Advocacy & Safety - Dog Day Afternoon

I'm sure this has been posted before, but sitting here with a sling on, I wanted to share with fellow cyclists a warning.

Last Wednesday, I went for a short ride around the neighborhood just to stay maintained. I was going up a road about 15mph when a unleashed dog (against the law in this N Dallas suburb) came running out after me.

I expected him to just bark and chase, but he never broke stride and went right in front of my two week old Trek. I hit it broadside, and needless to say, the bike stood on its end and I went flying.

After 3 hours in emergency, I emerged with a fractured scapula, dislocated finger, two sprained wrists, and too many contusions and scrapes to count.

So, watch out for the dogs...I had my helmet on!

Blue Wing

WOW! Heal fast man. Sorry about animal training incident.

Joe

Speedy recovery!:)

I have been hit twice in the last year by dogs, and also hit one! Country roads where I ride are chock full of snarling mutts and most wouldn't harm a fly, but they are rather stupid!

Speedy recovery!

I have been hit twice in the last year by dogs, and also hit one! Country roads where I ride are chock full of snarling mutts and most wouldn't harm a fly, but they are rather stupid!

Doesn't sound like you guys even slow down when you see them?

I got bit last year, now I carry pepper spray, it doesn't seem to hurt them, they just stop and turn around.


FXjohn

Did you find the owners?

That's a real bummer.

Now go out there and try and find the owner so that no other cyclist has to deal with this irresponsible dog owner again!

I slow down if they have the angle on me, if they're behind I hammer away. I sorta know the dogs I can out run and the ones I can't btw. Of the two that hit me, one was a pup and ran into me as I was almost stopped! The one I hit was a big boxer after she cut me off!
If I slowed down for every yapper in the country side I should just take up fishing!

You gave us lots of details on your injuries, but how was the bike?

The only visible damage was to the hoods. It looks as if the bike stood straight up on them. Further observation looks like the front wheel is probably bent as well.

I think I cushioned its fall.

Originally posted by ehenz
Did you find the owners?

Good point, it might pay to have a look at the coucil regulations in your area in regard to unleashed dogs, too.

While we're on the subject, it's amazing just how many dogs will lose interest in the chase as soon as there isn't one. I was being chased by a dog on a ride last weekend. Realising I wasn't going to be able to outrun it on this particular occasion, I just stopped and got off the bike. At that moment the chase stopped.

Now admittedly, this dog had no vicious intentions at all. However, had that been the case I would have merely used the bike to shield myself from any attack. Food for thought.

Wow man I am sorry to hear about this.

I am also from Dallas and I also see a lot of dog owners going around with unleashed dogs. I don't tend to get too bent about many things but this particular one really heats me up. It is a shame if ever a irresponsible owner causes his dog to suffer a facefull of my spokes handlebars and cleats. And if I am hurt (as you were) due to their blatant negligence I wouldn;t think twice about suing them for the medical expenses and the damage to my bike. As a matter of fact I would expect enough in compensation to buy a nice new carbon fiber mega ride. ;)

I hope you were able to track down the owner of the mutt.

cAPS

I slow down if they have the angle on me, if they're behind I hammer away. I sorta know the dogs I can out run and the ones I can't btw. Of the two that hit me, one was a pup and ran into me as I was almost stopped! The one I hit was a big boxer after she cut me off!
If I slowed down for every yapper in the country side I should just take up fishing!

I know what you mean, I have one dog who has come within inches of getting killed two times now trying to cross the street to come bark or nip at me, oncoming traffic nearly nailed him. I have 4 of the ones who have tried to bite me tamed by the pepper spray!

FXjohn

I carry a water bottle with a gatorade nozzle on it. It squirts really far and is very accurate. Water in the face has naver failed to get a dog that comes too close off my tail. I also yell at them - bad dog, get out of the road - real loud. It often shocks them, and I hope gets the attention of the owners. I also call the police and report loose dogs. Many people who don't care about cyclists do care about having their dogs taken to the pound. I've never been bitten, or had an accident because of a dog or any other animal - but if it happens, I will sue to the full extent possible.

This is yet another reason I avoid multi-use paths!

I ride railtrails alot. I've only been chased by a dog twice. The same dog. I out ran it. I've read too that stopping, getting off the bike and using it as a sheild is the best tactic to use for a chasing dog. But if I was ever bitten by a loose mutt, the owner better have good insurance. I just love dogs. It's the owners that cause almost all the grief that dogs cause. They don't want to take the time and responsibilty to train the dog correctly. I believe that an unleashed dog is unloved and the owner is lazy.

Originally posted by megaman
I just love dogs. It's the owners that cause almost all the grief that dogs cause. They don't want to take the time and responsibilty to train the dog correctly.

On my commute home last Thursday, I came across a guy walking his big dog straddling the bike path. I rolled behind him, said "Bike on the left." ... Twice. The guy didn't move. Said it again. Nothing. Finally, I yelled "Hey buddy!" He turned around and said "What?" I said, "Which side do you want me to pass on?" He said, "Which ever side you want." He then moved over to the right and I passed on the left...

This fellow was particularly clueless, but I'm finding more humans walking dogs on the paths where the human is on the grass side and the dog is in the middle of the path. The dogs most always want to sniff and receive a pet, etc. So they pull on the leash.

Seems more logical that the dog should be on the grass side, with the human between the dog and oncoming bikes, skaters and walkers.

Humans are the problem here.

<rb>

My daughter, an aspiring veternarian, said I have a PhD, Pretty hip about Dogs! For some reason I have always been able to tell if a dog was afraid of me, liked me, or wanted to rip off my legs. I have been lucky in that most have liked me.

Dogs are fascinated by the tires going round and round! That is the same reason they chase cars. Every dog I have ever had hated the lawn mower tires. One would grab the a mouth full of mower tire and yank it all over the back yard. But, if it was just sitting there, it had no interest for them.

When dogs chase you, they are tring to get in front of one of the tires to bite it and make it stop rolling. While I have PhD, I do not understand this trait.

I have found that if everything else fails and I am confronted with a strange dog, I look it in the eye and let them know that I am the boss. They have always backed down.

The warning to never look a dog in the eye because it is a challenge is half wrong. It is a challenge, but if you do it right, you win. I have always won.....so far :D

To the statement that "Humans are the problem here," nothing could be more true. I am more at ease meeting a strange dog on a darkened street than I am meeting a strange person. Even if the dog is snarling, he is easier to reason with than a mugger!

"When dogs chase you, they are tring to get in front of one of the tires to bite it and make it stop rolling. While I have PhD, I do not understand this trait."

That is just not true in all cases. I got bit a couple of months ago by a pitbull mix. It didn't go for my tire it went straight for my right calf. No way I could outrun it I was on a sandy road going up a slight hill (all roads are sandy in florida, unless they are paved LOL). The dog punctured the skin in 4 places. Called the cops and they went to the house where I had seen the dog come from. The guy says "its not my dog it just comes around here once in awhile". The cops ask "do you know who ownes it or where it belongs". The guy says "no he has no clue who owns the dog". The thing is I saw a car leave the house as im standing in the road waiting for the cops (blood running down my leg). This happened 3 blocks from my house on a road that i ride on almost every day. I drive around a few blocks looking for the car, I spot it and come back and tell the cops. Im back at my house now giving my info to the other cop (small town when you call the police you get 2 or 3 cars at least LOL). The cop that went to check on where i had seen the car says there is a dog there could i go see if its the one that bit me. I drive over to ID the dog..... and who is there? The guy who says he has no clue who owns the dog is there. That pissed me off more then getting bit. The cop askes if i want them to issue a sitation? I say hell yes. So the guy got a $60 leash law violation and had to pay room and board at animal control (10 bucks a day) while the dog was observed for rabbies. The dog bit somebody while it was at animal control and got put down. As for me well my leg was black and blue for a couple of weeks that all healed up. But now i have this EXTRA fear of dogs that I didn't have before. <sigh> it makes some of my rides a lot less enjoyable now :-(

anyway thanks for lettin me rant here a bit......

I had a couple of dog encounters during my mini-tour last spring.

First was a loud and small one. He came yapping from his front yard as fast as he could when he spotted me. Probably had not seen a loaded touring bike before. I concentrated on pedalling and was not too worried about it, as he was well behind me. Soon enough the yapping stopped and I thought he gave up. Nope, he just switched to stealth mode. The road curved slightly to the left there, so in addition he took the shortest route between himself and me, cutting the corner through oncoming lane and almost getting himself killed by a car. Huge ego in a small body, I must say.

The other was a Lab behind a pathetic fence which he could have crossed with one lazy leap. He also had a fit when he saw my bike (or me?), started to run along the fence, barking, growling and chewing a wooden rail on top of the fence fiercely. When I looked more carefully, I could see the entire rail - some 100 meters in length - had been chewed to bits. I think they must replace the rail yearly :D.

--J

Last year, I kicked one in the head and sent it rolling head over heals, followed by a yelping run back where he came from. I had been going about 20 mph when he caught up with me and got the boot. Since then, he has started out after me a couple of times and quickly stopped the chase without getting close.

A frame pump makes an excellent polo mallet.

...if I am hurt (as you were) due to their blatant negligence I wouldn;t think twice about suing them for the medical expenses and the damage to my bike.
My thoughts exactly. Why should you take the fall? (No pun intended.)

:mad:

I'm finding more humans walking dogs on the paths where the human is on the grass side and the dog is in the middle of the path. The dogs most always want to sniff and receive a pet, etc. So they pull on the leash.

Seems more logical that the dog should be on the grass side, with the human between the dog and oncoming bikes, skaters and walkers.

Humans are the problem here.<rb>

The dogs are in control, unless you see the dogs carrying a little bag o' human poop and the humans are runnin' nekid on the leash...Seriously, these days all the dog owners have those 25 foot fishing-reel leashes...on a path, that's not much different than an unleashed dog.

Speaking of which, how's about training all those pesky pedestrians to stay on their own damn side of the multi-use path???

Speaking of which, how's about training all those pesky pedestrians to stay on their own damn side of the multi-use path???

Try whacking them on the nose with a rolled up newspaper.