Majority of dogs who attack cyclist are merely defending their territory. Pedal off the section of the road which they consider their turf, and they will usually lose interest. As long as you are not on his turf, he usually couldn't care less about you.
- Dogs usually attack from the rear, coming up from the hindquarter; thus will wait till you pass before giving chase. Use this to your advantage and
- Sprint! You can usually out run the dog when it's more interested in fooling around than actually attacking!
- Screaming works as well as most dogs know what happens when a human is angry at them. A loud and sudden " NO" or "STAY" will usually surprise and make them hesitate long enough for you to get pass them safely.
- Raising your hand threatening as if to throw something at them works too as most strays have had experience with things flying towards them when a human makes a throwing gesture.
- With bigger dogs, squirting them with your water bottle works best. When it approaches, give him a faceful and a loud yell. But don't distract yourself and ride off the road.
- While some may swear by Pepper spray, I usually don't recommend it. This stuff works great—that is if you can hit your target. That’s a big "IF" when you and the Bad Dog are at different speeds, the air is moving, and you’re trying to stay on the road.
* a friend actually got dosed in his own face while using it and fell. The supposedly bad dog didn't attack him, instead gingerly came up to him as if to check whether he was alright...
My personal favorite weapon against bad dogs are children's Pop-pop, which you can find in most sundry shops! Easy to carry, cheap and effective... tossing a couple at them usually does the job effectively.
Ride Safe - Cheers
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