When being non-prejudiced doesn't pay off...

I try my best not to be breed prejudiced. I don't avoid dogs based on breed but only by behaviour. Last night I wish I did.
I was walking down my street around 10 for a round the block walk just for him to stretch his legs. On a side road I saw a group of 3 youths walking a pit bull (I'm 99% sure it was one). On the way back they were just a little ahead of me, ambling along, so I needed to get past them.
I didn't want to cross the road because it was a pit bull (I have enough people crossing the road to avoid me) so as the road was quiet I went around the cars parked to give them space (they saw me coming and didn't move or leave space) and as I came back onto the pavement the dog broke free of it's lead (I didn't see this as it was behind me, but it was on lead as I approached) and hit the back of my legs to get to Axel and tried to almost jump on his back, luckily the owner was quick to grab him as he went for a second go at him and held him into a front garden.
I kept walking as I was only a few houses away from home, and checked Axel over as soon as I got in, thankfully he didn't have any injuries, but he was subdued. It was the first dog to show any real intention of aggression towards him in nearly a year, so maybe it shocked him...his face returned to the haunted, shut down look it was when we first got him, it broke my heart a little. Thankfully this morning he is fine, but it shook us both up I think.
I know not all pit bulls are like that, but it's such a shame when you meet the ones who fit the stereotype
Anyone else had something bad happen when they were trying not to be judgemental? I know it could have been a lot worse, so I'm counting my blessings.

1 All pit bulls should be dead in the UK
2 all pit bulls are illegal, and have been for some considerable time
3 you should report this to the police to prevent such an occurrence happening to others.

Afraid you would probably call me "breed prejudiced" as there is one breed I definitely would cross the road to avoid! I call it being realistic owing to all the bad experiences we have had with this particular breed and the fact that so many owners of this breed who live near me will not leash them when they are walking along the pavement near the road. I will cross over and if their dog(s) cross over after mine and get run over I'm afraid it's not my fault!

Parker has now got to the stage where he will react if these dogs approached him as he is so used to the rude/aggressive ones we meet so I will call him and leash him if I see an example of this particular breed on the park. Sad I know but you have to live in the real world! Once we met a nice, calm example of the breed on the park and it was really nice to see Parker having a normal "meet and greet" with her.

Had similar things happen several times with staffies and shih tzus/lhasas (I can't tell the difference at the best of times let alone when it's attempting to savage my dog). I will cross the road, turn down side streets or whatever it takes to avoid getting close to an unknown of either breed with my dog. Breed prejudice? Maybe so but it's my experiences that made me that way.

I have absolutely no worries walking past a staffie when I don't have a dog with me. Shih Tzu's/Lhasa's on the other hand....well where I live they're owned by old ladies and they (and almost everyone else) think it's funny that they bark and snarl and snap at anyone that gets within 10 metres of them so yeah, I avoid them then too.

Im not breed prejudiced but i am people prejudiced. I will cross over the road if i see young lads or groups of lads with any kind of breed. I knwo its wrong and that i shouldnt do it but i get very paranoid around them and do fear for my and my dogs safety. I have however accidentally met young lads with dogs on walks that have been very well trained and very well behaved but i still cant change my attitude towards them

Whilst the law currently stands at Pit type dogs being illegal to breed and sell in the UK, if your Pit Bull is registered it is legal. To say all of them should be dead is utterly ridiculous.

So far my Staffie X has been bitten by a Jack Russell, a Springer, a Scottie and just yesterday a mongrel. He did nothing to provoke any of the bites and he did not react with aggression to any of them either. All dogs belonged to owners who couldn't control them or were just unbothered by their dogs behaviour. However, the dogs will be free to behave that way again as those breeds don't face the same prejudice as Pit types do.

Insomnia, I am really sorry that Axel had this experience but very glad he was unhurt. I'm sure with your love and care he will be back to himself in no time.

Are you predjudice!-NO-
Pitbull a bred with a breed history of being bred for the purpose of fighting and in the company of inconsiderate youths-NO- I would have put as much distance between me and them as possible. I have had the occasional unavoidable incidents with aggresive dogs and it is traumatic.I hope you have both recovered.

Let us be quite clear, whether you support the law or not, the fact remains that Pit Bulls are illegal; end of.

I'll cross over to avoid most people on the road. Just easier.

This for me too.

It's most likely a staffy cross of some sort, but in the wrong hands any dog can be aggressive and I'll avoid youths with dogs, rightly or wrongly.