Sad Day, first dog :(

[craigatcsi]

Today was WONDERFUL day for the most part.

We went for a nice lunch with another couple then the 4 of use went for a nice ride out in the country. Perfect weather!

As we came down a road, there was a dog in the street as in ready to chase us. I slowed to about 40ish. I figured he would hang off to the side and run along side like they always do. - WRONG!!! The darn dog jumped at my bike and caught my Left Kurykan footpeg and my heel in the head. I heard the yelp and felt my heal on his head. I was scared he was going to get under the bike. If he did, I think we would have gone down, as he had to weigh 60ish lbs. The couple behind us said that he had to have had his neck broken.

We didn't stop, (should we have?). I don't know what we could've done other than watch him die. My wife was VERY upset and I didn't want to make matters worse. I was really kinda in shock about the whole thing. We are BIG dog lovers.

I just can't believe that he jumped at the bike. I've never had one do that before. They always stand off to the side and just run alongside and bark. I'm somewhat angry that the owners let the dog run free when they probably knew that he liked to chase!

I've gone over it in my head all day, and I honestly believe there is nothing I could've done to avoid it, other than riding a different road.

I'm sure this makes me sound like a puss, but it is upsetting.

craigr

[RoadKill]

I don't think you are a P**s I would have felt the same way. Maybe you should have stopped to tell the owner, but I don't know if I would have either. Like you said what could you have done and really I agree its their own fault. Don't know how much I've spent on our 8 dogs to make sure they NEVER leave our property. Sorry you had to experience it.

[kenw]

I had a dog run into a bike one time and took out the front fender and radiator! Felt like I ran him over with the back tire. Went back and the dog was gone, got up and ran away!

[Hummingbird]

an unfortunate incident indeed - had you stopped and approached the owner it may have become more of an incident. The owner had to know the dog was a chaser and still let him run loose, too bad.

[ridgway1]

Hi Craig. Sorry to hear about this,but like you said its the owners fauit for not having the dog out of harms way. A few years ago i had a innncedent where a woman up the road had her 2 black labs out at nite.Shecalled them back across the road and i got them both.And to make matters worse my kids were with me. It was terrible.The woman neighbor was pissed but what was i to do? Any how at least you and the mrs. returned unharmed. Ride safe Chris

[edger]

Sorry to hear about the incident. As you said, I don't beleive any fault lyes on your part. I know that you obviously feel terrible about the incident but don't be too hard on yourself. Things happen and you had no control over the situation. Upsetting indeed, but stop beating yourself up bud.

[Venturous Randy]

The worst I have ever been hurt in my life was hitting a dog when I was about 15. The dog came out from behind a hedge row and I nailed him. It was in a right hand curve and he literally knocked the bike out from under me. I had a friend on the back and we both ended up at the doctors office.

In about 1974, I had a neighborhood dog that would run at me and try to bite my leg. After talking to the owner to no avail, I took a dish soap bottle and put a little amonia in water and when I came down the road and he ran right up to me I squirted him in the face. From that point on, when he heard my bike, he ran the other way. I learned dogs can be trained and it may have kept him from being killed.

Glad you both and the bike came out ok.

RandyA

[Magnawake]

I would have gone back and probably yelled at the owner and said some unkind things. Things that I would have regretted, for letting the dog put peoples life in danger. I have a 11 yr old Lab (my Buddy). I am just glad you didnt crash. Dont worry about not going back. The owner knew the risk of having a car chasing dog off the leash.

[BOO]

I have a habit of sticking my foot out and trying to distract the dog and once in a while I'll take a kick at the dog. In your case and as big as the dog was that guy might have grabbed me by the foot and drug me off the bike.

I may have to rethink my actions around the dogs.

I have noticed we don't seem to have many dogs chasing the bikes as we use to. I have no reason for that statement but I believe it's been two or three years since a dog came after me.

Glad you're okay,

BOO

[Yammer Dan]

The last time I stopped the owner wanted to fight. Changed his mind after I explained to him that after him I was going to educate hound. I did make a good attempt to explain before this but he wasn't listening and the more I looked at my bent bars the less I wanted to.

[LilBeaver]

Sorry you have to deal with this but it sounds like you did not have much of a choice, especially since it was such a large dog.

 

Out of respect for the owners stopping may have been a good thing BUT it seems like there is a good chance that could have gotten out of hand very quickly (since some people are just nuts).

 

A couple years ago I lived in a neighborhood that at the end of our street the folks had a reasonable sized dog that liked to chase cars and bikes too (Every morning when I wouldl leave for work, they would be sitting at the edge of the street, ready to go). What I found to work quite well in throwing them off was when/if they make motions like they were going to run out to me or chase me as I drove by I would slow down as I approached, then just as I was getting to the point that I would be passing them I would speed back up. I heard somewhere that this throws off their depth perception/estimation of how to intercept a rider. In your case, from what you described, I think that if that method was used you probably would have run over the dog instead of winging it...

[craigatcsi]

Thanks folks.

craigr

[Bubber]

Well if you are lumping people in to the category of being a puss if they feel bad if they hurt an animal then put my name at the top of your list. Accidents are accidents and saving your own skin comes first, but people that hurt animals or mistreat them are pretty low in my book.

 

You did what you had to do at the time, don't feel bad for your own self preservation. People need to keep their dogs from chasing cars and what ever or suffer the consequences, and I say that knowing my own dogs likes to bark at anything that comes by the house. I know if he does get out and chases it is on me not him. That reminds me I need to train him a lot better now that I heard myself say that out loud.

 

Glad you weren't hurt!

 

Bubber

[BuddyRich]

We have had dogs all our life. I hate hitting dogs but some of them chase cars and bikes and eventually they catch one. The owner knows and should not be letting that type of dog loose anyway. Going back may have made matters worse as some of those owners would have blamed you for hitting their dog. There are just some weird people in this world.

[ladyfyrefiter]

As the owner of three dogs myself, I can understand the necessity of keeping the dogs restrained due to the fact that the animals do chase the cars. BUT, not one response here has stated the possibility that the dog was loose on accident (maybe broke the leash/chain, etc) and the owner was not aware of it. I would have went back to the owners and let them know about the incident. I have seen folks purposefully swerve to actually hit animals on the road hence the words animal cruelty comes to mind (although that is not the case here). As a dog owner, I would have wanted to know what happened to my pet, hoping and trusting the Lord that indeed, it was an accident and actually apologizing to the cyclists, not try to pick a fight. Then I would have taken my dog off the road so that no further risk was there and also so that I could lay my animal to rest. It is unfortunate that our culture has become so vicious that to actually try and do the right thing by going to an owner of the animal actually puts yourself in danger of the situation escalating into violence. I am truly sorry to hear that you have had to go through the experience and just by the tone of your note here, I can feel how upset you and your wife are. Don't let the decision not to stop affect the fact that you are truly good people. No matter what, you have to protect you and your family first.

Kare

[SilvrT]

Well if you are lumping people in to the category of being a puss if they feel bad if they hurt an animal then put my name at the top of your list. Accidents are accidents and saving your own skin comes first, but people that hurt animals or mistreat them are pretty low in my book.

 

Glad you weren't hurt!

 

Bubber

 

What he said and put me on the list ABOVE him.

 

As for stopping/not stopping, don't feel bad about that... you did what was right for you. Myself ... I would have gone back ... but that's just me.

 

Few years ago I was riding down a busy 4 lane street and we came to a stop light and there was this little dog scooting in and out of the traffic like he was lost and there was something about the motorcycle that seemed "familiar" because he came right up to us. My passenger got off and picked the dog up and took it over to the sidewalk while I parked the bike... then we proceeded to find the owner .... didn't but found a person who knew the dog and the owner and they took it in to keep it safe.

[Aimhigh]

This is a sad result of dog owners not caring for their animals. Animals should be protected by being fenced in...there should not be dogs running loose. Here in Texas we have dogs all over the place running loose...it is sad to see them when they are hit by a vehicle...it's not the animals fault...the owner is at fault. You are lucky you guys weren't hurt. I would feel bad about it, too, so I won't even offer up to not worry about it. Feel bad, but not guilty.

[MiCarl]

Glad you're ok.

 

I probably would have gone back. But as others have pointed out people can be quite unreasonable at times.

 

Bottom line is the owner is responsible, even if the chain broke, dog dug under the fence etc.

 

The couple behind us said that he had to have had his neck broken.

 

I wouldn't bet on it. Their necks are pretty tough. When I was a kid we had a lab that thought he needed to chase loud cars and motorcycles. One day he went after a car that was missing the muffler. The driver slammed the brakes and the dog piled right into the bumper (this was back when bumpers were steel beams, not plastic). The dog ran off into the woods and disappeared.

 

Two days later he came home, cured of his desire to chase cars.

Edited August 17, 2009 by MiCarl

[Dave77459]

I am really sorry for the incident. Coulda been me.

 

Two Saturdays ago, I went down a farm lane. I saw two dogs begin to run to the road when they heard me. I accelerated, hoping to get past them before they reached the road. We arrived at the same place at about the same time.

 

I had time to think what I was going to do, and when they gave every indication of continuing into the road, I blasted the air horn as I zoomed past. The dogs looked stunned, and stopped abruptly. Maybe their hearing was damaged, but they lived.

 

I was out scouting a location, and have now marked that road as to be avoided.

 

Again, I am sorry. I think you did the right thing, not stopping. Your wife should have come first.

 

Dave

[timgray]

In many states, if you hit a dog in the roadway the dog owner is responsible for any and all damage to your car. In fact if you stop and they call the cops the cop will write the dog owner a ticket. you are not obliged to stop. It's the same as hitting a deer or rabbit.

 

not all states are this way but I know Michigan is. My wife hit a dog that ran after her car, she called the cops all worried and the cops not only ticketed the owner but Informed her to notify the insurance company of what happened and the dog owner will be responsible for the deductible.

[Ivan]

I have had all sorts of things appear in the road while riding my scoot. The most vicious thing I have found are tom turkeys, especially around mating time. They seem to think they are the biggest thing around and will come at you on a scoot.

 

Dogs are always a problem around here, since I live in an addition outside the municipality. Some of them chase some don't. From what I can tell, the ones that chase actually do want to catch you. I think it was mere chance that the one you hit actually achieved its goal.

 

Its too bad really when a person's pet gets clipped. I once had to put down a neighbor's dog, it seems it liked to go after my kids and try to chomp on their neck. The neighbor wouldn't do anything about it, and it eventually came after me. I struggled in my mind knowing it was the neighbor kids' pet and they loved him. Ultimately though, I believe human life is more important than animal life. Especially when its my kids.

[Sunman]

You should have gone back. Taking off was a BS thing to do. You have no idea what the situation was and how the dog was out. Maybe the dog was let out by a meter reader, or any othe host of unforeseeable situations. Leaving an injured animal with no care was a pussy thing to do. I am not the kind to sit here and massage your feelings. You had a bad incident, and ran away. If one of our members had written about some driver hitting their beloved family pet, and driving off, you would hear a chorus of "Let's get him" and "I will bring the shotgun" etc. But now you expect people to tell you it's ok to leave the scene? Get a grip. Yes, I am upset. And please don't ever call yourself a big dog lover, because dog lovers don't leave injured animals to suffer. Go back and find the owner. They at least deserve that much.

Don't post a story, unless you can handle the feedback.

[kenw]

Maybe its none of my business, but leaving your dog out to be in harms way is a lot of BS! Its not the drivers duty to worry about the fact you don't take care of your pets---its yours!!! Someone is feeling sorry for hitting the pet you were to lazy to take care of! I'm sorry, but it's the owners duty to protect the dog, not the unfortunaate passer by!!

[screamstone]

You should have gone back. Taking off was a BS thing to do. You have no idea what the situation was and how the dog was out. Maybe the dog was let out by a meter reader, or any othe host of unforeseeable situations. Leaving an injured animal with no care was a pussy thing to do. I am not the kind to sit here and massage your feelings. You had a bad incident, and ran away. If one of our members had written about some driver hitting their beloved family pet, and driving off, you would hear a chorus of "Let's get him" and "I will bring the shotgun" etc. But now you expect people to tell you it's ok to leave the scene? Get a grip. Yes, I am upset. And please don't ever call yourself a big dog lover, because dog lovers don't leave injured animals to suffer. Go back and find the owner. They at least deserve that much.

 

Don't post a story, unless you can handle the feedback.

 

Let's not should on each other here... It's a shoulddy thing to do.

 

A litle harsh sunman... We all have our own convictions and our own ways of handling things. If I had a passenger that could have been endangered also, I wouldnt' have gone back. I'm also an animal lover, but like it's been said before, People come first for most of us.

 

It was an accident with an aggressive dog. I've never seen a dog go for a 40MPH vehicle head on.. normally just that "run on the side of the road and bark" thing. Go back to a dog like that, aggressive to begin with but now hit by you?

 

That's just asking for a mauling. I'm all for animals just like people. Some people are on death row because of what they've done or get shot committing a crime. Same with animals.

 

To say that their decision was a "pussy thing to do" is lame. You weren't there, it wasn't your family. Just like you said, there was a host of unforseeable situations... like the dog was rabid, trained for fighting/attack, etc.. Going back to check on an aggressive dog is as stupid as going back to check on an alligator or bear. There's nothing you can do anyway with an aggressive animal. If it's dead, it's dead. If not, you will be as soon as you check on it.

 

I'm sure if the dog was not attackinglike it was, they would have stopped. That was easy to read between the lines in the original post.

 

Be safe everyone. Some dogs DO bite the hand that feeds, but they ALL bite the hands that they're trying to bite!!!

[Sunman]

Harsh? I toned it down more than you know. The OP makes tons of assumptions, like many others in this thread. That it was negligence on the part of the owner of the animal that caused the incident. Everyone was very quick to put the blame on him/her. None of you have a clue how the dog got out, mostly because the OP left the scene, and an injured animal. Why do you assume the dog was being aggressive? Chasing is in many dogs nature. It was an accident. When you run away from the scene of an accident, you know how that looks. The comment about the upset wife, was an excuse, plain and simple. If the wife is upset, drop her off down the street and go back. Don't BS. Did he even stop down the street and look back? If the dog was motionless I don't think he would be much of a threat. Did he call for help for the animal? I doubt it, that was not in the post. I guess we should be glad he didn't run over a child chasing a ball, because I am sure he would have run for the hills. Plain and simple, I stand by my first post, and I think it was cowardice. If it was an accident, so be it, they happen. Leaving was wrong. I hope you find it in yourself to go and find the owners, or call the humane society, or SPCA to see if there was a report. What if the pet owner had witnessed the incident, and called the police to report it? Because it was one of our members who did it, people seem to be siding immediately with him. And you know that if one of our members made a post about someone hitting and running their pet, you would all be screaming bloody murder, and chants of vengeance. I can cite examples of quite a few. But to refrain from bringing up hard memories I won't.

Simply agreeing with someone's piss poor actions, does them no good. It is more beneficial to be honest, even if it is "harsh". That is my opinion, and as long as this forum allows it, I will give my opinions when I feel the need. I do not simply agree with the majority, or the popular line of thinking.

Sonny