Irresponsible Dog Owners!

[Time Waster]

If that's the case it's an offence I believe so report it. Kick the mutt and report it rather than whinging about it. That's what I'd do as a dog owning cyclist.

However whinging about every little incident gets you nowhere. All users of mixed use paths need to be responsible. On such paths near me there's irresponsibly on all sides but you only get one side of a story on a special interest forum.

BTW if you're driving do you have the same view about cyclists getting in your way? It seems to me that a loy of the anti dog anti pedestrian rants on this thread seem to mirror motorists rants about cyclists. I'm still waiting for a comment about dogs having road tax and number plates for their dogs!

If you were interested my rants include dog owners seeing you coming on your bike and telling you that "it's OK, he's friendly" just as I'm trying to work out which way the dog is going. Pedestrians who walk obliviously towards one side of the path only to suddenly cross right the way to the other side where I am about to reach that point, so you move to avoid and they suddenly move to your avoidance path. The other pet rant is the cyclists who ride at a speed that's inappropriate to what is around them. I know what is inappropriate because I ride the same stretches and face the same risks as a cyclist and a pedestrian.

BTW I don't know that Bristol path so perhaps someone who does can enlighten me. It's a mixed use path I take it that's popular with all legitimate users of that type of route. What is the visibility along that path like? What speeds do cyclists do? How popular or busy are they with the different user types?

My questions relate back to my experience of my local mixed use paths. Certain times of the day they get different user ratios. In the rush hour you get cyclists going faster than mid afternoon. So there's less conflict or risk of it outside of rush hours. Similarly with texting zombies. Less likely outside of rush hour times. It seems to me that the more we have to be somewhere, the more we come into conflict with other users. Leave earlier for work and take it easy. Or walk your dog at quiet times. Better to avoid conflict IMHO.

 

[Inertia]

The first incident was caused by the dog and the owner admitted it. The cyclist was on the floor, having flipped over the handlebars and broke his arm. I offered first aid (I carry a kit as standard) but the paramedic turned up a couple of minutes later.

The second incident had the dog run out into the path and the lady swerved but was going slowly. She overcompensated and fell off at about 4 to 5mph. Clearly, the dog owner should not have let his pet run down the access ramp onto the path like that, rather like a small child running out into a road. She did her best, but wobbled off. The least the dog owner could have done was apologise.

I have also passed many people listening to MP3 players, texting etc without incident. But on the B2B path, a lot of it is width-restricted in cuttings with little room for 'evasive action'. My point is quite simple, I am exercising my responsibility not to hit pedestrians but also they have an equal responsibility to look where they are heading in a shared use space. Would anyone, say, stop in the middle of a road while crossing it to update Facebook?.

Texting seems to be an issue elsewhere:
https://www.psychologytoday.com/blo...-zombies-the-scourge-text-messaging-in-public
I understand in China, they now have 'texting lanes'. And in Germany, they now have red/green LEDS in the kerb to show texting zombies when it's safe to cross.

I'm not excusing dangerous dogs and if a dog is running round a cyclist then the owner should get it under control.

I didn't mean to have a go at you, I think your view reminded me of people complaining about cyclists appearing from nowhere, blaming them for the collusion. Dogs, like cyclists don't usually appear out of nowhere.

I also realise though, that not everyone is not great around dogs and what seems straight forward to me (putting your foot down and stopping) is not obvious to someone in a panic.

 

[captain nemo1701]

I'm not excusing dangerous dogs and if a dog is running round a cyclist then the owner should get it under control.

I didn't mean to have a go at you, I think your view reminded me of people complaining about cyclists appearing from nowhere, blaming them for the collusion. Dogs, like cyclists don't usually appear out of nowhere.

I also realise though, that not everyone is not great around dogs and what seems straight forward to me (putting your foot down and stopping) is not obvious to someone in a panic.

Thanks for the reply and apologies if I seemed a bit harsh. The local tabloid readers around here seem to put 100% of the responsibility onto cyclists, which irritates me. Ironically, on my commute home along the path tonight, dog running loose with owner nowhere to be seen.

 

[Nigeyy]

Oh dear, this is one of those subjects best avoided: pets, religion, politics and your kids. Of course I'd rather not kick a dog (never have) but if under threat and I had no option, yes I would. Of course "no option" sometimes isn't clear, but if a dog is snarling and looks like it's going to bite and the owner's making no attempt to restrain it, that would be good enough for me. For full disclosure, I'm not exactly a dog lover, but do like them. My family has had dogs before.

Interestingly about a year ago I was attacked by a dog, mtbing. I tried to put the bike between me and the dog and it ran around and got a good bite of my calf. It happened so quickly I couldn't defend myself, but had it tried it again, I would have definitely kicked the bloody thing I'll guarantee that. At least the owner gave me details and paid for my medical expenses. And I definitely did report it to the police, giving all the owner's details. Why? Because earlier in the ride I'd gone by a 10-12 year old girl. I'd want it documented every time a dog attacks so at least there's a record that can help decide if a dog has previous history should be put down. As I said, I like dogs, but as far as I'm concerned if a dog bites without good cause it should be goner. Next time it might not be an overweight balding middle aged cyclist.

And what did the owner say? "he just doesn't like cyclists". Fortunately he was apologetic after that comment because I wasn't impressed to say the least as he was walking a dog that doesn't like cyclists off leash in an area frequented by mtbers..... Anyway, sad to see some of the dog lover's responses here, seems like dogs (any dogs) are far more important than people who are unlucky enough to encounter uncontrolled aggressive dogs.

 

[Randombiker9]

Every time i go to town, I use a shared cycle path which has dogs and Ducks
Ducks just fly out of the way when they see a cyclist. Whenever the owners are near the dogs. They always try to get the dog out of the way. Although sometimes dogs just decide to run into your path. Although the last time i used the path there was a dog that looked like it was chasing me but when i cycled faster it must of just trying to have fun or just gave up as it ran back a different way but as i said it's ussually fine. You just have to cycle slowly in case you need to stop quickly, Like if there's a dog off leash and i don't know which way it's going to go towards. I'm aware of that and if i need to i just stop till the owner gets it's dog or till it moves out the way. So owners aren't irresponsible. Dogs can't help being dogs.
I've also cycled in a park nearby where there's a lot of off leash dogs. Which just randomly run into your path causing you to break quickly. But as i said dogs can't help being dogs their just having fun.

 

[Randombiker9]

Oh dear, this is one of those subjects best avoided: pets, religion, politics and your kids. Of course I'd rather not kick a dog (never have) but if under threat and I had no option, yes I would. Of course "no option" sometimes isn't clear, but if a dog is snarling and looks like it's going to bite and the owner's making no attempt to restrain it, that would be good enough for me. For full disclosure, I'm not exactly a dog lover, but do like them. My family has had dogs before.

Interestingly about a year ago I was attacked by a dog, mtbing. I tried to put the bike between me and the dog and it ran around and got a good bite of my calf. It happened so quickly I couldn't defend myself, but had it tried it again, I would have definitely kicked the bloody thing I'll guarantee that. At least the owner gave me details and paid for my medical expenses. And I definitely did report it to the police, giving all the owner's details. Why? Because earlier in the ride I'd gone by a 10-12 year old girl. I'd want it documented every time a dog attacks so at least there's a record that can help decide if a dog has previous history should be put down. As I said, I like dogs, but as far as I'm concerned if a dog bites without good cause it should be goner. Next time it might not be an overweight balding middle aged cyclist.

And what did the owner say? "he just doesn't like cyclists". Fortunately he was apologetic after that comment because I wasn't impressed to say the least as he was walking a dog that doesn't like cyclists off leash in an area frequented by mtbers..... Anyway, sad to see some of the dog lover's responses here, seems like dogs (any dogs) are far more important than people who are unlucky enough to encounter uncontrolled aggressive dogs.

But then another day. There was this German shepard puppy off leash and i was just walking my bike up hill and he came up as he was interested in the bike as he was sniffing it. So i guess he was just exploring the area and has never seen a bike, He was friendly so i said Hi to him as i like dogs.


Dogs are great but remember it's not the dog. it's how the owner trains it. One of my parent's friends has a jack russell which got attacked by a American Staffie. Luckily the JR survived but the JR is now scared of big dogs because of that.
Also when my dad was on holiday he got bitten by a stray pitbull.

I've never had any bad expereinces. I like dogs but i do not like American staffie's or pitbulls. (luckily we don't have pitbulls here as there illegal)

 

[Bianchi boy]

1991dangerous dogs act, Chapter 65 section -3. That`s the Law, Simple

 

[Randombiker9]

1991dangerous dogs act, Chapter 65 section -3. That`s the Law, Simple

yeah. But it's worse when neighbours dogs bark during the night
. Also that act is only applies for Banned Dogs so like pitbulls


it would probs be better to link this one:
https://www.gov.uk/control-dog-public
https://www.gov.uk/control-dog-public/banned-dogs

 

[Nigeyy]

I agree to an extent, and will say much lies with the owner, but I'd also say there are sometimes really well natured dogs, and then some dogs that just have a nasty streak*, or some dogs that are nice dogs but react badly to certain stimuli. So I'd say remember it is the dog sometimes. Or the owner sometimes. Regardless, when one bites you I can't say (at least for me) you start pondering whether it's the dog or the owner.

*interestingly I had a friend who asked the question (seriously) "can you have a psychopathic animal?".

But then another day. There was this German shepard puppy off leash and i was just walking my bike up hill and he came up as he was interested in the bike as he was sniffing it. So i guess he was just exploring the area and has never seen a bike, He was friendly so i said Hi to him as i like dogs.


Dogs are great but remember it's not the dog. it's how the owner trains it. One of my parent's friends has a jack russell which got attacked by a American Staffie. Luckily the JR survived but the JR is now scared of big dogs because of that.
Also when my dad was on holiday he got bitten by a stray pitbull.

I've never had any bad expereinces. I like dogs but i do not like American staffie's or pitbulls. (luckily we don't have pitbulls here as there illegal)

 

[Heltor Chasca]

Here’s another angle on the dog rant thread:

If I do the school run, there and back, drop off and pick up, I cover about 6km on a shared path. It is our local greenway which is very popular with dog walkers because it is clean and safe and when I had a springer, it was a good way to keep her nails short. Lots of dogs out and about all year round. Generally we all get on fine and I haven’t noticed any issues for a while. Tolerance is the key.

Until it comes to servicing my bike that is. I kid you not, the entire drive train and mudguards are smeared, tangled and matted with dogs’ hair. No jokes. In the jockey wheels, chain links, cassette. Everywhere. Weird.

They should have to be cling wrapped before setting on foot down MY cycle route.

 

[dantheman]

I have clipped one dog with my pedals and hit another, coming to stop with the front wheel just pinning It down as it yelped.. Both at the same part of a cycle path alongside playing fields dog walkers use, both times the owners not paying attention and both times no leads... I will say both times the owners were apologetic, but it brings me no joy to hit their pets and it would be nice if dog owners had more spacial awareness as frankly tons of times I've needed to stop or swerve massively because of them.. And I don't go down these places at breakneck speed and do ease off when I see the hazards (both above times I had eased to below 10mph..

Bring back dog licensing..

 

[Alan O]

My latest dog-rant subject was a woman with one of those dogs on strings - the leads that extend for what seems like miles. She was crossing the road ahead of me, but was letting the lead extend and the dog follow from whatever distance it felt like - and she'd crossed the entire road with the dog still on the other pavement and the lead stretching all the way between them!

Words (probably fortunately) failed me.

 

[Heltor Chasca]

One of our top riders is off the bike and on antibiotics. I don’t know the full story, but he wasn’t bitten, he was wrapped up in one of those invisible leads and his leg got sliced up

 

[Grievesy]

I've had the misfortune to literally park my bike between a dogs ribs before. I was riding on a cycle path. I even chimed my wee bell (when I had it) to let the woman know I was coming as the lab was off the lead, she turned around, looked and just waved me off. this was fine until I was about to pass and the dog decided to do a 90 degree right turn right into me. absolutely no where to go except watch this dog fold in 2 around my wheel and get pushed about 3 feet up the path as I grab a load of brakes and try to stop.

"oh sorry" was all the owner said to me.
"not a problem missy, I'm fine. but you might have a hell of a vet bill. Bye"

honestly. some owners. as a dog owner myself. I'm happy my dog is well trained and I let him off the lead in select areas, but I still grab him if I see a cyclist as he loves to chase them for exercise as he comes with me sometimes on short jaunts (as you can see in my profile pic)

 

[vickster]

I've had the misfortune to literally park my bike between a dogs ribs before. I was riding on a cycle path. I even chimed my wee bell (when I had it) to let the woman know I was coming as the lab was off the lead, she turned around, looked and just waved me off. this was fine until I was about to pass and the dog decided to do a 90 degree right turn right into me. absolutely no where to go except watch this dog fold in 2 around my wheel and get pushed about 3 feet up the path as I grab a load of brakes and try to stop.

"oh sorry" was all the owner said to me.
"not a problem missy, I'm fine. but you might have a hell of a vet bill. Bye"

honestly. some owners. as a dog owner myself. I'm happy my dog is well trained and I let him off the lead in select areas, but I still grab him if I see a cyclist as he loves to chase them for exercise as he comes with me sometimes on short jaunts (as you can see in my profile pic)

How fast were you going? That close around dogs (esp dopey ones like labradors can be), walking pace is the max one should be doing on a bike on a shared path...so no need to brake hard at all to stop