| Author | Message | ||
     86129squids |
Just caught this piece of news today- starting next year, with signage installed in January, trucks over 30' are banned from the Dragon!! Yeehaaa!! A lot of folks thought this would never happen... hopefully that stretch of road will get just a LITTLE bit safer now. I can't tell youn's how many times I've nearly shat myself to see an 18 wheeler barreling through, using all of BOTH lanes and BOTH shoulders to get through. OK then.  Here's the press release: https://news.tn.gov/node/13281 | ||
| Wolfridgerider |
bout time! | ||
| Hughlysses |
 | ||
| Noone1569 |
Awesome, can't wait for APRIL | ||
| Etennuly |
Big trucks on that road should have stopped happening years ago. But then, if not for trucks that road would not exist. | ||
| 86129squids |
That is correct! IIRC it started as a logging road... mebbe there's a Wiki entry. Noone- truth be told, the best time all year to enjoy the Gap/Dragon is- about now! Wintertime, there's the least # of idiots, po po, and when the leaves are down, no better time for the best sightlines through corners! Once March gets done, I try to leave it alone. There are better roads, with MUCH less asshattery. Holler when you head this way! | ||
| Gentleman_jon |
Nice. There were very few moments in motor sport quite as thrilling as coming through one corner on the Dragon, only to find an eighteen wheeler blocking both lanes and shoulders at the apex of the next one. Really got one's attention, that's for sure. | ||
| Mr_grumpy |
Damn it! That was on my Bucket List!  | ||
| Natexlh1000 |
I thought there were already signs up telling truckers beyond a certain length to turn back? | ||
| Mr_grumpy |
Nate, yes but they were "Advisory" not mandatory. | ||
| Etennuly |
The problem of the recent GPS years, is that to an unknowing trucker state road 129 is a major short cut through the mountains. GPS will show that you can make by it being cautious and that there was no law against it. Miss two warning signs that are miles apart, miss the last turn around on either end, and you are committed to the whole route. Problem is that once a big rig starts on the Dragon.....there ain't no turning around to go back! Grumpy, a safer bet for your bucket list would be to jump out of an airplane without a chute, but of course with another jumper who is there to grab you before you hit the ground.  | ||
| Sifo |
Problem is that once a big rig starts on the Dragon.....there ain't no turning around to go back! I've often wondered how many of the trucks you see have been through there before. My guess would be few. It is a huge short cut, but I can't see it being worth the danger and stress on a regular basis. | ||
| 86129squids |
Vern's right- a LOT of those poor bastids were only following dispatch orders, or GPS... The few times I escorted a semi through, every one of them DID NOT know what they were getting into- one guy stopped at the state line, got out, and came to me and asked "How much more of this do I have ahead!?!?!" Another guy stopped at the store to get his Dragon sticker. I have to wonder about the Sysco foods guy- he runs a shorty trailer/rig, and has to stop to drop off his supplies at the Tail of the Dragon store at least one, twice a week... bet he's got some stories to tell! | ||
| Mr_grumpy |
It's the buzz of the challenge too. I was only partly kidding about wanting to do it in a truck. That's one of the huge differences between N American trucking & European. Roads such as the Dragon are uncommon over here, but no biggie at all in Europe. As a result the vehicles are configured to suit. Standard Euro configuration would be a 4x2 cabover tractor pulling a 45' 3 axle semi the middle axle (also being the turning point) set about 2/3 down the trailer. A rig like that I can turn around in little more than it's own length & would pass easily though the Dragon with some prudence. Another of my favourite Euro rigs was a Volvo FH cabover 4x2 wagon with a 20' curtain side body pulling a close coupled 30' 3 axle drawbar trailer. That's a rig I'd not even hesitate to run through there, you'd hardly cross the lines even, except in the tightest corners. | ||
| Pwnzor |
Today's new generation of truck drivers are largely what I refer to as "steering wheel holders" They blindly follow the GPS, and blame the device when they get stuck somewhere or can't turn around or back in. I get sick to death of hearing about how the damned idiot box on the dashboard "took them down this road". If they would just open up a map book, and LOOK at their route, they wouldn't be on that road. Shortcut or not. | ||
| Sifo |
As a result the vehicles are configured to suit. The right tool for the job does matter. They blindly follow the GPS, and blame the device when they get stuck somewhere or can't turn around or back in. I don't know how many times I've said "you have to be smarter than your GPS". Technology has in so many ways, turned us into idiots. | ||
| Two_seasons |
Follow the money...there probably is more money in a semi ticket (banned semi's) than one for a sport bike. Just sayin... | ||
| Mr_grumpy |
I'd say follow the money too but for different reasons, less road maintenance necessary, less emergency services call-outs etc. More than the money though, in my cynical way, I'd be thinking follow the votes! | ||
| Birdy |
Some truck drivers are just plain stupid. This bozo tried to drive through a 140 cover bridge, wrecking the bridge of course. What makes it really bad is the new bridge is 100 yards away. BUT he got jail for it! http://www.news-sentinel.com/article/2012121229928 (Message edited by Birdy on December 03, 2014) | ||
| Badlionsfan |
There are some stupid truck drivers out there. There's more today than there was 10 years ago when I started driving truck. However, if you wanna see a lot of stupid in a short period of time, ride in a truck for a day and watch how cars and even some motorcycles act around trucks. | ||
| Sifo |
Stupid? How about a semi trying to cross a pedestrian bridge? Engineers trying to remove semi truck from Lake Park pedestrian bridge | ||
| Mr_grumpy |
There are some stupid truck drivers out there. There's more today than there was 10 years ago when I started driving truck. However, if you wanna see a lot of stupid in a short period of time, ride in a truck for a day and watch how cars and even some motorcycles act around trucks. That's very true. However in mitigation, I have to say there are some real idiots responsible for places you have to go with a rig. I've taken some big trucks into some odd places over the years, yes even over a "pedestrian" bridge in a park. The bridge in question however was conceived as a vehicular access for service vehicles as well as one of the park entrances. I've also been victim of the "Sure it'll go, we've had bigger trucks than that in here." from a foreman who'd only been there a week. Cost his company a new roller shutter door which I tore off leaving the building having unloaded a 40' container on a trailer with steel spring suspension. Ride height on air doesn't change from loaded to empty but steel will ride 2"-3" higher. I refused all liability having questioned the access & been assured that it was good. Rule 1 of trucking CYA! | ||
| Patches |
Average miles driven per year, Motorcycle- 1800 mpy, Family Car- 16500 mpy, OTR (Big Truck)- 175000 mpy. OTR drivers are more regulated than airline pilots. (Message edited by patches on December 04, 2014) | ||
| Hootowl |
...and account for the fewest number of accidents. They really do drive better than most people. | ||
| Patches |
Average Weight, Pedestrian 180 lbs., Bicycle 80 lbs., Motorcycle 600 lbs., Car 4000 lbs., SUV 5500 lbs., Big Truck 75000 lbs. Average stopping distance from 60mph, Car/SUV 160 ft., Big Truck 900+ ft. Three Football Fields. | ||
| Badlionsfan |
I'm not OTR, but I do 554 miles a night, 5 times a week. So with vacation time, personal days and holidays taken out, I do around 130,000 miles a year. I know what cars around me are gonna do before they do. | ||
| 86129squids |
+1, most truck drivers are very good drivers... When I do superslab travel, I generally watch what the OTR guys are doing around me. When one of them hits the hazard flashers, so do I. How important is the CB radio in today's world? I've still got an original copy of a book, "The Big Dummy's Guide to CB Radio"- had it since childhood, still fun to read for many reasons- one of which it was published by The Book Publishing Company, anyone remember that outfit?  | ||
| Badlionsfan |
I don't even have one in my truck right now squids. There's very little chatter at night, and what is out there is worse than an unmoderated message board. There are times when they come in handy, but the modern technology has kinda replaced it. For instance, the Pa turnpike has an app that determines what direction you're going, and alerts you of any issues such as accidents, road closure, weather alerts, etc. Between that and their website it updates as soon as the incident is reported by the police or safety patrol. | ||
| Patches |
There is a BIG difference between Day Cab and OTR. Getting Paid by the hour or by the mile. | ||
| Mr_grumpy |
The company I work for are constantly banging on about fuel economy but will sit you 2 days in California summer heat with the engine on fast idle to run the ac. I told them if they want me to run at maximum economy, pay me by the hour. If they want to pay me by the mile, I'm going to have that rig running as fast as I can make it go. Time is money, I'm not going to waste an extra half day of my time on every run for no more money in the interest of their fuel economy. |
