Deals Gap / The Dragon
#1
Deals Gap / The Dragon
Just to let any out of towners know... Deals Gap is going to be pretty much closed for the summer, the Blount County SD and THP is planning to have patrol cars up there 7 days a week for the next few months. And believe me, these guys will pull you over for ANYTHING, sometimes NOTHING, and they won't be giving warnings either. Basically the LEO free-for-all I got caught up in last october will be a daily thing now.
It was gonna happen eventually, the place is a circus thanks to all the publicity it gets.
It was gonna happen eventually, the place is a circus thanks to all the publicity it gets.
#7
GM could have probably just brought the VX220 here (after getting it up to snuff with the feds), but come on.. this is GM we're talking about. :gay:
#11
I've been watching the place for years now and keeping up to speed on what happens there as I used to ride Ventura County/Mulholland two or three times weekly when I was stationed in Pt.Mugu. Deals Gap is kinda the east coast version of the entire Malibu Hills system.
The only guys I ever saw wreck or have problems in Cali were the dudes on brand new Gixxer wearing jeans and t-shirts. In three years I saw 2 deaths... but at least once or twice a month, some dork would wash out the front wheel braking THROUGH a turn and shave his shoulder down to bare scapula. It's those ******** who are the problem.
I'm assuming that the Gap is the same way. New riders w/small ***** getting in way over their heads not wearing any gear at all on brand new 1litre ***** extenders... except worse because most of the guys have super-huge redneck ego's which are twice as big as yuppie-surfer ego's in Malibu. And from what I hear, IT'S DAILY BAD WRECKS AT THE GAP IN THE SUMMER.
That woman in the Solstice that wrecked is like every other dude who wrecks on a dry mountain road... NOT ENOUGH SKILL and WAY TOO MUCH EGO. She was trying to hang with the boys and just couldn't stand the embarassment of pulling over and bringing up the rear at her own pace.
I think the die-hards who respect the road and are good will still come... but putting out the word that cops will be out in force is just a way to keep the dorks at home.
#12
Elite Member
iTrader: (9)
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Concord, North Carolina
Posts: 4,160
Total Cats: 6
Sam you nailed it spot on...
Guys trying to be badasses with no knowledge of their vehicles.
Al, your local? Where are you from? I'm from Gastonia, NC and go to school in Boone, NC...have a bunch of friends outside of Asheville, we need to run the gap sometime, I still have yet to make it out. x.X
Guys trying to be badasses with no knowledge of their vehicles.
Al, your local? Where are you from? I'm from Gastonia, NC and go to school in Boone, NC...have a bunch of friends outside of Asheville, we need to run the gap sometime, I still have yet to make it out. x.X
#13
It's been bad several years now, locals complaining of cars and bikes flying through there often in the wrong lane, almost daily wrecks, several deaths. Word is that blount county is under pressure from the state to get it under control.
as for the tourism, whats funny is the store and the resorts are on the NC side, whereas 95% of the road is on the TN side, so I doubt they're worried about that.
I'm in Knoxville. I'll still probably go to Miatas at the gap, but, it won't be for the driving experience. I'll be doing 15mph the whole way.
as for the tourism, whats funny is the store and the resorts are on the NC side, whereas 95% of the road is on the TN side, so I doubt they're worried about that.
I'm in Knoxville. I'll still probably go to Miatas at the gap, but, it won't be for the driving experience. I'll be doing 15mph the whole way.
#18
after doing it about twice a year for the last few years i would hate to see the cops get ---- about it. when i have been it seemed like everyone was very in control and doing pretty much the right thing. but there is the few out there that ruin it for everyone. i found it pretty amazing that cops didnt really care before honestly. but if they start caring about people like us they need to stop sending semi's down that road that double lap the hairpins.
honestly i think that road is such a blast they should let us do our thing and shut it down for semi's and anyone that disobey's the "dragon rules" gets a ticket. have like a big sign that tells you what to expect if you just "driving thorugh" to get somewhere. and maybe make you pay some sort of toll to keep gravel off of it and keep the semi's off and maybe give the cops some money to keep them out there getting on the people that dont go by the rules.
honestly i think that road is such a blast they should let us do our thing and shut it down for semi's and anyone that disobey's the "dragon rules" gets a ticket. have like a big sign that tells you what to expect if you just "driving thorugh" to get somewhere. and maybe make you pay some sort of toll to keep gravel off of it and keep the semi's off and maybe give the cops some money to keep them out there getting on the people that dont go by the rules.