Triumphrat

Tbirdnz

The woof woof type.

The way I handle a dog that charges at me when I'm on my bike is not recommended, it takes years of practice ! So I would be interested to hear anyone who has a good method of a way to avoid them.



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Ride on !

miker

I learned the hard way. I slowed down a bit, then it took me three swerves before I actually hit the dog fair amidships and the front wheel of my XT 250 folded up underneath me. It was in a railway tunnel, so neither I or the dog could escape very well.

Now, if the dog is making a run for me, I slow right down as far as possible, then when the dog is almost alongside I gas it. That usually stumps them and if they happen to get under the front, your suspension is already decompressed, making it easier to jump the dog if necessary.

Works for me.

Mick

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"We may not be able to change the direction or strength of the wind, but we can always trim our sails"

ChurnDog

The way I was taugh in ABATE was so slow down and the goose it when the dog gets close (like Mick said). The theory is, dogs can track constant speeds well, but the change throws off their line. Of course you could just be a bad ass and kick the dog from the bike and pray he doesn't latch onto your leg :\

KaHOnas

That's how I've always handled this problem. Of course, sometimes the little bastards don't give you a whole lot of reaction time.

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David
Helicopter pilot-type guy
'99 ST in black

Eagles may soar, but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines

andrewb

Sounds cool, but not a good idea, even with steel toe boots. Messy too!

Slow and goose is the way to go.

katoomon

When I'm on the bicycle, I give them a shot in the face with the water bottle. That stops them in their tracks every time. I have considered carrying a small bottle of ammonia, but not sure if it would damage eyesight. It's not the dogs' fault; it's the dimwit owners. The old rule of the road: if you can eat it in one sitting, you can hit it.

I haven't had many opportunities on the motorbike since I moved out of the neighborhood that had more dogs than people. Heck, that neighborhood had more cars than people; you get that in rural areas. Once I kicked a dog one with a boot heel square in the chest, it didn't start out that way - just ended up that way. I leveled the dog; it got up with a possibly altered sense of priorities.

I think I will adapt the speed change maneuver.

miker

Good idea, dogs have very good memories. When I was a young whippersnapper I used to ride my bicycle to and from school. On the way home there was always a German Shepherd that would chase anything on two wheels and you had to time it just right to get by. One day I wasn't thinking and it raced out and latched on to my leg. The owner came out and took me inside and washed the wound and then introduced me to the dog. Mitzy was her name, when she was a pup she had been kicked by the postman every day for about a month. Which meant she "had it in" for anything that looked like a postman (they rode bicycles in my area in the 1970s) Once I got to know her, she stopped chasing me when I came down the hill, I just had to call out her name and she was fine. She still chased and bit the postman though.

Mick

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"We may not be able to change the direction or strength of the wind, but we can always trim our sails"

britbike

I also agree with the slowing down and then gunning it method. This also give you time to take other action if needed.