If you want to push yourself and your car/bike find a track! This pace is wrong whether on 2, 3, or 4 wheels. Fine to enjoy the curves at a quick pace but anything more than that can and has been lethal. Innocents have lost their lives due to careless people who drive this way. I was on 2 wheels and almost taken out by joe boy racer on that road 2 years ago; I was just able to get out of his way as he crossing into my lane on a curve and was crashing as a result. Enough already.
@@keithallen3119 I track my car as well but try to keep it at a more reasonable pace on the roads to stay within my own/my car’s limits. Definitely possible to go quicker than shown here but I prefer to keep it between the mustard and the mayo with room to react. Stay safe out there!
Despite the fact I lived in east TN for some 14 1/2 years, the ONLY time I rode US 129 was EARLY on weekdays in order to get to a destination beyond Deal's Gap. Too many idiots on the weekends
Tail of the dragon, for those who weren’t good enough for the track. Blood Mountain is the same way in Union County. State patrol he’s got a cracked and going on now in the bikes are disappearing. Reckless driving, bike impounded in straight to jail.
@@arcris1 say that to someone like Sebastien Loeb or anyone who races Pikes Peak. There aren't any race tracks with combinations of curves like this. Gobless.
Congratulations. There isn't much on either side of Deal's Gap that you can't go in the other direction for and get to sooner. In a way, The Tail is like Silver Lake Sand Dunes up here in Michigan. Less busy during the week, but more stuff to see on the weekends.
As an OG R32 owner it pains me to see another one crashed. Looked like a ton of fun until then. (Own a NC also, they are both are great cars in different ways)
Iv got a Mk4 tdi and hated to see it hurt. He did repair the car from what I know from speaking to a friend of his. It was a great drive up until that point! Cool guy too!
Sooooo many accidents and fatalities on that road every year. I worked in the are in 2005…gotta say, it’s one of the most beautiful drives in the country! Just BE CAREFUL!!!
I mean it happens, but you could just pull over if someone is behind you, or let them get away if in front. I've done it a few times when I realized I was pushing a bit hard. There's always faster cars...even if sometimes they are slower cars.
@@Dolby109 More of an issue for me when I’m already driving fast and they come up faster and put the pressure on. It’s not a problem when given an opportunity to not take the pull offs at a reasonable speed.
I’ve never been to the dragon but I live very close to the snake and it’s pretty much Pluto. I’m a damn good driver but it’s not my driving I’m worried about. It’s people being stupid and pushing limits and putting others in the line of fire.
@@thatonecrazydudeyaknow285 The Snake is out in Cali if I recall? Shoot the scariest thing for me are the guys who are suddenly driving head on in my lane. Just have to keep it well within your own/car's limits. Driving fast is one thing but pushing limits is for safer enviroments.
I experienced the dragon for the first time today and it was fun. I took my 17' GT/CS up and it did well. Alot of the bikers was reckless but overall wonderf experience.
Glad you had a good time! One of my favorite getaway spots for sure. You’ll definitely run into those groups that are ready to get rowdy! Thankfully I personally haven’t been caught up in any of them problems that can come along with them.
@@mustangdee_8760 Funny enough my coworker is building a formula firebird right now as well! He’s been posting videos over on his channel Chaos Garage. They’re cool cars!
I know that exact curve up there, it seems a bit more sharp than some of the others probably because you tend to be carrying more speed into that one than most. A few weeks ago I saw a Ferrari flipped over on its top just a couple curves after that spot close to that sign that says “Dip”
Yeah it kind of closes up and gets tighter mid turn. Seems like a sweeper almost going into it. Damn he take the cliff or something? Also, the dip is my favorite part! So much fun.
Knew a guy who lost his life on this tricky road, he was a great rider and had pictures of him on this road that he traveled often. It's fun but it is dangerous at high speed.
Nice driving by you. Not so much for the other guy. I was there last week and was nearly killed by a gray Porsche. Came ride across my bow well into my lane in a right-hander. I always ride in the right half of the lane and that saved my life again. It can be sketchy at times, but head-ons are almost always fatal.
Thanks man! Yeah, shame to see such a nice car damaged like it was. Just glad nobody was hurt here. Glad you were able to avoid them! Guys who cross the double yellow are the worst of people. Iv seen all kinds of stupid shit.. Blind turn overtakes, etc.. Best to keep it between the mustard and they mayo!
I have a BMW E46 M3 manual and I like driving spirited as well but I pick my time, the amount of traffic and road conditions. The car is more capable than I am, so I know my limitations and I would never push hard if there are dry and then wet conditions on one road section. Always be mindful of what could happen
As Clint Eastwood says, "A man needs to know his limitations." He is lucky; it could have been much worse! I have run the Dragon many times, and also run through the mountains closer to home. I am about 15 minutes from Lake Lure NC. It was always fun chasing crotch rockets and having cars trying to run with mine. Miata's do very well in the twists of the mountains! One time this Miata tried hanging-in through a set of double S-turns with the last turn extremely sharp. As I came out of the last curve, I looked in the mirror and he was sideway going into a 180, pointed in the correct direction of the other lane. He was lucky no one was coming the other way.
This one clip doesn’t really represent the whole picture. There are definitely a lot of faster drivers at the tail but most of us keep it under control. I don’t try to push boundaries in this kind of environment. A little fun is fine as long as we all drive home! Be safe out there!
Good thing a group of bikers weren’t coming from the opposite direction when the idiot crashed. This is why I stopped riding the dragon 12 years ago. Too many self-proclaimed racers pushing past their capabilities. Wonder why we never see sanctioned races with two-way traffic? But I say go for it. Let the dragon and hospital sort it out. Too many other good riding roads in those parts not as crowded and crazy to enjoy. Grew up in the area. Good video by the way.
Appreciate the comment! Yeah I’m glad it worked out the way it did for sure. The best case happened given the potential consequences. I try to stick to the off season for my visits so its not quite so busy. Stay safe out there!
There are a couple roads in the hills outside Adelaide, South Australia, called Gorge Road and Chain of Ponds. Great fun to drive, but they collect a few biker deaths every year. Plenty of Armco barriers, but don't try to slide your machine under one, or high side over one. Lotsa trees and gulleys.
Now look what you've done - I sold my 94 Miata R in the fall. This video makes me miss it so badly! The way the manual steering would feel the grab of the road as you cornered. Arrgh!
And this is why they may close this. These guys aren't Pros, pros don't street race. There are people of all skill levels out there, and, as opposed to a track, they go in both directions.
I don’t disagree that there are all skill levels and a wide variety of paces for the different drivers up there. It’s all about staying within your own/your car’s limits for the unexpected.. which unfortunately didn’t pan out for the VW. But also, the tail of the dragon is a federal highway (us129) and I’d say it’s unlikely that they would ever close it.. also, there are only like 3-4 deaths a year on average. Which statistically makes it on par with i285 in Atlanta for deaths per 10miles. Just food for thought.
Last fall some idiot was driving too fast for the conditions, lost control, and killed two motorcyclists while driving on a nearby mountain. If you want to drive fast go to a track. Bad things can happen very quickly and getting a little bit of excitement from driving fast is not worth hurting or killing innocent people.
My car wasn’t handling great that weekend and *insert other car guy excuse here* 😅🤷♂️ That being said the man was moving! I’m sure if I had gotten closer we could have enjoyed some Wookie noises too!
I see alot of moisture in the shaded areas. Seems like a sketchy time to be pushing it hard in the turns knowing a mistake could kill an innocent driver or rider.
@@TennRides ORRRR how about you use proper English and be more specific 'Ya'll' implies the two cars that were the subject of this video. learn to think before you type.
Take it to a racetrack people. Seriously given the amount of traffic you have coming the opposite direction it is a miracle that VW didn't take someone out. Don't blame oil on the road, anything near legal speeds road spills are about as nil an issue as there can be. I am a Harley rider and enjoy these roads but typically choose the Blue Ridge Parkway just to try and minimize the risk of someone's mistake driving this way costing me my life. But glad this one turned out ok...
I agree and don't condone driving like I was here. I try to keep it within a reasonable level while still having fun. My goal is to never have another driver have to react to my mistakes and I try to stay well within my limits; hence not pushing like the VW was. Something the video also doesn't show is another car breathing down my neck and already had me at the speeds where I was ready to pull off so he could pass. Not justification I suppose as I'm sure id have been speeding regardless.. Either way! Like you said.. I am really glad it didn't go worse than it did and everyone was okay! Nobody else being involved and him going into the hill instead of cliff side was about as well as it could have ended. Stay safe out there!
Ride slow and boring, everything can potentially harm me! Typical Harley rider mentality. Why go to the Dragon if your not running it ! VW driver lacked skill period, this can happen anywhere!
Wish I could have seen his perspective to know where it went wrong.. Maybe he went for the brakes instead of just lifting and locked it all up? Shame I wasn’t closer to catch it.
@@flyingtigers7856 typical old fart mentality! If you want to slow down every rider on a beautiful mountain road that most travel days to reach to have a little fun just because you forgot how to have fun! Then stay at home be safe in the rocking chair and just keep waiting till your numbers called ! Old grumpy buzzard !
I drove a tow truck up there for 15 years, and I picked up a hell of alot of what I would stupid people. What are you gonna do when a bike or another car cross the line in front of you. Those drop offs are no joke. Believe me. The dragon dosent take prisoners, it hurts em. Bad. A bike going fast up there is one thing, a car, well... They have track days at most road courses such as Sonoma, or laguna seca, where when you f*co up theres medical personnel on hand and if you do f*co up you usually dont total you stuff, and most likely to walk away. I takes about 20-30 min for help to arrive up there. Be smart, be safe and have fun, remember, the #1 rule is to get home safely. If you fail at rul#1, no other rules need to apply, you f*cked up.
I'm from Atlanta and have people in my lane daily. Sometimes I feel like there might be more dickheads on 285 than in the mountains that don't keep it between the mustard and the mayo. That being said there are definitely a bunch up there as well. I try to spread awareness if I can before telling them to fuck off as sometimes they are just newer enthusiasts who haven't learned what rules never should be broken.. Cant always fix stupid though. Not sure if bike vs car is any more or less dangerous. Having roll bars and whatnot is a big advantage for the vehicles. There are offenders from both enthusiast groups though. We cant change how the other people will drive but we can choose to be in the group that tries to better. I keep it within my own/my car's limits when I take it out and save anything that could be considered "pushing limits" for safer environments. Like you said, "#1 rule is to get home safely." Stay safe out there Steven!
I like driving fast as well - if in contained conditions. Things like double rails, no other cars around except the ones I know personally who don't go full retard, and visibility through corners. Can't see, can't go basis. As much as I like flying down the highway in my cabrio, there's a responsibility to the people. I can't be sure a sleep deprived mom or dad doesn't check his mirror before switching lanes. And for sure I'm not betting their lives, their children's lives, any other lives of the people around us who crash, or my life on that. Enjoy what you drive, but never drive gambles like that, drunk, high or on your phone. Be safe people!
Saw a corvette upside-down today. People really gotta learn the course. And also drive like you know your car, not drive like your ego stole something and it's on the run.
Talking about the procharged c5 convertible that flipped this past weekend? I was stuck at the overlook for an hour while they towed him and the poor little red NA out of there. After looking at killboy’s photos I think that was the vette’s first run up the mountain.. on that day at least! I heard he had only bought it a couple months prior too.
@@failbox. when I drove pass thr crash. I heard he only got it for 2 weeks. Just saying that don't drive on the dragon to find self ego and car limit. It's not worth it.
@@VinRZ Stroking ego especially when you don't know how to wheel your car gets expensive too! lol It's a blast though for a driving experience for the rest of us. I definitely drive fast when im in the moutains but always save finding limits for safer environments.
Very nice driving! I hope to bring my rsx type s up there one day. I probably won’t be going at that speed though. I’m by no means a pro, and I’m not familiar with the road. Imo it’s better to have fun below your own limits than to push it and regret that. Hopefully the driver of the VW was ok and the car was damaged as little as possible.
It's a lot of fun either way! They're amazing roads. Id imagine it would be difficult to really memorize the roads up there unless you're local so it can be a little bit of reaction driving. Though you can see a couple of corners ahead in a lot of places which makes it more forgiving. Be safe whenever you do make it out! Yeah he was okay and the car wasn't hurt too bad. We attempted to push/drive it out but from what I know it did end up having to be towed home. I spoke with one of his friend's I met up there and he said he did get the car put back together.
Yeah screw the dum asses on motorcycles that aren't expecting cars to flip onto their heads for taking a ride while you idiots are using a public road with posted speed limits as your own personal proving grounds for showcasing exactly why you're unfit to race professional on a track and.... POST!
Had the opportunity to meet up with the Mazda Speed Protégé club a few years ago. They were planning on driving this route. Glad I didn't make it, lol. Too many goofballs going in both directions😳
Oh shit! No way! Yeah I remember! You were cool and we’re moving in that Lexus. The odds of you being the person behind me and finding this are crazy lol You knew the R32 guy too if I recall?
@@kevind1645 He got it put back together I hope? No doubt small world! Have another project in mind for the future? Hope you don't regret it too much. The big body lexuses are cool.
@@failbox. yeah, it's back to 100%! Didn't take toooo much work. And no projects in mind at the moment besides my 4Runner and motorcycles. I had a manual Volvo S60R for about 36 hours after selling the Lexus, then realized that was a horrible idea since I didn't want a money pit 😅
@@kevind1645 I figured that might be the case. The fact that we were able to attempt to drive it out even gave me a lot of hope. Lol at least you would have balanced the unrelability out with the reliabity of the 4runner. We've all considered the Volvo route of pain though. Hope to bump into you on your bike on the mountain someday for sure
There was a silver RX7 that spun across the road in front of a MINI Cooper and it was struck by an F150. when the MINI's were at the Dragon. There Rotary group was there as well. I don't think the RX-7 driver as injured, but it looked be a nasty hit.
The roads where I'm from are almost all like that, and you need to know your car and road well to drive at a high pace in a road like that, especially if you have a heavy car. A road like that with all those twists, bend to the right then bend to the left and with the road surface not having the correct levels causes a massive mass transfer in a car and in a heavy car once it gets loose unless you know exactly what you are doing you are gone. Growing up in Madeira Island in the mountains made me learn a lot. But i had to crash a lot too to learn haha. At the moment i have a 2008 S6 and no way i will be racing that heavy beast v10 in that road, i will be all over it hahaha. The Miata is perfect for that or a 500 Abarth BiPosto ;) will beat almost anything there lol
Front wheel drive can be more than a handful. Letting up for just an instant at the wrong moment can spell disaster. Rear wheel drive and placement of the engine in the Miata make it way more pleasant a drive in the twisties.
Honestly if you were in any car besides a Miata I think the same thing would've happened to you, you were going in freaking hot man it's hard to make a miata understeer like that
I live in southern california where there are quite a few twisty roads....watching tail of dragon videos I cant understand why it is such a thing? looks like just another cool twisty mountain road to me...maybe just ultra rare in many places back there??
Just started looking up the Tail of the Dragon. Wow, this road is basically like a legal track. You got slower cars moving off to the side which you love to see. Definitely unfortunate about the crash though
Yeah, but the Golf didn't hit a set of motor cyclists, which is of course a shame. Hope one day a friend of yours posts the crash you made into a big unforgiving tree. Or do you prefer taking others with you?
It's a huge attraction! For the East coast of the USA this is one of the best roads you can experience. 318 curves over 11 miles. Super great time and I try to frequent it! Hated to see the Mk4 damaged though. He did repair it from what I hear.
R32 carried too much speed and understeered off the road, when smashing down back roads it’s always important to leave a little margin for error because it’s not a closed course with no run off for mistakes.
Well done. Want a cookie now? This behaviour (...) only ends in one way: by wrecking a car. *Make sure it is only YOUR car and not some innocent victim.* You mention an oil slick that almost caused you to crash - NO. Guns don't kill people - people do. Oil slicks don't crash cars - idiots do. If you need to scratch that urge, go onto a (closed) track and race and enjoy - NOT THE PUBLIC ROAD.
Both the R32 and the Miata hit that sharp corner about the same speed but you can see that the Miata was neutral and controllable while the R32 plowed straight ahead (understeer). Lucky there was no head on traffic because the R32 driver would probably have been arrested and in civil courts for the next decade. A sharp corner sign before that corner could’ve been helpful.
No arguments here! Definitely important to stay well within the car and driver's limits. I try to live by the rule that "my driving should never force another driver to change the way they are driving or have to react to something Iv done." Will openly admit that it can add unnecessary risk though.
@@vanhill8831 The hypocrisy of that statement. Even if he was pushing harder than he should have been.. everyone makes mistakes and this was as well as it could have gone. Hopefully he learned from it and will drive safer in the future. Stay safe out there!
I knew this was going to happen as soon as vw sped up lot more. You need to able to measure how much you can push your car 🚗. Lots of people don’t know the limit of their car or be tempted to push it little more and make mistake.
Or the limits of their own skills. Understanding the limits of the vehicle is only one part of the equation. Driver skill and leaving a bit of wiggle room for a deer running out into the road, another driver that understeers and crosses the yellow or a mechanical problem is also something to consider! It is a public road not unlike the Nurburgring Nordschliefe.
Hwy 9 from Saratoga to Santa Cruz, CA is notorious for hot dogging cars and motorcycles. Many are victims of gravel and oil on the road. There are many times that I have had to avoid dummies who cross the double yellow to pass. Now if only the slow drivers would pull over on turn outs.
I kinda hate this road because there are all kinds of roads in the ballpark of this fun but none of those are jammed full of traffic to risk crashing into. Driving more than 8/10ths on this road with all the traffic is just criminally negligent.
I spoke to one of the guys in his group and if I'm remembering correct; that they had been there all week... and this was the last day before they headed back home. Glad he was alright and nobody else was involved though for sure.
Tail Of the Dragon is a massive driving attraction and spirited driving should be expected. However, I am glad nobody was hurt and everyone walked away from this incident.
Good thing Mom&Dad&Bud&Sis were not in the opposing lane in a Silverado equipped with a Ranch Hand grill guard when Tazio Nuvolari JR. made his off-airport landing.
Just lucky they didn’t smack into a motorcyclist.
Or anyone else
Yeah, the mountain was fairly busy that weekend too. Glad nobody was on the other side of the double yellow and everyone walked away unhurt.
If you want to push yourself and your car/bike find a track! This pace is wrong whether on 2, 3, or 4 wheels. Fine to enjoy the curves at a quick pace but anything more than that can and has been lethal. Innocents have lost their lives due to careless people who drive this way. I was on 2 wheels and almost taken out by joe boy racer on that road 2 years ago; I was just able to get out of his way as he crossing into my lane on a curve and was crashing as a result. Enough already.
@@keithallen3119 I track my car as well but try to keep it at a more reasonable pace on the roads to stay within my own/my car’s limits. Definitely possible to go quicker than shown here but I prefer to keep it between the mustard and the mayo with room to react. Stay safe out there!
That was exactly what I was thinking. Or head-on with another car.
Despite the fact I lived in east TN for some 14 1/2 years, the ONLY time I rode US 129 was EARLY on weekdays in order to get to a destination beyond Deal's Gap.
Too many idiots on the weekends
It does get very busy on the weekends. Stay safe!
Tail of the dragon, for those who weren’t good enough for the track. Blood Mountain is the same way in Union County. State patrol he’s got a cracked and going on now in the bikes are disappearing. Reckless driving, bike impounded in straight to jail.
@@arcris1 UA-cam comments, for those who aren’t good enough for either one.
@@arcris1 say that to someone like Sebastien Loeb or anyone who races Pikes Peak. There aren't any race tracks with combinations of curves like this. Gobless.
Congratulations. There isn't much on either side of Deal's Gap that you can't go in the other direction for and get to sooner. In a way, The Tail is like Silver Lake Sand Dunes up here in Michigan. Less busy during the week, but more stuff to see on the weekends.
As an OG R32 owner it pains me to see another one crashed. Looked like a ton of fun until then. (Own a NC also, they are both are great cars in different ways)
Unfortunately not the first R the Dragon has eaten, and sadly unlikely to be the last.
Iv got a Mk4 tdi and hated to see it hurt. He did repair the car from what I know from speaking to a friend of his.
It was a great drive up until that point! Cool guy too!
I have a mk4 R32 as well, and they understeer pretty bad without upgraded suspension. Even then. That 3.2 vr6 is really heavy
They are becoming pretty rare and expensive now.
Them MK4 R32s were when VAG group was at its pinnacle!
My buddy had a sick Corrado. He was thinking about selling it and getting an R 32. Definitely a cool ride.
Sooooo many accidents and fatalities on that road every year. I worked in the are in 2005…gotta say, it’s one of the most beautiful drives in the country! Just BE CAREFUL!!!
Understeer and ego is one hell of a combination
and this is why I avoid the Dragon, I know my skill but don't want to feel the pressure to out-ride my skill.
Can be a bit hectic up there sometimes for sure! Especially when you get some of the faster guys breathing down your neck.
I mean it happens, but you could just pull over if someone is behind you, or let them get away if in front. I've done it a few times when I realized I was pushing a bit hard. There's always faster cars...even if sometimes they are slower cars.
@@Dolby109 More of an issue for me when I’m already driving fast and they come up faster and put the pressure on. It’s not a problem when given an opportunity to not take the pull offs at a reasonable speed.
I’ve never been to the dragon but I live very close to the snake and it’s pretty much Pluto. I’m a damn good driver but it’s not my driving I’m worried about. It’s people being stupid and pushing limits and putting others in the line of fire.
@@thatonecrazydudeyaknow285 The Snake is out in Cali if I recall? Shoot the scariest thing for me are the guys who are suddenly driving head on in my lane. Just have to keep it well within your own/car's limits. Driving fast is one thing but pushing limits is for safer enviroments.
I experienced the dragon for the first time today and it was fun. I took my 17' GT/CS up and it did well. Alot of the bikers was reckless but overall wonderf experience.
Glad you had a good time! One of my favorite getaway spots for sure.
You’ll definitely run into those groups that are ready to get rowdy! Thankfully I personally haven’t been caught up in any of them problems that can come along with them.
You wouldn’t understand what it’s like riding a bike like that sorry if it worry’s you
@@br1xh thanks🤣
@@failbox. yup definitely will be back once I finish my firebird formula
@@mustangdee_8760 Funny enough my coworker is building a formula firebird right now as well! He’s been posting videos over on his channel Chaos Garage. They’re cool cars!
I know that exact curve up there, it seems a bit more sharp than some of the others probably because you tend to be carrying more speed into that one than most. A few weeks ago I saw a Ferrari flipped over on its top just a couple curves after that spot close to that sign that says “Dip”
Yeah it kind of closes up and gets tighter mid turn. Seems like a sweeper almost going into it. Damn he take the cliff or something?
Also, the dip is my favorite part! So much fun.
The one I think CGP Grey talks about in his Tesla autopilot video, right?
@@HawkEM2 yup
@@failbox. is it fun endangering others lives is it?
Knew a guy who lost his life on this tricky road, he was a great rider and had pictures of him on this road that he traveled often. It's fun but it is dangerous at high speed.
It was that bike that crashed on the wall in a bend like some years ago?!
Nice driving by you. Not so much for the other guy. I was there last week and was nearly killed by a gray Porsche. Came ride across my bow well into my lane in a right-hander. I always ride in the right half of the lane and that saved my life again. It can be sketchy at times, but head-ons are almost always fatal.
Thanks man! Yeah, shame to see such a nice car damaged like it was. Just glad nobody was hurt here.
Glad you were able to avoid them! Guys who cross the double yellow are the worst of people. Iv seen all kinds of stupid shit.. Blind turn overtakes, etc.. Best to keep it between the mustard and they mayo!
He could have killed someone too!
@@mikeandmelissa01 I'm just glad everyone walked away unharmed and nobody else was involved.
I have a BMW E46 M3 manual and I like driving spirited as well but I pick my time, the amount of traffic and road conditions. The car is more capable than I am, so I know my limitations and I would never push hard if there are dry and then wet conditions on one road section. Always be mindful of what could happen
As Clint Eastwood says, "A man needs to know his limitations." He is lucky; it could have been much worse!
I have run the Dragon many times, and also run through the mountains closer to home. I am about 15 minutes from Lake Lure NC. It was always fun chasing crotch rockets and having cars trying to run with mine. Miata's do very well in the twists of the mountains! One time this Miata tried hanging-in through a set of double S-turns with the last turn extremely sharp. As I came out of the last curve, I looked in the mirror and he was sideway going into a 180, pointed in the correct direction of the other lane. He was lucky no one was coming the other way.
that place is beyond out of control. On a race track every one is going the same way.
This one clip doesn’t really represent the whole picture. There are definitely a lot of faster drivers at the tail but most of us keep it under control. I don’t try to push boundaries in this kind of environment.
A little fun is fine as long as we all drive home! Be safe out there!
You're wrong. It is ILLEGAL to race on the Dragon. I've seen a few videos and EVERY single one had at least one car/bike accident...
Thank God they didn't kill one of the motorcycle riders thinking that the streets are a race track.
Good thing a group of bikers weren’t coming from the opposite direction when the idiot crashed. This is why I stopped riding the dragon 12 years ago. Too many self-proclaimed racers pushing past their capabilities. Wonder why we never see sanctioned races with two-way traffic? But I say go for it. Let the dragon and hospital sort it out. Too many other good riding roads in those parts not as crowded and crazy to enjoy. Grew up in the area. Good video by the way.
Appreciate the comment! Yeah I’m glad it worked out the way it did for sure. The best case happened given the potential consequences.
I try to stick to the off season for my visits so its not quite so busy. Stay safe out there!
good thing a feather didn't drop and your grandmother didn't fart in your face
There are a couple roads in the hills outside Adelaide, South Australia, called Gorge Road and Chain of Ponds. Great fun to drive, but they collect a few biker deaths every year. Plenty of Armco barriers, but don't try to slide your machine under one, or high side over one. Lotsa trees and gulleys.
Now look what you've done - I sold my 94 Miata R in the fall. This video makes me miss it so badly! The way the manual steering would feel the grab of the road as you cornered. Arrgh!
Not sure I could ever part with my Miata! I ended up buying a second even for a daily now 😅 the go carts are so fun!
And this is why they may close this. These guys aren't Pros, pros don't street race. There are people of all skill levels out there, and, as opposed to a track, they go in both directions.
I don’t disagree that there are all skill levels and a wide variety of paces for the different drivers up there. It’s all about staying within your own/your car’s limits for the unexpected.. which unfortunately didn’t pan out for the VW.
But also, the tail of the dragon is a federal highway (us129) and I’d say it’s unlikely that they would ever close it.. also, there are only like 3-4 deaths a year on average. Which statistically makes it on par with i285 in Atlanta for deaths per 10miles. Just food for thought.
they won't close it. that area makes a ton of money in lodging, food, emergency transport, medical bills, tow trucks...
They're just going to add speed bumps
This is called spirited driving. Street racing is what idiots do on city streets between redlights.
lots of moisture on the road sure didn't help anything on this trip
Last fall some idiot was driving too fast for the conditions, lost control, and killed two motorcyclists while driving on a nearby mountain. If you want to drive fast go to a track. Bad things can happen very quickly and getting a little bit of excitement from driving fast is not worth hurting or killing innocent people.
That VW was a rocket ship, until it wasn’t…
Lol no
That corner is very slick when it's wet, deserves even more respect going the opposite direction.
We’ll it was nice seeing him put bus lengths on ya, gotta love the R32 and the VR6!!
My car wasn’t handling great that weekend and *insert other car guy excuse here* 😅🤷♂️ That being said the man was moving! I’m sure if I had gotten closer we could have enjoyed some Wookie noises too!
Haaahahaaaha! Gapped him right off the road! Smh
Good drive, the road looks much like some of the area I grew up in. Lots of fun in a lightweight, tight car.
I see alot of moisture in the shaded areas. Seems like a sketchy time to be pushing it hard in the turns knowing a mistake could kill an innocent driver or rider.
Was an oil spot on the road that did him in from an earlier crash. The brief damp spots did not change traction from my recollection.
The idiot will never learn until hes in jail or dead but the idiot cycle never slows.
The ONLY positive thing I can say about this, as a Tennessean and a biker, at least y'all kept it in your own lane.
Keeping it between the mustard and the mayo is the golden rule.
👏👏👏👏
you are either blind or blind he's on the other side of the road in a ditch that isn't staying in your own lane bud
@@bobmarley2140 Yes, but the guy in the ditch isn't the one posting the video, now is he??? Learn to think before you comment.
@@TennRides ORRRR how about you use proper English and be more specific 'Ya'll' implies the two cars that were the subject of this video. learn to think before you type.
Take it to a racetrack people. Seriously given the amount of traffic you have coming the opposite direction it is a miracle that VW didn't take someone out. Don't blame oil on the road, anything near legal speeds road spills are about as nil an issue as there can be. I am a Harley rider and enjoy these roads but typically choose the Blue Ridge Parkway just to try and minimize the risk of someone's mistake driving this way costing me my life. But glad this one turned out ok...
I agree and don't condone driving like I was here. I try to keep it within a reasonable level while still having fun. My goal is to never have another driver have to react to my mistakes and I try to stay well within my limits; hence not pushing like the VW was. Something the video also doesn't show is another car breathing down my neck and already had me at the speeds where I was ready to pull off so he could pass. Not justification I suppose as I'm sure id have been speeding regardless.. Either way! Like you said.. I am really glad it didn't go worse than it did and everyone was okay! Nobody else being involved and him going into the hill instead of cliff side was about as well as it could have ended. Stay safe out there!
Ride slow and boring, everything can potentially harm me! Typical Harley rider mentality. Why go to the Dragon if your not running it !
VW driver lacked skill period, this can happen anywhere!
Wish I could have seen his perspective to know where it went wrong.. Maybe he went for the brakes instead of just lifting and locked it all up? Shame I wasn’t closer to catch it.
@@spaceexplorer6636 Typical knob jockey mentality! I hope you live long enough to become an old rider. If you wanna run it, go to a track!
@@flyingtigers7856 typical old fart mentality! If you want to slow down every rider on a beautiful mountain road that most travel days to reach to have a little fun just because you forgot how to have fun! Then stay at home be safe in the rocking chair and just keep waiting till your numbers called !
Old grumpy buzzard !
I drove a tow truck up there for 15 years, and I picked up a hell of alot of what I would stupid people. What are you gonna do when a bike or another car cross the line in front of you. Those drop offs are no joke. Believe me. The dragon dosent take prisoners, it hurts em. Bad. A bike going fast up there is one thing, a car, well...
They have track days at most road courses such as Sonoma, or laguna seca, where when you f*co up theres medical personnel on hand and if you do f*co up you usually dont total you stuff, and most likely to walk away. I takes about 20-30 min for help to arrive up there. Be smart, be safe and have fun, remember, the #1 rule is to get home safely. If you fail at rul#1, no other rules need to apply, you f*cked up.
I'm from Atlanta and have people in my lane daily. Sometimes I feel like there might be more dickheads on 285 than in the mountains that don't keep it between the mustard and the mayo. That being said there are definitely a bunch up there as well. I try to spread awareness if I can before telling them to fuck off as sometimes they are just newer enthusiasts who haven't learned what rules never should be broken.. Cant always fix stupid though.
Not sure if bike vs car is any more or less dangerous. Having roll bars and whatnot is a big advantage for the vehicles. There are offenders from both enthusiast groups though. We cant change how the other people will drive but we can choose to be in the group that tries to better.
I keep it within my own/my car's limits when I take it out and save anything that could be considered "pushing limits" for safer environments. Like you said, "#1 rule is to get home safely."
Stay safe out there Steven!
I’m just amazed a whole line of motorcyclist didn’t get obliterated
I'm just glad a whole line didn't!
I like driving fast as well - if in contained conditions. Things like double rails, no other cars around except the ones I know personally who don't go full retard, and visibility through corners. Can't see, can't go basis. As much as I like flying down the highway in my cabrio, there's a responsibility to the people. I can't be sure a sleep deprived mom or dad doesn't check his mirror before switching lanes. And for sure I'm not betting their lives, their children's lives, any other lives of the people around us who crash, or my life on that. Enjoy what you drive, but never drive gambles like that, drunk, high or on your phone. Be safe people!
You speak as if I was pushing boundaries. This was a bone stock Miata driving at reasonable speeds.
That's what happens when you drive faster than your guardian angel can fly 🤷🏻♂️
Saw a corvette upside-down today. People really gotta learn the course. And also drive like you know your car, not drive like your ego stole something and it's on the run.
Talking about the procharged c5 convertible that flipped this past weekend? I was stuck at the overlook for an hour while they towed him and the poor little red NA out of there. After looking at killboy’s photos I think that was the vette’s first run up the mountain.. on that day at least! I heard he had only bought it a couple months prior too.
@@failbox. when I drove pass thr crash. I heard he only got it for 2 weeks. Just saying that don't drive on the dragon to find self ego and car limit. It's not worth it.
@@VinRZ Stroking ego especially when you don't know how to wheel your car gets expensive too! lol It's a blast though for a driving experience for the rest of us.
I definitely drive fast when im in the moutains but always save finding limits for safer environments.
Looks like the pavement was pretty wet there at the crash... bummer for the Vdub. Nice that the video owner stopped to help.
Very nice driving! I hope to bring my rsx type s up there one day. I probably won’t be going at that speed though. I’m by no means a pro, and I’m not familiar with the road. Imo it’s better to have fun below your own limits than to push it and regret that. Hopefully the driver of the VW was ok and the car was damaged as little as possible.
It's a lot of fun either way! They're amazing roads. Id imagine it would be difficult to really memorize the roads up there unless you're local so it can be a little bit of reaction driving. Though you can see a couple of corners ahead in a lot of places which makes it more forgiving. Be safe whenever you do make it out!
Yeah he was okay and the car wasn't hurt too bad. We attempted to push/drive it out but from what I know it did end up having to be towed home. I spoke with one of his friend's I met up there and he said he did get the car put back together.
Yeah screw the dum asses on motorcycles that aren't expecting cars to flip onto their heads for taking a ride while you idiots are using a public road with posted speed limits as your own personal proving grounds for showcasing exactly why you're unfit to race professional on a track and.... POST!
That guy at the start with the trailer who stopped just after a blind corner was a bit of a worry as well
Yeah if I recall I wanted to wait on my friend a little longer but he gave me extra incentive to pull out.
Had the opportunity to meet up with the Mazda Speed Protégé club a few years ago. They were planning on driving this route. Glad I didn't make it, lol. Too many goofballs going in both directions😳
Glad everyone was OK. Though there was oil, it appeared that both cars turn in point was too early.
Yooo I talked to you at the store. I was following you in the GS430. Amazed I found this vid
Oh shit! No way! Yeah I remember! You were cool and we’re moving in that Lexus.
The odds of you being the person behind me and finding this are crazy lol
You knew the R32 guy too if I recall?
@@failbox. yeah, he's a buddy of mine lol. Small world, and all that.
Actually sold the Lexus a few days ago. Might regret it - we'll see 😅
@@kevind1645 He got it put back together I hope? No doubt small world!
Have another project in mind for the future? Hope you don't regret it too much. The big body lexuses are cool.
@@failbox. yeah, it's back to 100%! Didn't take toooo much work.
And no projects in mind at the moment besides my 4Runner and motorcycles. I had a manual Volvo S60R for about 36 hours after selling the Lexus, then realized that was a horrible idea since I didn't want a money pit 😅
@@kevind1645 I figured that might be the case. The fact that we were able to attempt to drive it out even gave me a lot of hope.
Lol at least you would have balanced the unrelability out with the reliabity of the 4runner. We've all considered the Volvo route of pain though.
Hope to bump into you on your bike on the mountain someday for sure
SUV pulled over, VW launched and I muttered under my breath "he's pushing that box."
So glad they're putting in speed bumps on this road.
I live on the other side of the world and have heard of this road. Looks way too busy to enjoy.
There was a silver RX7 that spun across the road in front of a MINI Cooper and it was struck by an F150. when the MINI's were at the Dragon. There Rotary group was there as well. I don't think the RX-7 driver as injured, but it looked be a nasty hit.
Really surprised they left that oil on the road with all the bikes out
The roads where I'm from are almost all like that, and you need to know your car and road well to drive at a high pace in a road like that, especially if you have a heavy car. A road like that with all those twists, bend to the right then bend to the left and with the road surface not having the correct levels causes a massive mass transfer in a car and in a heavy car once it gets loose unless you know exactly what you are doing you are gone. Growing up in Madeira Island in the mountains made me learn a lot. But i had to crash a lot too to learn haha. At the moment i have a 2008 S6 and no way i will be racing that heavy beast v10 in that road, i will be all over it hahaha. The Miata is perfect for that or a 500 Abarth BiPosto ;) will beat almost anything there lol
Those motorcyclists give me anxiety when they lean over the double yellow
Yeah it stresses me out when they abuse it. I try to give them extra room just in case.
Alternative title - two really slow cars driven by people who think they’re Mario Andretti 💀
Moral of the story? "dont drive it like a Miata unless it IS a Miata"
Front wheel drive can be more than a handful. Letting up for just an instant at the wrong moment can spell disaster. Rear wheel drive and placement of the engine in the Miata make it way more pleasant a drive in the twisties.
I believe an R32 is 4wd
@@stuartclague3914 you are correct
too much car,not enough of a driver I guess
Doesnt look like an R32. An R maybe? GTI?
Honestly if you were in any car besides a Miata I think the same thing would've happened to you, you were going in freaking hot man it's hard to make a miata understeer like that
I live in southern california where there are quite a few twisty roads....watching tail of dragon videos I cant understand why it is such a thing? looks like just another cool twisty mountain road to me...maybe just ultra rare in many places back there??
Silly wabbit
wow, that didn't take long (nc owner here).
Someone must play the "rage your dream" song from initial d in the background
That's called running out of talent before you run out of throttle.
Just started looking up the Tail of the Dragon. Wow, this road is basically like a legal track. You got slower cars moving off to the side which you love to see. Definitely unfortunate about the crash though
more or less yes but now there are a lot more police since its grown in popularity
Yeah, but the Golf didn't hit a set of motor cyclists, which is of course a shame. Hope one day a friend of yours posts the crash you made into a big unforgiving tree. Or do you prefer taking others with you?
It's a huge attraction! For the East coast of the USA this is one of the best roads you can experience. 318 curves over 11 miles. Super great time and I try to frequent it!
Hated to see the Mk4 damaged though. He did repair it from what I hear.
@@asphalthedgehog6580 wtf is wrong with you
The Dragon never loses!
R32 carried too much speed and understeered off the road, when smashing down back roads it’s always important to leave a little margin for error because it’s not a closed course with no run off for mistakes.
Well done. Want a cookie now?
This behaviour (...) only ends in one way: by wrecking a car. *Make sure it is only YOUR car and not some innocent victim.*
You mention an oil slick that almost caused you to crash - NO. Guns don't kill people - people do. Oil slicks don't crash cars - idiots do.
If you need to scratch that urge, go onto a (closed) track and race and enjoy - NOT THE PUBLIC ROAD.
Both the R32 and the Miata hit that sharp corner about the same speed but you can see that the Miata was neutral and controllable while the R32 plowed straight ahead (understeer). Lucky there was no head on traffic because the R32 driver would probably have been arrested and in civil courts for the next decade. A sharp corner sign before that corner could’ve been helpful.
Fun until something goes wrong. I guess that true for living. Right or wrong is a matter of opinion.
No arguments here! Definitely important to stay well within the car and driver's limits.
I try to live by the rule that "my driving should never force another driver to change the way they are driving or have to react to something Iv done." Will openly admit that it can add unnecessary risk though.
@@failbox. Smart!
If it hadn't crashed you've not seen it again! Got you beat!
Bone stock Miata vs modified R32. Took those VR6 wookie noises straight into the distance!
Those damn rear engines.
The quality of the road surface is shocking.
Rode it once on a Yamaha Royal Star Venture with a Hannigan sidecar. I was not easy.
I live not too far from that area. The Dragon claims the lives of fools every year.
That was exhilarating.
Understeer at its best! 👍🤣
This video is kind of a metaphor for Volkswagen's performance in the US market
TBF the R32 was gone until the guys talent ran out.
These guys watched FF: Tokyo Drift one too many times I think....
That’s a nice run, but beware of the deer, they jump out of nowhere and the guarantee a totaled car.
Volkswagen Golfs tend to become tripods in the corners, trying to corner on three wheels. Of course they crash.
Das peoples car ist kaputsa !
He is lucky, lose it on the other side and you are off the cliff.
Yeah it ended about as well as it could have! Nobody else involved and avoided the drop!
I wish he had gone off the cliff.
That would be one less idiot out
there with no regard for other people's lives!
@@vanhill8831 The hypocrisy of that statement. Even if he was pushing harder than he should have been.. everyone makes mistakes and this was as well as it could have gone. Hopefully he learned from it and will drive safer in the future.
Stay safe out there!
this shows that bosses ain't better than you!
I knew this was going to happen as soon as vw sped up lot more. You need to able to measure how much you can push your car 🚗. Lots of people don’t know the limit of their car or be tempted to push it little more and make mistake.
Or the limits of their own skills. Understanding the limits of the vehicle is only one part of the equation. Driver skill and leaving a bit of wiggle room for a deer running out into the road, another driver that understeers and crosses the yellow or a mechanical problem is also something to consider! It is a public road not unlike the Nurburgring Nordschliefe.
In germany we say: "Unterlassene Hilfeleistung"
He asked for trouble and he got it.
Crashed out before the dip ; pathetic .
He missed the best part.
@@failbox. Best part is the opposite direction which makes this so much more pathetic .
Hwy 9 from Saratoga to Santa Cruz, CA is notorious for hot dogging cars and motorcycles. Many are victims of gravel and oil on the road. There are many times that I have had to avoid dummies who cross the double yellow to pass. Now if only the slow drivers would pull over on turn outs.
That's what happens when people treat Tail of The Dragon like a race track, thinking they'll set a personal best or get some bragging rights
1:41 Is he flipping you off here or what?
I think it was just a wave from what I recall. Several years back though so who knows!
I kinda hate this road because there are all kinds of roads in the ballpark of this fun but none of those are jammed full of traffic to risk crashing into. Driving more than 8/10ths on this road with all the traffic is just criminally negligent.
That's why the 53' semi truckers drive on it couple times month.... to take out the trash
The semi trucker aren’t allowed on this highway and are escorted out/ticketed if they bump into patrol.
@@failbox. how do truckers even drive it ?
@@failbox. I've seen video where there are trucks
Shaded corner...cooler pavement, almost looks wet.
Hes lucky to crash there and be able to call it a day
I spoke to one of the guys in his group and if I'm remembering correct; that they had been there all week... and this was the last day before they headed back home.
Glad he was alright and nobody else was involved though for sure.
An idiot chases an idiot until one of them idiots
So many wet patches, perfect for a touge race.
Looks like theres something on the road. the miata slipped also
Mommy, the people living life might hurt me! whaaaaaa
Glad he was okay! Not a risk Corolla drivers take like yourself.
My mk4 R32 is to heavy for canyon carving & to hard2 replace
The Golf has a roof mounted Camera,and, when you run out of talent or luck?
They are simply ignorant driving like that through that area. They could hurt or kill someone. This is not a race track!
Tail Of the Dragon is a massive driving attraction and spirited driving should be expected. However, I am glad nobody was hurt and everyone walked away from this incident.
@@failbox. I’m very familiar with the tail. I’ve driven it many times. Like you I’m glad no one was hurt.
Umm looks like the pavement is damp……. Which means you’ll have less traction and should probably slow down. Hope everyone is ok.
Good thing Mom&Dad&Bud&Sis were not in the opposing lane in a Silverado equipped with a Ranch Hand grill guard when Tazio Nuvolari JR. made his off-airport landing.
Understeer will get you every time when you're FWD 😔
The R32 is an AWD car! Though it is front-wheel bias and understeers all the same. 😔
@@failbox. I was about to say haha it's pretty much FWD
@@robertbenedict5648 I'd say haldex is argueably worse than just straight up FWD for spirited driving
Literally type in "Rallye" in your search box and know better.
Why did I find this so sexxy?
Usually this just gets the attention of other men! Lol
Racing to hurry up to the stop.sign he never saw in the grave
No stop signs up there but the hill stopped him pretty quick, huh?
Oahu Hawaii has it's infamous Tantalus Dr.
R32 driver was doing well in a straight line. Should stick to drag racing?
Play stupid games, win stupid prizes. Wait until you get your insurance policy rate increase.