My first street bike accident and an almost

[codell]

I had my first real street bike accident in August 2020. I started riding, sometime around 1970 and the bikes I rode then were dirt bikes. We didn't have all the fancy protection gear that is available now and it was not unusual to get really messed up, broken bones, cuts, etc. If you rode and rode hard it was just a matter of time before you got hurt and you just accepted it. One buddy of mine at the time almost got castrated, he had kids later on, so at least his plumbing wasn't permanently damaged. I learned early on if I fell off one of these two wheeled contraptions it would hurt.

I prided myself on the fact I had never dropped a street bike. I have a couple of perhaps humorous anecdotes of almosts, which I may write about later, but this is about my first real accident.
I was riding my red 2000 Kaw Concours, it was hot and I wore no jacket. I really liked the Kaw, especially the wind/bug protection. The guy who previously owned it had worked at the old local Yamaha dealer, on the parts counter and his parents had owned the local Honda shop, which had started back in the 60's (it's gone now) and I really enjoyed his stories of his good ole days. He was 10 years older than me and when he passed, to me, it was like losing a good book. He had kept the Kaw in almost flawless condition and when it came up for sale, I wanted it and bought it.

I was riding a road which I had ridden hundreds of times before, within a mile of my house and was going slow that day. Then, when all of the sudden, three dogs run out in front of me. I hit the brakes (which are definitely better than the FJ), but it was too late, I ran over one of the medium sized dogs. I went through the windscreen and landed on my head and right arm. The bike landed on it's right side. Fortunately, I was wearing a full-face helmet and it took the brunt of the hit, but my arm was rashed and bleeding.

I could hear from a nearby trailer some woman continually screaming, "You killed my dog!". I was a little in shock but I knew I had to get the bike to the side of the road. A Concours weighs over 700lbs. and with the side cases loaded even more. I guess I had a lot of adrenaline running through the veins, because I don't remember lifting it being difficult at all. I called my wife on the cell and then the state police.
The wife was there in a couple of minutes and arrived while I was picking up lower fairing pieces, the side cases are huge on these things and the right one took most of the hit. I pulled the dog to the shoulder and waited for the trooper to show up. My wife talked to the owner and tried to calm her down, she was going ballistic over the dog. We waited and waited for the police. After about twenty or thirty minutes we decided to go home.

The trooper showed up at the house some time later. He told me he had visited that trailer many times, they had no money and would cause trouble. He said the only thing he could do was make them bury the dog and report the accident. That was that.

One year later, I was riding the same road and was well aware of their two surviving dogs. I slow way down in this area because of this hazard and they do chase me from time to time. Right before I got to this hazardous area, I felt a stabbing paint in my left calf. I looked down and this big pit bull had a hold of my leg. I ran the bike off into the ditch. Thankfully, I was on my Honda CB500X and was able to ride it out. The dog had let go by then and I stopped on the shoulder and got off the bike. Now, I am facing this snarling pit bull.

I pulled my knife, which is a 5" flick and lock job and let out the loudest rebel yell I could. The dog took off to the trailer on the other side of the street. I knew whose trailer it was. I looked at my leg, my rip stop paints were ripped wide open and soaked in blood. I decided to beeline it for home.

My good and patient wife took care of my medical needs. Alcohol, antiseptic and a huge bandage. She called the dog's owner first, then the state police. About 45 minutes later the trooper showed up. He had talked to the dog's owner and there was some doubt if the dog had really bit me. I pulled up my pant leg (I had changed pants) and ripped the bloody bandage off. He said he didn't have to see anymore and it was amazing I hadn't wrecked the bike.
In this area, dog licensing and rabies shots are optional, not really, but the law is unenforced. I was concerned about rabies and the trooper suggested I go to the hospital and get it taken care of. Well, the last place I was going to step into was a Covid ridden hospital. He then said, the dog would be taken and observed and then put down and that the state health department would contact me. None of this ever happened.

To top it all off, the dog's owner calls and is upset because we called the state police.

Man, sometimes I feel like going up to the Rez, getting me some of that whacky tobacky and have at it.

[fj1289]

I think I'd carry a bit of "special" steak for that dog the next time through there ...


I do t know how far off the beaten path this place is - but what would happen if someone tried riding a bicycle through there?!   Especially a kid!

[codell]

I see very few bicycles around, except in the Adirondacks in the summer. I would never let a kid ride one and I know I wouldn't ride one around here, because most of the secondary roads are narrow and not in the best state of repair and I wouldn't want or see anyone else end up as a grill ornament on an F-250.
The only thing that saved my leg from serious injury were the heavy rip-stop pants, which I always wear. I have been bitten by dogs riding other places around the area, but it was on the ankles or heal and high-top combat boots protect me from that.
I like the idea of the steak, but you just don't know when any dog is going to be out.

[giantkiller]

When I  was a kid. A neighbor down the road had a dog that would always run out and  nip at the tires of passing cars. My dad made sure that all the dogs we ever had were  disciplined. And would never allow such behavior. He  tied burlap bags onto the truck wheels. First time he drove past the dog ran out and got his teeth stuck in the bag. Instantly dispatched the dog. He spun around and flew off the wheel.

I love dogs but there is no excuse for such a thing to happen. And that dog should be dispatched.

[5speed]

have a house up the road from us that has a standard poodle that is aggressive. they have an invisible dog fence but if the batteries are dead in the collar (happens a lot) it comes out on the road. It attacked our dog twice. Both times my wife was walking our dog alone.
It came after our dog when I was walking her..it didn't go like the poodle thought it would.
I called the RCMP this time as I had called the canine control officer the first time and it obviously didn't do any good.
fast forward a few months and I'm walking past their house and out comes toe poodle on to the road. it got a swift kick in the ribs for it's effort. But this time the owner came out on the doorstep just in time to see his dog running towards the house.
I made it quite clear to him that if his dog comes after mine or me again I'm killing it and throwing it's carcass in his yard.
Problem solved.

[Millietant]

I'm just glad I live in a civilised country where we can walk, cycle and motorcycle-ride, free from the worries of dogs attacking us. 

I can;t recall the last time I saw anything about a cyclist, pedestrian or motorcyclist being attacked in the street by a dog - with the exception of those events where someone has already been in/on a property with a loose dog resident at that property. I'm sure it has happened, but it's so rare so as to be a non-issue.

It's law here to have a dog on a lead any time its not in a secure area - or if the dog can be shown to be under it's owners control, and that means total recall plus the ability to follow commands and walk at heel. Plus all dogs have to be "identity chipped", or run the risk of being destroyed (and the owners prosecuted).

Our Police and Dog Wardens are very "on the ball" and strict with this and it's made a huge difference over the last 25 years here.

[krusty]

I'm just glad I live in a civilised country where we can walk, cycle and motorcycle-ride, free from the worries of dogs attacking us. 

I can;t recall the last time I saw anything about a cyclist, pedestrian or motorcyclist being attacked in the street by a dog - with the exception of those events where someone has already been in/on a property with a loose dog resident at that property. I'm sure it has happened, but it's so rare so as to be a non-issue.

It's law here to have a dog on a lead any time its not in a secure area - or if the dog can be shown to be under it's owners control, and that means total recall plus the ability to follow commands and walk at heel. Plus all dogs have to be "identity chipped", or run the risk of being destroyed (and the owners prosecuted).

Our Police and Dog Wardens are very "on the ball" and strict with this and it's made a huge difference over the last 25 years here.

Plus there's the added bonus here that owners are required to pick up their pooch's crap. Ever got in your car with shite on your shoes. A distant memory now.

[SpiderFJ1200]

That's pretty horrific. If you filed a police report, and nothing was done about it, I'd keep calling up the chain of command until I got someone to take it seriously. I've never hit a dog, or been bitten by one while riding. Plenty of "slow on approach, and accelerate as I reach the dog(s)" though. There are lots of loose dogs in my part of town. Haven't had any try to chase me *yet*.

My worst motorcycle accident, I hit a deer at 70 mph. Totaled my bike. I got away with a sprained ankle, and a little road rash where the asphalt burned through my jacket and past the edge of my armor leaving a nickel sized burn.

[ribbert]

....I'm killing it and throwing it's carcass in his yard.
Problem solved.

What country do you live in and by what means would you follow through with this?

Noel

[Dads_FJ]

....I'm killing it and throwing it's carcass in his yard.
Problem solved.

What country do you live in and by what means would you follow through with this?

Noel

Looks like he's from Canada.  This scenario could also be in rural Minnesota USA (where I live) as there's no enforcement by officers of the law in situations like this.   A gun most likely would be used to dispatch the K9.

[Sparky84]

Plus there's the added bonus here that owners are required to pick up their pooch's crap. Ever got in your car with shite on your shoes. A distant memory now.

Yeah, sometimes doesn't work like that Krusty, some pick up the crap, some pick it up then discard the bag on the footpath, some just don't do anything and if your bin ain't up in time they discard their little bag in your freshly empty bin.

Not a distant memory and with more out and about these days there's more of it.

[krusty]

Plus there's the added bonus here that owners are required to pick up their pooch's crap. Ever got in your car with shite on your shoes. A distant memory now.

Yeah, sometimes doesn't work like that Krusty, some pick up the crap, some pick it up then discard the bag on the footpath, some just don't do anything and if your bin ain't up in time they discard their little bag in your freshly empty bin.

Not a distant memory and with more out and about these days there's more of it.

I've had a bag dumped in my just emptied bin once. When we first moved here (35 years ago) it was disgusting. I live by a lake foreshore reserve which is very popular with walkers (and lately since COVID, cyclists). People would let there dogs crap anywhere then leave it. When I went to mow outside my fence I had to be careful and look out for the now white signatures in the grass. If there were any fresh dog bombs I would scoop them up with a shovel and dump them right on the foot traffic wear path on the grass (no pavement). Around here most act responsibly.
Different story in UK along canal tow paths. Dog walkers bag it then hang the bag in the next tree they pass. I've seen small trees with at least a dozen bags hanging and more on the ground.

[JMR]

I'm just glad I live in a civilised country where we can walk, cycle and motorcycle-ride, free from the worries of dogs attacking us.  

I can;t recall the last time I saw anything about a cyclist, pedestrian or motorcyclist being attacked in the street by a dog - with the exception of those events where someone has already been in/on a property with a loose dog resident at that property. I'm sure it has happened, but it's so rare so as to be a non-issue.

It's law here to have a dog on a lead any time its not in a secure area - or if the dog can be shown to be under it's owners control, and that means total recall plus the ability to follow commands and walk at heel. Plus all dogs have to be "identity chipped", or run the risk of being destroyed (and the owners prosecuted).

Our Police and Dog Wardens are very "on the ball" and strict with this and it's made a huge difference over the last 25 years here.

Just don't wear a luxury watch as you will be beaten to a pulp and lose the watch. The same will happen to your wife if she is with you. Law enforcement isn't too concerned it seems.

[Millietant]