On Hitting Dogs

Aug 3, 2004
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On hitting Dogs
On 2 occasions recently while in a motorcycle convoy doing about 100kph, the rider in front of me hit, or rather was hit by, a medium sized dog. On both occasions the dog struck the drivers foot and footrest, causing some pain to the rider and unknown but serious damage to the dog. Dogs have very quick reactions and both of them realized they had misjudged the bike speed and tried to stop but skidded into the bikes.
In the scenario of my mind I had always pictured hitting a dog with the front wheel if I was going to hit one and this was of concern when riding the Kawa GTO 125 because it was very light. I don’t have the same concerns with the Phantom because it weighs about 230kg with me on it and should not be unbalanced by a 15kg dog.?
One of the riders that was hit said that it is dangerous if it hits the front because it can get caught up in the wheel and jam it. Anybody had any first hand experience of this ?
I was just made aware of it again last night when I went out for a ride and thought I was going to hit one and raised my feet for the impact but showing true Thai dog road sense he spun in circles on the centre line in the 12 inch gap between two opposing lines of bikes.
Peter

"The Journey is the Destination"
 

jimoi

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Nov 17, 2004
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on my best day a dog was chasing a chicken. The chicken went under the front tire and the trailing dog got a first hand look at the tread of a Dunlop 605.
Hitting anything is dangerous at any speed. Best protection is being alert, sober and riding with proper gear to protect against this inevitable meeting of two objects of matter in the same space.
As far as the front or back, no real difference for me, I've had my share of chickens under tires, while a dog is a bit bulkier, there's usually more meat on them for the BBQ.

jimoi

Ride Smart, Ride Safe.
 
Sep 10, 2005
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Running over a dog with the front wheel is like running over an inner tube filled with sand then covered in axle grease, you don't know where the front wheel will end-up pointed.
I've probably hit or been hit by 20-30 dogs in my last 1,000,000 miles. One took me out in the Yukon when it ran at full speed from the right directly into my front wheel. It never varied one degree, came at me at 90 degrees, all 20 kilos of it. The mutt did not bark or try to go for my foot or change its angle to run parallel to me. That one pissed my off so much I cut off it's head, boiled the skin off and meat/brains out, then glued it to my front fender, where it stayed for the next 20,000 - 30,000 miles until some dog lover (which I am) stole it or it came unglued in Customs.
Last week in Cambodia a mongrel (I describe it as an old, one-eyed, open-sore, lice covered bitch with dry tits dragging in the dirt and one hind leg missing - KTM Boy says it was a "cute puppy") zigged when I thought it would zag. The front tyre clipped it, the back tire turned off it's lights. The motorcycle did not waiver in direction. I think KTM Boy following me used his size 16 boot to give it the "coup de grace" as he went by, good solid citizen that he is.
I'm not sure what the protocol is when snuffing Snoopy in SE Asia. I felt I should stop, pay the owners something, or help them deal with the grief, but then realized Snoopy was probably headed immediately for the stew pot and a celebration for dinner by the family giving thanks for tender meat not of the scrawny, flying type or something that swims. I also didn't want to deal with a group of irrate villagers swinging bamboo sticks and yelling unintelligble threats about me being in the stew pot. I'd also hopped KTM Boy behind me would have made the decision to stop for me, but he whizzed on by.
Dogs, like chickens and pigs, are variables. Any of the three, from the size of a fist on up, can cause the front wheel to wabble or waiver, neither of which is good when on two wheels. It's been my experience that it's best to slow when seeing one in front of you, stay off the front brake as you get closer, and to avoid them but not to the point where you are changing your line more than a few degrees. If they do something unexpected, like change their direction radically, and literally run into the path of me, that was their decision, albeit a poor one. Thump - thump, but at least I've hit them while still pointed forward and not while trying to change my line more than a few degrees.
I did hit a grouse once. Unknown to me the front wheel flipped it up onto the right header pipe/cylinder head where it "cooked" for the next 60 kilometers. It didn't taste bad. I think I'd pass the plate though if it was a dog.
 
Sep 19, 2006
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www.chiangmai-xcentre.com
Love your desciptive writting Greg!!! I managed to run over one with a Honda wave no Problems and even run over a Sheep in NZ with my XT500, like doing a jump but i was lucky enough not to wipe out. Rubbed my shoulder on a Black Cow one night at high speed on a back road, That made my Arse twitch!!! I still Prefer my Pickup for the Dogs i just wish the Owners were beside them that would give me more pleasure. In Thailand the only good Dog is a Dead One!!!
Cheers Ian.

IFR
 
Oct 7, 2006
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i just missed a wild pig.on a trail ride just out of Taupo..scarred hell out of me.a mate of mine sconed a horse.at night..killed it stone dead.he was in hospital for about 6 months..ok now.that SHEEP u ran over may of been my GF....lol

KEV THE KIWI
 
Oct 17, 2006
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I hit a race horse worth over 1m pounds UK in 1984 near Swansea , in my car , killed it outright, insurance got me a new car. the horse owner had let it escape, he was gutted.

hit a few dogs in Thailand best to hit head on if possible . or avoid is better. run over small snakes but stop for pythons or king cobra a few times.

jerry
 

mikerust

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Nov 5, 2003
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I think the avoidance maneuver is more dangerous than the actual contact. Clipped a boy once as he crossed the road right in front of me. I guess he’d never seen a bike doing 100+kph before and miss judged the distance. Me, I locked up the front wheel trying to avoid him and went somersaulting down the road. Great bike the NSR150R just slides down the road on the brake lever, the front tyre and the Givi box. . Pick it back up, a few kicks and back on my way. The boy ran limping to where he had been heading in the first place.

I ran over a puppy once, right under the front wheel, sad really as I like dogs. I thought I was going the right way and it without the wisdom of age the puppy chose the wrong way to run. I concur about the foot rest thing I hit a dog on the way to work. I thought I had run right over it but it clipped the footrest. What a mess on the bike.

A word of caution if I may. Goats ar by far the worst. If you are unfortunate to come a cross a goat on your travels be very careful. They are as dumb as post and will spot a blade of grass they like on the other side of the road when you are about 30m away…… At least most dogs are smart.
 
Aug 3, 2004
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Hadn’t considered the food angle – but now that you mention it maybe we should consider it an opportunity rather than a hazard.
Perhaps an enterprising local could start a small business by putting one of those high pitched whistles on the front mudguard to draw the pooch and then whammo!!. If he was really smart he could do it at night with the added bonus of extra delicacies on the windshield -- tie a bit of fish to the exhaust pipe to create a following like GRG’s grouse-- the possibilities are endless.
Peter
 

dotcom

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Nov 14, 2006
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I hit a soccer ball once. Dropped the bike (a 125). I always worry about dogs when I am on that 7 motorway between Chon Buri & Rayong & I am doing 230 kph on a liter bike (GSX-R 1000). They will be picking you up with a paint scraper. Ditto a puncture. I just assume that if I hit a dog with my front wheel I will drop it. Not sure why - just do.
 

mikerust

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quote:

Originally posted by dotcom

on that 7 motorway between Chon Buri & Rayong & I am doing 230 kph on a liter bike (GSX-R 1000







You can ride whatever speed you want but I know a profesional racer who lives here. He was on his way to Bira again, when past the circuit at full chat sat up at the top of the hill and braked to do a U turn at the lights and sailed right by...[:I]
His take on it, I'm not doing that again it's ferkin stupid.

I must be getting old, my vision goes blurred at over 180-ish.[:D]
 
Jul 6, 2004
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Like Greg, different continents have different road kill and manouvers to match.
Australia, after dust and before dawn:
Kangaroos, they usually hit you side on are the size of a man.
Wombats are the size of a dog but all bone. Hit one of these suckers and your on your arse.
Emu's they try and out run you then turn ninety degrees into your path.
Wild pigs usually eating road kill on the side of the road, spook em, its a lottery which way they will run.
Wedge tailed eagles and kites, also eating road kill, can't get elevation because their bellies are full, can end up with a fronton with you or the bike. Then there is the wandering cattle, buffalo and Camels. You get the lot in Oz.

The worst near hit was in southern Thailand when a Buffalo strayed across the highway with a rope around its kneck it was fully stretched over my lane with cars coming the other way, in fact he was grazing on the median strip. I was doing about 120km/hr on the Dakar. Crossed the median strip to the wrong side of the road then over it again up to get around it.
The buffalo didn't see me and the cars coming from the other direction didn't even flinch.
Give me a dog any day.
 
Oct 7, 2006
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sounds a bit hazzardis tom.a friend of mine snotted one of those emu things..in a GT falcon doing over the ton,took both its legs off..the thing went over the bonnet.through the front screen,,and ended up on the backseat,,reckons there was blood,guts, and feathers everwhere,,the thing was still alive,,he had to dong it on the head with a crankhandle ,,,to get it out...
 

dotcom

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Nov 14, 2006
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Quote: "You can ride whatever speed you want but I know a profesional racer who lives here. He was on his way to Bira again, when past the circuit at full chat sat up at the top of the hill and braked to do a U turn at the lights and sailed right by...
His take on it, I'm not doing that again it's ferkin stupid."

Any chance of getting an English translation? Thanks. I get part of it. " My mate was heading south on the 7 at full speed.....he came to a set of traffic lights....." (& then his brakes failed ...? or what?)
 
Oct 7, 2006
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yeah i know mate .wos doing 220 along the hiway.. and a guy in a nissan 300 thingy pulled along side,,,,passed a joint out the window..i could hardly..turn my head,,,,,,,,,,,,,go that fast and its hard.to concintrate.
 
Oct 7, 2006
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hi this forrum is ex,,, light hearted humour and good stories.. had to go to the doctor to day..the big check...when we get a bit older,,,prostate cancer is a big worry,,my brother died of it,,anyway,,one of things they do ,,when check..is put a finger up your jacksy,,,,,not pleasant..didnt mind to much,,,caus my doc is a sexy nurse...last time time i had this done was a male doc...i felt something go in my bum..no worries....then i realised he had both hands on my shoulder....bit scary
 
Oct 7, 2006
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BACK TO BIKES...a couple of yrs ago a mate of mine went for a holiday.. asked me if i could look after his vn 1500...big v twin, just to look at this thing, gave the average male an instant hard on.all the bells and whistles....cant wait to get on it..1hr latter cant wait to get of ,,,this is the most boring thing i have ridin in my life,its was smooth,,,comfitable,,,and had power to burn...belt drive..it just aint me.. give an adventure bike any day..took my thai wifey on the back...when i stopped at a red lite she jumped off and walked home...thai girlys scary very easy,,i think they get in the brain ...about the bike,...1st thing they look at is the phsyical size of the thing,,and then manage to read the cc rating..well it aint hard..it normally plastered all over your tank or side covers..its a bike bike thats 20 or 30 times bigger than there honda 50s...never rode the vn again....boring,,, supose guys like them. i think u could use this bike bike for towing yr boat or caravan..its got enough power,,,or tack it to the side of the house and use it for a spare room....darn things big enough.cheers riders.............keep the light hearted stuff coming,,just read a post by tom f..good stuff..dont think david will mind if we arent talking about bikes.
 
Oct 7, 2006
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another story,,,thais and comon sense,about 8 yrs ago i was in BKK.we had omly been there 2 days,, and the missus was giving me a ticky tour,left a shopping centre and the missus leaves the handbag on the roof of the car,,of course we lost it,it had all our holiday cash in it.. our passports..and all the wifes gold in it;wot a problem this turned out to be,,1st of all ,,i had to get a new passport,, down to the NZ embassy,, yes no worries.that will b $300..u must b joking,,they were $75 in NZ..well says the lady ..give me check...and i will get one posted over from NZ,wot the hell would i b doing with a NZ chek book in BKK..and stormed out,,in the end my visa ran out..and had to pay the $300..problem no 2...my wife got another passport easy,,being thai..the only thing it didnt have her re-entry visa stamped in it...we tryed to get it done in thailand,,, but no use,,when it came time to come back,,she couldent leave the country...so i came back alone,,with her passport and tryed to sort it out from this side,,if anyone has had any dealings with the immigration,,you will soon learn wot a pak..of f...g.undereducated knumsulls they are..this country is no exception,i could not get a re entry visa stamped in her passport,,,,,sorry they say.. we have to see her,she was stuck in thailand,a month latter she comes back...well wot a headache.couldnt get out of bkk,at the time a lot of thais were coming here..they would come on a 9 month visa,,and just not go back..they are hard workers,,and earned good money here,,a lot of the girls worked in parlours,made over $2000 a week..had a girl say to me one night,,,kev,, i want to go home..can u check my passport and airline ticket,the dam thing was 13 yrs old,met another girl who worked in a palour,,managed to save $15000..the night b4 she flew out,,went to the casino and blew the lot..didnt even have enough money for a cab home..borrowed a couple of dollars of a friend to ring me,,to pick her up,..well the NZ government cottoned on to this pretty quik,,overstayers,when they catch them its straigt to jail,,,and next flight out..dunno who pays for this ,,mayeb the NZ goverment..or thai airlines,,,but it was a massive cost,ok back to the wifey,,, couldent leave BKK bcause had no re-entry visa stamped in her passport,,she had pr here,,permanent residence,,,but it was not stamped in the passport//.had to pay an enourmous sum to customs officals.to get out of BKK..That was just the start,arrived here..and couldent get in,,,after many hours at the airport..and checking 4 trips home to prove my ID,,we got her in,,all this happened over leaving a handbag on the roof of a car..just put a post in here,,,about riding a vn 1500...stopped at the lites and the missus jumped off.iam a relazanbly expericed rider..the speed limit here is 100ks..and i didnt go over it..got home from work the other day..hello t-lark,,wot did u do 2day..went fishing.was the reply..oh ok ...down on the beach..i ask,,,no went out in the boat...f...k me flying..she managed to launch my boat and go fishing..had no idea obout boats at all..boats can b dam dagerous...safety gear is an important thing,,,here is a lady from thailand out in a boat..we dont breath under water for to long,,here was someone out in a boat,,,,,couldent use the radio..coud not swim..and there were no life jackets on board,,makes me cringe just thinking about it...and another thing..didnt even catch a fish for my din din.......haaaaaaaa comonsense......its probaly got me through my life..have ridin bikes of all sizes..and in many countries,,rode in new caladona once,,they drive on the wrong side of the road...freakey stuff.........another story....cheers riders....CHOOKE DEE
 
Oct 7, 2006
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about hitting things,,,just went for a ride,,got half way to town and was freezing.stopped to do my leather jacket up..buga,,the zips stuck..never mind take it off and turn it round...away we go..thats better...cruising along and smack..hit a low flying duck..didnt even see it coming,,straigt in the face,,, still spitting out feathers,,isnt it funny how people allways state the obvious,,, 1 st stop.hey mate u got yr jacket on around the wrong way..as if i didnt know,next stop,,hey kev your jackets around the wrong way.....everwhere i stopped it was the 1st thing someone would say,,signs,,,,went to a lion park the other day,,was going to take the missus on the bike,,but after thinking about it for a while ,,didnt think it was a good idea,,it was one of those ones where u drive through in yr car,,the lions walk around,,jump on the bonnet and piss all over the tires.when we got there someone had stuck a sign at the entrance gate,,it read cheers
 
Oct 7, 2006
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just a quik ??..havent been to thailand for a few years,,heard that now the suppermarkets sell all sorts,,NZ lamb,chezze.loads of shellfish,smoked fish,beer,all the good stuff,get a bit sick of thai food,,want to cook myself a farang,meal ever now and again,do they have sheep ih thailand? dont think ive ever seen one over there,,just love lamb chops....year......right ,look at my signiture,
 
Oct 7, 2006
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i c wot u mean ya-baa. yes sheep are all crazy ....try and cut down on my intake of crazy sheep ...ok... cheers mate...
 

Fiddy

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Aug 30, 2006
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I hit a deer in Tennessee on my XL600R, didn't go down, real funny story but long, maybe I'll post it from work tomorrow, lol