Wandering walkers and irresponsible dog walkers

[david k]

most dog owners i see clear up the dogs mess and politely move out of the way when i ring my bell, ive never had an issue with shared paths, not sure what people are like were others live but never had an issue in the north west

 

[4F]

No point, people who take their ( or other peoples) dogs out to shoot in a shared public space ,rather than their own space, have already shown they have no respect for others, why should you then expect them to bother to listen?

Aha, cue the dog haters. ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

 

[bongofury66]

The ideal cyclist???


View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eOO4Q1T069Y

 

[edindave]

What would you say?

They are out having to keep control of half a dozen, often untrained, dogs. What the hell are they supposed to do with them? Should they only be allowed to take them to the park where cyclists aren't allowed?

Slow down. Stop if needs be. What's the rush?

I'd tell the dog walker that I think they're an accident waiting to happen and have they considered putting the dogs on a lead, considering the traffic on the paths.


I can almost predict who l'll see on the path on my way to work. It's home turf, so when I see the dog walker I know to expect dogs running from the bushes into my path at random. Just never sure how many!

The loose dogs are a greater risk to cyclists who are not familiar with the paths and the people who use it regularly. This is the point I'm trying to make - I'm not bothered about having to slow down.

The fact that they are in someone's paid care just makes me think that the dog walker should be doing more to mitigate against the risk of an accident.

 

[apollo179]

I regard it as i have to sucessfully navigate whatever comes in my way be it dogs schoolkids or traffic, no point whining about any of them.

 

[Fifelad]

They have priority so how about taking reasonable care rather than giving them the excuse to consider all cyclists are as obnoxious as you appear to be.

Or maybe...

I can assure you Im not obnoxious I go out my way to say hello/good morning etc to all other path users Im only being honest what I think when they nearly cause me to crash !

 

[Fiona N]

If you don't want to reduce your speed now and then, don't use shared paths. Especially not on sunny days.

Don't have any option around here - the dog walkers claim everything which isn't actually dual carriageway. Country lanes are full of them - they seem to think that because they're on the opposite side of the fence to the animals, they don't have to control their dogs. I'd wish more dogs were injured by cars apart form the fact that it isn't the stupid, badly brought up dogs' fault but the stupid ignorant dog owners.

 

[bobg]

I am very disappointed by the attitude of some of my fellow cyclists, I feel a little ashamed.....

















I am

 

[Norm]

The only place I've ever had a real problem is the Kennet and Avon canal towpath. There you can almost guarantee that if you ring your bell the person will moan that it's rude and inappropriate, but if you say "hello" they'll jump out of their skin and moan you should use a bell

Like you say, can't keep them all happy.

I've spent today riding the K&A from Pewsey to Reading and, until I crossed under the M4, the only other users of the towpath other than in Hungerford and Newbury (and the boaters!) were dog walkers.

Without exception, they grabbed their dogs as soon as they heard me coming (bearing issues meant that I could be heard from a fair distance) and apologised for slowing me down. I stopped to chat with most of them, usually just a quick "He looks like he's been for a swim" or similar, but there were a couple of manic labs who needed a bit more attention. They all thanked me for slowing and for the chat.

I can assure you Im not obnoxious I go out my way to say hello/good morning etc to all other path users Im only being honest what I think when they nearly cause me to crash !

Then I'm glad that I said "as you appear to be", because that is how it came across in your initial posts. IMO, at least.

 

[doog]

shameful posts from the same bullies on bikes that I see on my shared route/commute

As I dog owner If I call my dog in I expect a 'thankyou'....if you dont then expect words. Get a bell and accept that on a shared route you come last behind pedestrians and dog walkers.

I would love to be the first person to lob a little yellow brompton in a hedge , something tells me I wont be.

 

[MontyVeda]

drivers and cyclists, cyclists and peds, peds and mobility scooters, mods and rockers, carry on

 

[funnymummy]

4 hours of cycling round The New Forest on Saturday, met all sorts of folk, rambling hikers with huge rucksacks & maps, families walking & cycling, horseriders, joggers, dog walkers. All were greeed with a cheery Hellooooooooooooo, all replied with a similar happy repsonse, we appraoched lots from behind, an extar loud Helloooo was called, all kindly moved over to let us past. We had many pleasant conversations, folk spotting the numbers on our bike asked what we were doing..Dog walkers seeing us coming called their dogs to heel, several were put onto leads, we thanked them all we toodled past, horseriders were given wide slow berths & they thanked us back - It was a beautiful day full of happy cheery people out enjoying the sunshine.
Of course, there has to be one idiot, the one whose dog runs up at your bike barking, my son is a competant rider, but he is only 7, the sight of a largish dog barking it's head off caused him to wobble all over the path, he tried to move out the dogs way, it moved with him, I called out to him to stop, he did & the dog began growling at him in a menacing way, it hunched down & barred it's teeth, I rode at it shouting, the owner was walking towards us but still a good hundred yards away, she could obvioulsy see what was happening, but made no attempt to call her dog back, or hurry her step to reach us. The dog was still growling, I put myself (on my bike) between it & my son. It was still hunched down, teeth barred & snarling, it made a move I thought it was going to jumpup at me, so I grabbed my water bottle from the cage & gave the dog a damn good squirt right between the eyes! The dog turned & ran back towards its owner, who has suddenly broken into a jog, shouting at me to leave her dog alone!! I told her, she should keep her dog on alead if it was aggressive, she shouted it wasn't aggressive, it just didn't like bikes!!
I could still hear her shouting as we pedalled off!
Did I let one mindless moron ruin my day...? Nope! and until I read this thread I had almost forget about her.

The moral is no matter where go, what you do, there is alawys a twit waiting round the corner to spoil someones day.... You as a cyclist may just be that twit one day!

 

[Fifelad]

I've spent today riding the K&A from Pewsey to Reading and, until I crossed under the M4, the only other users of the towpath other than in Hungerford and Newbury (and the boaters!) were dog walkers.

Without exception, they grabbed their dogs as soon as they heard me coming (bearing issues meant that I could be heard from a fair distance) and apologised for slowing me down. I stopped to chat with most of them, usually just a quick "He looks like he's been for a swim" or similar, but there were a couple of manic labs who needed a bit more attention. They all thanked me for slowing and for the chat.

Then I'm glad that I said "as you appear to be", because that is how it came across in your initial posts. IMO, at least.

No worries Jeezo if I had known this reaction I wouldnt have bothered posting lol still thats why We are here to debate and give opinions!

I would challenge anyone on here who hasnt cursed dog walkers or walkers at some stage (to themselves) !

I regularly stop to chat and stroke the dogs and make conversation. As previously said the situations that get my goat are when I have given ample warnings and slowed down and there is no reaction.

 

[Norm]

No worries Jeezo if I had known this reaction I wouldnt have bothered posting lol still thats why We are here to debate and give opinions!

Maybe tempering it with the odd "some dog walkers" or "whilst most are great and I love a chat, there are animals attached to both ends of some leads" or the like.

I don't think I've ever got upset with a dog walker, although that's probably just an age think. the chances are that it must have happened at some point and I've just forgotten.

 

[Fifelad]

Maybe tempering it with the odd "some dog walkers" or "whilst most are great and I love a chat, there are animals attached to both ends of some leads" or the like.

I don't think I've ever got upset with a dog walker, although that's probably just an age think. the chances are that it must have happened at some point and I've just forgotten.

I did make the point IRRESPONSIBLE dog walkers rather than ALL dog walkers anyhow can we all have a big love in now ? lol