I ran over a dog

[ianrauk]

Because you are worried Matthew might run you over?

And put it up on You Tube

 

[addictfreak]

Because you are worried Matthew might run you over?

If im ever in Wales, I would be disappointed if I did'nt have an incident that involved Matthew!

 

[oldfatfool]

Dogs, or rather dog owners can be a pain on cycle paths. As can joggers, small children, small children on trikes chavs with earphones, mothers meetings with pushchairs etc etc.

Would you have gone slower if it had been a gaggle of 3 year olds on trikes on the opposite side of the path to their parents?? A dog will instinctively move when approached by a bike and not under very close restraint, when you are aware of a potential hazard then you shouldn't be travelling any faster than the distance you can safely stop in, even if it means stopping and requesting the dogs(s) be restrained.

 

[Fubar]

I've done that myself, twice on the same ride with the same dog!

Class!

 

[Cyclopathic]

The thing about shared paths is that they are shared. Personally I've got no problem with slowing right down to avoid people and dogs who aren't paying attention. It's a price I'm willing to pay for the odd stretch of cycling where I haven't got to worry about being taken out by a car or a bus. In return I try to make sure pedestrians haven't got to worry about being taken out by my bike.
As it goes this doesn't sound too bad. You were obviously doing enough to avoid damaging the dog so now it's just a bit of fine tuning your technique to avoid hitting one. I try and judge if I can stop safely in the time I think it will take the dog to rush into my path and always assume that it might just do that as they are not over encumbered with brains.
Glad you and the dog were ok.

 

[TonyEnjoyD]

Matt, seems you are dogged with problems and another tail to tell today - sorry, not hounding you - oops, there I go again.

Have same problem regularly which s unavoidable unless I double my commute length and take in a couple of nasty roads/junctions.

No need for you to feel guilty, you slowed and the owner is the issue.

 

[Matthew_T]

Its just amazing that I use the same stretch of path everyday and there are often lots of dog walkers about and I have never hit a dog before. I have passed dogs going faster than I was (not excessively) and I havent had a problem before.

When I hit it, I had that feeling of anxiety that you get when you are about to punch someone, or have fallen over (a sensation where you dont quite know what is happening). I was just amazed that the owners didnt blame me at all.
I wasnt going fast and was braking when I first saw the dog start walking.

I think I could have possibly gone a little slower but that means coming to a crawl. Next time, I am going to be very cautious around dogs and ensure I dont hit them. Next time I might not meet an owner as calm and restrained as the ones I did meet.

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

...Next time I might not meet an owner as calm and restrained as the ones I did meet.

I think the concept is that there is no a next time, Matthew. its a learn the lesson this time around and avoid it the entire issue concept rather than next time around...

 

[endoman]

Does it ever spook you on the bike when a truck etc blows it's horn at you? It does me, probably how the dog felt as well. All for letting them know you are there, but I would have have spoken rather than blow a horn, and slowed appreciably.

 

[Fab Foodie]

Here's another view; animals and children are unpredictable at the best of times and if you're expecting them to be there (and you were) then it's up to you to proceed with extreme caution.

 

[Peteaud]

Our local shared path (an old railway line) has notices up all along saying dogs should be on leads. over 50% of them are loose.

I am a dog lover and some of the owner need educating about how to control dogs.

 

[billy1561]

I make a habit of never going between a dog and its owner, or through the centre of a pack of dogs, so if in your situation seeing 2 dogs on one side and 1 on the other, I would not have gone between them, period (and that applied before being attacked by a pack of dogs whilst cycling.)

It does mean that I often have to slow right down, and sometimes stop, it is one reason why i prefer not to use shared paths at all, and also avoid cycle paths with a walk way alongside. The other thing I always do is have my hands covering the brakes so as to reduce the time needed to stop if necessary and also be prepared to yell at the dog - they are amazingly good at getting out of the way and often yelling at them has stopped me hitting them by forcing the dog to take avoiding action. I have never had an angry owner as a result of me yelling at the dog to avoid a collision, usually as I am coming to a complete stop.

I will also tactfully point out to people that splitting down the middle is not always that helpful either, especially when a child is involved. The child may go one way, which way will the dog/dogs go - who is it going to protect by default (usual pack behaviour). All to the same side is a much better option especially when young children and/or pets are involved - they will go to the same side by default. This concept does not work with teenagers by the way, who have developed enough to think independantly but not enough to think the concept all the way through to the point of which side will the pet go to.

That's thought provoking and brilliantly obvious now i have read it. Thanks!

 

[Matthew_T]

Does it ever spook you on the bike when a truck etc blows it's horn at you? It does me, probably how the dog felt as well. All for letting them know you are there, but I would have have spoken rather than blow a horn, and slowed appreciably.

I didnt toot my horn when I was near the group as I knew they wouldnt be happy with it. It did not scare the dog and the dog didnt appear distressed, it simply walked out without looking, or even noticing me. It might have even been better with the dog getting scared of the horn because it would have at least known I was there.

I try to make a habit of not tooting my horn around people as I often make people jump, therefore I only do it when I am a long way from the people and I am sure they can hear me.
I think that shouting/tooting my horn wouldnt have made any difference in this situation. It wasnt the owners who walked out, it was the dog, who probably wouldnt have responded to me shouting. It was just one of those things that happens, admittedly not that often.

 

[Cyclist33]

I have learned from experience that it's better to slow right down where animals and children are concerned. And I mean more like 4/5 mph, not 10 - which is a pretty fair clip if you imagine you were jogging.

 

[RWright]

I didnt toot my horn when I was near the group as I knew they wouldnt be happy with it. It did not scare the dog and the dog didnt appear distressed, it simply walked out without looking, or even noticing me. It might have even been better with the dog getting scared of the horn because it would have at least known I was there.

I try to make a habit of not tooting my horn around people as I often make people jump, therefore I only do it when I am a long way from the people and I am sure they can hear me.
I think that shouting/tooting my horn wouldnt have made any difference in this situation. It wasnt the owners who walked out, it was the dog, who probably wouldnt have responded to me shouting. It was just one of those things that happens, admittedly not that often.

Maybe you could get a bell for your bike that is not as loud as the horn you use in your videos, for use on the shared paths.