Back
|
Providing blanket advice on
how to deal with dogs in every situation is impossible.
Different dogs-like their owners-have different
personalities. In Effective Cycling,
John Forester
notes that two schools of thought exist concerning how to
deal with dogs. Some say to be aggressive. while others
prefer a non-aggressive approach. the aggressive approach
the non-aggressive approach
your #1 priority
final advice
The Aggressive Approach
Many
times dogs will retreat if you employ the time-honored
technique of shouting "No!" or "Go
home!" These specific phrases are heard often
enough to startle the dog and cause it to stop dead in
his tracks. You may also choose to spray the dog in the
face with water from your water bottle. or to spray it
with a noxious chemical. More drastic measures like
kicking or hitting the dog with a pump are not
recommended because you are forced to sacrifice control
of your bike.
The Non-Aggressive Approach
Others argue against being aggressive and
promote talking to the dog in a calm voice. Many dogs are
more interested in chasing a cyclist than biting one. It
is better not to take your chances, however, by coming to
a complete stop to scratch it behind the ears-you never
know how it might react. The non-aggressive approach is
often the safer of the two options.
A word of caution,
if you choose the non-aggressive approach; it is a good
idea to have a back-up stick or a can of pepper spray in
hand, just in case your soft words fall upon deaf ears.
|
Dealing with dogs can
seem like the eternal dilemma for cyclists - as examined
in out "Bowser Blues" issue, June '93.
Know Your #1 Priority
No
matter what method of interspecies interaction you choose
when dealing with a dog. you'll want to avoid hitting the
dog with your front wheel. Whether you are laboring up a
hill on a loaded touring bike at seven mph, or later that
same day pushing 40 mph while going down a hill, your first
priority must be to not let the dog divert your front
wheel since the end result will likely be a fall. Most of
us have a fear of being bitten by a chasing dog. This
fear may or may not be warranted, but dogs cause more
injuries to cyclists when they cause falls than from when
they bite. So when you come upon that "mad
dog", keep both feet on the pedals, both hands on
the handlebars, and be ready to apply the brakes. Only
after your front wheel is past the dog should you worry
about being bitten.
Some Final Words of Advice:
you
don't need to worry about dogs that stay on their
property; that's what they are trained to do. Only worry
when they come onto the road. Also a silent dog is much
more of a danger than a barking dog. No cyclist has ever
been bitten by a barking dog. Think about it...
Permission is given
to reproduce and distribute this page. We have but one
requirement: give credit to the League of American
Bicyclists and our important bicycling education program,
Effective Cycling™
From Bicycle USA Nov/Dec 1997
|
