Bad driving pic on the Dragon

[exrsa1]

Not so. If you look at the original photo, on killboy, all the numbers on the plate are correct in the photo the way it was posted.

 

The flipped photo is incorrect.

 

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0S1AxYA9hpM/Ta_erw9wn7I/AAAAAAAAm7M/AftRIt0FkUQ/s1600/img_3918.jpg

 

I guess I should spell it out better. It was flipped, based on the poster's remark before my original post, to make it look like he was on the right side of the road. The original picture is the correct one. It really is. He is on the wrong side of the road.

[straycatt]

That would appear to be a popular corner to demonstrate a lack of riding skills on.

[Marcarl]

Look at this shot. Same place, same trees, same stumps, etc.

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hBMgJiXA_aI/TZ1syyRaPfI/AAAAAAAAmgk/UmVS0DJxGBc/s1600/img_2820.jpg

Sure is ouch!!!! but the second rider isn't doing a whole lot better. Where he should have his scoot heading for an apex near the center line he's actually headed for the shoulder,, not a good position to be in, because he won't have enough real estate to get lined up properly for the next corner. As I follow his proposed track I see him in the far side of the road at the next curve. Now that is only an assumption,,,a big assumption, but when I see things like this, I like to look at all the wrong points,, just to teach myself what not to get into.

[Reddog170]

Starting to think I want to AVOID the tail of the dragon. Lots of pics of people that cannot figure out right from left. Shaun

[Monty]

The photographer claims that is the toughest spot to negotiate, on the Dragon. That's why he takes so many pics there.

[teza51]

When looking at the original pic am thinking whats the problem then i remembered you people drive on the opposite side of the road.Sure is a dangerous place to be however in my younger sportsbike days i was a bit of a hune with very little riding skills and found myself in that position on a few occaisions so i guess age(lucky to survive this long)and self preservation are the key and of course these days there are lots of courses to teach riding skills

[tazmocycle]

if you do a lot ofsportbike racing, these pics are common ones to see"ON A CLOSED RACE TRACK LIKE BARBER'S!! thats why i don't go to the dragon and ride it much. much of the guys there are just trying to learn how to be a cafe racer on public roads. in my younger days and a few times now i'll rip a few curves like this to get a great rush of adrenaline to get my blood back up into my head!!LOL straighten my thinking back out and try to remember why you don't do these things!!LOL there's just toooo many unknowns around that next turn. sand, gravel, oil, other bikes doing the same thing, granpa driving a motorhome pulling a 30 ft boat behind or last but not lest a 18 wheeler overlaoded and CUTTING THE CURVES TOOO!!!. IT'S PROBLLY THE HARLEY MUFFLERS ON IT THAT MAKES HIM THINK HE CAN DO IT(the venture)!!!LMBOROTF!!

:rotf:

[KiteSquid]

That would appear to be a popular corner to demonstrate a lack of riding skills on.

 

Lack of riding skills or disrespect for the law?

[V7Goose]

Lack of riding skills or disrespect for the law?

No, it is not simply disrespect for the law, it is disrespect for the safety and lives of others.

 

I have held my tongue on this thread, but just cannot do it any more. In my opinion, those disgusting excuses for human beings that exhibit the behavior shown in the pictures have absolutely no business in our society. It makes no difference if they are riding a bike or driving a big rig, or anything in between.

 

I believe that anyone who deliberately crosses the line in a dangerous situation should be prosecuted for attempted murder and locked up for at least ten years. I also believe that anyone who does it due to stupidity and inability to control their vehicle should loose their license for at least five years and also be publicly humiliated.

 

OK, off rant and back to my hole . . .

Goose

[sarges46]

and remember well the day I duck walked the dragon! I scared the bejesus outta myself in one split second.

 

I took my eyes off the road to catch a peek in my mirror at what was behind me....in that moment, and it was very brief...I found myself over the line in a blind curve! I cranked her over and got to proper side and it took a bit to settle myself down after that!

 

The place is fun but one sure cant afford to loose thier concentration even for a moment.

 

Thankfully there was nothing coming.

[KiteSquid]

That would appear to be a popular corner to demonstrate a lack of riding skills on.

Lack of riding skills or disrespect for the law?

No, it is not simply disrespect for the law, it is disrespect for the safety and lives of others.

 

 

I stand corrected.

 

We should all ride and drive like the lives of others depended on it, because as Goose reminded us, it does.....

[twigg]

There is some pretty "holier than thou" stuff going on in this thread.

 

First ... We do not have enough information to make a judgement. Not nearly enough.

 

Yes he is on the wrong side of the road. So what?

 

He is well short of that right hand bend and heading straight towards the apex ... he will cross the line way before anything coming the other way can reach him .... What is more ... If he is going fast he is even safer.

 

He can see further around the bend than he could by staying right, and therefore would get more advance notice of potential problems.

 

On the other hand, the faster he is going, the less time he has to react to various situations. It's a judgement call, his to make, and he made it.

 

There is, however, nothing that is intrinsically dangerous just by crossing that line. It may not be lawful, but that is a completely different matter.

 

It looks like he apexed the previous bend nicely, and from that position he has the best view of the road ahead.

 

As for jail time for crossing a yellow line ..... ROFL!

[straycatt]

I have held my tongue on this thread, but just cannot do it any more.

 

 

Goose you'd fit in well on the Killboy.com website. Every week there is a handful of these type of pictures (including cars and trucks) posted there. Without fail, these left of center riders get crucified. And well they should.

[straycatt]

There is some pretty "holier than thou" stuff going on in this thread.

 

First ... We do not have enough information to make a judgement. Not nearly enough.

 

Yes he is on the wrong side of the road. So what?

 

Are you familiar with the Dragon? People go there to ride the curves. It doesn't make much sense to go some place, specifically to ride a curvy road and then try to straighten it out by cutting corners.

 

There are times and places where it's OK to be left of center. The Dragon isn't one of them.

 

edit; and yes, there is plenty of information there to make a judgment.

[Freebird]

Yea...Twigg...I just have to disagree with you 100%. I've ridden the Dragon enough times to know that whether he is going slow or fast, it wouldn't matter at the speeds that I've seen some crotch rockets come around those curves. There is very little chance that he is going to get out of the way in time from the position that he is in. He may be a great guy and maybe he just made a mistake that one time but under the right conditions...and that could be at any time on the dragon...he is in real danger of killing himself and any rider coming around that curve. Yes, riding the dragon can be dangerous. It can be more dangerous because of people pushing the limits and especially those that try to ride just beyond their skill level, and I'll be the first to admit that I have done it to, but it is not worth it when you consider the very high chance of killing or disabling yourself or even worse, somebody else.

 

The Dragon can be fun but it's NOT a closed track. It is a public road and yes, I do think that the fines should be steep when a bike is being ridden in a negligent way that can cause serious harm to others.

[twigg]

Are you familiar with the Dragon? People go there to ride the curves. It doesn't make much sense to go some place, specifically to ride a curvy road and then try to straighten it out by cutting corners.

 

There are times and places where it's OK to be left of center. The Dragon isn't one of them.

 

edit; and yes, there is plenty of information there to make a judgment.

 

Well there are plenty of judgemental people around, regardless of the information you have.

 

I have been riding sportsbikes on twisty roads for 35 years. Y'all only give yours names because you have so few of them.

 

Try the coast road from Marseilles to Genoa!

 

The Dragon is a road. Left of center is a "bend by bend" call, not a road.

 

In that picture, the rider appears to have hit the apex of the previous bend, where he had a good view through the next bend.

 

From the position of the bike he appears to be crossing back to the right well before the blind righ hander.

 

Looks like good, spirited riding ... as I said, I wasn't there and it depends.

[flb_78]

There is some pretty "holier than thou" stuff going on in this thread.

 

The entire point of "riding the Dragon" is to ride the road in your lane without crossing the line.

 

It seems kind of stupid to me to go to one of the twistiest roads in America just to try and straighten it out by cutting corners.

[twigg]

Yea...Twigg...I just have to disagree with you 100%. I've ridden the Dragon enough times to know that whether he is going slow or fast, it wouldn't matter at the speeds that I've seen some crotch rockets come around those curves. There is very little chance that he is going to get out of the way in time from the position that he is in. He may be a great guy and maybe he just made a mistake that one time but under the right conditions...and that could be at any time on the dragon...he is in real danger of killing himself and any rider coming around that curve. Yes, riding the dragon can be dangerous. It can be more dangerous because of people pushing the limits and especially those that try to ride just beyond their skill level, and I'll be the first to admit that I have done it to, but it is not worth it when you consider the very high chance of killing or disabling yourself or even worse, somebody else.

 

The Dragon can be fun but it's NOT a closed track. It is a public road and yes, I do think that the fines should be steep when a bike is being ridden in a negligent way that can cause serious harm to others.

 

As I said.

 

We weren't there. Maybe he was being stupid, maybe not. Other than the ticket he would get for crossing the line there really is no way to tell.

 

I really don't have a problem with either view on this one .... but really .... crossing a yellow line is dangerous, and should attract the death penalty?

 

Next they will be telling us that speed kills.

[warriorhoneybee]

i think some people are on CRACK!!!!!!!! what happen to ride to live and live to ride??? if you ride like this stay the h_l_ away from me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[bongobobny]

I agree!! The Dragon is a test of driving skills!! One mistake can cost you your life!!!!!

 

Maybe if it was not so popular "competition" riding would not be an issue, but anybody that ever rode the Dragon KNOWS that it isw not the place to disregard others...

[Freebird]

As I said.

 

We weren't there. Maybe he was being stupid, maybe not. Other than the ticket he would get for crossing the line there really is no way to tell.

 

I really don't have a problem with either view on this one .... but really .... crossing a yellow line is dangerous, and should attract the death penalty?

 

Next they will be telling us that speed kills.

 

LOL....I must have missed where anybody suggested the death penalty. Make no mistake about it though, it COULD get somebody an involuntary manslaughter charge if it is proven that they were driving recklessly and caused the death of somebody else. I certainly wouldn't suggest such a penalty just for crossing the yellow line but I would say that a very expensive reckless driving citation is not out of order. I mean, he IS in a position to impose the death penalty on somebody else.