Kind of a stupid movie. Kind of stupid behavior if it were REAL as now all they have done is encourage a dangerous animal to leave it's yard and chase people, some of whom, like me, will not take kindly to it.

I don't see the point of encouraging animals to chase people. Aside from the possible damage to the humans, Fido could get squashed by a car. Of course, if Fido is a rottweiler, pitbull, attack dog etc, I am just going to shoot him, either with pepper spray or worse, as fitting the situation.

you can try carrying a retractable police baton if dogs come too close

Some police officers I knew told me that the contents can settle, or something like that. It's policy for them to shake the can once per shift; they all do it at the beginning so they know they've done it.

Also, check out galls.com for other pepper spray options. They're a law enforcement supply house, and I suspect a quick phone call will guide you towards a good compromise between size, cost, stream, etc.

Last time I dealt with a dog was fairly amusing. Little yapper of a scotty dog, and i'd had it bark at me before, so I knew where it lived. I come riding by with my wife at a somewhat lazier clip and the scotty comes boiling out barking and snarling. I look over and bark back, snarling and weaving a bit toward it.
Dog stops in its tracks with a "wtf?!?" look on it's face and sits down.
Haven't seen it again since.

You'll find that, in most places, these are frowned upon, if not downright illegal. I don't pretend to understand why. Check your local laws first.

Has anyone used a bicycle pump in self defense? I was attacked by a trained attack German Shepard as a child. I'm sure the Shepard would have killed me had the owner not dragged him off me. Protect yourselves.

Glad to hear your okay Darth.

To date, I have been injured far worse by a dog who darted out in front of...my bicycle than by anything else. I had this little beagle run right out in front of me on my bike one afternoon years ago. I fractured my elbow, skinned up my ear and hyper-extended my right knee. (which consequently took longer for me to recover from...)

I endo'd and ended up on my back. I think the injury was worse because I tried so hard to control the fall. I betcha I looked like a monkey screwing a football. I should have just rolled on over. One of my hands was jarred completely off the handlebar from the impact of hitting that dang mutt. Little dogs can be just as bad as the big ones too.

Thing was, when I got up the dog high-tailed it outta there. Because I had to go to the emergency room, that resulted in a nice bill too. Took me a couple of months before my knee felt better. The elbow was out of the cast in 4 weeks.

That is what is so bad about people who let their dogs run free. If someone's dog causes a catastrophic injury that results in time loss from work and hospital bills...That's complete negligence on the part of the owner.

I love dogs, especially my big ol' yeller lab. But I would never allow him to roam free where he could get hit by a car, or cause injury to someone by licking them to death.

You know, It would be nice to have a tazer gun for life threatening assaults from dangerous animals.

I have nothing against big dogs, I just don't want them chewing on my skull.

Leave 'em howling on the side of the road. Then you can call the police so you can get your tazer back...

Out here where I live there has been a major influx of people moving here to escape the city life (mostly California) They buy 5 acres lots, build something that looks like the White House and buy a half dozen trained attack dogs to protect their property. I have a 2 pronged approach to this situation. First, I try to avoid these areas. If I see a couple of Mansions On A Hill, I go another route if I can. Should I find myself accidentally in one of those areas, I carry a Smith&Wesson. So far I haven't had to use it.

For me it works to stop pedaling. Get off the bike so that bike is between me and the dog(s). Put your head down, tucked between your shoulders with your back straight. That body language says to the dogs: "I'm leaving, you're the boss, but I'm not scared".
One more thing - dogs sense fear and can chase a scared person for fun. Just like most kids in my neighbourhood.

Good trick is to pretend you're picking a rock from the ground and holding it in your fist. Makes most dogs think twice.

If that does not quiet the dogs down, look the one that is most eager to attack you in the eyes.


If all that fails, then you ARE in trouble. Shoot, pepper spray, big stick, whatever you have. And yes - RUN Forrest, RUN!!!

I'd LOVE to see a dog on a bicycle!!

and not just riding in the basket.

HEHEHE! Actually I used to pull my guy around in the kiddie trailer when he was a puppy. Now he's 95 pounds. If he rides from now on...he will be doing the pedaling!

Dogs are people too... leashing and caging them is a crime.

Over the years I have broken two plastic Silca pumps while defending myself against dogs and used them countless times to threaten or ward off dogs.

I have another problem with a couple of small dogs on my commute. They aren't much trouble, they just come out and chase and bark at me for a few hundred feet every morning if the owner has them out.

They're just a couple of little ****zus or something like that. Since I have learned from experience now, I'm prepared and holding on tight when I pass by the house. I swear if one of those little suckers get's in front of me, I'll have no problem running their little butts over on my CX bike.

That's right... And being irresponsible and having dogs for the soul purpose of turning them out on society to harm the unsuspecting is too.

Yes the movie has that 80's touch but it was still a funny scene. Did someone piss in your cornflakes this morning take a chill pill or you didn't get to rub one out to CSPAN today?

That's a slippery slope. Next you'll be wanting to marry them.

I think you are confused. Dogs are not people, they are classified as Canis lupus familiaris. In many place it's illegal not to leash them.

Honestly i think society needs more dogs, i am sick of people's out of control kids getting all the attention.

Some people are practically married to them. Yes, of course their certificates are not legal, but it is the feeling of the arrangement which is important.

No confusion, i am just ahead of the curb... dogs have everything people do - parks, spas, grocery stores, doctors, clothers and even their own tv shows.

The practice of leashing a dog is harmful to it. Just one day i hope we can legalize leashless dogs, after all they're just trying to have fun. I can tell my dog wants to be free to chase, poop and **** - who am I or anybody else to deny it?

dogs ! omg !

it happened to me twice, in Italy

once i was biking in the country ( no people ) in the middle of nowere a small road going to another town

i see 2 dogs in the middle (i guess male and female, the female wasnt looking very well, pregnant?) as i was approaching i went on the extra opposite of the road but the male pointed at my left Leg, however i put my legs up (i do that often ) and as soon as i feel the dog far away enough, i push the turbo button

i felt like 1 feet away from being biten (and i imagine if i fell, more bites and not a nice fall)


another time i biked in a rocky road (again town) where few people pass, and there was a Sheeps Owner, with about 10 to 15 dogs, the road aint private property, and the owner left his business open and dogs in the wild, between me and the business there is a high wall, i start hearing something (?!) barking, but i go on, until i see 1 million dogs turning the open wall in front of me, running in slow motion like in a movie ( you know that feeling on key moments ? where you gotta think quick or u get lost ? ) AH AH OH OH AH !

couldnt turn for the little road and also very rocky (no asphalt or dirt at all, stones and rocks)
(running-barking-sheepdogs running not happily to my bones) grab the bike up, turn it 180 degrees, jump!, give it a quick turbo (first dogs, i guess the Boss Most Angry Dog of all the group - like leader in wolves - (and the bigger dog too) i'd say from 50cm to 1 meter from my behind, but i went so fast (adrenaline ?) that they might have got some hit either from my shoes either from my bike metal parts,
and then immediately legs up (in front of me) and bike running (scared to getting a bite and scared to fall on the stones and get biten by 15 dogs) but i partially earned advantage with the initial speed and partially they stopped at a virtual line (there was no blocks on this road, but i guess their owner teached them to not go over a certain point) until i reached a safe place and phew phew phew.


uff !

Glad to know you're going to be OK Darthmuffin.

Dogs aren't a big problem where I live. Even the few roaming the neighborhood aren't a big deal. Bears are are more of a concern, so I carry bear spray. It's legal to use on animals, but it IS an offense to use on people (Assault with a Weapon and Assault Causing Bodily Harm).

I've only had one run in with a dog, but put my bike between it and myself which helped. As soon as I got off the bike, the dog kinda backed off. I think it mistook my white sock for a chew toy.