first impressions on bents

[byegad]

Neigh! Lass!

 

[ufkacbln]

Horses are frightened of recumbents...... so any opinion by a horse is invalid!

 

[Auntie Helen]

I was considering today the response I get from dogs as I cycle past. Now I'm a real dog lover, we have a Weimaraner ourselves, and so it does amuse me as I'm cycling along past dogwalkers to watch the dogs' faces. They seem to peer at you the whole time, often with a clear "what on earth is that????" expression on their faces. I usually say "hello doggie" as I waft past. I don't think that people on regular bikes are particularly interesting to dogs but they certainly seem to find me fascinating on my trike.

 

[Arch]

In France this summer we excited lots of dogs, who would throw themselves at the chainlink of their gardens in a frenzy. I expected several of them to come right through, as hexagonal sausages.

Mind you, the day I glanced up a farm drive as I passed, and saw two dogs heading down at top speed and then registered the lack of a gate... Fastest speed ever attained on the level! (in the end, the owner shouted to them before they reached the end of the drive and they turned and trotted back).

I did see some video of a group out on trikes in France, and a dog (a soppy great retriever) came running up and jumped onto the lap of one of them, and sat there, wagging it's tail...

 

[byegad]

I come from the other end of the spectrum from Auntie Helen. I carry a Dog Dazer and use it often. There seems to be three basic reactions from dogs.
1. They ignore you. So I ignore them.
2. They want to eat you. These get the full benfit of my Dog Dazer and my boot if they get close enough.
3. They want to play. See my response in No. 2. above.
I also detest the mess they leave behind especially when it gets on my tyres.
I know there are a lot of owners who are resposible and take every care of their dog and its mess. Unfortunately there are many who do not!

 

[byegad]

Almost anywhere near houses. Our back lane and front street, my Sustrans route where it is within 50yds of housing or a carpark, the owners seem unable to walk further thank goodness, Middlesbrough town centre, Darlington town centre.... I could go on.

As to using my foot against a dog getting too close. I realise dog lovers won't like it but if your dog looks like it's going to get a piece of me I'll try for a piece of it!
I'm with Richard Ballantine on this one.

 

[dodgy]

Brave man

 

[Riding in Circles]

I cycle an offroad route from time to time, part of NCR 1, dog walker usually have their dogs off the lead on it, most of the time it isn't an issue but occasionally a dog will try to attack, I find that a swift pull of the opposite side brake with a weight shift so the rear wheel lifts and swings round smacking the dog, deals with the problem, they never go near you again.

 

[Arch]

I've never felt dog mesh was a problem, I steer round it. And I don't think I've often felt I was about to be attacked by a dog. My worry is mainly that a loose dog (or one on a long lead), will turn across my path suddenly and we'll collide. I don't think we can expect many dogs to have any sort of 'road sense' especially on a shared path, where there's no kerb for them to recognise - hence I always slow down when passing a dog.

A while back TheDoc and I were riding back along the York-Selby path and a little fuzzy type trotted in front of us and along the path. We both slowed and moved to one side to overtake. It looked back at us, and moved over, the same way. So we moved the other way, and it did the same! It was getting quite funny, every time we moved, it did too, just enough to dissuade us from passing. Its owners were up ahead and when they realised, they apologised and grabbed hold of it, and we just laughed about it. It was just like that dance you do when trying to avoid bumping into someone coming down a corridor...

 

[Amanda P]

In Ireland recently, Mrs Uncle Phil and I passed a house with dogs running around outside it. (It seems to be the law in Ireland that all rural houses must have at least one loose dog suicidally roaming around in the road in front of it). Just as we passed, a bus came past going the other way. One of the dogs made a crouching run across the road (presumably to bark at the bus), failed to notice Mrs Uncle Phil approaching and got its neck run over by her front wheel.

Fortunately it was a robust dog and Mrs Uncle Phil is on the small side. And carries all her luggage on the back of the bike.

Our own dog rides a recumbent of his own...

 

[Amanda P]

"Now, if I could just reach the pedals..."

 

[byegad]

Riding round dog mess is easier on two wheels than three. As an enforced triker I find the mess in some areas means I don't enjoy the ride, just trying to slalom round the mess and keep an eye on the traffic is a full time job.

I have been determinedly attacked by a dog at least six times over the years. Each time fate meant I got away with it. One dog was so determined to get me it didn't see the car that bowled it over, sadly it seemed OK after it got up but thankfully lost any desire to get me. Three attacks I simply out ran, once by doing a 180 and fleeing down hill. twice the dog got close enough for me to touch. One I kicked it so hard it ran off and the other I kept at bay by dismounting and keeping the bike betwen me and it as I retreated. That one was deadly serious and kept it up for some ten minutes before backing off as we got far enough from the farm yard it had come from.

Nowadays I react before they get quite as close and the Dog Dazer does seem to help but if the dog keeps coming I'm ready for it.

 

[threefingerjoe]

A friend of mine ran over a dog with his touring bike, on Sunday. It was a boxer. He crashed. Fortunately, he didn't hurt himself or the bike too badly. That was the third dog incident we had on that ride. The other 2 times they outran the dogs. I was riding my recumbent, and riding on point for most of the ride. I guess I was flushing out the dogs, then my mates had to deal with them.

Many years ago, I broadsided a Labrador Retriever. That hurt. I did a header. Flattened the side of my helmet and put my lights out for a few seconds. I was able to twist the bike back into good enough shape to ride home, but I was quite sore for a long time.

 

[byegad]

Dog owning has one of those irregular verbs.
My dog is obedient
Your dog is payfull
His dog is a danger to the community.