Image via Heather Kaufman/Facebook
Normally, semi-trucks avoid the Tail of the Dragon, the twisty portion of US 129 in Eastern Tennessee and Western North Carolina, but recent events have shifted things. And with one tractor-trailer bottoming out in one of the famous turns where the elevation also changes dramatically, it’s easy to see why.
Watch a Nissan 350Z with a Hellcat engine swap roast tires.
Traffic was shut down in both directions as crews worked to free the semi near mile marker 4 on October 1. People on social media have all kinds of opinions about the intelligence and integrity of this and every other truck driver currently using that section of the highway.
On the one hand, there are people who feel sympathetic to the plight of commercial truck drivers trying to navigate Eastern Tennessee and Western North Carolina where Hurricane Helene decimated so many roads either through flooding or landslides.
With many of the usual routes no longer an option, these people reason it’s only natural truckers will take to the Tail of the Dragon in a desperate attempt to reach their destination. After all, I-40 apparently is going to be shut down between North Carolina and Tennessee until sometime in 2025.
But others don’t feel nearly as understanding. Some have posted images of digital signs North Carolina Department of Transportation put out reminding drivers that tractor trailers legally aren’t allowed on that stretch of the mountain highway, even with all the road shutdowns.
What’s more, many who live in the area have pointed out there are better, faster routes on highways which can accommodate semi-trucks. In other words, even in the emergency situation it’s still unnecessary for commercial trucks to take that section of US 129.
Seeing this tractor-trailer stuck on the Tail of the Dragon should help everyone understand why the highway has been closed for commercial trucks legally. That restriction hasn’t been lifted, but it hasn’t stopped truckers from trying it anyway.
What’s even scarier is on the turns the trucks can’t possibly stay in their lane, posing a serious safety risk to bikers and drivers. It’s time to spread the word so the Tail of the Dragon can once again be truck-free.
Image via Heather Kaufman/Facebook
