I wish I could show you my "basic undercover car" all decorated with cop goodies, but the best I can do today is to show you a 1973 VW Beetle fixed up by the Blount County (Tenn.) Sheriff's Department. It won't be used in any high-speed chases yet; the top speed is only 70 MPH.
Seated in the bug is Assistant Chief Archie Garner, who came up with the idea of the "bug". Standing is Blount County Sheriff James L. Berrong. Next time I'm doing in Maryville, Tenn., I'll stop by and get my picture taken with their "bug."
The Blount County S/O will have $125,000 this summer to patrol the Dragon, an 11-mile stretch of U.S. 129 with 318 curves. I've been through there on my motorcycle, and it is a popular road for the maniacs on crotch-rockets and drivers in their sports cars. There is total disregard for safety, as riders "straighten out" many of those curves. There is also a huge danger when a tractor-trailer unit starts into the Dragon, not knowing what's ahead.
Check out http://www.tailofthedragon.com/ for some great photos.
I doubt that Blount County S/O will be using this '73 "bug" on the Dragon, but I like their use of helicopters. Or maybe they will use it ... the speed limit is, as I recall, 30MPH, and probably not too many will pass a marked police car in a no-passing zone. Or maybe they will ... Then the deputies at either end can just flag down the violators and issue greetings for a court date.
Bravo, Blount County. Take good care of that "bug." And thanks for the lightning-quick response to my request for a photo!
Photo: Courtesy of Blount County (Tenn.) Sheriff's Department
8 comments:
Check out some recent motorcycle magazines. It seems that the biggest bunch of "idiots" on the dragon are the older Harley guys. They forget that their cows have limited lean angles and are forever touching down floorboards(!) and levering the bikes up off the tires. The crotch rockets may go too fast but at least they have the right tools for the job-bike wise anyway. You can't judge a persons smarts by what they drive.
What a cute car. The Dragon's Tail is a difficult stretch of road for tractor-trailers even in the best of circumstances. Those hairpin turns! And bikers must find it hard to resist...
What's scary on the Dragon's Tail is when you meet a tractor-trailer coming the other way and the entire road is blocked! Fortunately, I've only seen photos. I've never had the experience but, thanks to the website, I was alerted to the danger. Truckers get no advance warning, and many think that, because U.S. 129 is a national highway, it will be suitable for trucks. WRONG! Once they have passed the last opportunity to turn around, there is nothing to do but go on. Some of the bikers realize the trucker's plight and provide an escort, warning oncoming traffic. But every year motorcycles and cars are involved in accidents with trucks.
The first poster is correct that some accidents involve large, heavy touring motorcycles. But only some.
why dont you deck out your bug frank with all sorts of cop goodies so when that speeder comes along you can nab him instead of taking a picture of them from the rear. too bad the beetle cant do anything over 60 anyways, thats why cars and other objects cruise up your tailpipe.
you are such a tool frank!
Gus is correct in saying that some accidents involve sport bikes. Some accidents even involve more than one vehicle. The dragon is heavily patrolled by law enforcement already. Maybe if they didn't waste all their time on mototrcyclists they could keep the tractor trailers off the roads that weren't siuted for them. The authorities seem to be able to keep larger vehicles off of Independance Pass in Colorado. Did you know that?
Colorado State Highway 82 crosses Independence Pass at 12,095 feet and is closed in the winter, often from October until May. U.S. 129 is in the federal highway system and, at Deal's Gap, Tenn., is not closed to truckers, who are merely "cautioned" about roadway grade and sharp curves.
82 is closed to vehicles longer than 30 feet. Thats year round.
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