Originally Posted by
cyccommute
You are still not getting it. You have to pull out the can, flip the fliptop, put your finger on the button, then turn around and spray it at the dog...while trying to steer the bike and pedal it fast enough to keep in front of the dog.
I'm "still not getting it"? But... but... I have actually done it, many times. I'm not speaking theoretically here. It's not that hard. The one thing that I do recommend is that you keep the can of pepper spray ready at hand, not inside a pocket or bag. I use the Nashbar Halt! Holder, which sadly seems to have been discontinued (probably because they finally realized that pepper spray is useless - see my final epiphany and humiliating capitulation below).
I full agree that trying to kick a dog while riding is a recipe for disaster but kicking at a dog is less complicated than trying to use a weapon on it. I know of no weapon that doesn't need to be directed in some way. Cowboys and American Natives could fire from the saddle with some accuracy but their vehicle was self steering and could stand up on its own. Bicycles aren't horses.
Well, then here's a secret tip which I usually only reveal to people who buy my newsletter: Stop first, and then, if the dog is continuing to attack, you can give it a dose of the spray from a stationary position. If you like, think of the pepper spray as a backup to your regular plan of stopping and then intimidating Rex into submission with nothing but your commanding presence and personal charm.
I regularly ride in situations where I don't feel wind blowing on my face at relatively high speeds. When that happens, I know that I have a tailwind that is matching my forward speed. Here along the front range of Colorado, that can be upwards of 40 mph. At times, I can only feel the pressure of the wind on my back. If I were to spray something into that kind of tailwind (or crosswind) blowback would definitely be a problem.
Ok, your powerful and irrefutable reasoning has won me over. I hereby retract all the occasions I've been able to use pepper spray from a moving bicycle without any blowback issues. What was I thinking? I am so stupid, and very very sorry. In fact, I'm going to go spray myself in the face now as punishment.
Neil