You are hereForums / General Discussion / NoBMoB Chat / Dam Dogs
Dam Dogs
Posted this over on 26 Inches, but thought you gys all being locals thought might stick it up here too.
At Manly Dam yesterday, riding up the fire road next to the pipe yesterday, pass a couple walking two large dogs off their leads. One of the dogs, a friken Doberman, walks right in front of me so I have to turn to avoid it ( not going that fast as it was still uphill).
Suddenly the dog goes berserk and starts running after me, barking. Then it bit me on the leg. Stoked. Lucky I had pads on. I stopped and got off my bike so that it was between me and the dog. The guy comes running over yelling at it and the dog runs off.
I say mate control your dog, it just bit me. He says " No it didn't". I looked at him and said "Mate, your dog just bit me on the leg" He says " Where? give us a look then" I told him that there was nothing to see and it bit me on my pad. He goes off to get the dog.
The girl says the dog was scared by the bike. I said that that's not my problem, and if it is sacred of bikes then they shouldn't have it off the lead where a lot of people ride bikes. Imagine if I'd been a little kid.
Then I look down at my pad and all the white mesh is torn where the dog bit me. I pointed this out to the girl and she just stared at me.
The guy comes back holding the doberman by the collar. I show him the pad and say look where it bit me. He laughs and says " Get out, it didn't do that". I look at him in disbelief. I say to him "Mate, learn to take some responsibilty for your own actions and also for those of your dog, you jerk".
Then I walk off, pushing my bike so the dog doesn't go nuts again.
When I finish the ride I check out my pad. Not only is the mesh torn but there is a gash in the foam about 1cm deep and about 5cms long from it's teeth. Opposite this is another smaller punture mark, obviously from a tooth on it's lower jaw.
Even though the pad saved me, I could feel the spot on my leg where it bit me all afternoon.
Wankers.
- Login to post comments
I think you might want to have a chat to the local rangers at the Dam.
As far as I know dogs are not allowed off leads in National Parks....
Manly Dam isn't actually a National Park, so dogs off the leash might not be an issue.
You might not want to admit you were riding up near the pipe either as that is off limits to riders.
Things are getting a bit heated down at the Dam I think. I can imagine the rangers are getting complaints from all directions (walkers don't like riders, riders don't like walkers, etc, etc).
In light of all this you might be best to just shrug your shoulders and leave it be.
And it generally p!sses me off to no end when people take their dog's leads off the second they get to the Dam. Now I'll just dislike the dog walkers even more.
Reported it to the council, but as I didn't have the guys name of anything ( and somehow I don't think he would have given me it) all they could do was keep a record of the event.
I was riding up the fire road next to the pipe, not ducking under it, perfectly 100% legal to ride there.
And dogs are definately not allowed off the leash in the Dam, there's even signs up that say this ( however dog walkers usually use these to lean whilst they're removing the lead).
Heated or not, if you get bitten by a large dog, who's jerk of an owner is doing the wrong thing, and then denies the whole thing happened, not that easy to shrug off.
if it's good enough for the Koreans, fight fire with fire, then see what the owner does ;-} Then bite him too.
(Tangentially it's a great film too)
Seriously does anyone know what the legal situation is here? Can the owner be prosecuted? Presumably he didn't exactly give the dog a good telling off either...
Would the moral be to take a pic if you have a camera?
Thats one twisted film Matt!
I am sure more recently they have been taking such biting/agressive dogs down to "THE FARM".
Dog owners are legally responsible for the actions of their animals at all times, and are liable to prosecution if their dogs harm or threaten the safety of other people irregardless of where and when the attack takes place, ie if it was in a leashed or unleashed area.
If you wanted to find who the owners of the dog are, ask the local Vet Clinics, Council, Dog Shelters, and most importantly ask other dog walkers in the area. Most people who own dogs stop and talk to other dog owners so they are a good source of info. Plus they can tell you if they have heard of that dog behaving inappropriately to other people and dogs.
I'd agree with Rob and shrug it off. Not that I condone the action of the dog owner.
It's a shared space and things like that will happen. Just like when a group of mad mtb'ers come across walkers on a single trail. Smile be polite and courteous and move on.
I would have to say to take it on the chin if not seriously hurt and help keep things amicable so we all live to ride another day.
Cheers
Craig
I'm off to by a set of shin guards, I now have two reasons to buy a set!
Greg
Doesn't sound like a scared dog to me. Who ever heard of a large dog scared of a bike rider? WTF?
Mate, you should have layed the boot into that mutt, and the owner if he wanted to do anything about it.
So what are we riders to do now? Carry the odd concealed weapon?
Funnily enough I was talking to a guy in teh bike shop yesterday, and he said he had a mate that was bitten by a dog twice, and he used to have a steel rod mounted to his frame instead of a pump!
And Craigs I'm not sure what you're talking about mate. "It's a shared space and things like that will happen. Just like when a group of mad mtb'ers come across walkers on a single trail. Smile be polite and courteous and move on."
The posted signs state for bikes to give way to walkers. They also state that dogs must be on a leash.
It is a shared space indeed, and the rules and regulations of the place where put there with amicable sharing in mind. Therefore if they're respected, then THINGS LIKE THIS WON'T HAPPEN ( or at least will be minimalised.
And just for the record I am not a dog hating nut or anything. I own one, my brother owns one, my brother in law owns two...
I agree with Rob - we all have to share the area together and I wouldn't stir the hornets nest with the rangers. Unfortunately there are always a few bitter walkers, raging mountain bikers and crazy dogs/owners among the more usual people amoung us going about our own business. C'est la vie.