NJ2NC

This morning my buddy and I are riding past a house going about 22mph. It is a house we have known has an occasional loose dog running and barking. This morning the dog was loose. He heard us coming and shot out of the front yard heading straight for my front wheel. I'm leading with my friend stuck in pretty tight. I see the dog and yell...veer off to the left and brake slightly. I know my friend is on my wheel but I reacted. He hits my wheel and loses control. Ends up veering right off the road and down into a ditch/drain area on the side of the road. I turn around and see him hit the bottom and fly over the bars. His head lands hard then he slides into the next driveway. Helmet cracked in about 5 places. Absolute nightmare. A few cars saw and stopped. Called 911 and ambulance arrived. Cat scan in hospital revealed a broken vertabrae in neck, broken rib, and slightly collapsed lung.

Needless to say I am feeling very bad about what happened. I knew he was on my wheel but I did not know what else to do. The dog was headed straight into my wheel. Although I know the charging dog was the reason this happened, my reaction to this caused the accident/injuries.

I have only been riding for a little less than a year. I know there is some responsibility when pulling but I'm not sure what I should have done.

Pedal Wench

Our groups loosens up and ease the pace when we approach a known dog.

badfishgood

Let's hope he makes a full/speedy recovery.

You reacted, don't let it bother you.

Sprocket Man

I'm not a lawyer, but I would have to think that if liability is an issue, the dog owners would bear a big burden of the financial responsiblity for your friend's injuries.

I hope your friend recovers soon.

ModoVincere

If you live in an area with leash laws or laws stating that dogs are not to run free, then I'd explore the possibility of a lawsuit against the owner.....to pay the medical bills your freind is going to have.

deskjockey

I'm sure there are going to be a lot of people who will fault you, but I'm not sure many of us could guarantee a different reaction. Hindsight is 20/20, but it is a reminder for us to be conscious of our actions in a paceline or when riding side by side. I'm not sure, however, your actions were technically negligent. Ultimately, you were in a very difficult situation and had a split second to react. Riding in pacelines is risky, but not overly risky to make it illegal. Certainly, you could have just swerved w/o slowing and your friend could have followed or gone in another direction, but what happened is not out of the realm of foreseeable accidents. But it is what it is.

Just offer your support to your friend and help him through his recovery. Use the law to pursue the dog's owner: In my mind, it is forseeable a charging dog will cause injury to passing cyclists, pedestrians, etc and there are laws about controlling ones pet.

Best wishes to your friend for a speedy recovery.

redirekib

I hope your friend makes a full and speedy recovery. Now sue the *******s. Their animal was in the public right of way and caused an accident.

A friend I was riding with hit a dog on a 30 MPH decent and went over the bars. He recovered and wouldn't sue.

pathdoc

That really sucks. Sorry to hear of your friend's injuries. These things happen so fast it hard to decide the best way to handle them. Cycling has inherent risks that we must come to terms with. Dog owner is an ass for leaving his dog out.

urbanknight

+1 on the dog owner being liable in my opinion. As for you, it probably wasn't the smartest move, but snap decisions rarely are. My neighbor's yappy dog charged me just yesterday and I did what I had mentally prepared myself to do: Stop quickly but safely and put the bike between me and the dog. You did the same thing, but I didn't have anyone behind me. I hope your friend recovers and rides again.

redirekib

Leash law or not it doesn't matter, the owners are liable.

noisebeam

Judge Judy should be able to help you if the dog owner doesn't first help compensate you for actual losses.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p12x52UzJsc

Al

seppomadness

Look at you seppos. It takes you four posts to start talking about litigation. Unreal!

I hope your mate gets well soon in what was a freak and unfortunate accident. In my experience dogs are highly unlikely to ram into you. Stay the course - most will simply run next to you and snap at your heels.

Doesnt sound like there was much you could do really. Definitely have a frank discussion with the dog owner (which I assume you perhaps have already done).

Suing the pants off anyone you think you can get away with suing is one of the sickest elements of amercian culture IMO.

deskjockey

Recommendations to sue usually follow the owner's refusal to pay bills or contact their insurers. So, don't sue...yet.

redirekib

I think seppo should get the blanking out treatment.

briscoelab

This is why you shouldn't run from dogs (unless everyone in the group knows it's sprinting time).... it just encourages them to chase. Strangely enough, if you just slow down a bit and yell at them to go home 99% will stop chasing. But, it's your friends fault for crossing wheels. Still sucks though... hope he heals quickly.

Edonis13

why? does it offend you?

Little Darwin

I agree in general with what others are saying. Best wishes for your friend's recovery!

Instead of feeling guilty, use this as an opportunity to build your friendship. You can do this by spending time with your friend, and helping in any way you can, including making sure the dog owners know about their responsibility in the matter.

redirekib

Actually, the slaying of innocent unarmed people by gun toting maniacs is the sickest element.

redirekib

Can't talk to bozos. They don't get it...

redirekib

Yes

curiouskid55

Consider that a likely outcome from any legal action is that the animal wil be destroyed.

PeddlingPilgrim

LOL... the dog didn't bite anyone.

bbgobie

If only our laws were such that the owners would be put down...

I'm all for suing to recover lost wages/and suffering in these types of cases if its reasonable.

I have problems with people who sue for themselves being fat, or other greed related reasons.

Applehead57

I was taken out by a dog running full steam into my rear wheel.
If they have the angle on you, don't try to outrun them.
Depending on the type of dog, they can hit speeds you only dream of.
Most dogs aren't vicious, you're just the most interesting thing they've seen in a long while, it's a game.
I don't blame you for reacting, your friend may have been a little close, but the dog caused the accident.

Plosive

Of course there are worse things, but......
"Suing the pants off anyone you think you can get away with suing is one of the sickest elements of amercian culture IMO."
+1