Well, I just had what I would consider my first 2 drops. Yes, 2 drops, all within the space of a minute. I think I realize what I did wrong, but if I'm missing something, I would like some input.

Drop #1: I have a neighbor who insists on letting their dog run loose. Wouldn't be too bad if they had a fence around their yard, or if the dog would stay in his own yard. Unfortunately, he roams the neighborhood at will, and they don't seem to care. It's always "We're trying to get rid of him," or "The kids must've let him out without us knowing." Bullshit. They were standing outside with him loose as I pulled in from work this evening. Well, he starts chasing me up my gravel driveway, barking. Now, this didn't scare me, but it pissed me off. So, what do I do? Apply full brakes intending to stop, park, get off the bike and chew out the dog and his owner. What happened? The bike slid on the gravel and I dropped it. Very low speed drop, no apparent major damage.
Lesson(s) #1: Don't apply full brakes on gravel. Don't react in anger when riding, especially when you have very little actual riding experience.

Drop #2: Well, still pissed off about the dog, and now a bit pissed off at myself for being stupid, I promptly go to pick up the bike. By the throttle side handlebar. So, still being in gear and running (laying on it's side, no weight on the wheel to stall the motor), as I lift the bike, I also manage to twist the throttle. Off it goes, with me hanging on, panicking a little this time. I did decide to let go of the handlebar before it hit the side of my pickup, but it still had enough momentum to bounce off the side of my pickup. It bounced off the side of my truck and fell to the ground, again, still running. Little bit faster drop, still no apparent major damage, did knock my driver's side mirror loose.
Lesson #2: If the bike is on the ground running, hit the kill switch before even touching anything else.

I did Lesson #2 before I tried to pick it up a second time. Minor damage to me picked up somewhere involved with these two drops. No bleeding bruise/scrape on right forearm, not flowing bleeding but going to scab bleeding scrape/bruise on outside of left thigh.

Now that I've vented and cooled down a bit, I'm going to go talk to the neighbors.

Brewbrother wrote on 12/31/69 at 16:00:07:


i hit a 130lb black lab two christmas' ago. luckily i sped up and it slammed into the foot peg.  or more precisley the hardened carraige bolt i was using as a peg at the time.  it was ugly, dog dead, me sliding into ditch, bike a little scratched up.  so try to get it with a truck or something.  or race by with someone following in a cage, let the cage do the dirty work.

Here in New Mexico on the Bike written test for a bike liscense there is a question regarding loose dogs that try to give chase.

The correct answer according to the test is.

Slow down untill you get even with dog, then gun engine.

Supposedly the sudden noise from the engine is supposed to scare off the dog.

Yonuh Adisi FSO wrote on 12/31/69 at 16:00:07:

a 9mm to the f'k'n head ought to scare it off pretty well

Get one of those plastic lemons full of lemon juice and give the dog a squirt in it's eyes next time it comes after you. If the owner complains tell him it was either that or reporting him to the dog warden. Glad to hear you and the bike got off without too much damage.

Ed,
You are way to kind. Use mace on the dog. If the owners b!tch, use it on them.

Bah just rev and then let it come back down and hope for a whopper of a backfire.  Shoud sound something like a shotgun going off and should also scare the dog off.  Did I mention straight pipes?

If the dog is not aggressive, do this: Next time he chases you, stop as quickly as possible. When the dog approaches, tell him, loudly, NO! BAD! It may take a few tries, but you may save the dog's life.
I live on gravel in the country and have a neighbor dog just like that. He's such a neat guy, though, that I've made him my project.

Sorry about you and your bike!