Dogs that I encounter on my bike generally fall into one of three categories:
1) They are scared and retreat and/or run away. No problem.
2) They are simply curious, perhaps wagging their tails or even running alongside my bicycle for a ways in an exuberant manner. Also no problem.
3) They run at me aggressively, threatening to bite me and/or make me crash. Definitely a problem.
Fortunately, the vast majority of dogs I have encountered are in Categories 1 or 2. I had my first real encounter with a Category 3 dog last March. It was on a road only a few miles from my house. I generally don't ride that way because I've been chased by this dog and several others nearby too many times. It had been a while since I had ridden that way, and I thought maybe I wouldn't see the bad dog that day. Mistake. Not only did I see him, he climbed a fence and chased after me! I couldn't escape him, and he bit me on my side. It's a wonder I didn't crash and truly get attacked. It was a nasty wound, but I healed fine. I do have four fang-shaped scars left on my side. I just pretend that Dracula was drunk and missed my neck. By the way, Animal Control quarantined the dog for a couple of weeks. The owners promised to contain him, but I haven't ridden past that house since then.
Because that dog prevents me from going that route, I have been left with really only one other egress/ingress for my nighttime dirt road rides. That has been fine until last week when I encountered another Category 3 - a hellhound.
A couple of miles from my house, I was riding my usual route, when all of a sudden I heard this terrible snarling about two inches from my leg. The only light was from my bicycle headlight, and so I couldn't get a look at the dog that time. I just rode away as quickly as I could, praying that I could out-sprint the hellhound. I made it, but I had to go back that way at the end of my route. Thankfully, it didn't chase me on the way back home. I suspected, though, that wouldn't be my last encounter with it. I was right.
Last night I did another dirt road ride, taking my usual egress/ingress. There was just enough light left in the sky to see the hellhound this time. It was a medium-sized, black, furry dog. It would have seemed cute if it weren't out for blood. I got away.
I hated that my ride was marred by the hellhound because it was a pleasant evening for January - temperature in the 50s - and I had pretty good mojo. Maybe I wouldn't see the hellhound on my return trip. I was wrong.
It chased me again, seeming to drip venom as it lunged toward my legs. All I could do was sprint. I did note the house number as I rode by, though.
I considered my options. I could carry pepper spray or a similar deterrent next time I ride that way. I could call the owner. Or I could go ahead and call animal control. I decided that I should call the owner. It was easy enough to find him on-line, but there was no phone number listed, which didn't surprise me telephone land lines are getting pretty scarce. Fortunately, I know who the owner is and where he works.
Today I called the owner in a very friendly manner. I told him that I'm his neighbor and that I hoped he could help me with something. When I described how his dog had been chasing me on my bicycle, he was very apologetic and said he would start putting his dog in a pen in the evenings. I thanked him, and we hung up cordially. I have high hopes that this will solve the problem and that I won't have to take any further steps. Here's to being a good neighbor and working out our differences peaceably.
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