Something happened tonight when went out for a little ride tonight, and I made this account because I wanted to get an opinion on if I was in the wrong or not.
I went on a short ride from my house with my two daughters. I was on a designed biking trail, but it goes through a fairly large dog park. Both dogs and bikes are allowed on the trail.
There was some people and several dogs ahead on the trail so I put on the brakes and went ahead at the slowest speed I possibly could as I got close. I could have pushed the bike faster, and really when I say I was going at the slowest speed I could I am not exaggerating. One dog moved out of the way, one would not move at all and my front tire bumped the side of dog and it jumped away startled. It was not injured but let out a small bark as it was startled. The owners were behind both me and the dog.
The owners become very belligerent and aggressive. I told them to call the cops if they have a problem as I went as slow as I possibly could and its both a bike trail and a dog park. He then got up to me and threatened to commit assault against me. I think he was debating going for it, it deescalated when we pedaled away.
Obviously they were in the wrong as far as their attitude, but I am unsure if I contributed to the errors by touching the dog even at approximately 1-2 mph. To me at that speed its more like bumping shoulders in a crowded aisle in the store, no harm no foul. Am I wrong ?
I went on a short ride from my house with my two daughters. I was on a designed biking trail, but it goes through a fairly large dog park. Both dogs and bikes are allowed on the trail.
There was some people and several dogs ahead on the trail so I put on the brakes and went ahead at the slowest speed I possibly could as I got close. I could have pushed the bike faster, and really when I say I was going at the slowest speed I could I am not exaggerating. One dog moved out of the way, one would not move at all and my front tire bumped the side of dog and it jumped away startled. It was not injured but let out a small bark as it was startled. The owners were behind both me and the dog.
The owners become very belligerent and aggressive. I told them to call the cops if they have a problem as I went as slow as I possibly could and its both a bike trail and a dog park. He then got up to me and threatened to commit assault against me. I think he was debating going for it, it deescalated when we pedaled away.
Obviously they were in the wrong as far as their attitude, but I am unsure if I contributed to the errors by touching the dog even at approximately 1-2 mph. To me at that speed its more like bumping shoulders in a crowded aisle in the store, no harm no foul. Am I wrong ?