How to hit a dog and stay up

[Cdogman]

Wife and I are taking a little ride to day... Staying in the lowlands for warmth and tooling about... So we hit the deserts west of Salt lake City,,, We are about 1.5 hours into the run and come upon a small town (lemme stress small) in the middle of the desert where the road makes a bend to the left. There are 3-4 houses on either side of the road (smaaaaalll town) and a couple kids and a dog on the right side'

Speed limit entering this town drops to 50 and I am doing right about that... perhaps even a tad under as I saw no reason to be a prick and blow through this sleepy little place... Just as I come almost even to the people on the right the dog decides to cross in front of me. Dog was about 18" at the shoulder and perhaps 30+ lbs.. It sees me and begins to stop as it is in my lane so I start a drift to the inside of it and get on the binders, I hear my wife gasp behind me over my music... the dog changes its mind and decides to "hurry' across the road and my drift is committed, I am running out of room super fast.. I tighten up my turn,, and the dog speeds up.. I am still on the binders but not too hard as I am in a bit of a turn... I realize the dog and I are going to meet and I begin to reverse my drift.. but run out of time and room..

So, I know I am going to hit this dog, I have only scrubbed off about 10mph so I hit the dog at about 40 and at the last second before impact I unloaded the front end by releasing the brakes.. I impact the very back of the dog and it twirls off to my left and I dont go over the top of it, luckily..

I got the bike stopped and go back to talk to the kids that saw me hit the dog... it is hurt. but not fatally... It is walking but something is wrong with its hind quarters... i apologize profusely and they say "It is not your fault, you almost missed him. we are just glad you did not crash" and then I thought... Hey!! I did not crash, cool!! I go back and look at the bike after talking to the people for a couple minutes (evidently this very dog has been hit once before at this very spot) Looking the bike over... it is fine, no evidence of impact... so i continue to ride off to breakfast with my wife

Now,,, It was here that I learned a long time ago to unload the bike at impact.... and that is why I did it... I dont know if that made the difference.. but it was indeed the right thing to do as it allowed me 100% of my bike ability available for whatever I may have needed to do next.... which in this case, turned out to be nothing luckily

 

[ShawnKing]

Hey!! I did not crash, cool!!

Always happy to see a ride story with that sentence in it.

 

[Cdogman]

Thanks.... You know crashing never entered my mind as I was simply riding the bike and busy adjusting for the changes in front of me... It was not until later that I realized I indeed could have... I was worried about the dog.. i love dogs

 

[Big Shasta]

Good Job staying up and not panicking in the first place. My sister rolled her car down an embankment because she tried to miss a cat. Sucks the dog was hurt, I also love dogs but sounds like you did all you could to avoid it.

How hard on the brakes were you....did you feel the ABS kept you under control? I feel much safer having a bike with ABS. I don't have to worry about how hard to brake, just get hard on the brakes. I've done some practice quick stops and it really seems to work great.

 

[HotRodZilla]

That's good you didn't go down. Also glad you didn't hurt the dog too much. Lucky for them, they are pretty tough if not always the smartest things around.

 

[War Machine]

You assessed the situation made a plan & executed it (even varied the plan as conditions changed).

This is the perfect example of not panicing. Excellent job cdog. :clapping:

Let the cooler heads prevail !

 

[donaldb]

Good Job!

Hate like the devil you hit the dog at all, but, if it had to happen I'm glad your both ok and hopefully the dog will only be sore for a few days. The biggest living animal I have ever hit is a squirrel. They are the worlds worst at choking at the last second and start darting back and forth.

I live on a street where I have some neighbors who have Jack Russells. They chase me every time they are out side. The neighbor has a couple young children and as I have been instructed...and as it works for me, slow way down, ride straight at the dog, then accelerate away. Well, unfortunately the young boys confused my act w/trying to intentionally run over their pet. Obviously I would never do something like that especially on a motorcycle. Daddy came down, we had a long talk, I explained why I was doing what I was doing and he was cool w/that, apologized for his dogs chasing me and never another problem since....of course the dogs still chase me from time to time, but no impacts yet.

I commute daily when the weather cooperates. Lately it's been getting pretty nice and I have been riding more often. I have also noticed more than normal, several dead deer on my commute route. I leave early morning while still dark............I'm a bit concerned. Hoping its just a early spring thing w/the deer, and they will settle back down soon.

 

[Toecutter]

(evidently this very dog has been hit once before at this very spot)

Sounds like they're trying to do away with their dog. Here's a novel idea...LEASH

I learned from golf that an accelerating blow is much better than a decelerating one. That way, the object being struck takes the force, instead of the striking object. Unless the object is bigger than you, then the slower you hit it, the better.

Good that you stayed upright. You'll be ready and confident if it's a deer.

Quit calling me and making me listen to the wind! I got two voice mails this week....

 

[jzzmusician]

"I learned a long time ago to unload the bike at impact."

Really, really good advice.

Nice to hear you kept the rubber on the ground.

Bob

 

[cpsfjr]

You da man! Glad to hear things ended as well as they did. :clapping:

I've also read about last-second acceleration in such circumstances. It helps to lighten the front wheel, increasing your chances of riding over, or through, the obstruction when there's no other option.

Of course, knowing something and then actually doing it in a pressurized, split-second situation is easier said than done. You have my respect.

Thanks for sharing this story that could/should help others in the future.

 

[beerme]

Ditto what Clark said. Sounds like you did everything right, unlike this dingdong who tried to miss a bunny a coupla nights ago.

 

[Toecutter]

Musta been a hell of a bunny!

Who's the Rainbow Possy?

 

[beerme]

DOT *snicker*

 

[ShawnKing]

Ditto what Clark said. Sounds like you did everything right, unlike this dingdong who tried to miss a bunny a coupla nights ago.

Oh, please tell me that story is not true. Please tell me he isn't that stupid and (nominally) in control of a big rig. The least he could have done would be to make up a better damn story....

 

[marcusorelius]

I have instructed duke to ward off any aproaching chasin dogs with a fierce growl! :lol:

 

[Cdogman]

[SIZE=14pt]Big Shasta[/SIZE]

I was not very hard on the brakes.. I expected my rift to the inside to solve the problem and was on the brakes as a precautionary measure and to scrub speed. I had elected to use the maneuverability of the bike over its stopping power. I read somewhere a long time ago that most accidents cause a driver to attempt to stop when a change of direction would have solved the problem where stopping did not.. I think the study was done by the National Highway safety something or other.

I will indeed vouch for the ABS on this bike too.. Try this.. Check your air pressure first.. Ensure your front is at 38PSI cold. Go to a parking lot without a pillion.. and practice in earnest from about 50mph and while practicing instead of hitting the brakes as hard as you can roll the lever on briskly but still allow the front end to load up as you do.. Did you kow you CAN!!! do a stoppie on an FJR with ABS.. I am not talking about the rear wheel 2 feet in the air like on TV.. I am talking about it 1-2 inches in the air. I LOVE to practice in parking lots.. Esp slow speed turns with my AE..

Point is, the ABS works 5 by 5... it is incredible when you work with it and keep your head.. this bike will toss you over the front if you are not paying attentiona and are working the ABS to your favor

[SIZE=14pt]HotRod[/SIZE]

Sometimes you win.. This time I won... I am greatfull for that... I hope that dog is OK too

[SIZE=14pt]War Machine[/SIZE]

I did not have time to panic.. and to everyone here.. The reason I did not panic was practice.. I do hace to admit to a millisecond of target fixation.... As I replay it, I could have missed the dog.. I did not have the perfect plan.. Harder on the brakes.. turn later and more severely.. I think that may have worked.. I am not a super rider.... I was operating on reflex and muscle memory, My decision to unload the bike before impact was also reflex... and I got that from this board..

In retrospect.. along with Toecutters comments below.. I feel the bike can sustain an impact better without the forks folding under if I am not stressing them with the weight of the bike and passangers during decelleration.. If they can withstand "X" on impact... I dont want to be using some of "X" on things that dont matter at that very second.. I was explaining to my wife at lunch later yesterday why I released the brakes right before we hit..

Hey Bob (toe) My cell phone likes you..... I will try to change the way I have you listed to reduce it.. I started carrying it in my pocket and it has a touch screen.. Besides,, I thought you liked the sound of the wind..

[SIZE=14pt]Donald.[/SIZE]

I too have heard that you should wait until the dog come at you from the side,, and accellerate at the last moment. they cannot solve the spatial realtionship fast ehough the comensate for the change

[SIZE=14pt]Toe.[/SIZE]

I hit a deer on my goldwing about 4 years ago, remember,,, Mebbe I did not tell you.. but yes... Your theory is the one that I heard here.. that caused me to react the way I did. I agree.. I think it was one of the IBA guys that posted that discussion here a couple of years ago... I am sure when I eventually face another deer, even IF I do everything right... I will still be going "Oh ****" inside LOL

<h3 style="font-size: 20px;">marcusorelius</h3>

That is funny as hell... I would do that for my dog in a second!! but he is too big for a sidecase

 

[V GER]

I have instructed duke to ward off any aproaching chasin dogs with a fierce growl! :lol:

<coffee on screen>

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[madmike2]

Ditto what Clark said. Sounds like you did everything right, unlike this dingdong who tried to miss a bunny a coupla nights ago.

Oh, please tell me that story is not true. Please tell me he isn't that stupid and (nominally) in control of a big rig. The least he could have done would be to make up a better damn story....

REALLY! My company has a written policy: You will not wreck your vehicle to avoid killing an animal.

1st, the driver should be aware of his surroundings. 2nd, the driver should initiate a safety margin by braking rather than swerving.

It sounds more to me that this driver fell asleep and used the "bunny" as an excuse.

Or he really is a ding dong. :dribble:

 

[Taff]

Wife and I are taking a little ride to day... Staying in the lowlands for warmth and tooling about... So we hit the deserts west of Salt lake City,,, We are about 1.5 hours into the run and come upon a small town (lemme stress small) in the middle of the desert where the road makes a bend to the left. There are 3-4 houses on either side of the road (smaaaaalll town) and a couple kids and a dog on the right side'
Speed limit entering this town drops to 50 and I am doing right about that... perhaps even a tad under as I saw no reason to be a prick and blow through this sleepy little place... Just as I come almost even to the people on the right the dog decides to cross in front of me. Dog was about 18" at the shoulder and perhaps 30+ lbs.. It sees me and begins to stop as it is in my lane so I start a drift to the inside of it and get on the binders, I hear my wife gasp behind me over my music... the dog changes its mind and decides to "hurry' across the road and my drift is committed, I am running out of room super fast.. I tighten up my turn,, and the dog speeds up.. I am still on the binders but not too hard as I am in a bit of a turn... I realize the dog and I are going to meet and I begin to reverse my drift.. but run out of time and room..

So, I know I am going to hit this dog, I have only scrubbed off about 10mph so I hit the dog at about 40 and at the last second before impact I unloaded the front end by releasing the brakes.. I impact the very back of the dog and it twirls off to my left and I dont go over the top of it, luckily..

I got the bike stopped and go back to talk to the kids that saw me hit the dog... it is hurt. but not fatally... It is walking but something is wrong with its hind quarters... i apologize profusely and they say "It is not your fault, you almost missed him. we are just glad you did not crash" and then I thought... Hey!! I did not crash, cool!! I go back and look at the bike after talking to the people for a couple minutes (evidently this very dog has been hit once before at this very spot) Looking the bike over... it is fine, no evidence of impact... so i continue to ride off to breakfast with my wife

Now,,, It was here that I learned a long time ago to unload the bike at impact.... and that is why I did it... I dont know if that made the difference.. but it was indeed the right thing to do as it allowed me 100% of my bike ability available for whatever I may have needed to do next.... which in this case, turned out to be nothing luckily

Glad you were both OK (plus dog). Seems Mr.Dog has 9 lives or now 8 as the case may be.

Relaxing and unloading the suspension does help or else a "get off" is possible.

Lesson for us all to learn!

Ride safe,

Taff.