UnPlanned Dog Dismounts



U

UniBrier

Guest
I really hadn't experienced any UPDD's until last Christmas break.

I some times ride MUni with my dog and she's never bothered the bikers.
I have come up on MTBers with dogs and they never bother me. The most
problem I've had with my dog is running into her when she's not paying
attention.

Between Christmas and NewYears I was down in my in-law's farming
community on the Oregon Coast. The area is pretty much dairy country on
flood plains formed by several rivers. I usually get in a few Coker
miles every time I go down. This time I had Blue Shift out on loan from
Sir Harper.

On my first ride I headed out the short dike road, crossed the river to
a long side road and the usual pack of dogs comes out barking. These do
it every time and really don't worry me. They bark and back off. They
don't follow. In my experience thats how most dogs respond to a uni.

On the next day's ride I was literaly heading back for the barn when a
German Shephard came running down his long driveway. I saw him coming
and sped up a bit to get past the driveway before he got to the road.
When he got to the road he made the turn and was in pursuit on the
asphalt. He didn't break and kept chasing with what looked like ill
intent so I jumped off and prepared to use BS as a uni-raquet in case he
meant business. As soon as I was off and yelled he was back to the house
and no more problem.

At the end of that ride a dog I had ridden by on the day before was a
bit more aggressive too. Maybe I smelled better to them that day.

On a bike you can stop pedaling, coast, keep your foot high, and use
your water bottle or frame pump to fend off the hounds. On a unicycle,
if you keep pedaling you keep those tasty calves just going round and
round to tempt the bad doggie.

Just wondering if anybody else has had encounters with the Evil Hound.

BAD DOG!


--
UniBrier - Its Time to Ride

Steve

Do your feet smell? Does you nose run?...You may be built upside down.
-Old joke I found in a Mad Magazine many moons ago.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
UniBrier's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/1404
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/37554
 
UniBrier wrote:
> *Just wondering if anybody else has had encounters with the Evil
> Hound.*

I have been twice, by the same Evil Hound, both times on my Coker. I do
a lot of Cokering around the big "planned community" I live in, 'cause
there are endless variations of rides through the different
neighborhoods. Twice I've gone by this one house and been charged by
this combo mutt/shepard. Both times I've had to dismount and keep the
Coker between me and him. Both times his little band of human
worshipers have come out of the house to say "Stop Spot! Bad Spot! He's
really a nice dog...just let him sniff you. No Spot! etc. for literally
5 friggin' minutes while the dog continues to run in big circles around
my small circles, foaming at the mouth and paying no attention to his
fan base. Eventually one of the teenage kids (not either of the
"responsible adults") runs in and grabs Spot by the collar and holds him
while I mount up and get away.

On the second round of this scenario I told the "responsible adults"
that third strike would be it for Spot. They need to take doggie to
doggie manners school, or doggie will be going for a ride with Animal
Control. Or maybe mace...that's actually something I didn't think of
until now. The coker just doesn't make a good racquet, although so far
it has made a good shield. No Spot bites despite two strong attempts.


--
tomblackwood - Registered Nurtz

Tailgate at your own risk.....

------------------------------------------------------------------------
tomblackwood's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/3762
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/37554
 
One of the nearest trials/muni spots to me is also a major unleashed dog
attraction. They usually chase me and bite my trie. I've had one bite me
on the thigh, but the pocket of my jeans blunted the teeth and made it
painless. I don't hold anything against the dogs who do it. If a dog
starts after you it's your responsibility to dismount. If they continue
with a viscous intent, it's the owner's fault and they need to deal with
it. Most dogs I know will become perfectly nice once the wheel is no
longer under me. It is unreasonable to expect owners of dogs to be able
to familiarize their dogs with uncycles. It is reasonable for them to be
able to control the dog anf familiarize them with people standing trying
to defend themselves.

I own a dog and she is terrified of me on my unicyle. She will run the
moment I start hopping. I expect my dog to be calm around bikes and all
of such things, but being as I don't see someone go by on a pogo stick
every day, it's not fair to expect me to know how my dog will react to a
pogo stick.

I thought this thread would be about dismounts while walking a dog on a
unicycle. I learned many balance skills by walking my 95lb energetic
labrador on leash while riding a unicycle.


--
gerblefranklin - Trials Unicyclist

http://gallery.unicyclist.com/Trials-Muni

I'm Nick's main man.

"Democracy is just a word when the people are starving"-Immortal
Technique
------------------------------------------------------------------------
gerblefranklin's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/4295
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/37554
 
I had a couple of dogs in our neighborhood come out barking at me, a
month or to after I learned. I kept my trusty Torker between me and them
and walked through the area. Nothing serious.

I also had a rather ridiculous experience with my own dog and the
unicycle. A couple months after learning the uni, I decided it would be
clever to walk the dog while riding my unicycle, and she seemed eager to
go, so I went ahead and tried it. I mounted on the driveway, and she
tore off down it onto the street with me pedalling frantically behind.
As soon as we hit the middle of the street, she must have noticed that I
was riding not walking and lay down flat, digging her claws into the
cement. I rode over to the other side of the street, unintentionally
dragging her along on the leash, then dismounted. After allowing the
school bus and three of four other vehicles, which had managed to show
up just as I was entering our seldom used street, to pass, I returned
the dog to the house, and rode off, greatly embarassed.


--
jsm - Freestyle below Freezing!

jsm to BMX posers: "So, what do you do with the extra wheel?"
BMX poser: "Uhhh...., I dunno."

------------------------------------------------------------------------
jsm's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/6911
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/37554
 
I've really only had one bad experience witha dog, I was coming back
from a long ride on my old 24", and this dog started barking at me,
maybe a mile from home. I ignored it, 'cause it had barked at me before
when biking, and when I had ridden by earlier in the day. Never came
after me, just barked. So I'm pedaling when all of a sudden I feel a
pain in ly left calf, followed by pain on my palms as I hit the
ground... Damn dog bit me! Learned its lesson though, 'cause when I
fell the unicycle ejected straight back and came within a couple of
inches of whacking its nose... Has barked at me since, but keeps a
healthy distance.
My brother's dog bit me once last month when I was showing my borther my
uni, but I think he (the dog) was only playing 'cause he didn't bark,
wasn't biting hard (just got my foot, and he only had a firm grip on it)
and let go as soon as I told him to... Glad he's well trained, German
Shepherds can be frightening ;)

Agreed tho, most dogs either bark at everyone and thing that goes by, or
just don't recognize a unicycle... I know my parents dog barked like
crazy the 1st time he saw me on one wheel ;)


--
evil-nick - Unicyclist, Linux Geek, & swell guy

Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total
obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and
through me. And when it has gone past, I will turn the inner eye to see
its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will
remain.

* Bene Gesserit Litany Against Fear.

My gallery:
http://evil.linuxfreak.ca/uni.html
------------------------------------------------------------------------
evil-nick's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/6692
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/37554
 
ChangingLINKS.com wrote:
> *I surprised that you don`t outrun the dog on a Coker.
> My dog tops out at an unsustained 16mph. *



You have a slow dog, my dog and most fit dogs can sprint at around
thirty mph and can sustain twenty five for a long time. It can be hard
to outrun a dog even on a bicycle.
I unicycle with my dog all the time and she is great at staying out of
your way it's better on the coker because I can maintain a speed that
satisfies her desire to run. If I have her on a leash on the muni she is
allways pulling trying to go faster and that can be helpfull on the
uphills but bad when I am going down hill.


--
Tellurider - Dan Wilson

There's a fine line between "Hobby" and "Mental Illness".
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tellurider's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/4972
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/37554
 
gerblefranklin wrote:
> *If a dog starts after you it's your responsibility to dismount.
>
> *


The only time I have been bitten was when I was pushing the muni, it was
an ankle biting Yorkshire Terrier, but have never been attacked while
riding, so my policy is to just keep going and only dismount if I'm in
danger of running over a dog.


--
MattPH - Muni Hungry

You do WHAT on it?
------------------------------------------------------------------------
MattPH's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/8467
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/37554
 
the reasons these dogs do it because if its german shepards or border
colies is because there sheep hearding dogs and they think of you as
something to herd so they run up to you. so the reason they bite your
tire or your leg is because hey feel your not listening to them. I have
a broder colie and he always bites my tire


--
brockfisher05 - you are deeply mised unibiker

check out my gallery at :
http://gallery.vanuni.com/thumbnails.php?album=6

check out my groups website at www.vanuni.com

Add me to your msn at [email protected]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
brockfisher05's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/8363
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/37554
 
I have not had trouble with dogs, yet.

Dogs are great to pass on a uni, at least when their on a leash. While
their master may choose to ignore you, the dog looks at the unicyclist
like their from mars. Dogs just don't have good poker faces. They look
dumbfounded, especially golden retrievers.


--
Chrashing - Just Lucky

Regards,
Chrashing
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chrashing's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/7501
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/37554
 
one time i was riding my uni on a street while carrying a bag of movies,
suddenly a mid sized dog comes up and starts baring its teeth and
growlying then it bit my tire, then it made a huge lung at my leg and
mad 4 pretty good sized puncture wounds. at this time i was mad, as i
rode faster the dog got mader and mader, then just like before it jumped
forward to bite my leg but at this time i was think ahead, in mid jump
it i force fully swung my movie bad and bluntly hit the dog in the head.
the dog yelped, but didnt give up and kept growling and biting my tire.
at this point i was really freaking mad, i slowed down and turned
around, i rode at the dog at full speed and it turned around and ran.

this is the story where brave evan chaced away the rabies dog, thanks
for listening.


Evan


--
total uni - posting is good for the soul!

Trials is the devil - jack huges
------------------------------------------------------------------------
total uni's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/8125
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/37554
 
A few months ago I made a UPDD because of a German shepherd (dog, not
human ) that came running at me when I rode my MUni across a grassy
field. It looked quite aggressive so I jumped off and held my wheel
between me and the dog which tried to circumvent it. The owner was
nearby and he tried to bring the dog under control by talking
(shouting actually) at it but to no avail. Tsk, some dog owners.... He
then grasped its neck band (how do you call that?) and restrained it
while I remounted and rode off. All the time he assured me that it
would never bite or anything, but I didn't trust that. They all say
that until it's done, and then it's "Oh he otherwise never does that".

Just yesterday, if fact on the same grassy field and on the same MUni,
it was dog-walking time. One dog started to bark at me and walk/run
besides be. That triggered other dogs and they began doing the same. I
had a flock of three or four dogs around me, all barking and jumping.
All the owners were behind me and started calling their dogs back but
none of them responded. It was quite hilarious in a way! Since I had
my 661's on and none of the dogs was particularly large I reckoned I
was reasonably safe. Eventually the dogs went away,

A few years ago I did get bitten though. I was riding on my 29'er on a
cycle path on the edge of a built-up area. I rode past a little girl
on a tricycle when this dog (German shepherd, they're the worst) came
running at really high speed out of nowhere straight to me and passed
between me and the girl. I thought that the dog might have come to her
'defence' so I asked her if it was hers but she said no. Then the dog
came back (I was past the girl at this point), ran beside me for about
5 metres, looking at me and barking. I was a bit scared but pedaled
on. Then it bit me lightly in the lower leg which was bare. I shouted
HEY!! at the top of my voice and jumped off the uni. Two people
sitting on a bench nearby had seen everything so I asked whether the
dog was theirs but they said 'Fortunately not!' I said that it bit me
and they confirmed they saw that. No damage to be seen on my leg
though. By now the dog was gone, I remounted and rode away.

More "Bitten by a dog" stories in
<http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/27749>.

Klaas Bil - Newsgroup Addict
--
It's impossible to get old when you ride a unicycle - John (what's in a name) Childs
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom Back