Nightshade

This is why I believe that all cyclist should carry some sort of 'arms' to protect themselves against a lethal dog attack. Be it a gun,a spring wand, pepper spray or ammonia in a spray bottle you need something to mean business when attacked by any dog.

https://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/201...-by-dogs-dies/

Doohickie

This falls under the helmet argument. Does a helmet save a life once in a while? Probably. But is it necessary for everyone to wear one, every ride? That's up to the rider to decide.

So far, sprinkling a little water in a dog's general direction has been highly effective against the most dangerous dogs I've encountered.

Keith99

The article does not even try to make a causal link the attack to the death.

Attacked on Friday, treated and released and then died next Wednesday.

Nightshade

Did we forget the fact that seat belts save lives?? Like the seatbelt you can't use what you don't have so also like the seatbelt carrying no protection against dogs can't save you.

Doohickie

1. As Keith99 states, there is no connection implied in the article between the attack and the death.

2. What good is a gun going to do? If you're riding a bike and a dog gives chase, it'll be on you before the gun is out of the holster, unless you ride around with the gun out which is crazy dangerous. People who see guns as the answers to life's problems are idiots.

calamarichris

"He said 'hey there fella with the hair colored yella,
what you tryin' to prove?'"
I'm with you Chickenhead, and with Lynrd Skynrd on this one.

rebel1916

****

Retro Grouch 

I'm thinking it's probably more necessary for some riders than others. I'm convinced that dogs can sense and only harass the riders who are afraid of dogs.

Nightshade

A gun is but one choice of self defense weapon.............

rebel1916

Anything under .40 cal just don't have enough stopping power. That's what i say.

bobn

That's a pretty gereralized statement calling people idiots who are in favor of using guns.

It's true that they will not fix all of lifes problems. It won't get you a better grade in school, or make the boss give you a raise and so on.

However,it solved some problems in 1776, WW1, WW2 etc. I don't think they were idiots.
A 12 year old girl just shot an intruder during a home invasion. She was scared and defended herself. The same way you would defend yourself agaist an attacking animal.
This doesn't make people carrying a legal firearm an idiot.
The muzzle blast alone would rattle an attacking dog.

rebel1916

It's like my grandpa used to say, "if your gonna get in a gunfight, have a long gun". So I ride with an SKS slung over my shoulder.

calamarichris

True. Perhaps "pathetic" is a less generalized and more accurate statement.

One could also argue that "it" started those problems in the first place.

And recently a father just shot his own son to death, when he thought he was an intruder on his neighbor's property. Darwin is cruel to the individual, but kind to the species.

No, more pathetic than idiots. If you can't face life in the scary, scary world without a gun, just stay home and watch Clint Eastwood movies.

bobn

Calamari,
Incase you haven't noticed this is a scary scary world.
Because someone doesn't share your views doesn't make them an idiot.
There is no reason to start name calling. I have a right to defend myself any way I can and so do you.
If the military defending our freedoms didn't use firearms to stop oppression, we might be speaking Japanese and German.
This is getting to far off topic, as far as I'm concerned, Nuff said.

calamarichris

Bobn.
It's not that scary for those of us who aren't pathetic. (I never said anyone was an idiot.)
I spent 7+ years in the Army, and seen what bullets do to a body. And I reiterate: the oppression probably wouldn't have been initiated in the first place without guns. Guns are never a solution; they are a reaction, and frequently an unjustified, knee-jerk reaction.
Sorry to drag you away from your TV.

rebel1916

Cold dead hands. That's what I say.

erig007

Rather than guns I always bring my mother-in-law with me on the bike as a first line of defense as they will bite her first instead of me.

I'm joking ...

... she's not on the bike. She is in the trailer behind

Juggler2

My feelings exactly. However... I take exception to firing at a dog while riding a bike. Remember, if you miss you are still responsible for that fired round. Mebbe a squirt bottle with a little ammonia mixed in would be sufficient. Just sayin'...

mprelaw

In Massachusetts, it's illegal to discharge a firearm within 500' of an occupied dwelling, unless you have the prior consent of the owner/occupant. Since most dogs run out of their owner's yard, it's pretty much the case that you'll be shooting inside that 500' zone. It's also illegal to discharge a firearm from a public way. Firing at a dog is also a good way to lose your carry license. Good luck convincing the chief of police that you had no other viable alternative when you're at the hearing that will be called to decide whether you get your permit back. If a dog has a prior history of biting, chances are that it wouldn't be attacking you, because it probably would have been ordered to be put down.

Nightshade

This topic is neither easy or fair since the solutions stumble over a bunch of other laws that give the dog more rights than the rider being attacked!

At the end of the day self preservation is all that matters.

tagaproject6

Whoah a gun thread. This is always interesting! :

****/ibtm

erig007

no need to shot the dog, use the bike as a shield. If there is more than one dog then ... you 're done

Keith99

Untrue. Unless they do it by magic. The closest a dog has come to getting me was one who was hiding the the tall grass and lunged at me.

I had no idea a dog was there until the lunge.

My experience has been that there is a lot more of territorialism involved. I cannot recall ever having a dog try to chase me when I was not quite sure exactly wher home was for that dog.

Doohickie

I ain't skeered. Wut 'r you skeered uv?

Doohickie

You can discharge a water bottle at a dog whenever you want. And it works.