Latest news with #TailoftheDragon
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
BCSO, THP partner to encourage and enforce safety on the Tail of the Dragon
BLOUNT COUNTY, Tenn. (WATE) —On Thursday, law enforcement leaders from the Tennessee highway Patrol (THP) and Blount County Sheriff's Office (BCSO) announced they are partnering together to emphasize and enforce safety for drivers and motorcyclists riding on the narrow windy roadway known as the Tail of the Dragon. This comes in response to a seasonal spike in crashes, 112 on this road total the past year, due to factors like speeding, unauthorized vehicles on the roadway, as well as distracted driving. Inspector finds off temperatures, no sanitizer at Chinese restaurant in Morristown The 11-mile stretch of US 129 runs between just south of Maryville to the North Carolina state line, where last year 112 crashes were reported, including five deaths and 40 injuries. Even though this year's riding season is just getting started, there have already been 35 crashes, and first responders are feeling the impact. 'Well, we do get tired of hauling people and dead bodies off the road. It really takes a toll on myself and all the deputies that are up here working. But they get tired of seeing it we would like to be able to put an end to it, but we want people to come and have fun, have a good time, but we want them to go home safe,' explained Randy Ailey a Lieutenant with the Traffic Safety Unit. With interstate damage from last year's storms, more tractor-trailers have been rerouted onto this winding road – another factor behind the rising numbers. 'I can 100% see how people will come in here with a little bit of attitude and caught that false sense of confidence and the dragon will slip it out from under you. It's the carpet. Just whew like if you don't respect it, it will show you why,' said Zsofi Balazs a motorcyclist who rode the Tail of the Dragon for the first time on Thursday. 'She's very special' East Tennessee veteran continues to serve others With more riders comes more risk. Local business owners, like Mandy Thomas owner of Dragon City, are calling for common sense on the curves. 'There's a lot of awesome roads here and the Dragon's just becoming more and more popular. So, more and more people are coming here. But with that, if everyone followed the posted speed limits, if you can stay within the lines and stay within your skill level and not try to overdrive it, you wouldn't see the accidents that are out there right now,' explained Thomas. Both officers and community members say increased patrols could make a difference, but it starts with each rider making smart choices. 'I want people to come up and enjoy themselves but try to remember that this isn't a racetrack. This is where people live. So, keep that in mind. Remember, 'Would I want someone to drive like this in front of my house?'' added Ailey. The BSCO announced that there will be more speed cameras installed, also grants from the Tennessee Highway Safety office will allow officers to concentrate specifically on the Dragon. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
29-01-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Oversteer Leads To Corvette Crash
Read the full story on The Auto Wire There's no feeling like taking a high-performance, rear-wheel-drive car like a Corvette out for a nice jaunt on a twisting, winding road. We'd say it's intoxicating and is one of the reasons why people buy sports cars and the like. But as this guy in the video learns, pushing the envelope too much can result in a sudden what sure looks like Tail of the Dragon (correct us if it isn't) we see this guy driving his Corvette rather spiritedly through the rapid turns. He has a camera set up behind the seats so you kind of see his point of view, then his buddy is filming from his vehicle while following behind. The guy who uploaded this video to YouTube says the driver is his friend. We assume he's the one filming from the vehicle following the Corvette. He explains perfectly what happened: 'The driver (a friend of mine) was unharmed, driving too fast without knowing the road. This led to lift-off oversteer combined with hard late braking at the top of the off camber crest which resulted in a crash. Should have been going slower, lessons were learned.' What people who lack experience with their front-engine, rear-wheel-drive car don't realize is when you get in trouble going through a turn, your instinct to take your foot off the accelerator and plant it on the brakes is all wrong. Instead, and it takes practice to do it, you need to throttle steer out of the slide. But pressing on the accelerator as you're losing control isn't intuitive and in a panic only trained drivers do it out of muscle memory. The guy is also right that his friend was driving too fast for conditions and his vehicle. Knowing the limits of your car and staying away from them on public roads is a good idea. We know when you're whipping through turns it's easy to just push it more and more because you're having fun, but knowing how far you can and should push it will save you from situations like this. Image via MOTOWHIT/YouTube Join our Newsletter, subscribe to our YouTube page, and follow us on Facebook.
