What do you think?? (dog and bike related)

[Crankin]

Oy. I have spent most of today responding to emails, both nasty and sympathetic that were sent to me in response to an email I sent to my neighborhood association list serve. Yesterday, as I was riding my little Jamis Coda to an appointment, trying to be a good citizen, and not using my car, I got chased by a loose dog on my street. It belongs to my neighbor, but I sent a complaint to the list, because this has happened before, but when owners were present. It wasn't the same dog, but I have had a couple of run ins with dog walkers who wouldn't get their dogs while they were chatting and I was trying to climb the 10% grade hill being chased by their dogs!
I found out that there is no leash law in Concord, but dogs aren't supposed to be running loose; in other words, it's OK to walk your dog without a leash, but not have them run off and chase people when you are not there. This doesn't make sense to me. One woman said I was rude and condescending, which I was not. I put it in terms of a safety issue and asked owners to please leash their dogs while walking on the hill.
Am I off base? I admit to not being an animal lover, but this woman really didn't understand that being chased by a dog, barking and baring its teeth is not a pleasant situation.

[maillotpois]

You are not alone in your frustration.

http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showthread.php?t=22994&highlight=leashes

[alpinerabbit]

Too bad people have no manners on listservs. Could you talk to the specific dog owner? Face to face helps... if you can do it calmly...

[Tuckervill]

Surely the law states that the dog must be under voice control if not on a leash? If they're not coming back when the owner calls, they're not under voice control, eh?

Don't let the flamers get you down. If your words could have been considered condescending to someone, admit it, apologize, and then keep the discussion on the issue at hand. That's the only way you will get your point across. Don't let them pick your post apart without addressing the central issue.

Karen

[sundial]

Crankin, I cycle out where there are no leash laws. I can't tell you how many times I've been chased by dogs. I've learned to claim my space when a dog comes after me, meaning I don't make eye contact and I act like the dog is nothing but a peanut. On rare occasions I've squirted the dog with water and that usually suffices.

As for your dilemma, I would first chat with the dog owner and let them know that it's not good for the dog to chase you out in the road and that it may get hit by a car. If the owner snubs you, then contact authorities and file a complaint. The animal control officer may need to be contacted and they may issue a warning for allowing the dog to be an endangerment to the public--particularly if the dog nips you while you are cycling.

Good luck and I hope this helps.

[Crankin]

Ha! I had not remembered that thread. I just forwarded it to the b**** who wrote me the nasty email. I said I want her to understand how real the fear is and to realize that most of the posters were dog owners themselves!

Thanks,

Robyn

[Tuckervill]

Hey, I looked it up!


Section 2. No owner of a dog shall permit such dog:
::snip::
to chase a vehicle on any way open to the public travel;

They've broken the law by allowing them to chase you, on a vehicle, a bicycle, so you're totally right and they're totally wrong. Next time, call the law.

Karen

[maillotpois]

And I love my dogs. (Even though the smaller one looks a bit hung over in my avatar picture... :p )

[sundial]

I love your avatar. :D

[SadieKate]

http://www.concordma.gov/pages/ConcordMA_TownClerk/dog

You are totally within your rights. I would assume that "under control of its owner" means that the owner must lift a finger or voice to control the dog successfully.


Section 1. No owner of a dog shall permit such dog to be outside the confines of the property of the owner unless the dog is held firmly on a leash or is under the control of its owner.
Section 2. No owner of a dog shall permit such dog:
a. to disturb the peace or quiet of any neighborhood or endanger the safety of any person, by biting, barking, howling, or in any other manner;
b. to run at large or unmuzzled in violation of an order of the Selectmen or the Dog Officer;
c. to worry, kill, maim or otherwise injure another’s fowl, livestock or domesticated animal;
d. to chase a vehicle on any way open to the public travel;

[coyote]

I got chased 3 times in one week on my own block. I usually only got chased once or twice a week. I had talked to one of the owners a couple of times. But after that week, I started calling Animal Control. I've called them 4 times. That was over 2 months ago. I haven't been chased since then.

It really is about your own safety. A dog chasing you can cause you to react in a way that is not predictable to a person driving a car (aka you could get hit).

It is too bad that your nieghbors are upset. I wonder how they would feel if their precious pooch got hit by a car while chasing you? Or I wonder if they would enjoy the increase in home owners insurance if the dog actually does bite you?

As you can probably tell, dogs running loose is a pet peeve of mine :o
Sorry about the rant.

[ttaylor508]

I am a dog lover and think it is irresponsible for those owners to put you and their pooch at risk. The dog is doing what dogs do.

Send her one of these video clips. It doesn't necessarily show a dog chasing a bike, but it does show how dangerous it is to let your dog run loose when any vehicle is present!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GGfao3g26p0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xuDzZLzlUVg

[Crankin]

I assumed the law read something like what you excerpted. Believe me, next time, I will call the police. In fact, the president of the association told me to. The dog that chased me yesterday is not usually loose, but since it brought back memories of what had happened before, I am glad it is clarified. These people don't get it. I didn't directly speak to my neighbor because she is somewhat strange and I really don't like interacting with her.
I didn't get off my bike, but I was about to put the bike between myself and the dog. I was trying to remember all that had been suggested here. Yelling "Go home" did nothing but inflame the situation. I totally forgot about the water bottle thing.
Thanks for all of your replies.

[rij73]

Crankin, you are right, dog owner is wrong. End of story.

FWIW, I am a devoted doggie person and consider my dog as much of my responsibility as a child would be. That means not leaving him outside unsupervised!

[elk]

The Nerve! We have some neighbors whose dogs badly attacked another dog (who was walking quietly on leash....) and generally kept escaping and running down other dogs, bikers etc.

I was at a neighborhood event and the woman told me--everyone on my street knows I am a trainer with 4 dogs---that a guy on a bicycle KICKED her dog, and she was outraged. She expected me to sympathize...but I said "If he chased me on wheels or on foot, I'd kick him too."

There are responsible dog owners and out to lunch dog owners...you have a case of the 2nd and have every right to be as rude and condescending as you like as long as her dog is making your passage on a public thoroughfare dangerous.

:mad:

[ilima]

Well, I am a dog lover. And I get mighty annoyed by unleashed animals. To say that being chased by a dog that is "barking and baring its teeth is not a pleasant situation" is quite an understatement. One of the most terrifying minutes of my life was being chased by two dalmatians as 10 year old riding a too-big adult bicycle. If I'd have fallen, I have no doubt they would have viciously attacked me.

My border collie has been attacked by an unleashed dog on two occasions. When I am walking my dogs and I see an unleashed dog, particularly breeds known for dog aggression, my blood pressure goes up and I immediately look for a way to get away. So, even though I am not scared for myself, per se, unleashed dogs where they shouldn't be tick the hell out of me. I have seriously considered carrying a knife in case I have to kill an attacking dog. After the two attacks, I'm that freaked out.

Even if your town doesn't have a leash law, it must have an 'in control' clause. A dog that chases someone or something is not in control. I don't know where the picture is now, but I saw a shot of someone set up for touring that kept a baseball bat sticking out of his rear pannier. Maybe you could start carrying something that can obviously be used as a defensive weapon against a dog attack. [There is a cross walk where I have almost gotten hit at so many times, I'm thinking of carrying a golf club and swinging it as I'm walking--as if to say 'would you like a nice dent or smashed in window in your Mercedes?'.]

Don't feel bad about the e-mail that was sent. Now no one cam claim ignorance.

[JennyPi]

That is so dangerous. Getting chased by a dog while on my bike is my worst nightmare. Well, it's at the top of the list. A while back I was riding around in my neighborhood when I saw TWO off-leashed pit bulls hanging out on the front lawn of what I'm guessing was their house. I felt everything around me stop and knot in my stomach. I was so thankful, and lucky, that they didn't approach me. Even sweet dogs are capable of the unthinkable, especially when they see a cyclist coming their way. Oh yeah, there wasn't an owner in sight, meaning these dogs were under no supervision.

My advice, along with everyone elses, call the cops next time. Or animal control.

[singletrackmind]

Another on your side. My neighbor's pint size pooch ran between my sister's wheels, causing her to flip. His dog had been getting loose pretty often. I marched up to his door and let him have it for a good 10 minutes. :mad::mad::mad:

You were both in the right and much nicer about it. Too bad some people would have to pedal a few miles in your shoes to realize just how badly they're behaving, how neglectful they are, yet never will.

[ilima]

The owner of that pint sized pooch is lucky it didn't end up with a broken neck. It's happened to many a squirrel, and it usually results in a broken fork and serious crash for the rider. Just stupid all around to carelessly let your dogs off leash.

[Blueberry]

You're 100% right, and the neighbor is 100% wrong. I have a dog. I love my dog. For his protection (and the protection of others), he is always behind a fence or on a leash. Once in a long while (in very controlled circumstances), he's off lead under voice control. And I do not welcome dogs off leash messing with him (this includes dogs who are walking their owners). I was attacked by a dog as a kid. It took me a long time to get over it. It's just not cool.

[Trek420]

Send her one of these video clips. It doesn't necessarily show a dog chasing a bike, but it does show how dangerous it is to let your dog run loose when any vehicle is present!


Or this one

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6sgZC7O_PVc&feature=related

Unleashed dogs get loose and get hit by cars :(

They may form a "pack" with other dogs and get into trouble :(

They may wander and eat something that makes them ill ... such as a huge vat of chocolate pudding :o dogs can't eat chocolate yet somehow they survive and don't seem to miss it. :rolleyes:

They may get attacked by wildlife, coyotes, pumas ... :(

They may get "dognapped", or simply lost and most lost dogs are not chipped and they don't get back home ....

Leash law or not I think an unleashed dog is an unloved dog. My mutt is always on a leash if outside the home.

[Crankin]

OK, I sent her the link to the previous thread. Her reply was that she understands and that she USED to be an avid cyclist. And, she was attacked by dogs twice.
My husband informed me that I had neglected to read the whole email. I missed the part where she invited us over for drinks (seriously).

Sometimes I think I am the crazy one and the rest of the world is sane.

[meakulpa]

As a biker and a dog owner and lover, I sympathize. I get frustrated by dog owners who don't properly care for their pets and keep them from hurting others. Even the best of dogs can get excited and go after someone on a bike or in a car, even innocently. Here is some info on the laws regarding dogs and bikes (http://www.bikeaccidentadvice.com/accident-scenarios/dog-v-bike/)- but the gist is that pet owners are responsible for their pets.