Comments on: Dangerous Dogs — What Cyclists Should Do

By: Chief Redelk

Chief Redelk — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 16:56:42 +0000

The man with the BB pistol is correct.. That WILL save his butt…It’s non lethal and not excessive force when compared to a dog bite.. If he knows WHO broke HIS windows that is a CRIME…Contact an attorney and sue…If he can catch them breaking he can assume they are about to enter..Sounds like he can defend himself and use something more than his bb pistol.. The problem with dogs is they act one way when the owner is present and another when the owner is not.. Some aggressive dogs are sweet when Daddy is near by.. But when daddy is not home, dog bites like crazy.. So be smart.. use bb gun when no one is looking..If you let the fools scare you into being vulnerable they and their dog won.. Stand up to the dogs and when the time comes stand up to the fools..

By: foghorn leghorn

foghorn leghorn — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 16:45:14 +0000

You guys are approaching this all wrong. The extra gear, weapons, door hangers, etc just slow you down. Here’s what to do: Ride with you buddy. When you see a potentially problem dog, draw your buddy’s attention to it. While he is focused on the dog, postion yourself on the opposite side of your buddy from the dog. Now, you don’t have to be faster than the dog, only as fast as your buddy.

By: Hot head

Hot head — Sat, 02 Jul 2011 19:38:59 +0000

I live in kansas in a town with a large concentration of white trash. Dogs are a daily aggravation. I use my sonicblast whistle the same whistle used by the NFL to freak the dog out when they come charging. This helps save my voice from having to yell and keeps my blood pressure down. I used to carry an air gun pistol 15 shot repeater in a holster strapped around the headtube and that would stop just about any dog in their tracks. I stopped using it when an owner found out where I lived after I shot their charging dog and took a rock an smashed out all the windows on one side of my house. Basically the way I see it we ride on public roads and shouldn’t have to put up with being harassed by aggressive dogs. Many of these dog owners in the county will tell me to ride another road all so they can let cujo run free and menace anyone or thing that happens to pass its territory. Honestly the air gun is probably the only weapon of choice for aggressive dogs that guarantees they will leave you alone, the problem with using a real gun is that you’re responsible for any stray bullet and that’s too much liability.

By: Evidence spring has sprung along the 10 Freeway; bike lawyer says CicLAvia streets aren’t safe to ride « BikingInLA

Mon, 18 Apr 2011 20:38:29 +0000

[...] parking. Advice on what to do if you’re chased by a dangerous dog — and a first hand view on what happens if it catches you. Illinois offers new Share the Road license plates. The Cutters win Indiana’s Little 500 for the [...]

By: bethin1961

bethin1961 — Sun, 17 Apr 2011 12:29:52 +0000

Yesterday I was riding my bike in my small town in NE Texas. I was curious about one particular neighborhood – older *rustic* houses, with chickens, even a horse in one yard, etc. I had just turned up a lane, when a total of FOUR barking dogs came speeding toward me, across an vacant, overgrown yard. In a split second, I just decided to ride out of the area as fast as I could. They caught up w/me immediately and surrounded my bike (but not in front). They were all very close to my legs and rear tire, biting upward and barking. I kept peddling, while kicking at two of the dogs on my left side w/my left leg, all the while yelling ‘NO!’ ‘NO!’ But that’s when one of the dogs on my right side bit my right calf. I just kept peddling, yelling NO! NO!, and fending them off w/a kick. They stayed w/me for about 40-50 yards until I turned onto a main street, then stopped chasing me. The thing not discussed much above is RABIES. I had to go to the emergency room, plus be interviewed by police to make a report. Rabies is FATAL, everyone. If you are bit, you need to immediately find that dog (if you can – I couldn’t even after talking to numerous people) to determine if its had its rabies vaccination. If its a stray/wild dog, there’s a chance of course that it HASN’T. And, that means rabies treatment regimen. The Emergency Room doctor said the cost is alot, like $2,000 +/- . If you can’t determine whether the dog had the rabies vac, which in my case I haven’t been able to determine, I will need to fork over a lot of cash and endure a number of injections over weeks. Better safe, than dead.

By: Hawk

Hawk — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 17:51:26 +0000

Josephus, I like your suggestion. I totally forgot about pepper. We used to hit the dogs in Iraq with pepper spray to keep them away. Either your cocktail or a commercially available sprayer would likely do the trick – and it sounds like you have the test results to prove it. If one prefers the commercial sprayer over the Josephus homemade recipe, a riders can probably fashion a pepper sprayer to his or her cross bar or handle real easily. Thanks for your input.

By: Josephus rocks

Josephus rocks — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 17:10:28 +0000

Some may consider this inhumane, but for at least the last 25 years I have carrid an extra water bottle with water and cayenne pepper mixed in. It stops the dogs in their tracks. My regular route crosses paths with many dogs, some of which are not tied at all times. I’m not afraid of getting bit but I don’t want to go down because the dog put its head under my tire. Anyhow, this has always worked for me. The dogs that I have actually sprayed still chase but don’t come within 10 feet of me. They just play now. Remember not to drink the bottle with the pepper in it.

By: Hawk

Hawk — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 17:33:17 +0000

Just joining the conversation rather late … concerning dogs chasing down bikes. One of the things taught to motorcyclists (I used to teach MSF BRC) is that dogs have this uncanny ability to do the trigonometry in their heads to intercept a passing bike (motor or pedal). An easy fix to this is to slow down a little or to change directions and mess up the dog’s OODA loop. Of course that may not be practical on all occasions, so just put this strategy into your kit with some of the others.
I think it was Mark who described being chased with the Doby behind him, so that’s a different story. Putting the bicycle between you and the dog sounded like good advice.
I don’t think shooting an animal will put you in very good position, though. As an avid shooter (combat tested), I can’t think of how I can reasonably go through the process of (1) recognizing the threat, (2) getting access to my pistol, however I were to carry it whilst bicycling – maybe in a camelback?, (3) take aim with one hand while controling the bicycle with the other, and (4) place a single-handed, well-aimed kill shot without the risk of follow-on or riccochet damage. I imagine that if I were a defendant in the civil or criminal case that followed (CCW or not), the plaintiff or prosecution would ask how I was able to do all of that but didn’t have time to simply get out of the way or dismount and use the bicycle as a shield. Maybe you should just leave the firearm at home and carry a long-handled wrench instead. Make sure it’s a 15mm so you at least have a reason to carry the wrench: “Well, deputy/officer/trooper, that’s for tightening my pedals should they come loose.”

By: Mark

Mark — Mon, 03 May 2010 13:46:41 +0000

Angered that a dog owner, especially one of five breeds catagorized and recogized in Amherst county as requiring different rules of ownership responsibility, and these irresponsible owners do not pay heed to rules and laws….subjecting me to a possible dog bite, accident with a car, accident from crashing…..yes, it angers me. However,it has nothing to do with gun ownership. Even if I did not have a CCW permit, I could legally strap a pistol on my waist in plain view and be out in the public forum. Compounded by ignorant, uneducated, overzealous dufus’ wearing a law enforcement badge just raises the frustration level; that said, the animal control officer is a great guy, knowledgeable, and very willing to assist me as an endangered citizen on a public thoroughfare. The dog owner is in violation of three different codes, and these codes are going to be enforced, by me through the courts, with the animal control officer’s assistance.

By: Madmat

Madmat — Mon, 03 May 2010 13:31:13 +0000

I completly agree that people with anger problems shouldn’t own guns I do understand if a biker comes within 3 inches of me or my kid I myself may have an issue and that comes down to people having respect for ones safety and personal space. Simply saying that if you truly feel your life is in danger and you cannot avoid an attack weather you lose your license or not you know weather the situation warrants self defense or not. I bike but i am also a runner so there has been times when i was chased and fortunatley I stopped and the dog was actually not at all on the attack. If you have to protect yourself let the sheriff take your license and bring the matter to court you may be suprised the judge may reinstate it if you had no other choice. It amazing to me all these police officer shooting dogs in residential neighborhoods and they are never dragged through the ringer. everyone has great points and it is a very diverse subject.