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

[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.

[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- but the gist is that pet owners are responsible for their pets.

[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=6sgZC...eature=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 dogs can't eat chocolate yet somehow they survive and don't seem to miss it.

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.