Bumped a Dog, wondering who was wrong.

[Milkfloat]

...unless it's an old mate down the pub/chippy/park etc. As in ‘I bumped into an old mate down the boozer yesterday’....

It can often turn out to be far more painful though.

 

[Fab Foodie]

It can often turn out to be far more painful though.

True!

 

[Gravity Aided]

As far as I know, being in the States, it is inappropriate to bump a dog on the shared use or multi-use pathway. The dog is supposed to be there as much as the bicycle is, and leash laws are a matter of local ordinance. People here have a tendency to walk side by side, even if they are a five person group strung out across the whole MUP with dogs as well, and some have issues with you just wanting to get past their roving reunion and carry on with your ride. Dogs can be more hurt than they seem at the time, and veterinarians can be expensive, so I can see the reason for the dog owner being angry. My dogs are on lead all the time, but if someone bumped them because they were impatient, I'd have to let Maximilian chew their spokes and spit them back at them.

 

[Gravity Aided]

 

[iandg]

...unless it's an old mate down the pub/chippy/park etc. As in ‘I bumped into an old mate down the boozer yesterday’....

Not good if you owe them money, good if they buy you a pint.

 

[lane]

Whilst I'd never 'bump' a dog out of the way, I do find it rather amusing on these shared paths when dog owners reckon their pooch is more clued in and intelligent than it actually is. I seen owners give their dogs all sorts of gestures, points, signals and multi faceted instructions, just for the dog to respond by doing the total opposite or normally just ignoring any instruction.

Pet owners very often overestimate the ability of their pets to understand what is being said to them or other ways of providing instructions.

 

[lane]

Not really.
Whether psyclepath, bridleway, shared-use path, lane road highway or byway, you have to be aware of other users and ride appropriately.
I think shared-use paths are brill, help to get people out and about with child, dog, bike, roller-blade, go-kart. We should embrace them and the public movement and interaction they create. The help us to be civil.

Or if you don't like them, find interacting with other people, animals, modes of transport, various antisocial individuals irksome just don't use them. If I am not in the mood for that sort of thing I just use the road instead. Other times I use the shared path but know what to expect.

 

[Deleted member 26715]

In a serious answer to what is a dog park @T4tomo I only know of Florida & Orlando in particular have some friends who used to live there & there is a city ordinance that all dogs but be on leads at all times in public places. But what they do provide in many of the parks are fenced areas where you are allowed to let your dog(s) run free, it's great to see 100+ dogs all running around together & surprisingly on the 2 occasions I've been with them there was very little trouble.

 

[keithmac]

Normally up to 10 dogs on our favourite field when I walk our Lab on a morning, they all get along well together.

If a bike were to ride through I'd call our pup back. If she obviously hadn't heard and hadn't noticed the bike behind and the cyclist ran into her on purpose I'd be bloody livid..

 

[Kajjal]

as a new member don't be discouraged by many saying you were in the wrong. It's simply down to the question you have asked.

I would say this was your fault whether or not legally the dog should be under control. The dog cannot make a rational decision to move and represents a danger to you.

The animal has the potential to cause you to fall off. This could result in serious injury such as a broken arm, wrist etc. which you seem happy to risk by not stopping.

I would always slow ready to stop in such circumstances.

Last time I was hit by a dog was on a country lane passing a farm. A Jack Russell flew out of the farmyard, bit my ankle drawing blood and ripping my sock. I went back to complain and the lady was very apologetic.

As I was doing 15-16mph I had to admire the accuracy of his attack!!

I had two of the hairy devils come out to get me when I was doing a similar speed. I very firmly told them to ^%&$&$^$ off and they did. The thing with dogs is they know when you mean it rather than coming across like John Inman.

 

[Jimidh]

I often ride a shared path on my commute to work and there are always dog walkers and I always slow down as I approach and nearly al the dog owners control their dogs as I pass.

There are the odd ones however who’d don’t pay the slightest heed and I do sometimes think I should bump into them ( the owners not the dogs) however up to the time of typing this I have resisted temptation.

As for the OP - it sounds as if you were in the wrong unfortunately.

 

[Gravity Aided]

In a serious answer to what is a dog park @T4tomo I only know of Florida & Orlando in particular have some friends who used to live there & there is a city ordinance that all dogs but be on leads at all times in public places. But what they do provide in many of the parks are fenced areas where you are allowed to let your dog(s) run free, it's great to see 100+ dogs all running around together & surprisingly on the 2 occasions I've been with them there was very little trouble.

Much the same in my area, about an acre of land often divided between small and large dogs, with a few benches and a fountain built for both humans and dogs. Usually bordering some other park area.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Is the dog hounding you for compensation?

 

[wheresthetorch]

Is the dog hounding you for compensation?

It would be barking up the wrong tree.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

It would be barking up the wrong tree.

Could be making a howling mistake