I agree with the importance of everyone driving safely on the Dragon and the LEO from the
North Carolina Highway Patrol and the Sheriffs Dept have done a great job in the past explaining it
AND leaving us alone so to speak. But last year the
Tennessee HP turned driving the Dragon into a joke for anyone on it after we were up there. It didn't matter what you were driving or how you were driving.
I pulled these off of
tailofthedragon.com/
Quote:
|
TAIL OF THE DRAGON EXCLUSIVE – The State of Tennessee is spending more than $200,000 of taxpayer’s money to add overtime patrols at the Dragon this summer. The Tennessee Highway Patrol is receiving a $75,000 grant and the Blount County Sherriff Office is receiving $125,000. These grants will last through the summer and end on September 30, 2008.
|
Quote:
In 2007 Tennessee grants to THP and BCSO for overtime totaled $120,000 and were in force from July 1 to September 30. During this period we witnessed unprofessionalism on the part of both agencies. The outright harassment of law abiding citizens cost Tennessee businesses millions of dollars in lost revenue. THP’s reputation was severely blackened, a major detriment to all enforcement agencies. Tail of the Dragon received some 1,000 complaints from riders and drivers many who promised not to spend a penny in the state.
Hopefully this year Tennessee will provide professional enforcement that will encompass both safety and goodwill toward tourists. Tail of the Dragon will be reporting their attitude on this site.
|