Ride Alert - Dog Attack!

This note just came in from our wandering rider #33 and I felt the subject was important enough to place here on our front page. I don't think many of us think about saftey issues beyond avoiding crashes but this incident illustrates the need for more proactive thinking when riding in unfamiliar territory. Eric is big, strong, experienced and very fit. I hate to think what might have happened to someone else in this situation.

"BEWARE WHEN YOU RIDE and I am not talking about crashing. I feel lucky today, lucky to be alive. I am always cautious when riding in remote areas or when riding alone but I never expect to have to defend myself from an animal. In this case a domestic animal,  a rather large Pit Bull dog.

I was out testing the race bike for the upcoming Baja 1000 in the Southern California desert when I spotted a dog running down the trail toward me in a fairly remote area. I am a dog lover and slowed to not hit or run over the dog. I slowed to a crawl and the dog swung wide and approached me from the side and knocked me off the bike. I was on the ground in the sand when the dog grabbled my leg by the boot and began to rip and shake the boot. Since he was not penetrating the boot I took my time and yelled and spoke to the dog while keeping my hands, arms and upper body out of his reach. He continued to regrip and shake as if attacking an animal. I was fairly sure there had to be an owner nearby and started yelling for the owner to get over there and get his dog. No one came. This went on for what seemed like an eternity but was probably about 1 or 2 minutes before the dog seemed to tire a bit and slow down his attack. I did not kick or act aggressive in hopes he would lose interest. I would not have been able to get him off if he had gone at my upper body since he was fairly large and very strong and I was on the ground. I can only assume the dog heard his owner call because he stopped for a minute and took a few steps back and listened. I continued to talk to make sure he knew it was a person in the riding gear but he didn’t seem to care by his actions. I was able to slowly get to my feet and prepare to defend for a second attack when he headed toward the person calling from a distance.

I grabbed the bike picked it up and fired it up. As soon as I did the dog headed back toward me at a full run. The owner had come into range and was yelling at the dog to come to him which had no impact on the dog whatsoever. The dog never slowed and was heading directly back at me.  I stomped it in gear and hauled ass! I returned to my truck to get my firearm to protect myself as I intended to come back to get the owners Identity and license number from a vehicle I observed as I left. When I returned the truck and the owner/dog were long gone. I couldn’t even see any dust when I went to the top of a hill to look for them. If that dog had encountered a woman or a child on a motorcycle or quad I am fairly certain the outcome would have resulted in serious injury or death.

So I will now be armed with a good sized knife or firearm on these remote rides. Just thought I would share info that may save someone else from serious injury. Think about it and ride safe!"

#33

“Knowledge speaks, but wisdom listens”