Took the dog for a walk today

[SurlyNomad]

As the title says! I took the dog for a walk today along the leeds/liverpool canal. My dog is a well behaved staffie. When a runner or cyclist came along a called him to heel and straight away he comes and stands by me and waits until i tell him its ok to move. The amout of ignorant arrogant bastards that dont say thanks,cheers mate kiss my arse or anything is unreal! I'd say at least 8 out of ten. I can understand the fury dog walkers get with cyclists that just barge there way past as if its their god given right to travelling there unrestricted. It almost made me want to not call the dog to see what would happen, and if they hit him they would have ended in the canal bike and all! Yes i am a cyclist,commuter. It was just an observation on my part and needed a rant.

 

[Little yellow Brompton]

As the title says! I took the dog for a walk today along the leeds/liverpool canal. My dog is a well behaved staffie. When a runner or cyclist came along a called him to heel and straight away he comes and stands by me and waits until i tell him its ok to move. The amout of ignorant arrogant bastards that dont say thanks,cheers mate kiss my arse or anything is unreal! I'd say at least 8 out of ten. I can understand the fury dog walkers get with cyclists that just barge there way past as if its their god given right to travelling there unrestricted. It almost made me want to not call the dog to see what would happen, and if they hit him they would have ended in the canal bike and all! Yes i am a cyclist,commuter. It was just an observation on my part and needed a rant.

You do the bare minimum that you are meant to do and you expect to be thanked for it! When on the bike, do you intned to kiss the feet of every car drive you meet, to thank them for not killing you?

 

[citybabe]

There's nothing wrong with giving a polite thank you just out of thoughtfulness

 

[david k]

there are ignorant people everywhere, some ride bikes and some own dogs. i try to keep my calm, live and let live, you cannot fight every battle

 

[gbb]

There's nothing wrong with giving a polite thank you just out of thoughtfulness

This is true. If anyone makes even what should be a normal effort to behave in a way that doesnt cause others inconvenience...it deserves a thankyou in return.

there are ignorant people everywhere, some ride bikes and some own dogs. i try to keep my calm, live and let live, you cannot fight every battle

This is sadly also true. I shrug my shoulders and carry on when i meet these people, happy in the knowledge that i'm probably a happier, more polite, decent human being than they ever will be.

 

[soulful dog]

I generally say thanks to anyone who calls their dog and gets them to wait like that. I wouldn't say those who don't are ignorant or arrogant though.

You are using a shared use path, so it's up to everyone using it to show a bit of common courtesy or even just basic common sense. Sadly, both can be lacking!

 

[SurlyNomad]

@LYB, Er! Yes! I do. I moved for him so why shouldnt he thank me. If i didnt move he would have had to slow down or even stop. So in effect i was helping him, so why shouldnt i get a cheers or a thank you, after all manners dont cost anything. i was polite enough to move so he,they should be polite enough to aknowlege the fact. You dont say thanks do you? i can tell.

 

[peelywally]

i always say ty and nod or both when someone lets me past or calls the dog to heel its like nervous tick nowadays ,

i bet i do it when its not required just out of habit in fact

 

[Moss]

Good Manners and polite social interaction costs nothing! I Pride myself on have good etiquette; and even being polite to those ignorant So-N-So's you meet from time to time.

 

[enitharmon]

I've found it easy to slip into a habit of waving an acknowledgement to car drivers. If they have made a point of giving way, to let me move into the right-hand lane perhaps, or to pull out, or to turn right, the wave will be accompanied by a cheerful smile. If the driver has cut me up (like a taxi driver did the other day on a roundabout, pulling in front of me before executing what was almost a handbrake turn across my bows to leave the roundabout) the wave will be accompanied by the outstretched index and middle fingers and a blue tinge to the surrounding air.

 

[Bicycle]

I'm 100% with the OP on this one. Everyone who gives way or modifies their speed, position or timing to make allowances for another person deserves a nod and a smile.

Cars, tractors, cyclists, dogwalkers, tanker drivers... everyone.

Sometimes a hand waved in thanks and sometimes a verbal "Thank you".

I recall vividly about 10 years ago riding a littl'un to primary school. I was on a footpath that was once a rail cutting. A dog owner pulled his mutts in close to heel and stood aside.

Concentrating on my child, I completely ignored the gesture and got a sarcastic "My pleasure!" as I passed.

Initial mild ire quikly gave way to embarrassment. The OP is right to expect a wave, a nod or a smile.

But.... many people are rude and egocentric. The OP will be disappointed many more times.

 

[david k]

I'm 100% with the OP on this one. Everyone who gives way or modifies their speed, position or timing to make allowances for another person deserves a nod and a smile.

Cars, tractors, cyclists, dogwalkers, tanker drivers... everyone.

Sometimes a hand waved in thanks and sometimes a verbal "Thank you".

I recall vividly about 10 years ago riding a littl'un to primary school. I was on a footpath that was once a rail cutting. A dog owner pulled his mutts in close to heel and stood aside.

Concentrating on my child, I completely ignored the gesture and got a sarcastic "My pleasure!" as I passed.

Initial mild ire quikly gave way to embarrassment. The OP is right to expect a wave, a nod or a smile.

But.... many people are rude and egocentric. The OP will be disappointed many more times.

+1

 

[Rohloff_Brompton_Rider]

You do the bare minimum that you are meant to do and you expect to be thanked for it! When on the bike, do you intned to kiss the feet of every car drive you meet, to thank them for not killing you?

+1. if you didn't control the dog then you'd end up in trouble, do you pick up dogshit when your on the canal? i reckon most don't with the state of the footpaths at times. isn't it a legal requirement for dogs to be on leads in public places now anyway?

 

[Arrowfoot]

This post took my breath away.


The reason that you called the dog to heel is to avoid a possible unpleasant incident and a possible accompanying lawsuit. This is very different from someone who gives way to you when that person has the right of way or opens the door to let you in or picks up a coin that you dropped.

One should be able to tell the difference between an act of grace and an act of self-preservation. If you receive a compliment of any sort or a thank you, take it as a bonus. Lets encourage a gracious society and I am big fan of politeness and thank you for the unexcepted act but heeling you dog does not fall in the frame.

As someone said - you did the bare minimum. Now you know why people are campaigning for dogs on leashes in public places. All it takes is for the owner's attention to be diverted. For this reason, I see owner who leash their dogs as they walk them when they don't have to. Should I go up and thank them.

And I am dog owner, a recent cyclist and a general member of the public.

As the title says! I took the dog for a walk today along the leeds/liverpool canal. My dog is a well behaved staffie. When a runner or cyclist came along a called him to heel and straight away he comes and stands by me and waits until i tell him its ok to move. The amout of ignorant arrogant bastards that dont say thanks,cheers mate kiss my arse or anything is unreal! I'd say at least 8 out of ten. I can understand the fury dog walkers get with cyclists that just barge there way past as if its their god given right to travelling there unrestricted. It almost made me want to not call the dog to see what would happen, and if they hit him they would have ended in the canal bike and all! Yes i am a cyclist,commuter. It was just an observation on my part and needed a rant.

 

[Little yellow Brompton]

@LYB, Er! Yes! I do. I moved for him so why shouldnt he thank me. If i didnt move he would have had to slow down or even stop. So in effect i was helping him, so why shouldnt i get a cheers or a thank you, after all manners dont cost anything. i was polite enough to move so he,they should be polite enough to aknowlege the fact. You dont say thanks do you? i can tell.

Do you thank all the car drivers you meet for not killing you?