Author Topic: Meeting the Hound of the Baskervilles (Read 6004 times)

jbrough7 · « **on:** June 14, 2006, 10:56:36 AM »

I hope this isn't silly!

Had a fantastic ride this morning! Took the long way and it was still under 60F so I wore my heavy duty leathers. Sun was shining and there was no wind and it was just one of those rides where everything seems perfect.

Found the right gear first time every time and I even had a couple of perfect shifts! You know the kind where your right hand and left hand and your left foot are in perfect synchronicity - that makes 6 perfect shifts in 5000 km!!

Every turn was great; downshifted just right and motored on out of there no sweat.

Then I remembered I had to check out a local gravel yard to see about a delivery. I pulled in before 8:00 a.m., thinking I could still catch the trucks.

I puttered around a bit but nobody was there - except for this humungous great dane! He came bounding out of a shed right at me! I swear his head was as high as mine and this sucker wasn't wagging his tail in friendship, either.

I peeled out but there were a ton of cars on the highway so I just nicked onto the side of the road and kept her there on the gravel. All the way, this beast from hell was right there behind me, baying away and going as hard as he could.

I got it up to 20 mph or so before an opening in traffic and I could pull out. Finally, left the monster behind.

I've had to kick at a few dogs before but I swear if I kicked at this guy he would have had my leg for breakfast!

Jim

Sven · « **Reply #1 on:** June 14, 2006, 11:08:27 AM »

I haven't had much trouble with dawgs, it's just too hot 'n' humid down here for them to bother ya much or follow for long.

In the MSF course, the tactic they taught was to vary your speed...the dog triangulates based on your speed, so if you slow down and then speed up, the dog will either overshoot you or fall behind. If the dog is just chasing you instead of running to meet you, you can outrun it.

But...you persist in driving in gravel in your posts. Yeah, you can't just whip along an 90MPH (which is something like 4,352 KMH, right?) in loose gravel, especially if you're not hitting hard dirt under it.

I guess the answer is travel with a dart gun loaded with kwik-doze!

jbrough7 · « **Reply #2 on:** June 14, 2006, 11:16:44 AM »

Gravel drive and then I had to keep going but the highway was packed so I just turned onto the gravel shoulder. If I had stopped to wait for traffic, he would have swallowed me whole!

jim

Desolation Angel · « **Reply #3 on:** June 14, 2006, 11:28:51 AM »

If it's OK for me to post a reply...

Jim, I think you ought to complain to the property owner about that dog being loose. Or turn them in to the authorities. A dog that size has even less business being off leash than smaller animals.

Vidrazor · « **Reply #4 on:** June 14, 2006, 11:52:53 AM »

>>In the MSF course, the tactic they taught was to vary your speed...the dog triangulates based on your speed, so if you slow down and then speed up, the dog will either overshoot you or fall behind. If the dog is just chasing you instead of running to meet you, you can outrun it.<<

The problem with this tactic is that it's incomplete. What happens if you're nearing a corner with a stop sign? Or a busy intersection? Or any other number of obstacles that will impede your getaway?

You can't always just bolt out as soon as you've spotted some dog that's decided he's just found target practice. So the first thing you need to figure out is where is it that you're going to bolt to. You may not necessarily have an escape route.

Sven · « **Reply #5 on:** June 14, 2006, 12:02:10 PM »

The other MSF tactic is to devide the world into "squishable" and "non-squishable" to a motorcycle, a squirrel or cat is squishable. A car is non-squishable. To an 18-wheeler, a motorcycle is squishable. To in making evasive moves, plan accordingly.

jbrough7 · « **Reply #6 on:** June 14, 2006, 12:02:27 PM »

My thoughts exactly, Vidrazor.

Desolation: I take it that dog guards the place while the gravel trucks are out delivering. I assume that he is ferocious looking and acting but wouldn't actually bite as he was running loose.

I just didn't have the 'nads to find out!

jim

interfuse · « **Reply #7 on:** June 14, 2006, 12:14:01 PM »

I've never met a vicious great dane. Generally they're extremely friendly, but sometimes they don't realize how huge they're. He probably just wanted to give you kisses.

Little dogs on the other hand seem to HATE motorcycles. I've lost count the number of pocket dogs that have wanted a piece of the bike.

Desolation Angel · « **Reply #8 on:** June 14, 2006, 12:49:05 PM »

I am pro dog, but aren't there leash/fence laws concerning them in your area, Jim? If not, then it's OK, I guess, but no animal is 100% predictible, plus you don't know it's shot/health history. What if it had gotten your ankle? A big dog like that. Would have taken you right off that bike!

You may need to start carrying a little pepper spray for the occasional animal encounter.

jbrough7 · « **Reply #9 on:** June 14, 2006, 01:10:44 PM »

I think a little sawed-off number under the jacket loaded with rock salt would have been a lot more fun.

We do have laws but they're just basically in towns - this is out in lonesomeville.

An old joke - I don't live at the end of the earth, but I can see it from here!

Desolation Angel · « **Reply #10 on:** June 14, 2006, 01:20:00 PM »

Quote from: jbrough7

I think a little sawed-off number under the jacket loaded with rock salt would have been a lot more fun...:

I like dogs a bit too much for that particular solution, but to make 'em sneeze and have watery eyes I'm OK with. Never done it myself, but I notice our postal carriers wear a small canister of that on their belts.

Vidrazor · « **Reply #11 on:** June 14, 2006, 01:59:05 PM »

>>You may need to start carrying a little pepper spray for the occasional animal encounter.<<

Although on a bicycle, I knew someone who used to carry dog snacks and toss 'em when a particular dog use to try and chase her.

fritobandito · « **Reply #12 on:** June 14, 2006, 02:41:55 PM »

A lot of dogs are more bark than bite. For instance, when I was a kid I would always try and sneak past this one house that had a loose dog who's daily exercise routine included chasing me home on my bike. One day, I'd had enough. He was hot on my heels when, in a fit of exasperation, I slammed on my brakes, left the bike laying in the middle of the street and chased that begger all the way back to his yard. He never chased me again. Mind you, it took being chased by that dog nearly all summer before I decided to go for broke. But, the end result was quite rewarding I must say. Pretty full of myself after that.

SmokeyAndTheBandit · « **Reply #13 on:** June 14, 2006, 10:53:00 PM »

I got chased by a pair of dogs a few weeks ago while traveling downhill on a gravel road. It was in the middle of nowhere and I thought for sure that I was going down. Luckily I escaped. But for now on, I avoid those gravel roads.

Yep ! · « **Reply #14 on:** June 17, 2006, 06:42:20 AM »

Quote from: interfuse

I've never met a vicious great dane. Generally they're extremely friendly, but sometimes they don't realize how huge they're. He probably just wanted to give you kisses..

Have you ever been "kissed" by a St-Bernard dog on a hot summer day...That son of a beech is so full of slob that I think I'd rather see as many teeth as on Des. Angel's avatar...