Sorry for the lapse in blogging – I have been busy with last minute training, packing, and logistics. I read a great article in Adventure Cyclist magazine this month about dog encounters. Although my choice would be to not entertain such thoughts, the reality is that I will no doubt have some interaction with curious canines along my route. I am a dog lover and my non-threatening demeanor when walking usually evokes nothing more than casual curiosity from the dogs I encounter (with the exception of the Georgia pit bulls I met on my walk to Washington in 2007). But put me on a bicycle and suddenly I become a bane to their existence, or so it must seem to them. I have observed on my rides around town that even dogs who know me can’t resist the urge to make chase. On this trip, I will be riding mostly on small county roads through very rural areas. The odds of encounters are greater, given the tendency for dogs in these areas to roam freely. More than one source has indicated that Kentucky is particularly well known for its “free range” canines. I will be packing a canister of HALT, a popular puppy deterrent. I’m not crazy about using it, however, as I don’t like the idea of spraying something in any creature’s face.
The article I read mentioned using a 120 decibel air horn (like those used by boaters) as a first line of defense and that the horn used by the author was rechargeable.
I found the EcoBlast online and it is way cool. Note the valve on the bottom of the can – I can recharge the horn using my bicycle pump – an endless supply of blast power! I’m hoping that the horn will convince my doggie friends to leave me alone and I won’t have to use the spray. I can also use the horn in heavy traffic to level the playing field with the 18-wheelers.
With less than one month until my departure, I am really anxious to hit the road. I guess I should be savoring my final days of cushy bedding and regular showers!
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8 comments:
I'm glad to see you are going with the air horn, it will scare off any mutt without hurting them, as for the truckers, good luck!
I'm a dog lover as well, but I got bitten last month. In my neighborhood, 3 doors down from my house. Right in front of the owners who were yelling at the dog to stop and come back. Good luck with the horn, but the Halt may come in handy. And - it doesn't HURT the dog - just makes them uncomfortable for a while. And maybe it will give them pause the next time a cyclist comes by.
Of course (as someone pointed out on a web forum) - if you spray the dog, you had better be ready to spray the owner as well.
Good luck - hopefully it won't be an issue for you.
My youngest boy lost control of his bike once when he was startled by a very agressive dog. He fell very hard on the pavement and required some stitches. The ER doc told me to mix 2 tablespoons of cayenne pepper in one pint of water and give it to the boy in a squirt gun with instructions to aim for the snout of any aggresive dog. It worked like a charm. The dogs take one whiff of that pepper water and take off running. It doesn't hurt the animal at all, it's very cheap and best of all it gave confidence back to my son.
Good luck on your trip.
Pepper spray is essentially what Halt is. My worry about a squirt gun would be that someone might mistake it for a weapon - its happened with toys before.
I've used home made pepper spray for years, it is very effective and won't hurt animals if you keep the concentration fairly low. 2 tbls to a pint of water is just about right, any more and you could damage a dog's eyes if it gets in them.
Excellent point about the squirt gun, I'd never tell my kid to use one, cops see a teenager pull a gun out and god knows what could happen. A spray bottle is better. HALT! contains some other compounds, not juust red pepper, so I prefer to make my own.
The topic of pepperspray for personal protection comes up in the forums a lot. See bikeforms.net.
Her'es a product that is the same strength as pure capsaicin: http://www.vexor.com
I'd never use something this powerful unless I was in fear for my life, like being attacked by a pack of pit bulls. Pat, I think the air horn will work 90% of the time but I've run into some smart dogs on the road and they figure out quickly the horn can't hurt them. Then it's time for the spray. Halt is very mild and I doubt if it could stop a full grown pit in attack mode.
Best of luck, buddy and come see us in the forums.
Pat, About your dog chasing problem. . . While walking my multi-dog family thru East Hill many years ago (before people started being more responsible about keeping their dogs on leashes) , I found it wise to carry a spray bottle of the smellyist flea repellant I could find. I recommend Adams Flea-Off Mist (available at PetsMart); it's very perfumy and you don't have to hit the dog with it. Just spray it around you in an arc, and when the dog hits that smell, it usually stops him/her cold. Just try not to laugh at the surprised look on the dog's face. I have never met a dog that liked flea spray. Of course this will not stop the truly violent dog, but if chasing or harrasing is just a game, it should stop the dog without injury to anybody. Have a good trip.
I am inspired by Pat's plans to ride the URR Bicycle Route.
I helped with the research for the Central Ohio portion of this route.
Pat I live just off the route in Central Ohio and you are welcome to stay with me and my wife while you are in our area. You can reach me at bikechuck@yahoo.com if you are interested.
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