Sting operation at Deals Gap, TN: bikers beware!

[Lt.Del]

interesting video by TN highway patrol catching sport bikes driving crazy on S curves.   75 minute video--very interesting what you can see at the "Tail of the Dragon".

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=9061594534302727021&hl=en#

[VileZambonie]

You watched 75 minutes of bikes riding normal around a corner? lol

[eventhorizon66]

I didn't see anything extreme there, just some people haven' a little fun.  If you want to see some street bike madness check out Ghost Rider.  This guy's nuts.  His cojones are like watermelons, but his lack of respect for other peoples' lives is dispicable.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XWsk2USHGs4&feature=related

[Lt.Del]

You watched 75 minutes of bikes riding normal around a corner? lol

answer:  No.  

However, not a biker myself, it is interesting what some of these guys do.  Some call it fun.  Some call it breakin the law.  Some call it adrenaline pumping, and others call it hazardous.  What little i did watch, many passing  on the double yellow--2 and 3 bikes at a time.  One bike pulled out right in front of a silver van...the van had to lock up the brakes to prevent getting a bloody hood ornament.  The officer said he couldn't believe that.  

This is why cracking down is important...too many of these...


http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=9061594534302727021&hl=en#docid=7048239448119502967


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PrfSi4I3CaM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Re10s2KPQVA&feature=related


http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=9061594534302727021&hl=en#docid=3204304937073876043

[VileZambonie]

I ride and many times especially if you're riding in numbers we ride a little wild. From the camera view it's not the same as the riders view. Is it safer to cross the yellow line or follow the line? Well if it gives you a better view and you can flat out see there's nothing coming the other way it's safer to ride like you own the road. When I drive normally I rarely follow the lines unless there are other vehicles on the road. It gives you more time to react. Most drivers are so inconsiderate of bikers we have to ride defensively.

[Lt.Del]

the tail of the dragon is 11 miles long, 300+ curves and med flight visits are 4 times per week.  The cost of local EMS and public safety, let's just say, they need a very large budget to handle the number of young bucks who'd rather have an adrenaline rush than relax and enjoy the scenery.

I admit, I get wild on my ATV sometimes so I really can't talk, but, those are ususally times when it is a proper environment and not battling vehicles or the law. www.delbridge.net/atv
  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=941iQiYCuJQ&feature=related


there is a reason for the double yellow....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AyOHYiQakLg&NR=1


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x3w8BOO1C3I&feature=related

[VileZambonie]

I miss riding ATV's. I still do but not like I used to.... Mostly when I plow my driveways now lol. I had 85 acres of groomed trails behind my house completely destroyed by loggers (looked like a nuclear bomb went off) so not much fun left out there to be had. No one has time to ride and deal with the DEP around here anymore.

[1HI4x4]

I rode through there last fall, very scenic ride, was out for the weekend on my Road King. Nice trip if you can ever make it.

[Irish_Alley]

i can't see the vids but, if they want to do something stupid don't do it where others can get hurt. close the road off and let them race down it alone and who ever makes it out can come back and do it next year if your going to be stupid do it so only you suffer

[Lt.Del]

close the road off and let them race down it alone and who ever makes it out can come back and do it next year  if your going to be stupid do it so only you suffer

If they close the road, other taxpayers will take the gov't to court because that road belongs to them as well.

If they close the road off for the primary reason to protect others from crazy bikers, even if it is possible due to the above point, the local gov't will have to furnish EMS on standby, thus burdening taxpayers, and imagine how big that will become once news gets out they closed the road for bikers to go all out.  Endless gov't concerns will materialize then---all the things necessary to accomodate thousands of extra people.  

Since the gov't cannot sponsor this type of thing because of the above issues, it will never happen.  And, the first person who gets hurt on a bike will hire an attorney and they will claim the road wasn't built for such a thing and taxpayers will have to pay millions for a lost court case.

So, gov't will have to continue doing what they do...enforcing the law on the highways so everyone will be safe and hopefully bikers will see it as a detterent so EMS and public safety won't have to respond to so many accidents.  

Most people love having a leisurely, quiet trip on the highways their taxmoney paid for.  Since all bikers in the mid-atlantic states know of the dragon, most bikers take a pilgrimage there and because they are with their friends and they came a long way to get there, most don't want to simply do the speed limit--what fun is that? When the bikers illegal pass and speed by the relaxed motorist, dozens per mile, pressure will be done to do something about it. And, if the police don't continue to crack down, the general public will put pressure on local gov't to enforce the laws which means, come election time, officials may loose their jobs.  So, the crack down continues.    

....just saying.

[smitty77]

Most drivers are so inconsiderate of bikers we have to ride defensively.

True, yet every year I see more and more riding like an @$$hol3.  I can guarantee almost every person that got passed in those vids now drives with a whole lot less regard for the safety and well-being of motorcyclists in general.

And while we're on the topic, how close should one follow a vehicle while on a motorcycle?  I don't have enough fingers to count the number of riders who followed me too closely last summer, and yet I get dirty looks if I happen to be following a rider at closer than a 2 second gap.  This begs the question:  If you're not going to do what it takes to ride safely, why should anybody else on the road be expected to do the same?

I think I'm going to make up my own signs and stickers:  I'll check twice if you stop riding like an idiot.

[Irish_Alley]

Burn them all. Lol

[VileZambonie]

Burn all what?

No doubt there's plenty of morons on bikes. So do you now have a prejudice against bikers because there are morons on bikes?

[Irish_Alley]

Lol was just joking about it all. Still want to build my trike and run wild. But ill be that 99% while they can be that 1%

[choptop]

I love riding, and did it every chance I got until I had to sell it this year due to the economy. ( not going down that subject road) Its the morons on the bikes that make it dangerous. Most that I see are young kids 18-25 who think the street is a race track, and arent happy with the fact that they only have two wheels to ride on so they insist on using only one. Ive lost friends to motorcycle wrecks. All could have been avoided. They were driving to fast, drunk or not paying attention to what they were doing. Accidents are possible, but most could have been prevented if the bike rider would watch the cars because they dont watch for us. Call me cold hearted, selfish or whatever you like, but if you want to ride like an idiot, you deserve what you get. You riding like an idiot also endangers others lives, and that is un acceptable. But look around, we have people in the little zippy zip cars driving like idiots, as well as the big 4x4s that think they own the road because they are bigger. Reallity is if everyone would just respect those around them regaurdless on what they or you are driving, there would be less problems on the road. I use the phrase "if it has a motor, it has my attention" because I like all types of things, but if you act like a moron, and get hurt, it doesnt bother me at all. Thus my other phrase>>"I have no pity for stupidity" Keep safe guys, someone is expecting you to come home.