32.2 miles
Bryce, AZ out and back
2 hours, 3 minutes
53 degrees, no wind, beautiful
Dogs. They are not a bike rider's best friend.
I was chased by six dogs on this evening's ride and barked at by two more.
The six dogs were actually three dogs who chased me twice – once on the ride out and again on the ride back. Three times two equals six. I was ready for them on the return trip.
The two barkers were just sitting on the side of road. They didn't bark until I was right next to them and since it was mostly dark, it had the intended effect.
I did get a quick look at one of the barkers. A basset hound. No wonder he/she didn't chase.
I can tolerate barking dogs and, most of the time, even dogs that choose to chase. I can usually tell by the expression on their faces whether they intend to injure or whether they are just having fun. Ninety percent of chasing dogs do it for the sport and you can usually see that in their faces.
A few dogs have other intentions.
The worst thing about being chased is that most dogs are not well-versed in chasing cyclists. Most dogs, whose owners don't care enough about them to keep them contained, probably have some experience chasing cars and know enough to stay out from under the tires.
When a cyclist happens along, they don't know how to act.
I can probably keep a dog from biting me. Or at least if I can see that's the dogs desire, I can dismount, put my bike between the dog and my legs and put up a good fight. (I've not yet had to do that, by the way, but I've thought it through.)
It's the dog that runs in front of my wheel that I fear the most. That dog will take me down.
If you are riding at 20 m.ph. and you hit a dog with your front wheel, chances are you and the pavement will get to know each other pretty well.
That's not happened to me before but I've come very close.
I don't carry any protective equipment to battle dogs. I used to carry a bicycle pump that would have made a decent anti-canine weapon. I don't carry that on my rides anymore.
I have a riding buddy who carries a .38 caliber snub-nose pistol just for dogs (or anything else that crosses him the wrong way, I suppose). He keeps it in a holster strapped to his right ankle.
I feel safer when I ride with him.
But I let him win all the sprints, just in case.
Ride on.
Smart man -- anyone with a gun deserves proper respect :)How about a squirt bottle full of vinegar to ward off hostile dogs? Or a stern "Woooshet!" like we shouted at the reservation dogs that chased us?(I was told this is Apache for "Get out of here!" but who knows what obscenities or foolishness I might have been shouting??!) That was one of the scariest memories of my terror-filled childhood -- those snarling dogs who chased us as we rode our bikes. Keep safe!! -Christie
ReplyDeleteEva had her first experience of a dog barking in her face while we were out on a walk the other day. Scared her silly!
ReplyDeleteWe were riding our recumbents just off of University and four large dogs chased us. It is amazing how much larger they look when you are riding only two inches off of the ground, actually below eye level with the dogs.
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