Yesterday, a dog came out of nowhere straight at me, I managed to slow down and swirve a little to the left but it was not enough I apologised to the owner and he did not say a word, just looked at the dog and left Should I have done anything else? Rick
It's difficult to know what else you could have done without knowing more about the circumstances. Were you on the road, and was the dog under control? It might have been that the dog owner should have apologised to you.
Well, the dog came out from behind some bushes and saw me but still walked straight at me. The good thing is that the dog seemed to be ok but the owner did not look too happy with me.... Rick
That's one back for me, then. I got bitten by one of those loopy farm collies today, luckily it did not break the skin. It happened about an hour after a pigeon crapped on my shoulder, splashing shoot over my neck, jersey, shorts and leg. Being a true cyclist, I used my clean hanky to wipe the frame clean before pulling a leaf from the bank and wiping my neck. The rest waited till I got home.
...well My view fwiw is that it all depends on where it happened...dogs have rights as well. Case in point would be the MTBr's at the park we walk out mut in...they are leathal, rude and in the wrong place.
If you're not hurt, the dog not hurt and the bike not damaged, then you're very lucky and I wouldn't worry about it anymore!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Should have kicked the owner... Sure the dog wasn't enacting his favourite moment from the 2007 TDF? There were an awful lot of mutts with a death wish.
I think, to be honest, that sounds like the best outcome all round. You weren't hurt, the dog was presumably Ok, the owner probably knew he could be held responsible, and took the easy way out by skulking off... Not ideal, because the dog ought to have been under control, but sometimes it just isn't worth the aggro of pursuing a point... With a bit of luck, the dog has learned about bikes now, and next time, won't get so close...
It's quite fashionable to hit a dog this year! If the dog seemed alright, i don't think there is a problem.
Next time bunny hop over the dog!! As for the dog has probably learnt a lesson about bikes, I dout it. It probably thinks they are violent and should be attacked first. So watch out, the dog will have its revenge.
Sometimes owners don't hear the bike - the dog might, but it's up to the owner to control the dog. If you can see a dog slow down and make a noise, or shout hello to attract the attention of the owner so they can get the dog under control before you go past. Obviously, as in this case, if you can't see the dog till it's nearly in your wheels there's not a lot you can do, except brake to slow down. Dogs are unpredicable, (and silly) like any animal, so if you did all you could, it's just one of those things. You slowed down before striking it, so there's a good chance of it (and you!) not being injured. My parents dog needs to knock breakable things off tables with her tail, bump into something (the door) and chase the paper boy on his bike at least 120 times before she learns not to do it again, so don't bank on it being any more sensible next time!
Well, strictly speaking, perhaps not usually 'silly'. 'Silly', to me, implies knowing better. However bright a dog is, it has the intelligence of a smallish child. It takes them time to learn a thing, and they don't employ reason to learn like adults do. An adult running out in front of a bike is silly - a small child doing it would be down to inexperience and lack of hazard perception... Sorry, that's OT a bit, but it's like when people say horses are stupid. They're not stupid, they are using their IQ to its natural limit, and within hardwired natural instincts... Good point about calling out. I'll often say "hello, dog!" (or horse, or cow or whatever) - partly to alert the animal to the fact that I'm a human being, and partly to warn the person in charge. Also, I'm daffy enough to talk to animals...
