Irresponsible Dog Owners!

[AndyCh]

Good one smutchin, common sense all round. Good thing is that you were at least trying to get him to come back and eventually got him on a lead. I think it is those that just let their dog run around without any attempt to control that them really pees people off (well, me anyway).

 

[smutchin]

I think it is those that just let their dog run around without any attempt to control that them really pees people off (well, me anyway).

Agreed. And it's even more important if it's a big dog. Fortunately, my dog is quite small (terrier) so it limits the amount of damage he can do - although I'm sure he could still knock a cyclist off their bike, I know from experience that it doesn't take much...

 

[mjr]

This is my responsibility I know, but being open about it, i can't guarantee she is always fully under control.

Why not? Surely you could if you kept her on a lead on highways?

 

[AndyCh]

I'm thinking in the park, where she is running around, but a cycle lane runs through the middle. The dog doesn't understand the concept of cycle lanes, a bit like uber drivers

 

[smutchin]

The real question for me is whether control in this context needs to be absolute or relative. In many situations, it really does need to be absolute, but in some situations you can afford to be a bit more relaxed about it. Unfortunately, even in situations when it's appropriate to be more relaxed about it, you can sometimes get caught out.

It helps if cyclists are more relaxed about it as well, as per my experience the other day, rather than dogmatically enforcing their right to be in the right.

 

[Duffy]

The real question for me is whether control in this context needs to be absolute or relative. In many situations, it really does need to be absolute, but in some situations you can afford to be a bit more relaxed about it. Unfortunately, even in situations when it's appropriate to be more relaxed about it, you can sometimes get caught out.

It helps if cyclists are more relaxed about it as well, as per my experience the other day, rather than dogmatically enforcing their right to be in the right.

Dogmatically..............

I can see which side you're batting for.

 

[smutchin]

 

[mjr]

View attachment 398054

Idéfix!

 

[smutchin]

Idéfix!

One of those rare examples where the joke is even better in translation.

 

[captain nemo1701]

In many years of commuting down the Bristol Railway Path I have witnessed two accidents (well, saw the aftermath of one, actually did see the second) both caused by dogs off leads. The first required paramedics, the second saw a dog run onto the path causing a female cyclist to swerve & part company with her steed. Luckily, yours truly (works first aider) was cycling up towards her and came to help. She was slightly bruised but otherwise OK. While I was chatting to her, dog owner put the beast back onto the lead and buggered off without any apology.

If you cycle in Bristol, you'll be aware of the rabid anti cycling mob who turn up on the local tabloid rag website every time they feature an item about the B2B path. According to the great unwashed, any accident is the fault of speeding cyclists whereas pedestrians, including dog walkers, apparently never put a foot wrong.....Don't get me started on texting zombies, MP3 addicts, dog poo bags on trees etc, etc. It's a shared space, but according to some, all the blame rests on the cycling community. Er, no. If you venture onto it, you are also responsible for the safety of others as well as your own. Some people seem incapable of grasping this idea.

 

[Inertia]

In many years of commuting down the Bristol Railway Path I have witnessed two accidents (well, saw the aftermath of one, actually did see the second) both caused by dogs off leads. The first required paramedics, the second saw a dog run onto the path causing a female cyclist to swerve & part company with her steed. Luckily, yours truly (works first aider) was cycling up towards her and came to help. She was slightly bruised but otherwise OK. While I was chatting to her, dog owner put the beast back onto the lead and buggered off without any apology.

If you cycle in Bristol, you'll be aware of the rabid anti cycling mob who turn up on the local tabloid rag website every time they feature an item about the B2B path. According to the great unwashed, any accident is the fault of speeding cyclists whereas pedestrians, including dog walkers, apparently never put a foot wrong.....Don't get me started on texting zombies, MP3 addicts, dog poo bags on trees etc, etc. It's a shared space, but according to some, all the blame rests on the cycling community. Er, no. If you venture onto it, you are also responsible for the safety of others as well as your own. Some people seem incapable of grasping this idea.

So you saw the aftermath of one incident and blamed the dog. The other has a cyclist who had to bail to avoid hitting a dog.

Maybe the dog should have been on a lead but the cyclist also has some responsibility herself.

I've passed lots of dogs over the years, on and off the lead and have managed to never hit any of them, and stay on my bike.

I've also passed lots of people texting, listening to their MP3 and yes its my responsibility to not hit them.

 

[captain nemo1701]

So you saw the aftermath of one incident and blamed the dog. The other has a cyclist who had to bail to avoid hitting a dog.

Maybe the dog should have been on a lead but the cyclist also has some responsibility herself.

I've passed lots of dogs over the years, on and off the lead and have managed to never hit any of them, and stay on my bike.

I've also passed lots of people texting, listening to their MP3 and yes its my responsibility to not hit them.

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.

 

[glasgowcyclist]

If I'm being attacked and escape isn't feasible, I'll fight back. If that means kicking my attacker that's too bad.

Some dogs are very fast runners and I'm not going to be forced to ride faster than I'd want to, in a panic, putting me (and possibly others) at further risk. Sorry, but the dog will get a dose of aversion therapy.

I had it once riding through a local park (on a road); an unleashed doberman monster came hurtling at me from a field ahead and to my right. The speed he was going, I couldn't have outpaced him so I stopped, dismounted and kept my bike bewteen us as he snarled, lunged and barked. The useless owner gave all sorts of baby-talk 'commands' to it but it was after my blood.

After asking the owner twice to get it under control, which she failed to do, I whacked it on the nose with my pump. It backed off a bit but kept barking and the owner got all uppity at me.

Do these people not understand the sheer terror a person experiences when faced with a wildly snarling and snapping attack dog?

 

[Deleted member 26715]

Do these people not understand the sheer terror a person experiences when faced with a wildly snarling and snapping attack dog?

Nope

 

[Jody]

Do these people not understand the sheer terror a person experiences when faced with a wildly snarling and snapping attack dog?

My mum is scared of soft dogs never mind snarling ones.