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I neglected to add: It's the uncaring owners fault for letting their dogs attack people.

They seem to have the attitude that it's the pedestrian or cyclists fault for being attacked by their dogs as these folks should simply walk or cycle elsewhere...

While out cycling about a year ago and immediately after spraying some attacking dogs, a guy driving a pickup pulled up next to me with his passenger side window down angrily shouted at me for protecting myself.

He belligerently demanded I come to "his neighborhood and spray his dogs and see what'd happen to me"....

I actually felt a combination of astonishment at his anger and pity for his low I.Q.

Presumably, if I let the dogs knock me off the bike and rip some flesh off me I'd be A-O.K. in his book...

BTW, one of the attacking dogs was a pit bull and the other a large mixed breed.

If you try swinging a baton at a dog while cycling - good luck!

The chance of losing your balance is very high.

One hand on the handle bar and the other swinging a baton is a recipe for disaster. The spill you'll probably take and it result may be worse than the dog attack...

Kicking at a dog while cycling- same thing.

Ask me how I know...

Since my last post on this thread, I was attacked twice by multiple dogs while cycling. Both times I let em all have it with spray - both groups turned.

Having experienced numerous dog attacks while cycling, I've found pepper spray to be a most effective defensive tool - with a few caveats.

Buy effective pepper spray.

I started out carrying pepper spray I thought would be effective, but it wasn't. It was inexpensive. It was available at a local sporting goods store. I didn't realize all pepper sprays aren't created equally. I was naive. I don't remember the brand or how many Scovil units it contained, (how hot it is) but I can tell you it wasn't enough. The first time I used it was on two simultaneously attacking dogs - it didn't faze them. I was lucky they didn't keep up the chase as I doggedly peddled away from their perceived territory.

I moved up in cost and quality. The stuff I now carry contains not only pepper spray, but tear gas too. It is smoking hot! I belt carry it in a 4 oz. can using a nylon clip on holster.

At this point, I've gone through quite a number of cans of this very powerful stuff and it's only failed to turn an attacking dog a couple of times. Over the years, I've been dog attacked (I approximate) two hundred times or so, that's not too bad a failure rate... I've been long distance cycling for decades...

So, pepper spray doesn't work on ALL dogs, but it does work on most. Of course, it has to hit them in the eyes, nose, mouth, i.e. mucous membranes to be effective. I use the streaming type.

Frankly, if a carrying a baton for dog defense was legal, I wouldn't do it.

Most of us simply aren't good enough with one to defend against a serious dog/dogs attack.

You're better off carrying quality pepper spray.

Also, if you go the pepper spray route, buy some decontamination wipes too. Keep them with you.