I hit and killed a Hawk yesterday as it was swooping down do get some road kill. It got me to thinking about dogs that like to chase bikes, I have had several run out in the road but always managed to speed up to mess up there timing. I was wondering if it is unaviodable what is the correct action to take, Hit the throttle a little to change the weight balance and hope for the best? What is recommended as the safest action to take.

 

I had the bad luck of a dog running out to chase my bike on the GRAVEL road I live off of...Talk about FREAK! I hit the dog & all I could do was try weaving slightly, do to the gravel & the hold tight when I hit the dog. It ran right in front of me, I was doing around 20 mph and DAMN NEAR went down, but luckly kept the rubber side down. It's hard to say cause I have had to speed past them , slow down to avoid them, veir to miss them. The best they is hoping to see them way before you get too them, or ANYHTHING for that matter....I call it DEFENSIVE riding. Thats how I ride ALWAYS. Just like looking out for cars,trucks,etc. Have a good day,


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Good question... I hit a rabbit in Dinosaur, Colorado traveling about 60 mph, pulled up on the handlebars and hit the throttle. Thank gawd I kept it straight and most of the impact was felt at the rear. I would say anything bigger I would slam the brakes, short of lock-up, and keep the bike straight as possible. Swerve and I think you gona be worse off. I too wonder what the best manoeuver would be...

 

I have heard to adjust the speed (slow down) as a dog's instinct is to head you off and intercep you at a predetermined point. If you slow down slightly this would help you maintain control and avoid going off the road or another collision.

The best thing you could do is come to a complete stop and then start off again..

 

YES I've hit a dog before, MY OWN DOG![:@]! I was riding a Triumph 650 to and from work, he would sit on the corner, in the afternoon, and wait and listen for me. Then, as I would go up the hill, he'd run along side of me. One day, for who knows why, he decided to go from the left side to the right side of the bike. 2 words BUMP, BUMP, right over him. He was a medium sized dog, i hit the brakes AFTER going over him, he was laying on his side eyes wide open. I didn't know what to do, so, i just slowly carefully felt him all over and blew a little breath into his muzzel. He started moving his eyes, and moving around a little, so, i picked him up, carried him home. He was fine, BUT, when i started the old Triumph up after that, he was GONE, to the back yard, where he'd stand and shake for a while. PTSD i guess. No, i didn't go down, learned a good lesson, you can't trust even mans best friend.

 

Thanks for the replies, There was a dog about 2 miles from my house that would lie and wait for passing cars behind a brick mailbox. The first time scared the sh*t out of me but then I became aware of him in that area. I think it finally meet its match since I have not seen it in the last couple months.
I do remember in MSF class about varing your speed to throw off the timing.

 

I hit a rabbit out near Joshua Tree, CA. It actually jumped through my front wheel and got partially chopped up between the spokes and the fender braces. The slight weight of the rabbit in the wheel made the it out of balance so I had to stop and dig it out. Ya know how baseball cards sounded in your bicycle spokes when you were a kid. Yeah, kinda like that.

 

Yes....with a newspaper.

 

Slow down at first, then speed up to mess up their timing. I saw a dog damn near jump on a friend of mine as ran into the middle of the street. Scared the **** out of him,, I laughed my big *** off after I saw he was okay.

 

Funny you should say that about the hawk. About two weeks ago I was rounding a downhill curve on Walnut Creek Rd between Highlands and Franklin NC and a red tailed hawk swooped down toward me from the high side of the mountain right in front of me and he twisted and turned and flew to the side and in front of me for a few seconds before he veered off to my left and across the road. I guess he was as startled as I was and was trying to get his bearings. I just held my speed and position and it ended good. I didn't hit him and I didn't drop the bike. The hawk encounter was a first for me. As far as dogs, I just do what the taught in the riders safety course and it works but it seems that most dogs won't even chase you from my experience.