Dog 1 - Rider 0

[cricetidae]

Well I think I will give this year up already. I Decided it was a nice afternoon to take a ride on my day off along the coast between City Beach and Scarborough.

So after putting the bike on the car I headed for City Beach and as usual place was pretty much deserted with a few people enjoying the beach. Now there is a little stretch of carpark after you join West Coast drive where people with dogs take them to the beach.

Well the ride to Scabs was uneventful but on the return leg I got as far as the carpark and got taken out by a runaway dog that ran straight into me and the bike. Over the I went and though I managed to get one foot out of the pedals the resulting snapping sound didn't fill me with confidence. That and the scream of agony from me as my ankle went in a direction it wasn't intended.

Now in the past I have ranted and raved about dogs, pedestrians and idiots but the owner of the dog immediately offered assistance and they called a friend of theirs to come collect my bike and car for safe keeping. So there is a good side to the story but it means at least another 6 weeks off the bike.

Beginning to wonder if I should go to three wheels instead of two.

[Kalgrm]

That's a real bugger Todd. I hope you mend well and the incident doesn't hurt your confidence on the bike when you return.

The problem with three wheels and dogs is that you become a play thing for them. I haven't tried it myself, but that's what my trike-riding friends tell me. Still, trikes look like a hell of a lot of fun.

Cheers,
Graeme

[moosterbounce]

Bugger Todd. I hope you heal quickly - is it a sprained ankle or something more sinister? Was the awful snapping noise coming from you or the bike? Is the guy paying medical bills?

I ride this area quite a bit and know the spot you mean. Talk about out of control dog to run into you there!! I usually come down from Joondalup to City Beach so pass the dog beach at Whitfords too - and it is worse as the car park is on the other side of the path. I tend to slow right down and have "hit" a couple of dogs (don't panic guys cos I've been going so slowly it was only a touch and I've put a foot down immediately) just to prove a point.

I had an argument with one lady whose dog ran from the car towards the beach and forced me to stop. She just laughed and said "we need a stop sign at that point". I told her to "keep her dog on the lead until she got to the beach and it wouldn't be a problem", to which she replied "it is a dog beach you know". "yes", I said, "but you aren't on the beach yet are you?!".

It really gets up my nose that people will let their dogs run all round the carpark/paths, but it is a dog BEACH. Personally, I don't take my dogs to either beach as I can't trust other people to have their's restrained/controlled and we've been attacked too many times. Some dogs just have something to prove to Great Danes!!

Anyway, enough of my ranting Get better soon and hopefully you will be back on the bike in no time.

[cricetidae]

The snapping sound was my ankle doing it's interpretation of a crispbread but the doctors say that the good thing is that no fusing or surgery is required just a cast for 6 weeks.

The bike came out of the incident quite well and yes they are going to pay the medical bills at least that is what was agreed to and I have managed to get a statement out of them as well.

I have this morning contacted the Town of Vincent concerning unrestrained dogs in this area and to be honest I don't expect anything to be done by them as the rangers always seem to be to be busy issuing parking tickets in Leederville and Wembley.

Thanks for the best wishes and I hope to be riding again soon.

[mikesbytes]

Sorry to hear of your accident.

It has happened to me too, after the dog T-boned me, I fell off and broke half my rotator cuff off.

Dogs should always be on a leash. In addition to the risk of hurting someone, there is also the risk of them running onto the road and getting killed by a car.

[Aushiker]

Sorry to hear about this Todd and good to see the owner did the right thing after the event. Hope you heal quickly.

For what it is worth they should had their dog on a lead. It is an offence (Local Government bylaws) not too.

I would suggest reporting your experience (not the person but the experience) to the local council and ask that they actually patrol the area and enforce their own by laws.

Regards
Andrew

[Mulger bill]

Damn Todd, wotta way to phark the next coupla months.
Uncontrolled dogs, may I say uncontrolling owners too? are one of the big worries to path riding. I'm glad these ones are decent about it.

Heal soon mate

Shaun