Cyclist asks for consideration on shared use paths after garotting with extendable dog lead

While generally on the side of keeping dogs under control I have to say some of the "They wouldn't need it if they trained their dog" stuff is ill-considered.

Not all dogs and not all breeds are the same. Some are very good at recall and others are not, even given a reasonable amount of training.

There are also perfectly good reasons why people use extendable or long leads. You may have a very well-trained, well-behaved dog but be in a place where dogs are forbidden from being off-lead. So the long lead is a way to let them run without breaking the rules. Perhaps the rules are to blame not the well-behaved dogs/owners - a situation cyclists should have some sympathy with.

None of that excuses or justifies letting them cross over paths where people are cycling, running etc.

But just as we don't like having the sins of pavement-riding red-light-jumping people on bike-shaped-objects visited on us, don't lump all dogs and owners together or assume the same solutions work in every situation.

I was attacked and bitten by a dog on an extended lead a few months ago, so I'll attest to the fact that extending leads give no control whatsoever over a dog in that situation.

I was cycling slowly up an off-road shared use path (up from Beverley Brook to Sunset Road on Wimbledon Common if you're interested) and the dog and middle aged woman owner were walking down towards me. Dog raced towards me, and I stopped and put a foot down as it approached - it took the opportunity to nip my leg before the owner was able to bring it under some sort of control. I was surprised as it looked like a fairly normal labrador type dog and I was expecting it just to get in my way rather than actually attack.

I don't have a dog, but I grew up in a house with dogs ranging over the years from well-trainable pedigrees to slightly nutty rescue dogs. For those occasions when you need the dog on the lead, it should be a short one so that you can control it, and when it's off the lead it should be really off the lead, not attached to an extending cable. If the dog is never safe to be let off the lead, you should work on the training, or just resign yourself to being permanently closely attached to your dog.

Perhaps Sustrans and councils should put up 'no extending dog lead' signs on shared use cycle paths and wait for the deluge of outraged mail to come in

In some instances it's primarily the dog owners that need training.

If the dog is not on a short lead it is in law not under control and the owner is liable for damage caused by the dog by default.

I had a problem with my dog once when a jack russell attacked it but came of much worse for wear. The owner posted signs up warning others of my dangerous dog! A quick chat with the local dog warden resulted in the removal of the signs and official ones going up pointing out the owner of the jack russell was completely to blame due to it not being on a lead and therefor not under control. My dog was on a short lead and under control when it was attacked.

Long story but if the dog is not on a lead, no matter how obedient or under control you think it is, it is not legally under control.

As for long leads; they have their place but that is only where there are no other people present. I use a long lead but it is locked at a couple of feet length when walking on paths and my dog walks to heal. I use the longer length if we are near livestock or other animals just in case. Mostly he is off the lead when we are walking through the countryside but only if there is no one about.

There's no place for extending dog leads on any sort of shared infrastructure. The roads are an example of shared, multi-modal infrastucture and it certainly wouldn't be acceptable there. We need to see some rather higher standards for motor-free paths in this respect.

Frankly I don't believe his story.

To get tangled round the neck it would have had to be above handlebar height at between the dog and owner ends. Quick experiment in my living room; even if I hold the lead at shoulder height (which is silly and unrealistic and I am 6'2"), and the far end is approximate labrador height there is no way that you can pass between me and the imaginary dog (regardless of distance to dog) on either a road or mountain bike without snagging some front end bike parts or actually hitting me.

Even if hitting the lead above handlebar height was possible, to do that sort of damage implies that the owner had to hold on and the dog had to stay still(-ish). At the sort of pace he had to be going to do that sort of damage to his neck even a big dog is going to be severely injured by being yanked off its feet, assuming the owner had managed to hold on.

I have seen extendable dog leads that are very long. If the dog is so far from the owner you could easily not see the lead, just the dog and the owner and not realise they are attached.

It could be that the owner was on a bank and so higher than the cyclist? Or as has been pointed out - maybe he tried to lift the lead over the cyclist and just made things worse.

I don't know how anyone can identify these reckless dog walkers? Perhaps they need some form of registration? Their dogs already have to be registered; how about the owners? A nice big plate front and back should be adequate. A licence, registration and the payment of some tax for dog walkers to access that shared path should sort out the hazards and any conflict between user groups.

And have you seen how many walkers fall on their noggins. Perhaps it should be compulsory to wear a helmet...

To follow on from my earlier post and lots of discussion by others:-
Here are verbatim excerpts from the Castlereagh Dog Warden's formal response following a complaint I made (April 14) about a gentlemen who had repeatedly not kept his large dog under control on a lead: "..... after reviewing the pictures and your statement, the dog appears to be within a few metres of the owner and this would be deemed under control". The Dog Warden goes further: "Currently there is no legalisation in the Castlereagh Borough Council area that states dogs must be kept on a lead whilst in public. Some Councils have adapted legalisation under the Clean Neighbour and Environment Act(Northern Ireland) 2011, which means they can designate areas of the Council area as ‘Dog Control Orders’, this allows the Council to introduce legalisation for dogs to be kept on a lead. However, Caslereagh Borough Council have to date, decided against adapting this legalisation. "

I was not too happy that the dog warden was not willing to take any action to reduce the risk of accidents to me and others. However, I replied with thanks as it would appear that he has just accepted legal liability for any accidents that I have due to this determination !

Oh and the gentlemen with the large dog assaulted me a month later !

Why has an article for 6 years ago appeared???

I walk two dogs but don't need a lead of any type because I've trained them properly.

One whistle and they come to me a sit, they will do this when they see bikes, cars (or horses) coming on their own.

When they are on a lead, it's a normal one. I exercise them where they can be off the lead and have a good run away from roads which is a mile walk from home. If you have a dog, you must be prepared to make the effort and take the time to look after them properly.

Basically if you have a dog, you should train it, and train yourself to have proper control around other dogs, people, bikes, cars and live stock etc.

Irresponsible dog owners are a problem, I've been chased and barked at while on my bike by out of control dogs more than once, its incompetent owners thats the problem

The birch

I regularly use a shared use path at the side of the canal. There are often dog walkers with dogs on extendable leads or running free, and parents with small children.

I've found that if you slow down as you pass and don't ride like a cock, they get their animals under control, and everything works.

Yes, there are some peds who are arsey about it, but I also see plenty of cyclists who fly past at stupid speeds. There are undoubtedly dicks in both camps....

This nearly happened to my 4 year old son who was running along - those leads should only be used when others not about.

I'm a dog owner and a cyclist and, while I've never encountered the dangers reported here, I've never understood the sense of these long leads. How can you have any control of your dog when it's 20' away? If you have full control of your dog you wouldn't need a 20' lead. I use a 6' leash and moderate length according to environment and risk. If it's safe for the dog to be off lead then she's off lead. There is no need for a 20' lead when walking your dog. You're the pack leader. You decide what the dog does and where it goes. Extending leads are just stupid, IMHO.

Another case of why shared use paths are not a solution for cycling. They are bad enough with just pedestrians but add dogs and they are terrible.

Could the Duchess of Cambridge's uncle please help us find this example of pure evil?

On a lighter note, did he really say "I was just riding along"? #shitcyclistssay

Nasty injury and I hope for a speedy recovery.

To be honest I find the a lot of dog owners irresponsible, be it Bruce getting his 300 yard walk of the day down the shared use path (which I stopped using because its covered in dog shit) or the more adventurous ones in the Lakes using poop bags and then dumping them in walls, dangling in hedges, behind or in trees and farmers fields anywhere but in a bin.

Host troll.

xx

Surely you'd see a person walking a dog in the distance and slow down that's just common courtesy on a shared use path. We all just need to get along. Dog walkers should look out for cyclists and reign the dog in and hold it until the cyclist passes. Cyclists slow down and pass slowly and respectfully. There are far too many people who think they have a right to do what they want when they want at other people's expense.

I ride my MTB on off-road bridleways and shared-use paths and always show mutual consideration if I come across somebody else, no matter what they are doing. Families, kids, dogs, other cyclists etc. When I see them approaching in the distance or if I approach them from behind, I knock the speed off (usually with an associated brake squeel which they hear) and pass them as slowly as need be. I also walk my dog on the same paths and bridleways and show cyclists the same courtesy, they almost always do the same. I'll often say hello too, because we're all just out enjoying the countryside aren't we?

The way I see it, this person has either plowed through the section where he encountered somebody else at the same speed he was going on his own (which is inconsiderate and stupid), or there is more to the story- were they in fisty-cuffs and the bloke used the lead as a weapon?

As others have said above, it is a dog owner's responsiblity to ensure that the lead doesn't trip/garrot anybody else and they certainly shouldn't allow them to be strung at head-height across a path, but if you ride your bike straight into an extended rope (which aren't exactly hard to spot) then you get a Darwin award and a nice little scar. You also need to ask yourself the question of why you were going so fast that you didn't see the person, the dog, or the lead. Self-preservation clearly doesn't come naturally to some. If this person was riding along and there was a fire in the middle of the path would they have gone straight through it and then sold a sob-story to the press about the dangers of setting cyclists on fire?

I don't condone the irresponsible lead-control, but this bloke sounds like a bit of a lemon and needs to accept it as a 50/50.

Easy answer is don't use shared cycle lanes to ride on. Stick to the road, most cycle paths/lanes and shared pavements are not fit for purpose.

As mentioned when in close proximity to walkers, dogs, kids and wild animals beware of the unexpected. You can't expect to carry the same speed if it's busy. Ring your bell or shout