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Hey, does anyone know if there is a website or anything that cyclists use to document or post awareness to other cyclists of dangerous intersections, houses, dogs, etc? I wrecked with 2 dogs awhile ago, and due to the amount of cyclists I see on that road, am very curious on whether cyclists have had run-ins with the same two dogs...
You could probably start something of that sort in the appropriate Places To Ride section of the forum. I'm sure folks in your area would appreciate it.
Check with your local cycling organizations. We have one near us that will go to bat for you if run into a "bad dog." If you see one on your route, they have a little form that you fill out and send it to them. They in turn will contact the owners and politely request that they confine their pet. If the owner refuses to comply, I think there is something legal they can do. Not sure. Didn't pay too much attention to it because I haven't had a reason to worry about it yet.
I don't think they post such things on their website, but it is a thought worth suggesting.
You might check with your LBS about having a bulletin board for this sort of thing. Not that I've ever seen such a thing, but it seems like a good idea.
Our club has a website with a message board, and an email list. When somebody posts a dog issue, our favorite LBS guy will post who to contact RE: animal control, police, etc. Depending on where you are, there may be enforceable laws.
Forget posting warnings to other cyclists....Quote:
Originally Posted by liberty
I'd call a warning to your local animal control.
If there are dogs (are they at the same house?) that are running loose and harrassing cyclists, then animal control should be notified.
Do you have a leash law in that area? Find out if you don't know.
The owner is/should be responsible for their animals.
P.S. Well, okay...not totally "forget" - you can, as SueJ noted, check with local bike shops too. They may have a listserv that posts to many riders....
One advantage of such a system is that done properly, you then have a local data base of problems - not just for dogs, BTW, but for bad intersections, cars with H8 BKRS plates, etc.
After all, one call to authorities about, say, a loose dog, can easily get met with a yawn. A consistent documented pattern of "undesireable behavior", however, gets official attention.
No, I'm not the person to set such a thing up, bike clubs are well placed for such an effort, though.
When I have to call animal control, I always make the dog seem more vicious than it may be. A neighbor's pit bull mix kept getting off its chain. It was a sweetheart dog around me. I petted it a lot whenever I would do the neighborly thing and put it back on its chain ( :( dogsdeservebetter.org). One time just became too much for me, though. Another dog from the 'hood was out at the same time, and they met. The pit bull raised its hackles at it, but there was no fight, I think because the other dog was bigger and more alpha. When I called animal control, that pit bull had become a raging maniac, but luckily, the other dog "got away".
In my town, they will always come for vicious dogs. They may or may not come if Fifi is out running loose. Yes, I exaggerated. Maybe I even lied. :rolleyes: But those people finally surrendered that pit bull and the puppy-machine Lab they had also chained up in the back yard. Those dogs must be having a better life than they were. Even if they were ultimately euthanized, it's better that a pit bull mix who regularly breaks his chain is in the hinterlands than here as a possible menace. Don't get me started on the Labrador who was always pregnant by any mongrel who happened by.
Karen
I have just started a thread at my local club's forum about magpies, called "Magpie Alert"
At this time of year they are really aggressive and dive-bomb and crash into helmets with theri claws...
I think starting something at your local club is the best place - we are from such a huge area here at TE I am unsure as to how useful sucha forum or thread would be...