Dragon Deals Gap To get Police Cycle Patrol

Posted on Sep 01, 2009

Dragon to get Patrol cycle unit

Graham and Swain counties are discussing the best way to provide emergency services along the stretch of US 129 known as the "Tail of the Dragon", part of which is in Swain County, but is closer to first responders in Graham.

Motorcyclists on some of Western North Carolina’s most popular biking destinations can expect to soon see state troopers riding alongside them.

The patrolmen’s purpose, however, isn’t so much to crack down on riders Labor Day weekend as it is to remind motorcyclists to ride safely. There have been five fatal motorcycle crashes in Swain and Graham counties on mountain roads near and leading up to the world-famous “Tail of the Dragon” so far this year. Those roads include N.C. 28 and the Cherohala Skyway.

“Compared to last year, that’s a lot more,” N.C. Highway Patrol trooper Sgt. Todd Norville said. “For 2008, we didn’t have any fatalities in Graham County.”

Officially designated as U.S. 129, the Dragon starts in Blount County, Tenn., and packs 318 curves in 11 miles. Although most of the road is in Tennessee, at least two people in a typical year are killed on the North Carolina side of the road .

The Highway Patrol has been requested to send its Charlotte-based motorcycle unit to the mountains for the past three years, but hasn’t done so yet this year because of state budget cuts, Norville said. There are usually about four troopers whot come to the mountains on their BMW motorcycles.

“A lot of it is about public relations,” Norville said of using the motorcycle unit in the mountains. “We just try to explain to (motorcyclists) that this is not the road that they’re used to because most of them are coming here from Illinois or Ohio where there are no curves or hills.

“They come to the mountains and they’re not used to these curvy roads, and they get themselves in a bad situation quick.”

Most of the serious accidents on U.S. 129 happen in Graham County, according to N.C. Highway Patrol records.

Troopers last year responded to four wrecks involving injuries on U.S. 129 in Swain County and 20 in Graham County. Troopers wrote one speeding ticket in Swain County and 91 in Graham County.

The Highway Patrol participated in a safety awareness event earlier this month at Deals Gap Motorcycle Resort, located one mile south of the Tennessee-North Carolina state line along the Dragon. The event, which drew more than 1,000 people, is planned again for next year, resort owner Brad Talbott said.

Risk of unfamiliarity

Talbott said many accidents on the Dragon and other nearby roads aren’t related to speeding or reckless riding. They are caused by riders who aren’t used to the roads and might be riding beyond their skill level.

“We just really focused on folks coming to Western North Carolina and eastern Tennessee having a good, enjoyable time and to come back next year because they didn’t have a problem,” Talbott said.

In past years, Talbott said he would see the Highway Patrol motorcycle unit about one weekend a month during the summer.

“They get a very positive reaction because their focus is not to see how many tickets they can write or how much money they can generate for the state. Their focus is the same as ours, which is they want people to come here and not endanger themselves,” Talbott said.

“We always love to see the motorcycle guys. They always have a very positive impact on the area, for motorcycling especially.

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