Lumen wrote: » According to the dog lovers, most dogs that chase cyclists are nice friendly family pets who just want to play. I don't see that. I see teeth, and claws, and predatory viciousness. So I squirt them in the face with water.
J Madone wrote: » The unsettled community
mickstupp wrote: » Guys, as a soon to be new bike owner after 15 years, I was wondering if you had any advice for dealing with large barking dog things??
RT66 wrote: » Bring a couple of kittens to toss out as distractions?
Caroline_ie wrote: » It;s the little dogs you have to be scared off. They ran after you and don't give up. I was chased by jack russels and similar a few times and these things go fast and can stay fast much longer than me ...
doozerie wrote: » If they bark and don't chase after you, then there is nothing to do. If they chase you then the best option is to outrun them. If that's not working, them spraying them with water from the water bottle works - in my experience it gives them a shock and they lose interest in chasing you. To my mind about the worst thing you can do is try to hit or kick them. For one thing it makes it more likely that you'll lose control of the bike and either fall off or have to slow down and possibly stop, and now you have to contend face to face with a dog that was possibly only chasing you blindly before but now has good reason to consider you a danger to itself and angry dogs are a very different prospect. For another thing, the favoured approach of some people of kicking out at a dog puts your fleshy limb a lot closer to its jaws than is wise, in my view - dogs are very adept at avoiding being hit and potentially very quick at responding in kind to the bit of you nearest to them. If you are encountering truly dangerous dogs, the ones that bite without being provoked, then report the incident to the gardai as dogs considered a genuine danger to the public can be impounded and killed. You'd have to be very sure of your facts before taking this route though, I think. That's a fate probably more deserving of the dog's owner than the dog itself. I imagine such dogs are very rare though, even though it may be difficult to distinguish between a truly dangerous dog and one which just likes chasing things when you are in the midst of it.
ciotog wrote: » I can't believe how many people think hitting the dog is a good idea. I understand the fear people have of encountering dogs but dogs that will bite in such circumstances are rare. The vast majority are being territorial and will give up if you just carry on as you were.
J Madone wrote: » Anyone come across the dogs in Ashford belonging to the unsettled community?
07Lapierre wrote: I'm sure your right, but whan a German Shepard comes charging out of a driveway, practically foaming at the mouth!, barking and trying to bite the front tyre on my bike! I kick the B####rd!!.
