Dogs Dogs Dogs

In the Basic Rider Course, they talk about dogs.  They say if you are approaching a dog, slow down as you approach the dog, and then speed up as go away from the dog.  Moreover, they say don't kick the dog.  I was in the class and I was wondering how did this info make the course?  I'll tell you because dogs are literally everywhere!

But back to class, they ask why shouldn't you kick the dog?  Someone answer animal cruelty, which seems like a good answer and would have been mine.  Good answer and point, but not completely.  What else?  Because you can fall off the bike!  So whether you like dogs or not, don't kick at them.  Again, do you really need to put that in a course?  It is like directions on shampoo.

As for the slow down and then speed up, that is to throw the dog off.  If the dog plans an intercept course, it will estimate your current speed.  By slowing down and then speeding up, the dog will arrive too late if it sprints after you.

Now that I've been driving.  I think like every trip I see a one or more dogs.  Sometimes on leashes, sometimes not, and sometimes on leashes so long you're like what is the point?  And again sometime with or without their pet human.  It is like anywhere you go, there's at least one or more dogs between here and there.

Now lucky, I've not been chased.  Though I always follow the advice, slow down and then speed up.  I always keep an eye on the dog as I near to see where its interest is at.  Is it sniffing in the grass, chasing a squirrel, or is focused on me?

Haven't had any close dog calls.  I did have one "annoying" experience.  I was coming to a road by a school.  I came up to the stop sign, put my turn signal on.  As I get closer, I see a dog on the right of the road I was going to turn onto.  Ok I think, plenty of road for this turn.  Then I get closer and there's a car, stopped in the road.  I think are they moving?  Nope, as I come to a stop, they don't move.  Now there was a little space to the right between the car and the grass and the dog.  But it wasn't enough to leave me comfortable.  I mean in an emergency situation I'd have used that space, but I was just trying to turn right from a stop sign.  Thus, I keep rolling past the car.  I debate entering on the left of the road.  There's no traffic, and I have good visibility down the road.  But the thought leaves me slightly uneasy.  As I roll straight, looking right, I see the driver.  The driver is over in the left lane of the road with...  Another dog! on the other side!  Well that seals it, I won't be turning on this road, so then I look over to my left and re-merge back to continue straight on the road I was trying to get off of.

And of course when I get come, it doesn't help there's 2 dogs living in my house :)

This post goes to the dogs, thanks for not chasing me... so far...