance company and ask what the effect on your rates would be if convicted and balance that against just paying the ticket. The NC legislature has created a bunch of loopholes for getting out of tickets. There was an article in the paper on it about a month ago. | ||
| Wile_ecoyote |
So 101 seems to show he locked rear wheel up and kept right on a goin in direction of slide. Maybe he thought the woods was a nice place to stop? | ||
| Glitch |
Paint, I agree 100% Blake, If I were in charge of the area, I'd put giant yellow street signs at each spot where someone crashed and got hurt or worse describing on them in gory detail the trauma suffered by the accident victim and the monetary damages too. I'd post the total stats on giant signs, one at every mile marker of the route. Having that kind of information put in your face tends to have an effect even on the worst squidly types. Billboards aren't allowed. This has been an ongoing problem for many many years. I can remember in the early '90s when THP was doing close to the same thing, just not as many officers. They also hide on a hill and video tape, call down to an officer on the road and have the offenders pulled. There also have been people blocked off at the dam with the THP helicopter. It's a beautiful area, with an over publicized 10 mile stretch of road. The problem is the legend that is the dragon. Hell, even Buell had a couple of events up there, I still have the t-shirt. I can show anyone that rides with me, several roads that are way more of a challenge than Deals Gap is. Difference being, they aren't advertised. All they (THP) have to do, is the same thing any law enforcement organization has to do. Enforce the law, 24/7. This'll cool off soon enough, and it'll ramp up again, and THP will go over board again. I'd be willing to bet, one officer could curb most if not damn near all offenders, by merely being there consistently, 7 days a week. This is the tactic North Georgia has decided to give a try, and it's working, just being seen is a major deterrent. | ||
| Bigdaddy |
Good post Glitch. Anyone wanting to ride The Dragon should come and ride it. You should show up with a motorcycle that is proper with all the necessary documentation. Ride it once or twice (legally) and then relocate to one of the many similar roads in the area and enjoy it without the crowds and without the LEOs. About the LEOs. If you're there stop and talk to one, they're approachable, and ask a few questions. You might be surprised by their answers. 129 has always been a nice piece of twisty, but it's not always been a destination. If you go and don't show your tail I'd be very surprised if you got tagged. There's so many fricking idiots running back and forth that even semi-normal behavior won't even be a blip on THPs screen. YMMV G2 | ||
| Blake |
Not billboards, official state highway signs. I've ridden the dragon twice. Nice road with good scenery and places to pull over by the river. | ||
| Reepicheep |
With it's high squid and new rider population, gravel in blind corners, diminishing radius turns, and general really bad sight lines, the Gap is the wrong place to go fast anyway. Just work on good form and a smooth line. I like Deals Gap, for the "parade", social experience, good photo opportunities (including painless and professional riding portaits) and a general pretty ride. The Cherahola is the better place to ride fast. Better sight lines, cleaner and emptier roads, and a longer route. And you can have a good fun challenging ride without abusing the speed limit much. Seems like there are plenty of opportunities for law enforcement to stop really dangerous behavior though, rather then just general harassment. That being said, as somebody who has been endangered plenty of times by idiots on sport bikes and cruisers, I have precious little sympathy for somebody that feels the need to hide their license plate, no matter how they are riding at any particular moment. I saw the "the man is harassing me" post by killboy, but it lacked any specific verifiable data that felt to me like there were a lot of victimized innocents. Somebody pulled over for an deliberately invisible plate is not an innocent. I am by no means a fast rider, and have done perhaps 20 deals gap crossings. Perhaps one of them did not involve a significant amount of riding slowly behind something for some reason. Great photos though... Note my line and form, and that it was raining and very wet at the time...   (Photos by Zee Photo... which were both better quality and a better location then the ones shot by killboy). (Message edited by reepicheep on August 07, 2007) | ||
| Hdbobwithabuell |
Are we mad because the law is coming to the wild wild west?  | ||
| Paint_shaker |
No... we are mad because a few idiots captured the attention of the law and brought them to the wild wild west!! lol | ||
| Djkaplan |
Well... if we're posting shots of ourselves at Deals Gap... Killboy captured moment.  | ||
| Macbuell |
I know we all point to squids as the problem but the increased popularity of stunting is a big problem too. Squids and stunters are probably the same in most peoples eyes but when I think of squids I think of a young kid without much skill on a shiny new crotch rocket. Most stunters actually have quite a bit of experience and skill. I know many stunters don't do it on public roads but there are videos all over the internet of kids riding wheelies down public highways at 80MPH and some of these outlaw videos are being sold for profit. These guys, as well as the squids that are having fatal accidents on the Dragon and elsewhere, are what is pushing this type of law enforcement and also reinforcing negative stereotypes regarding high performance motorcycle riders. It's like the saying goes, it only takes one rotten apple to spoil the bunch, and unfortunately the motorcycle world has a TON of rotten apples running around right now. I just want to state clearly that I am not innocent. I never stunt (I can't even ride a wheelie) but I will open her up a little at times and it's hard to resist leaning my 12R over in the twisties of north GA. | ||
| Djkaplan |
I'm pretty sure it was the recent motorcycle related death at the Gap that lead to this particular crackdown. That along with the usual hooliganism that goes on must have the locals pretty upset. | ||
| New12r |
Check my profile, I could have something to do with it....... But in all fairness, I never left my lane or rode more than 75% of my abilities. (Message edited by new12r on August 07, 2007) | ||
| Glitch |
Not billboards, official state highway signs. Ya missed my point, but that's ok, it wasn't very clear. My point was that the official state highway sign you described would have to be the size of a billboard. I could have something to do with it....... You had EVERYTHING to do with it! Away with you! | ||
| Xbrad9r |
hey Reepi... is that you on the bottom of the Killboy.com highlights page showin the love to killboy? | ||
| Slaughter |
Blake, What to do? Dunno. Folks don't want to show or exercise restraint. We are already leading "ticketless" rides starting out of Glendale. We're asking friends of ours in the LA County Sherriff's racing team to come talk to our group of riders (formerly BRAG - still searching for a name) Since there is too much "Biker Boyz" and "Torque" culture out there, it's kind of hard. I think that it might be a whole generation of culture changing before we can recover - but I'm betting against it. I'm seeing this street racing and stunting occurring more and more and and frankly getting tired of the people DOING it bitching about it. I'll be the first to admit that I'll speed but I consider the time and place - but I'm not doing some of the crazy speeds that are guaranteed to grab attention. With all the miles I put in here in our local foothills, I very often come around a turn to see deer, stalled vehicles, U-Turners, construction vehicles, rocks, water, sand. I don't ride so I can't avoid that kind of stuff yet all the time, see people who DO. I need to be on their insurance company's salvage bidder list. I'm convinced that we can't get people to slow down so I make a point of letting the local dealers know I'm always interested in bidding on salvage bikes for racing spares. I actually think that I should encourage street racing so I can keep the racebikes of my friends supplied with parts and keep the pool of available organs up to acceptable levels. BOTH are in short supply. I was up riding the Angeles Crest complex here with friends when we were trying to signal a group of idiots to slow down because of the police on the road - but were ignored on 2 occasions. A short time later, we saw this one idiot on his XB9 pulled over by 2 Sherriffs. He was one who OBVIOUSLY ignored us. At the end of our day, we were coming onto Angeles Forest when the fire and Police were waving all the people over while they were clearing the road for a life flight helo landing (he was circling overhead). After the landing and loading the guy into it - it took off and in passing the accident site I saw the same XB9 who obviously went too wide, stuffed into the rail. My first thought wasn't "awww poor guy" but was "sheeeitt, I gotta get home and call Glendale, Bartels and California Buell/HD to get my name on the salvage list." No sympathy for idiots and if I can get some good out of it, why not? There was no blood on it that would have been a biohazard. I also do volunteer litter cleanup with a local sportbiker group - just trying to improve the image, don't you know.  | ||
| Reepicheep |
Nope... I saw that though, nice looking bike!  Thats some other fat old guy on a 9sx... | ||
| Hammer71 |
 So we cant do this anymore? | ||
| Damnut |
not with the mustard mobile................. she's a goner without a head | ||
| Hammer71 |
actually it has one and ran. not well but it ran | ||
| Glitch |
I think that it might be a whole generation of culture changing before we can recover - but I'm betting against it. I'm seeing this street racing and stunting occurring more and more and and frankly getting tired of the people DOING it bitching about it. While I agree, I can remember way back when "they" were saying the same thing about us. Those younguns in their hopped up cars! Those idiots on their loud ass bikes! This was before anyone had a bike with 100HP, and a hot 1/4 mile was way over 10 seconds... All I can do is do what I can, same as you. Teach time and place, there will always be those that we can't reach, and as we get older, their numbers will increase... Hopefully with the help of the Anti-Squids we'll not be harassed too much, and we'll be left to ride in peace, while they squid population may rest in pieces... | ||
| Hammer71 |
Amen to that. Well said Glitch | ||
| New12r |
Glitch +1 | ||
| Slaughter |
Though I definitely see his points, I'm not quite as "understanding" toward the others as is Glitch - despite the fact that I had to endure all of the "damned kids" comments as well while growing up. I'm not too awfully old BUT I'm old enough to have ridden my BSA 441 Victor to the first release of "On Any Sunday" - so I've seen a few generations of folks doing this motorcycling "thing" but lately (in the past decade) it HAS been getting nuts on the streets. I am also a shooter, ammunition reloader and yet have never felt the need to go shooting in the neighborhood. I have better rifle and pistol control than the general public but when going shooting, I'll go out to the countryside or the rifle range. That's just me... and yet, people shoot all the time in the LA area in public. It's on the news all the time. Often it's gang-related. This is another definite cultural change I've been witness to in the past few decades. I'm not too understanding of that behavior either - as much as I like shooting sports too, I just can't support the inappropriate use of firearms in public places. For those who won't change how they ride and won't ride within their limits, I want their stuff. It will get worse and we'll continue to accept the injuries and deaths of more riders as some sort of inevitability. Geeez... another rant. I gotta stoppit. | ||
| Iamike |
In Montana they had white crosses posted where fatalities happened. One cross for each. It is pretty sobering to see all the crosses everywhere, especially the multiples of 5 & 6 in spots. It kind of kept me a little more aware of my vulnerability. | ||
| Glitch |
I'm with ya Slaughter. I'm also a natural optimist, I can't help it. But I must admit the numbers are climbing. You do know, that most motorcycle fatalities are riders our age... | ||
| Mr_gto |
In stead of worrying about the THP and all the squids everyone is bitching about, get up a little earlier and get there @ 6:30 or 7 and you will never see one or the other. Its cooler then anyway. Just got to watch out for the turkey!!! I can usually get in a half a dozen runs in before i see anybody. I talked to a THP the other day and they are forcing them to come up there on their days off and weekends and they have to write tickets or they get in trouble. They hate it just as much as we do! | ||
| Glitch |
A recent analysis of age trends shows that over the past 10 years, fatalities in the 20 to 29 year old age group, the group with consistently the highest annual number of motorcycle fatalities, decreased, while fatalities in the 40 and over age groups increased. During this time, however, there were more driving age individuals in the 40 and over age group in the United States http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/People/injury/pedbimot/mo torcycle/motorcycle03/recent.htm Kind of old data...but I'd bet it's still pretty accurate. | ||
| Glitch |
I talked to a THP the other day and they are forcing them to come up there on their days off and weekends and they have to write tickets or they get in trouble. They hate it just as much as we do! I figured as much. |
