dogs, bicycles, rabid skunks Halt spray

[jamisjockey]

We had at least one "spirited" thread about dogs and bikes.

I ride 3 times a week on designated bike trails in my Town and have been doing it for over 5 years, Like Jamisjockey, I was bitten in the leg by an aggressive dog, too. I've given the matter a lot of thought since then.

1. My ride takes me over what could be considered two different school properties. No lethal option for me.
2. Nothing that I could have done would have prevented the dog bite I did get. It happened too fast. I saw the dog and thought that his distance from me and the fact that he was on a leash (retractable) would have prevented a problem - neither did. I have prevented two relatively close calls since then.
3. If I were going to carry something, it would be a water pistol with something besides water in it. I've tried to figure a way that I could mount a holster for a water pistol on my bike where I could get to it quickly but haven't figured out how to do it. I don't believe on body is an option because of all of the different types of clothing that I have to wear. For a dog, you have to be able to get whatever you are going to use into play very quickly.
4. I'm riding for cardio exercise and part of that is pushing my body as hard as I can. It is hard to stay in condition yellow when I'm gasping for breath but that is only for a few seconds a couple of times in my ride. Otherwise, I'm convinced that condition yellow is the solution. When in doubt, I pick up the dog well in advance and slow down. If the charge continues, I'm off the bike and using it as a shield between the dog and me. I've had several dogs break off their attacks as I either came to a stop or put the bike in their way. I admit that I've not had to deal with a rabid dog.
Like you, we've had a bad infestation of skunks. My neighbors and I went on a skunk trapping campaign. Our Town will send animal control to euthanize them once their caught We took 25 of them out in 6 months and have only seen a few individuals since. Before that, there were 4-5 skunks in our yard every night. It wasn't safe to be outside after dark. Just a thought.

Unless your ride takes you into the premsis of the schools, you're incorrect. You can carry on school property, just not on the premisis as defined in TPC.


Staying fully aware of the dogs sounds great, but the only dog to actually get a piece of me came from nowhere. Like you, I've encountered plenty of dogs on bike rides. Many of which I was able to just give a sharp "bad dog!" to get them to stop. The one that bit me came out of the bushes next to the road when I was re-entering from using a public restroom. I was doing about 4mph and only had enough time to dismount. It could have easily pressed the attack and I would have been mauled (100+ pound Rhodesian ridgeback).

I carry my kel tec in a fanny pack on the bike. Many will poopoo the fanny pack, but a small pack isn't out of place at all for a cyclist, and it sure beats using harsh words. I don't carry in the expectation of preventing an attack. I have no ill concieved notions of hitting the cns of a running dog from my bike with a one fifty heart rate. I carry so that I can end an attack.

[RPB]

We had at least one "spirited" thread about dogs and bikes.

I ride 3 times a week on designated bike trails in my Town and have been doing it for over 5 years, Like Jamisjockey, I was bitten in the leg by an aggressive dog, too. I've given the matter a lot of thought since then.

1. My ride takes me over what could be considered two different school properties. No lethal option for me.
2. Nothing that I could have done would have prevented the dog bite I did get. It happened too fast. I saw the dog and thought that his distance from me and the fact that he was on a leash (retractable) would have prevented a problem - neither did. I have prevented two relatively close calls since then.
3. If I were going to carry something, it would be a water pistol with something besides water in it. I've tried to figure a way that I could mount a holster for a water pistol on my bike where I could get to it quickly but haven't figured out how to do it. I don't believe on body is an option because of all of the different types of clothing that I have to wear. For a dog, you have to be able to get whatever you are going to use into play very quickly.
4. I'm riding for cardio exercise and part of that is pushing my body as hard as I can. It is hard to stay in condition yellow when I'm gasping for breath but that is only for a few seconds a couple of times in my ride. Otherwise, I'm convinced that condition yellow is the solution. When in doubt, I pick up the dog well in advance and slow down. If the charge continues, I'm off the bike and using it as a shield between the dog and me. I've had several dogs break off their attacks as I either came to a stop or put the bike in their way. I admit that I've not had to deal with a rabid dog.
Like you, we've had a bad infestation of skunks. My neighbors and I went on a skunk trapping campaign. Our Town will send animal control to euthanize them once their caught We took 25 of them out in 6 months and have only seen a few individuals since. Before that, there were 4-5 skunks in our yard every night. It wasn't safe to be outside after dark. Just a thought.

Unless your ride takes you into the premsis of the schools, you're incorrect. You can carry on school property, just not on the premisis as defined in TPC.


Staying fully aware of the dogs sounds great, but the only dog to actually get a piece of me came from nowhere. Like you, I've encountered plenty of dogs on bike rides. Many of which I was able to just give a sharp "bad dog!" to get them to stop. The one that bit me came out of the bushes next to the road when I was re-entering from using a public restroom. I was doing about 4mph and only had enough time to dismount. It could have easily pressed the attack and I would have been mauled (100+ pound Rhodesian ridgeback).

I carry my kel tec in a fanny pack on the bike. Many will poopoo the fanny pack, but a small pack isn't out of place at all for a cyclist, and it sure beats using harsh words. I don't carry in the expectation of preventing an attack. I have no ill concieved notions of hitting the cns of a running dog from my bike with a one fifty heart rate. I carry so that I can end an attack.

So do not ride the bike inside buildings on campus if you have a CHL, nor at the sporting events.

Last week I walked outside, smelled skunk on my front porch, couldn't locate it. saw several loose dogs.
I had a porcupine in my front yard ... it didn't chase my bike, I didn't pet it, animal control came and got it; but yeah we've had lots of rabid skunks in the area lately. So I worry about the loose dogs.

Porky-Pine

[chasfm11]

We had at least one "spirited" thread about dogs and bikes.

I ride 3 times a week on designated bike trails in my Town and have been doing it for over 5 years, Like Jamisjockey, I was bitten in the leg by an aggressive dog, too. I've given the matter a lot of thought since then.

1. My ride takes me over what could be considered two different school properties. No lethal option for me.
2. Nothing that I could have done would have prevented the dog bite I did get. It happened too fast. I saw the dog and thought that his distance from me and the fact that he was on a leash (retractable) would have prevented a problem - neither did. I have prevented two relatively close calls since then.
3. If I were going to carry something, it would be a water pistol with something besides water in it. I've tried to figure a way that I could mount a holster for a water pistol on my bike where I could get to it quickly but haven't figured out how to do it. I don't believe on body is an option because of all of the different types of clothing that I have to wear. For a dog, you have to be able to get whatever you are going to use into play very quickly.
4. I'm riding for cardio exercise and part of that is pushing my body as hard as I can. It is hard to stay in condition yellow when I'm gasping for breath but that is only for a few seconds a couple of times in my ride. Otherwise, I'm convinced that condition yellow is the solution. When in doubt, I pick up the dog well in advance and slow down. If the charge continues, I'm off the bike and using it as a shield between the dog and me. I've had several dogs break off their attacks as I either came to a stop or put the bike in their way. I admit that I've not had to deal with a rabid dog.
Like you, we've had a bad infestation of skunks. My neighbors and I went on a skunk trapping campaign. Our Town will send animal control to euthanize them once their caught We took 25 of them out in 6 months and have only seen a few individuals since. Before that, there were 4-5 skunks in our yard every night. It wasn't safe to be outside after dark. Just a thought.

Unless your ride takes you into the premsis of the schools, you're incorrect. You can carry on school property, just not on the premisis as defined in TPC.


Staying fully aware of the dogs sounds great, but the only dog to actually get a piece of me came from nowhere. Like you, I've encountered plenty of dogs on bike rides. Many of which I was able to just give a sharp "bad dog!" to get them to stop. The one that bit me came out of the bushes next to the road when I was re-entering from using a public restroom. I was doing about 4mph and only had enough time to dismount. It could have easily pressed the attack and I would have been mauled (100+ pound Rhodesian ridgeback).

I carry my kel tec in a fanny pack on the bike. Many will poopoo the fanny pack, but a small pack isn't out of place at all for a cyclist, and it sure beats using harsh words. I don't carry in the expectation of preventing an attack. I have no ill concieved notions of hitting the cns of a running dog from my bike with a one fifty heart rate. I carry so that I can end an attack.

I acknowledge that it is my choice to remain unarmed on my rides. I have an LCP so carrying would be an option but there are other circumstances that I didn't include in my post. One of the schools is an elementary and the bike path overlaps the bus loop around the school. The kids use that bus path for recess. I can bypass the paved portion but I'm less than 10 feet from the kids at that point. While I try to time my rides so that I'm not there during recess, there is an afterschool program that goes until 6pm and the kids can be out almost any time during that period. I'm not sure that the LEOs would split hairs as finely as we do here and I really don't want to spend my money to extract myself from such a situation. There is a contentious relationship between the school principal from the school and those who use the Town's path. Even though the overlap is only about 50 yards long and there is no alternative except the pavement or directly beside it, he has approached several of us about not using the bike path at all. I've thus far refused to heed his wishes.

The other is a middle school and the gym teachers use the bike path as part of the phys.ed. program. Again, both during and after school, there is no predicting when a group of kids might be inches away from me. As I said, it may come down to the letter of the TPC versus a broader interpretation that would take a court case to resolve.

I'm fortunate in that the bike path that I use has open space buffers on it throughout its length. I will admit that a dog on a full charge who attacked out of the bushes would give me less than a second to respond and that might not be enough. A knife would probably be a better option than a gun if I was attacked. To be honest, I'm much more afraid of dogs off leash and in the proximity of their owners (who obviously have no control over them) than I am a wild dog. Considering the rabies situation again, I might rethink my approach.

[RPB]

You might need to protect those kids from a rabid dog/violent dog ... or other threat some day.
A bang might get a dog's attention better/quicker than waving a knife at a dog biting a kid.
Spray of course on the kid might be ok if it disabled the dog; the kid can be washed later and still live..
I have kids inches from me in church often. It's one reason many of us are armed at church.

[speedsix]

...must be some baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaad kids!!!....

"...I have kids inches from me in church often. It's one reason many of us are armed at church."

...I won't trust spray...if it works, great, if it don't...oops!!!

[RPB]

...must be some baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaad kids!!!....

"...I have kids inches from me in church often. It's one reason many of us are armed at church."

...I won't trust spray...if it works, great, if it don't...oops!!!

I knew what I meant to say.... to protect the kids and family ...

My mom just pinched us if we didn't pay attention in church; else we got treated to an embarrassing "trip outside where our backside was accessible"

[speedsix]

...I'm VERY familiar with both methods...Mom and Gramma stayed poised over me ...it was a tossup to who nailed me first!!!