Strange happening on ride today

[pdxmech13]

During my ride today, I was climbing in the west hills here in portland. I came to a slow stop at an intersection. There was a couple with their 2 dogs walking to my right. The dogs were on leashes. As I looked left I began moving into the intersection only to hear the woman scream. I immediately looked over just in time to see the dog come barreling into my front wheel. Luckily for me and the dog I was only going a few mph. The dog hit the wheel enough that it shifted in the fork dropouts. Poor dog got stuck for a brief second and ran off in the other direction. Thankfully no one was hurt and the wheel was in good shape. Just a really weird thing as I haven't even been chased by a dog in years.

[coylifut]

that is effin strange. happy to hear you didn't do one of these http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W2JE2Z6XZdQ

[RudAwkning]

Strange thing happened today to me as well. Was riding with my club and as we came to the base of a descent, we enountered 4 cows walking on the side of the road. They were all freaked out and kept meandering into the roadway (there was only about 2 yards of shoulder). None of us had cell phone coverage so one of us went ahead to call the police from a landline while 3 of us attempted to corale them, keeping them moving down the road but not into traffic. We must have gone at least 2 miles with them, keeping them off the road, preventing them from reversing direction into traffic, and telling them to "Moooooove" long :) . Eventually a cop on a motorcycle showed up and, I'm hoping, got them home safe and sound.

[shinomaster]

Oh that poor French dog!! I hope he is OK. Also, that carbon wheel just folded like a paper napkin.

[cs124]

... Also, that carbon wheel just folded like a paper napkin.

There was all sorts of hoo-ha on lightweightforum.com (ok, weightweenies ;) ) last year. Man there are some whiny biatches over there. Quite funny to watch... :p

[Ray]

I've been chased by any number of dogs, but only caught once, and it was WEIRD! It was several years ago, early in a cold October century ride. I was riding in a very rural area, and started to ride past a house with a big hedge along the entire front of the property. A little dog was running along the frontage barking at me and then, suddenly, when I got to the center of the lot where an entry walk went through an opening in the hedge, a HUGE dog shot out from the yard and ran right into the right side of my bike. He was coming at an angle, so when he hit me, he was sort of running with me at a diagonal but essentially pushed me across the road. I must have good sprinters instincts despite having no sprint at all, because I instinctively leaned into the dog (nearly up to hip level - it was a BIG dog) and stayed upright as I approached the other edge of the road. Fortunately, no oncoming traffic. Before I went off the other side of the road, I slammed on my brakes and the dog sort of overran me. As he stopped and started turning back, I made a beeline for the other (right) side of the road and sprinted up past his property and he gave up the chase before he got back to me.

One of the scariest moments ever on a bike. An adrenaline rush like I've never had. A whole pack of racers was about 80-100 yards behind me and saw the whole thing. When they went past, they were offering all sorts of compliments, clean diapers, etc. Although unrelated to that, it was the only century I've ever failed to finish too. My knee went crazy at about 60 miles and I took a sag ride after doing one-legged pedaling for about 5 miles. Just a cursed ride.

Watch out for those dogs!

-Ray

[Erik.Lazdins]

PDXMECH13 - glad you are ok!


I've been chased many times by
slow dogs
fast dogs
happy dogs
sad dogs
dog that I thought
were behind a fence
but were not
dogs that snoozed
as I went past

but the most memorable chase was on Saturday morning, I was out for 3-4 hours and was in rural Mounds Ok when a German shepherd tore out of his yard
barking and sprinting.

I was going into the teeth of the wind up a false flat and had a tough time gaining enough speed to clear this German Shepherd

but behind this German Shepherd lead out was a bigger black dog that wasn't barking but making a line right towards me - the German Shepherd peeled off leaving the finisher dog to finish me off. Fortunately I had gained enough speed to slowly pull away.

I avoid that street nowadays - that dog would have taken a chunk outta me.

Hey thanks for reading!

[saab2000]

In all my years in Europe I never one single time had an issue with a dog. Here it seems to be a frequent occurence.

[BumbleBeeDave]

PDXMECH13 - glad you are ok!


I've been chased many times by
slow dogs
fast dogs
happy dogs
sad dogs
dog that I thought
were behind a fence
but were not
dogs that snoozed
as I went past

but the most memorable chase was on Saturday morning, I was out for 3-4 hours and was in rural Mounds Ok when a German shepherd tore out of his yard
barking and sprinting.

I was going into the teeth of the wind up a false flat and had a tough time gaining enough speed to clear this German Shepherd

but behind this German Shepherd lead out was a bigger black dog that wasn't barking but making a line right towards me - the German Shepherd peeled off leaving the finisher dog to finish me off. Fortunately I had gained enough speed to slowly pull away.

I avoid that street nowadays - that dog would have taken a chunk outta me.

Hey thanks for reading!

. . . toward Keystone Dam there were two really mean, BIG ones at a house just west of the Shell Creek Dam on Shell Creek Road--cross the dam and go up that little hill. Fortunately they had been pretty well trained to stay in their own yard, but until I learned that it made for some anxious moments!

BBD

[Erik.Lazdins]

. . . toward Keystone Dam there were two really mean, BIG ones at a house just west of the Shell Creek Dam on Shell Creek Road--cross the dam and go up that little hill. Fortunately they had been pretty well trained to stay in their own yard, but until I learned that it made for some anxious moments!

BBD

Great road and there are still dogs there today but compared to the Mounds dogs the one at Shell Creek Dam are hacks!

[BumbleBeeDave]

Great road and there are still dogs there today but compared to the Mounds dogs the one at Shell Creek Dam are hacks!

Or has it collapsed? It was in really AWFUL shape when I used to ride across it.

Had another great moment out that way . . . Steve Jennings and I were headed out Shell Creek Road just west of hiway 97 and we came up behind two teenage girls walking down the middle of the road. He was on his Ciocc with Campy and I was on my brand new Vitus with Nuovo Record, so the freewheels on both were almost silent. We came by them at about 25mph and I yelled "HI!" just as we came by. They must have jumped three feet high! Gosh, that was over 20 years ago . . . I hope I didn't stunt their growth for life! :eek:

BBD

[Erik.Lazdins]

Or has it collapsed? It was in really AWFUL shape when I used to ride across it.


BBD

The Dam is still there - its blessed with light traffic! - one of my favorite views - not Talimena scenic but very nice!

[Ginger]

I wonder why there isn't a cyclist mapping service for dog encounters? (sort of like that dirt road mapping posted earlier...)

*start sprint 10' past driveway

*dog only runs to ivy covered tree

*large dog harmless, small dog is out for blood

[coylifut]

i think i've told this story before, but maybe not. a couple of years ago i was waiting at a stop sign. the traffic cleared and just as I was pushing off, I heard a low growl, got a half a pedal stroke in and a good sized pit launched like war-head and ramed right in my arse. The combination of his charge and my half pedal stroke knocked me across two lanes and into a drainage ditch, but not before he got another run at me and bit me mid thigh. as my luck would have it, a cop was driving up the hill and saw the whole thing. he hit his siren to scare the dog off and came out of his car with his gun drawn. the dog ran off. that dog kicked my arse pretty good and i would have had a real fight on my hands if it wasn't for the arrival of the cop.

[Matt-H]

A couple of years ago I was riding with a friend when, after a short climb, I looked back to see where he was. About 50 feet behind him I saw a dog charging up the road towards us. The dog passed him and appeared to be gunning for me. Too tired to try to outrun him, I sat back down and gave a very loud and stern "go home!" just as he reached me. This dog looked truly rattled, turned around, and high-tailed it back towards my friend. I was stopped and watched this dog rip by him, head down, until he reached his home. Although I have been chased before and frown upon loose, chasing dogs, I kind of felt bad for this little guy...

[mwaldhopkins]

I live in a small, rural northern NM town which approximates the state's namesake. I pretty much get chased by dogs everyday, as... well... there are roving packs in the streets. Most of the dogs just like to bark and chase what is clearly 'prey,' but every once in a while there's a bad one.... and you know it because they don't bark at all... what sort of predator announces itself before going in for the kill? Yep- gotta look out for those silent ones.

Sometimes you just have to ride with some projectiles (rocks) in the jersey pocket.

[bigbill]

We used to plan our rides in SC around dogs. There was a small cocker spaniel that would run out in front of the pack. It eventually caused a crash and stayed around to bark at the riders on the ground. It eventually ran off after being kicked and sprayed with water bottles. I doused it with gatorade, I hope the sugar attacted lots of bugs.

I encountered some larger animals when I was riding in Montenegro last summer.

[Louis]

I encountered some larger animals when I was riding in Montenegro last summer.

COW UP !!!!!

[BumbleBeeDave]

. . . I was itching to do my first century and decided to just go do the extra miles on the first day of the MS ride that year. We were riding the "out" leg from Saratoga up to Ticonderoga--75 miles--and I just figured I'd head north on Route 22 from the end of the ride, ride up to Crown Point and back, and have my 100 miles--my FIRST century! In retrospect, not a good plan--strange road I'd never been on, nobody with the MS ride knew I was doing it, no sag, etc.

So anyway, I get up to Crown Point and turn around and head back to Fort Ti. I'm at about mile 93 or 94, slowly heading south on 22, every muscle hurting and really at the end of my endurance, but knowing I've got to get back to Fort Ti on my own because nobody even knows I'm out here. I'm riding by a white house with a white picket fence when I hear barking. I glance to my right and--OMFG!--there is a dog sitting there on MY side of the fence which absolutely is the BIGGEST dog I've ever seen in my life. At first glance it looks like a Rottie but it's shoulder is above the top of the fence. Adrenaline takes over and I start sprinting as fast as I could--which at this point in my ride was about 12 mph.

I'm thinking "Man, I'm DEAD!" and glance back to see if it's started after me yet. It's still sitting there and the barking is continuing. I keep pedaling like my life depends on it--which at this point I was sure it did--and glance back again. The dog still hasn't moved, but the barking continues.

At this point I begin to suspect something just isn't kosher and slow down--as if I could have kept up a sprint for another second anyway. I look again and the dog still doesn't move. So I turn around and gingerly start riding back toward the house. I get up close and realize--it's a f*cking statue! It's some sort of realistic sculpture about 6 feet high of this dog--fiberglass or whatever. The barking is coming from a normal sized dog that's behind the fence!

I wasn't sure whether to laugh, cry, or be p*ssed. But I did get back to Fort Ti in one piece to finish my first century.

BBD

[mwaldhopkins]

I just got back from a 3 hr ride in which I was chased by no fewer than 5 dogs. Once I had to use the 'stop and point' technique: "hey you dog.... I'm human and am in charge..." unfortunately, this technique doesn't work in all cases. When it doesn't, you are in trouble...

cheers.

[thwart]

i think i've told this story before, but maybe not. a couple of years ago i was waiting at a stop sign. the traffic cleared and just as I was pushing off, I heard a low growl, got a half a pedal stroke in and a good sized pit launched like war-head and ramed right in my arse. The combination of his charge and my half pedal stroke knocked me across two lanes and into a drainage ditch, but not before he got another run at me and bit me mid thigh. as my luck would have it, a cop was driving up the hill and saw the whole thing. he hit his siren to scare the dog off and came out of his car with his gun drawn. the dog ran off. that dog kicked my arse pretty good and i would have had a real fight on my hands if it wasn't for the arrival of the cop.
Man, that is one scary dog story...

My worst was during a challenge ride last year, while riding through a stand of trees on a country back road. Suddenly this waist high (say 50-60 lbs) dog lunges out from the woods immediately to my left, and starts chasing me. Must have been just lying in wait... looking for some slow and lazy cycling victim to come by. No warning bark at all. In spite of meeting those criteria I managed to out-run him. Doubled my heart rate in 2 seconds, though.

I really like the idea of dog-mapping, as Ginger suggested.

[bigbill]

My house is halfway down a hill so I have to climb my way up to the main road. I am literally a sitting duck for three different dogs. They would charge out towards me whether I was walking or riding. A few months ago the local chief of police bought the house between the ones with the dogs. I haven't been chased since.

[konstantkarma]

Around here it's dogs living behind "invisible fences". I feel pretty stupid starting a sprint just to see Fido stop flat at the property line :confused:.

[WadePatton]

They multiplied whilst I was trail riding. I was chased no less than a dozen times on my short route today. Two or three times were the biter types, and every one of those was accompanied. I bumped the last one with the front tyre.

Some years ago I was exploring and rode up into a dead-end hollow. Big bad dog went crazy over me. He was a couple hundred yards off the road--on a big chain. Some minutes later I'm coming back out of the hollow and _ALMOST_ ignored this dog as he was restrained...I glanced up and he was tear-assing down the hill dragging about 30' of log chain.

I was already clipping along nicely--but I reached for a little more.

Don't know how close he got, I never looked back.

[Blue Jays]

No dog stories to share ever since those Invisible Fence devices came into vogue. In fact, my most-recent dog chase happened 15+ years ago while out walking.
A huge German Shepard bounded down a yard and I clambered atop a construction vehicle parked on the street. You guessed it, must have been one of the earliest Invisible Fence installations. The dog screeched to a halt ten feet from the curb.
Whew! :)

[Michael Maddox]

During a 100k team time trial in the 1980's, we were strolling along at a pretty good clip down a flat, rural section of road. As we passed a small house, the front door opened and a woman and an Afghan Hound came out. The dog IMMEDIATELY broke from the woman and came FLYING after us. Rather than bark, he just ran, his long coat streaming behind him. Funny thing, he didn't follow us, he ran along beside us until he came even with the lead rider, where he ran for a few moments, then peeled off to return to the screaming woman. There were a few chuckles to see that dog, hair straight out behind him and his long nose pointed ahead, motoring right along with us.

It was almost like he came out just to show us he could, aero be damned. I've often wished I had that dog to train with.

[Steve D]

but behind this German Shepherd lead out was a bigger black dog that wasn't barking but making a line right towards me - the German Shepherd peeled off leaving the finisher dog to finish me off.


I didn't know dogs had lead out men...

[yarg]

About 4 years ago my brother and I were coming down Tracey Road at about 25-30mph. Never saw the dog until it was too late, he charged out from a large rock and I hit him square with my front wheel. My bike stopped dead, I did a flying sommersault over the bars and luckily for me landed flat on my back on a somewhat soft shoulder of the road. Nothing but scrapes and bruises for me and my bike. The dog was huge and he just walked away. Ended up calling for ride home from the owners house and ended up seeing the dog was just the big dumb friendly type. When I think about it I can't believe how lucky I was.

[cralmic]

Sometimes you just have to ride with some projectiles (rocks) in the jersey pocket.[/QUOTE]

I used to live in Indiana and had a favorite route with variety of riding conditions. There was a white farm house with a large dog and I always knew to be careful because he would sometimes chase after me but not always which I could not understand..... until one day..... I was riding the route and heard the dog coming but this time I heard the old man sitting on the porch telling the dog to "get 'em" I also heard him laughing as I pedal'd mt arse off.
He nearly got me this time as I was very tired and had been pushing the ride.

The next time I rode I had my pistol with me and my license to carry. I again heard the old man call the dog on me and I pulled the pistol from my pocket and made certain the old man saw it.... Never had a problem again riding.

I love animals and like the next guy would never hurt one but to hear the old man sick his dog me on purpose really pissed me off.