Dog versus cyclist :(

[albe]

OWCH.. I've had the same problem although fortunately I only ended up with scraped knees and another cyclist falling on top of me... my incident to was from riding past a farm and the dog running out and again like you the owner was quite rude and didn't see the need for fences or anything to contain the dog.

I hope you have a super fast recover!

[fatbottomedgurl]

Getting an attorney is okay if you are willing to settle and give him 30%. A jury is going to be anti-bike and homeowner-dog friendly. I also suggest contacting your car insurance company. Not sure if it works with dogs but it does for hit and runs.

[TrekTheKaty]

Ariel! Hugs! So sorry you are going to be out for 6-8 weeks. I'm sending you good vibes.

I'm not sue happy either, but the theory is--you shouldn't have to pay expenses related to an accident that wasn't you're fault. Don't feel guilty. I did. I was rear-ended in a car years ago. I had to call the police because it was a rental. My business associate advised going to the hospital immediately, in case I developed a back problem later. He also advised to report it to the insurance company, because many times they would instantly write a check, since it is such a common problem. My conscious wouldn't let me, and guess what? I now have back problems. Manageable with a $40 chiropractic visit monthly. You have some good advice here. Hopefully the insurance company and police department do well by you. So sad that people out for exercise in this obese nation are put below pet owners.

I love animals, but really........

[andtckrtoo]

I'm a dog owner and avid cyclist and all I can say is "I'm soo sorry about this!!!" I so wish that more dog owners were responsible and understood a dogs need for boundaries and guidance, and a cyclist's right to the road. I feel for the dog, but I feel so much for you. I hope you recover quickly and am sending many healing vibes your way.

[sgtiger]

+1 to what andtckrtoo just said. Ultimately, it's really not the dog's fault. I can't believe she would even consider for a moment putting him down because she will not take responsibility to do the work in training him or keeping him contained. It's really sad that the throw-away mentality that some people have adopted extends to living beings, especially when those beings depend on us for so much.

[Selkie]

Ariel - So sorry to hear about your mishap, and hope you recover quickly. Be good to yourself.

I am a dog lover and "mother" to two lovely Goldens, but I have no patience for irresponsible dog owners.

Please keep us up to date on your progress and know that we are all thinking of you.

[TxDoc]

BF and I were out for a short ride on Saturday and I was cruising along a bit ahead of him when out of nowhere a dog ran out and hit my front tire. I believe he meant to chase me as he did 3 weeks ago while I was riding with a friend past the same farm. Long story short I had no time to react other than to reach for my brakes before he wiped me out. I fractured my pelvis in 2 places and also my sacrum. OWIE! Doc says no surgery because they are stable but 6-8 weeks recovery.

The dog was fine and the owner started out pretty rude. She asked why I would come down a road when I knew there was a dog that chased bike riders.

This is horrible, I am so sorry to hear about your accident.
First thing to do - file a Police report right away. It is not only to make sure that they obligate the owner to lock up that dog - but also to protect yourself in case the owner goes out with false claims that you injured her dog in a bike accident.
And then find a good attorney that has experience in bicycle accidents and can assist you. The dog's owner should cover all your medical expenses, time away from work, etc.
Talk to your insureance company too, they may have good advice on how to handle the case.
Good luck and I hope you recover fast!

[Biciclista]

gee, I hope she comes back soon to read all this!

[meakulpa]

This is horrible! It breaks my heart that you had to go through this, but even worse that the owner wasn't more concerned about YOU! I'm doing some research on who is responsible when a dog hurts a biker and found this article helpful: Dog versus bike accident

Good info but basically it says that the dog owner is responsible!