urbanknight

If you read my entire posts, you'd realize I agree with you. My argument is that's not a reason to say that all dogs of those breeds should not be allowed to exist. If it's attacking you, defend yourself by all means necessary.

Reynolds 

In fact, the dog as we know it now was created by us rather than domesticated. Your words would be more accurate if referred to cats.

Az B

It's just like obnoxious kids... it ain't the dog's fault. It's the owners.

I've been bit a couple of times over several decades, once by a pit bull whose owner (walking it off leash in a public park with "dogs on leash at all times" signs everywhere) who was trying to convince me that his sweet little dog would never bite. I was never tempted to kill the dog, but the owner nearly met his maker. It takes a special kind of idiot to have a pit bull off leash in a public park and then be in complete denial about it biting someone.

I say neuter the owners along with the dogs.

Az

ilpirata87

dogs don't bother me too much, except when they scare the crap out of me by jumping out of the bushes just as i ride by. that's not very sportsmanlike. otherwise, they're pretty easy to outsprint.

urbanknight

fixed

Az B

Drama much?

Hell, mankind is aggressive and there's a chance that any member could go wild and hurt you too.

Az

eb314

I've never had a problem, and hope I don't. I'm not going to carry dog repellent though. I think you'd be better off standing on those pedals and getting out of there rather than worrying about trying to spray the dog.

minivandriveby

That's not what you wrote. Let me remind you...

Asian cultures refers to them all. You're not specific. You made a generalization about a whole race... Hence, you're racist.

And who uses BLACKS anymore (except racists)? African American has been standard for several years now.

You can say you're not, but I can say you're ignorant.

gz_

I biked across the US this year and had many, many encounters with dogs. Took me a while, but I eventually learned how to handle them. It may sound ridiculous, but you shouldn't speed away (unless you can easily get away) since that will just encourage them to chase you. You should confront the dog, look them in the eye, stare them down, yell at them, kick at them, spray water at them, but remain engaged all the while moving along. If you have a good head of steam going, go directly at them.

If the dog is a real problem, call the police. You'll be doing the community a favor since a little kid biking along would never be able to handle the dog as well as a grown cyclist.

minivandriveby

+1 And to think, someone called ME a "speedster" earlier in this thread for having this magical ability... Puh-leeze!!!

Spartan112

I may not have said it specifically but I did mean certain asian cultures. And as far as I know many Blacks still refer to themselves as Black. Unless you've got more than what you've posted as evidence I suggest you shut your pie hole.

Spartan112

BTW, if you're going to use a Clash album cover as an avatar how about you use one of their good albums.

banerjek

I hear what you're saying. However, the key to dealing dogs is to be calm and deliberate in their presence. Pits, dobies, and sheps are all tough dogs. Sprinting triggers a chase instinct in just about any dog, and trying to fly away helps train them to chase cyclists. Stopping and being menacing can work, but when it's ineffective, it's really going to hurt.

I've been chewed up pretty good more than once and have scars on my hands, arms, and legs. I also know that being calm and measured when it looks like you're dinner is sometimes difficult. However, my experience is that the best bet is to slow down and move through the territory without pedaling or making eye contact if possible. Water bottles can be effective as can dismounting and using the bike as a shield works. In all cases, you want to avoid triggering a real attack. Once they have you, it's hard and painful to get out.

I think it's also important to keep the dog risk in perspective. Cyclists get hit by cars all the time, they wreck on their own due to bad judgment or luck, and crashes when riding close with others are relatively common. As a rule, most cyclists seem to be pretty good at managing these threats even though they result in quite a few deaths and many injuries each year.

There is something about dogs that grabs peoples' imagination as a unique threat. Kind of like the way everyone worries about terrorist attack, but doesn't sweat the roughly 30K ordinary homicides that occur in the US each year.

Dogs are dangerous. Irresponsible owners should be reported. But we should manage the threat they present the same as we do others.

urbanknight

Cagers should be put down and not allowed to breed!!!

ChunkyB

I know plenty of black people that prefer the term black. African American is actually kind of outdated and formal. In normal conversation, I think a lot of black people prefer the term black. Please correct me if I'm wrong (and if you're black/african american).

eb314

Also, using the term "African American" only applies if they're from Africa. What if they're of Jamaican decent? Saying African American instead of black makes you look like you're trying too hard not to be racist. Black people don't care if they're described as black just as white people don't care if they're described as white.

dcbikeguy

Dude, they're from Africa too.

spry

Christmas Greetings my gravity-challenged friend.
No one in America needs to be classed by an ethnic logo.
Its just more politically correct nonsense created by the federal government to make amends for past sins.

Pasqually

Where I grew up, if the dog (or cat) did anything stupid like bite someone or raid the winter stored food it would get killed. Easy. We lived in a farm area and dogs were for work really.

When they chase me now (we don't have the mad angry dogs in Australia anymore) you just need to kick them in the head or something.

I live at the beach, dogs are banned from the beach. Some folks still take the dog down onto the beach and rock pools though, one not on the lead jumped onto my 2 years old son. I had to kick that stupid thing away before it tried to mount him. The owner was a junkie and couldn't care less.

I still live with the memory and idea of my father getting rid of any animals that were a pest.

banerjek

Or at least quarantine them in the county lockup for 10 days if they cause a problem that breaks the skin...

banerjek

Go back far enough, and so are the rest of us.....

spry

Yo mate,
Bring back the Tasmanian dogs and teach them to eat the crack-heads on the beach.

dcbikeguy

True, and this begs the question - were we riding recumbents then?

spry

Most likely.
Neanderthal man in the hunched over position(not ****-Erectus),would need to ride in such a awkward contrapsion.

Pasqually

yep, the tassie devils could take out the dingo's*



*slang for raw Aussies (aussie version of unemployed trailer trash?), mainly used by new Australians of European descent.