Yet if you crash your car into a tree your insurance will cover it, so presumably that isn’t your fault. Or maybe whether car insurance covers something isn’t the best criteria to use for establishing fault.

Actually, can I just check your real name isn’t Janick Fielding, because he did a good line in pointing out that Denisa Perinova wouldn’t have died if she hadn’t gone for a bike ride, so she was at fault for her own death. Proximate cause, is that the correct term?

Could you be any more patronising? Given that thousands of people are bitten by dogs every year, it’s hardly ‘an irrational fear founded on nothing’ is it?

Given the number of interactions its is fairly irrational. How do injury rates compare to car travel? I have what I consider an irrational fear of flying, people do die from flying but its still irrational.

So it’s a fairly irrational fear founded on something then.
And I’m not sure we should be referring to insurance companies as arbiters of morality either. Proximate Cause is designed to swing the odds a little more in their favour.

Andyrm +1

– Aracer’s bird left her bag unattended, showing lack of due care for personal property.
– Puppy sniffed it.
– Some shouting occurred.
– All involved parties could have behaved like civil human beings rather than getting all emotional.
– The end.

I mentioned up there I’ve been bitten by dogs at least 5 times. I’ve never been injured in a car. Just how irrational would it be for me to be afraid of dogs?

Or since somebody complained about anecdotes, how about some stats. Estimated over 200,000 dog bites a year resulting in over 6000 hospital admissions http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/law-and-order/10429862/Dog-attack-laws-and-statistics.html which is a bit more than the total number of injuries on the roads http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reported_Road_Casualties_Great_Britain

Hardly something to trivialise – though I’m sure somebody will be along shortly to do just that – and far from an irrational fear IMHO.

at least…… blimey you are unlucky, how many scars do you have or do you keep them well hidden on the inside?
We would need to know how many times has a dog not bitten you in order to asses your rationality.

5 times?!

Are you a butcher? do you smell of sausages?

Just seem to encounter a lot of dogs, given I regularly run and bike on FPs and BWs where dogs are walked. Presumably the answer is not to do that – Proximate Cause?

The thing is though looking at those stats, there are a lot of people who don’t go out where dogs are so will never get bitten, but everybody uses the roads. Hence those who do encounter dogs regularly have a far higher chance of being bitten by a dog than injured in a road accident.

Still irrational that fear?

I don’t have an irrational fear of dogs, I just don’t like them at all. Same is true of children for some people which is why I never let my kids run onto other people’s picnics, lick their legs, jump up at their bikes, shite in their bushes, shag their legs, shake fetid water over their clothes or eat their tame guinea pigs.

I am not a dog owner. I consider a lot of what owning a dog entails and the consequences of dog ownership difficult and downright disgusting.

However, if I left a bag laying about and a puppy disappeared into it head first I’d think it was hilarious. Because puppies are cute and I’m watching a baby with an unquenchable curiosity get into humorous scrapes. Were I to shoo it away, I’d do so with the same tone and attitude I’d use with a toddler. Gentle firm and in good humour.

You might have done likewise. You might have yelled angrily and aggressively. And the answer to that pretty much decides who was being the tool in your case.

You need to chill out aracer.

Have you considered getting a dog?

‘kin ‘ell. This still going. You lot are like a dog with a bag bone!

I mentioned up there I’ve been bitten by dogs at least 5 times.

You don’t like dogs; dogs don’t like you. I wonder why?
A family tendency to shout at puppies in the park is very telling!

This is how to do it,

However, if I left a bag laying about and a puppy disappeared into it head first I’d think it was hilarious. Because puppies are cute and I’m watching a baby with an unquenchable curiosity get into humorous scrapes. Were I to shoo it away, I’d do so with the same tone and attitude I’d use with a toddler. Gentle firm and in good humour.

Given that thousands of people are bitten by dogs every year, it’s hardly ‘an irrational fear founded on nothing’ is it?

Conversely Billions of people worldwide aren’t bitten by dogs every year.

I am still struggling with you being bitten 5 times, I have no reason not to believe you but that is a lot! (Not excusing the biters) did they all break the skin or cause bruising?

I don’t think 5 bites is that much. If you ride a lot, you will always come up against dogs off the lead who will chase you, farmyards guarded by dogs etc. You are going to get bitten at some point. Inevitable part of riding off road if you’ve been at it long enough.

I’m sure some are ‘warning’ bites as I’ve had some that whilst all teeth barred and aggressive, once they got down to chomping on my leg didn’t break skin. Bruises, but no blood. I assume that is a warning?

I’m getting more of this happening nowadays as I’m getting older, more stubborn and probably more foolish and tend to ignore signs of aggression from dogs as I really can’t be bothered to engage with them and interrupt my ride. Hence getting chased etc.

Anyway – last 3 years:
Surrounded by a pack of border collies and bitten by one.
Forced to stop by 2 loose border collies and then one sank its teeth into my front tyre. Yum stans…
Knocked off my bike by a big white dog that looked like a hairy Alsatian.

Before that – a few ‘warning’ bites.

How often is everyone else getting bitten or bothered then?

ha! if you just type ‘0’ STW forum comes back and says you must type some content!

did they all break the skin or cause bruising?

Why is that relevant?

I don’t think 5 bites is that much. If you ride a lot, you will always come up against dogs off the lead who will chase you, farmyards guarded by dogs etc. You are going to get bitten at some point. Inevitable part of riding off road if you’ve been at it long enough.

Is it bollocks, I’ve never been bitten, despite riding off road through farms. Those collies wont hurt you if you stop and tell them to get ****. They are not guarding the place they just happen to live there.
So in summary you’ve been bitten once, had your bike bitten once and another time you ran into a dog in the last 3 years.

In the last 3 years my dog has been bitten by another dog and a dog owner threatened me with a fire extinguisher after I told him that if he kicked his dog again I would kick him.

I don’t like dogs at all but, boy, the OP tale was an absurd over-reaction.

I don’t like dogs at all but, boy, the OP tale was an absurd over-reaction.

You need to do some research. This wasn’t about the dog.

no the OP would have been a lot more rude and called the police…….It sniffed my bag!!!!

The not liking dogs came out in the reaction though didn’t it. If they were dog lovers it wouldn’t have happened.

But I know what you are saying.

And the OP was still very silly.

I’d like to have been on the other side of the phone in the Police Control Centre had they called….

How often is everyone else getting bitten or bothered then?

Ummm I think I got nipped once (back of arm) about 10 years ago, was more like a
pinch than a bite though (my nephew who is 6 pinches harder). So that one tenuous one in ~ 30 years; and I have been more injured by toddlers than dogs over the years.

verses – Member

did they all break the skin or cause bruising?

Why is that relevant?

I was just wondering how badly hurt he was after each dog attack, as it would explain why he was so nervous. I’ve never heard of anyone getting bitten as much as aracer.

Has nickf gone?

Those collies wont hurt you if you stop and tell them to get ****.

Exactly what I did. Got all big and shouty, got off the bike as I thought I actually needed to this time. Then I got bitten.

another time you ran into a dog

No it ran after me, then into me.

Common denominator is that the owner is nowhere to be seen.

johndoh – Member

The not liking dogs came out in the reaction though didn’t it. If they were dog lovers it wouldn’t have happened.

I’m not sure about that. I’ve owned dogs for most of my adult life and still got stroppy when some idiot let his dog knock my child over on the beach.

(“It’s okay, he’s friendly” as the dog threw its paws onto my daughter’s shoulders and knocked her into the water she was paddling through…)

I think some people need to work on their reading and comprehension skills:

(the last one might require you to engage your brain to work out exactly what I’m saying)

Ok then – I suspect all the dog lovers have rarely had an issue and all the people indifferent to dogs have had a bit of bother. Not really a surprise given that the dog lovers are experienced in dealing with dogs and the rest of us tolerate them when necessary only.

But I don’t want to engage with a dog when I’m out and about. I don’t do anything special around cows and they don’t bother me. Same for sheep, badgers, bats, dogging people etc… anything and anyone really.

Just dogs….

Oh and for those who need a bit of help with why I’ve been bitten:

The times I’ve been bitten (I can remember):
– running past a travellers encampment on a FP, didn’t see dog until it came running out and sank its teeth into my leg. Bite drew blood.
– biking on Malvern Hills, dog running loose way ahead of people it was with bit me on the foot as I biked past. Put a hole in my shoe and bruising on my foot. Came back for a second go and got a kick. Apparently I should have stopped when I saw the dog.
– running interval session on Malvern Common, chased and bitten by puppy. Drew blood. Apparently it was my fault, not that of the dog or the owner as it was an untrained puppy and I should have stopped running.
– riding on tracks near Minehead, bitten by loose dog as I rode past. Drew blood. Owner actually very apologetic for a change and took in what I said about control of dog, given which I kept my calm and was polite to her.
– riding downhill on a different track near Minehead, loose slates making a lot of noise. Bitten by loose dog well away from owner, which came back at me for a second go ignoring her attempt at “control”. Owner tells me it’s all my fault for riding fast down the track, not having a bell etc. Oh and bite drew blood – as with all cases apart from the shoe, bite was onto bare skin.

Clearly the common theme here is that I’m not actually being wary enough of the dogs!

Clearly the common theme here is that I’m not actually being wary enough of the dogs!

and you have shitty luck!

I’m not sure about that. I’ve owned dogs for most of my adult life and still got stroppy when some idiot let his dog knock my child over on the beach.

But would you have got annoyed at a puppy looking in a bag on the floor?

I think some people need to work on their reading and comprehension skills:

(the last one might require you to engage your brain to work out exactly what I’m saying)

Oh and for those who need a bit of help with why I’ve been bitten:

Now it may just be the tone you write on the internet, but I am definitely picking up a pattern in the way you address people who have a different viewpoint to yours – it’s rather condescending and confrontational.

Having never met you or your mrs, I can’t comment on whether this carries over into real life and she also speaks to people in real life like that, but if the tone of engagement is similar to the above posts, I can very easily see how the situation could have escalated.

And the comment below pretty perfectly describes how it should have been handled.

However, if I left a bag laying about and a puppy disappeared into it head first I’d think it was hilarious. Because puppies are cute and I’m watching a baby with an unquenchable curiosity get into humorous scrapes. Were I to shoo it away, I’d do so with the same tone and attitude I’d use with a toddler. Gentle firm and in good humour.

You might have done likewise. You might have yelled angrily and aggressively. And the answer to that pretty much decides who was being the tool in your case.

This appears to be a favourite topic for aracer:

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=singletrackworld+aracer+dog+site:singletrackworld.com&client=ubuntu&hs=hJE&channel=fs&biw=1601&bih=685&gws_rd=ssl#channel=fs&q=aracer+dog+site:singletrackworld.com

Thinking about it, I seem to vaguely remember him boasting about trying to lead off the leash dogs in parks onto busy roads so they get hit/cause an accident with cars as well; as he was under the belief they should always be in sight and under close supervision and not follow him even if he encourages them. If he is/was based in Bristol and rides in Leigh Woods then I am pretty certain it was him as I remember getting pretty annoyed.

In case it wasn’t aracer I aplogise in advance

My wife got very angry once because some dog was sniffing my sack. The police weren’t called but she chased the dog off, thankfully.

I’ve been bitten by dogs twice. I don’t now have a fear of dogs, I have a dislike of two particular dogs. To be fair, one of them was pretty scared at the time and unfortunately possessed no other way of letting me know this. I once got mugged in my teens too. I would consider it irrational if I was now scared of all people.

You can’t shout at puppies, they’re puppies, look at them! Look at them!

Like babies but funnier and furrier. I’d have scooped it into the bag and run off! Free dog for Funkmaster woo hoo 😀

I am begging everyone. Do *not* post pictures from Anne Geddes on here in retaliation for funkmaster’s image. Even thinking about them makes my brain hurt. 😀

Without wishing to make it sound like its your fault aracer but it does sound like you could do with spending sometime around dogs with someone who knows what they are doing as you appear to have gone beyond unlucky. Other than dont go near traveller camps I havent got any advice for you. All the attacks seem to involve running or riding though. Stopping or slowing when you see dogs might be worth thinking about. In an ideal world you wouldnt need to but we dont live in an ideal world and dogs like kids can be a bit unpredictable (as the guy in the garden centre found out on sunday when my 3 year old son punched him in the pods).

Okay, rational post time – shouting at pups achieves nothing. They don’t understand what is happening and you could well be creating more problems than your short term “solution” solves not least a fear of strangers and the undermining of the owners authority. You wouldn’t act like that towards a toddler so don’t act likewise towards pups (or dogs in general unless you are in danger).

Oh shut up you big meanies, I had to leave my poor little puppy on a drip at the vets tonight, might need X-ray and surgery tomorrow, poor thing.