I was riding alone yesterday evening down a double track through a forest in Spain when a huge black dog ran out of nowhere and bit me on my leg just below my knee. There was a man with it and he shoed it off throwing a stone, but when I started riding again it turned round and chased me again. I was going at about 35kmh over rocks and with the light going and the dog at my feet I realised this might not end well if I continued to try to outpace it and with the owner out of sight. I braked and spent at least two minutes holding my bike out in front of me and trying to keep the snarling animal at bay. Eventually the owner caught up, shouted at it, threw some more stones at it and I took off again, this time successfully.
When I got back to base my leg was bleeding slightly so I went to the local 2-man A&E for some advice. It turned out that it was the nurse´s dog being walked by her boyfriend. I was quite annoyed because the guy hadn’t even apologised or put it on its lead, but since it is the only medical centre within an hours drive and I will surely fall off or do something stupid in the foreseeable future, I couldn’t really make an official complaint and just asked her to ask her boyfriend to keep it on the leash.
I was given some antibiotics and went on my way, but does anyone have any advice for dealing with aggressive dogs that are scared of bikes.. I actually wasn’t that shaken but I am not 100% looking forward to riding through that area again as I think there is a chance of a repeat and there is hardly ever anyone else there – it is a wilderness which is why it is such a great route to ride..