Biker killed on the Dragon

[my-79-750-k]

The terrain and layout of US Highway 129 is mountainous with multiple sharp curves, many outside the limits of tractor trailer vehicles' maneuverability. Because of this, the driver of the tractor trailer must compensate for the curves by utilizing the lane of oncoming traffic. This action often times results in vehicles being ran off the road, wrecks, and fatalities. Such a fatality occurred on Wednesday, August 3, 2011. Dwight "Ike" Woodard, a seasoned, experienced, and habitually safe rider, was enjoying a ride with friends on his Triumph Speed Triple. According to law enforcement reports, a tractor trailer rig attempting to utilize US Highway 129 failed to maintain it's lane in a series of curves. The tractor trailer rig crossed into Ike's lane of travel, almost taking up his whole lane. Ike's motorcycle was ran over, but he survived. However, Ike lost his life en route to the hospital due to complications from the wreck. Be careful out there guys, this happened 3 days after all of us left the dragon for the Summer GTG

 

[Kanticoy]

Wow, that is sad man. Their fatality roster has been thankfully vacant for the past while. I hate to hear this. After riding the hell out of that road numerous times, I can't imagine why a tractor trailer driver would even CONTEMPLATE driving that road. It is just ludicrous! If you look on the deals gap web site at some of the 18 wheeler pics you'll see what a stupid idea it is for anything larger than a tahoe to drive it.

 

[my-79-750-k]

The fact that the road even exists still baffles me, as it is completely useless for anything other than a tourist/sport road. It's not an everyday commuter type of road. Why tractor-trailers and larger commercial/RV-type vehicle drivers think they can drive that road any better than the umpteen-thousand of others who have wrecked there is beyond me. Motorcycles sometimes have a hard time staying in their own lane, a 70ft long semi has absolutely no business anywhere near that road.

 

[Fix]

Damn, hate to hear that.

 

[crazypj]

Totally sucks to hear that. Heavy trucks should be banned from that road.
I heard they save $70+ in fuel by using it instead of the interstate?

 

[my-79-750-k]

Well that and they avoid like 12$ in tolls, only to get high centered, kill other motorists, run off the shoulder and get stuck for 2+ hours waiting on a tow truck. All of a sudden, extra fuel costs and tolls start looking good. I don't think it's quite 70$ though. But I might be wrong, who knows. All I know, is that it's a crazy enough road on a bike at 30mph, big ass semi's have no business at all on that stretch of highway.

 

[RedPlastic]

Well that and they avoid like 12$ in tolls, only to get high centered, kill other motorists, run off the shoulder and get stuck for 2+ hours waiting on a tow truck. All of a sudden, extra fuel costs and tolls start looking good. I don't think it's quite 70$ though. But I might be wrong, who knows. All I know, is that it's a crazy enough road on a bike at 30mph, big ass semi's have no business at all on that stretch of highway.

or miata's for that matter (one crossed in my lane and blew the horn at me like i was the one with a problem...needless to say i gave him my best one finger salute)...

 

[Mr.E]

Wow that really does suck. And I hate to hear this kind of news from there. I've talked to some truckers (and my uncle who is a trucker as well) and they can save a good deal of money attempting that road, but hazard to themselves and ESPECIALLY others just isn't worth it.

Oh yeah, I noticed it was miata weekend for you guys at the meet up. That really blows. I've been there twice during that and been honked, finger saluted, and even an attempted passing by that juvenile pack of liabilities. Most ignorant and arrogant motorists I've ever encountered on that road. Sorry to hijack for a moment, had to get that rant off me chest...

 

[djelliott]

When we were there I swear someone mentioned that there was a ban on truck traffic.

 

[xulf13]

That is so sad to hear. I have to agree with Jewbacca, the fact that big rigs are using that road to save money is dumb.
Most everyone knows that road is for tourist attraction..

One thing though. Are Miata owners the enemy now? Or just the one Plastic and Mr. E encountered?
Seems like generalization taking place due to a bad experience.

 

[Fix]

I never had a problem with any of the miata's while we were there, but amongst 500 some odd miata's, there's sure to be 1 or 2 bad apples.

 

[RedPlastic]

geez...no miata owners arent the enemy. every dumb ass, texting, cant stay in your own lane of traffic morons are the enemy. I dont discriminate, I hate everyone equally

edit...so you dont feel left out (because i seem to be just singling out miata owners here) there were a bunch of asshole morons on some bmw touring bikes that damn near killed us cutting in and out between us where there wasnt any room. I will say though for the 500+ miata owners that were there, just to have a problem with 1 isnt that bad.

also..I hate to hear of anyone dying, and that sucks hard.. the end!

 

[xulf13]

geez...no miata owners arent the enemy. every dumb ass, texting, cant stay in your own lane of traffic morons are the enemy. I dont discriminate, I hate everyone equally

edit...so you dont feel left out (because i seem to be just singling out miata owners here) there were a bunch of asshole morons on some bmw touring bikes that damn near killed us cutting in and out between us where there wasnt any room. I will say though for the 500+ miata owners that were there, just to have a problem with 1 isnt that bad.

also..I hate to hear of anyone dying, and that sucks hard.. the end!

LOL, I don't even own a Miata, but yes the story is sad indeed. Now there is another one in NY where the rider was hit by a dump truck. Reading stuff like this is sad. Any accident close to home will do it specially. I ride very cautiously, but I don't like riding paranoid, specially in the city.

 

[Redbird]

I don't know what the situation was in this incident, however, I drive a tractor trailer.
Not everyone knows about "The Dragon". US129 is a Federal Highway listed on a map just like any other. It spans nearly 350 miles between Knoxville, TN and Macon, GA. "The Dragon" is only about 3% of it. There are no warning labels on said maps, and unless you get a local level map, will not show just how curvy that 11 mile stretch is. And once you're on it, you're done. There are no turnarounds. I'm sure there's alot of truckers who get caught on it unaware. There are also the locals who travel it on a regular basis, and will usually have a "escort" of sorts riding ahead to warn other motorists. And I'm sure there are those who "chance it" due to fuel/toll costs. Approx. $100 saved is alot of money. Especially if you travel it on a regular basis. (twice a week adds up to nearly my weekly paycheck)
Tractor/trailers are nothing new, or all that uncommon, on The Dragon. It's only when something bad happens that you hear about it. In fact, tractor/trailers are the only vehicle not ticketed for crossing the double yellow on The Dragon. Because it's unavoidable. And they can't "ban" large trucks from a Federally Funded Highway (no more than they can "ban" motorcycles from it... and they have considered it due to the high fatality rate of motorcyclists on it), but they do "recommend" alternate routes.
Statistically, people die on those roads far more by there own doing, than with other drivers involvement. And statistically it's a non-local who's unaware of the dangers of the roads.

Having said that, I have never been remotely close to even the southern tip of US129. My routes are, and always have been, in LA/MS/AL/FL, and below I-20. I can't say I would never be on The Dragon in my work truck, but I can say I would use other roads if at all possible. I have been on it a few times on my Hayabusa, and am familiar with it.
I would also like to add my condolences to the rider and his family/friends. It's a sad situation any way you look at it. But I also have to question... I'm sure the truck wasn't speeding. In fact, I would imagine he was going below the 30mph posted limit. How fast was the rider going that he couldn't stop/swerve in time to avoid a collision?
Sometimes people need to take responsibilty for their own actions as well.

 

[my-79-750-k]

It's al speculation of course, although they said the rider was not speeding at the time, and did swerve to try and avoid the truck, but if you've ever been on one of those pesky decreasing radius corners on the dragon, you know that there's quite literally NO shoulder to speak of. It's pavement, paint line and then dirt/mountain side. The full article explains that the trailer was blocking the oncoming lane, and the truck was blocking the rider's lane. He swerved to avoid and and still ended up going under the truck, which ran over the bike, and the rider died on the way to the hospital from injuries sustained while trying to avoid the collision. I have nothing against semis and their drivers, they keep this country going. But there are several warning signs posted leading up to the "dragon" area of 129 that warn of the dangers and recommend that large vehicles/trailers should seek an alternate route. But in order to avoid a debate about who was in the wrong, I'm just going to say this: WATCH YOUR ASS PEOPLE, BECAUSE NOBODY ELSE IS. Ride safe fellas!

 

[Redbird]

Just for clarity, I wasn't trying to point fingers either. Just that having driven both types of vehicles involved extensively, I can see both sides of it.
The Lugnut Rule is nothing to mess with. And being "Right" doesn't make you any less dead. Ride aware and arrive alive



EDIT: For those that don't know... The Lugnut Rule (as it applies to muti-vehicle collisions) is: He who has the most lugnuts, wins.

 

[Swagger]

Trucks should be banned from any road, highway or goat trail they aren't able to stay within their own lane on. Period. Not dinging truckers at all, simply the mechanics (and stupidity) of taking a vehicle that's longer than the radius of the corner it's attempting to traverse along a road like that.

 

[Kanticoy]

Trucks should be banned from any road, highway or goat trail they aren't able to stay within their own lane on. Period. Not dinging truckers at all, simply the mechanics (and stupidity) of taking a vehicle that's longer than the radius of the corner it's attempting to traverse along a road like that.

I have truckers in the family, etc. etc., and like said before, I am not knocking them at all, but I have to agree with you on this. Lately in my stretch of the woods, they are adding a few lanes to I-20 for about a 20 mile stretch. As a result, I-20 is 2 lanes right now. They have been diverting the "Wide Load" truckers down a 25 mile stretch of rural highway that is 2 lanes with no shoulder. It's dangerous. Sometimes, they are as wide as the 2 lanes that they drive on forcing oncoming traffic into the grass. Granted, it should be the job of the lead and chase vehicle to warn for this, but when you see these trucks pushing the speed limit in these areas and clogging the local transit system because they are diverting oncoming traffic OFF of the road, there is a problem. As I said before, it is ludicrous for any tractor trailer to be on The Dragon. It is well warned to find an alternate route on both ends of The Dragon with plenty of places to turn a rig around. So even if you didn't know what you were driving into, you have ample warning what is ahead. There is and will always be a huge difference in risking your own life and endangering someone else's. That is the line IMO that shouldn't be crossed.

 

[dielectric]

I was on the Dragon that very day. This must have happened after our runs because there was no sign of anything amiss. My heart goes out to Ike's family and friends.

We came from the TN side, and there are some signs that are pretty clear about what lies ahead, as well as a big turnaround. Even knowing that I was going on the Dragon, I was very surprised at just how tight that road is, and how elevation plays a huge role, because maps just don't convey it.

 

[catseye]

.....How fast was the rider going that he couldn't stop/swerve in time to avoid a collision?
Sometimes people need to take responsibilty for their own actions as well.

truth. I have driven that road several times, but try to always maintain a speed that will allow me to stop within my line of sight. Not always the most fun, but.....
That being said, my heart goes out to the family.