AIBU to think driving with a dog on your lap should be illegal?

[CheeseCrackersAndWine]

Just called Police Scotland as some one has a house guest staying with them in our street who is constantly driving with their dog on their lap only to be told this isn't illegal?! And unless they are driving dangerously it's totally fine...

So AIBU to think this should be illegal?

[CheeseCrackersAndWine]

I said in my previous post that I thought the police would come round and give her a warning which may then hopefully stop her doing it again. I did not by any means expect her to be charged on my say so. I am often also driving when I see her so not sure I'd be able to video her. Anyway, with any luck, considering how often it happens, the police will catch her at some point regardless & hopefully as you say at least have words.

[limitedperiodonly]

So until the police actually see them doing it or they have an accident it's ok?

What do you expect the police to do?

If someone can be prosecuted for eating an apple at the wheel, then I think it's a fair bet that a police officer would pull your neighbour over and at least tell her to put the dog in the back seat.

It's possible she'd be let off with just a talking to. As was your mum. Your mum now knows she shouldn't park in that place and won't do it again. Job done; no need to take it any further.

So if your neighbour continues to do this and is spotted by an officer, chances are she'll get pulled. I suppose you could film it on a number of occasions so the police realise it's an ongoing problem and then they should at least send a community support officer round to have a word with her. So why not do that?

[CheeseCrackersAndWine]

So until the police actually see them doing it or they have an accident it's ok?

They literally do it ALL the time so I thought maybe the police might come & give them a warning or something? Jeez, my Mum got a visit from the police for parking in a no parking zone at a train station where the lines had been completely worn away & you couldn't tell it was actually no parking! They wanted to charge & fine her for it but because of her clean record they just gave her a warning. Then funnily enough, a few weeks later, the no parking zone had been completely re-lined & painted!

I was told they would only do anything if she was actually driving carelessly while the dog was on her lap, ie: driving erratically. Just driving with a dog on your lap-totally fine, so actually no, I wouldn't say it was covered.

It makes me nervous since it's the street my kids walk & down regularly & the dog is literally always there.

[pigsDOfly]

Used to know someone who always drove with one of her dogs on her lap and the other sort of balanced on the hand brake in the space between the front seats. Every time she changed gear she would have to push the dog out of her way.

Can anyone driving in this way actually claim to be in complete control of their car? Pretty sure they're not.

To the PP who mentioned that her dog is attached by his collar, much better to use a body harness for this purpose. If you had to brake suddenly your dog could be seriously injured.

[limitedperiodonly]

If a police officer saw someone driving with a dog on their lap I'm pretty sure they would charge them with careless driving at the very least, regardless of whether they actually hit anything at the time.

Do you really think that if that person turned up in court pleading not guilty, the magistrates would think what they did was perfectly okay? Or do you think that like everyone else on this thread, they'd think that was careless behaviour and convict?

So it's covered, isn't it?

[Runssometimes]

I think it's pretty stupid, but then I don't like dogs unrestrained in cars. Have you seen the research when even a cocker spaniel on the back seat could kill a person due to the g-force in an accident? And here was research in Canada that showed a lot of the dog seat belts aren't safe. Our dog goes in the boot, we have a cargo net. He's more comfy that way, he can move around more. Anyway he's a Labrador so although he does sit on laps it's not very convenient!

[CheeseCrackersAndWine]

Got told they'd only get done with careless/dangerous driving if they were actually seen driving that way. Not just for having the dog on their lap

[Meekonsandwich]

Isn't It in the highway code that animals have to be restrained in a vehicle?
I imagine if they got pulled over they'd get a telling off. I can't see them getting away with it if an officer saw.

[KellyBoo000]

YANBU! I have a "lap" sized dog and won't even drive with him on the front passenger seat in case he jumps onto me, even though he has a seatbelt that clips onto his collar, he could still reach - so he has to sit in the back.

Even if it's not a specific law, surely it counts as dangerous driving?!

[PebbleInTheMoonlight]

Aside from the legal perspective what about the animal endangerment perspective?

Surely that dog will be hurt horribly in even a slow moving collision (airbag + dog + driver = violent impact of dog to face/body).

I thought over keen pet owners actually liked their furbabies shudders at use of the word furbabies and would be at pains to avoid this.

[Sunnymeg]

A friend's Mum was involved in an accident when she was driving with her dog on her lap. Despite the fact that a car went into the back of her, she was deemed to be liable by the insurance companies concerned. This is the only occasion, I have ever heard of, where it was the fault of the person in front who had a vehicle go into them.

[Shopkinsdoll]

If you look closely you can see an unusual looking driver.😂😂

[MaitlandGirl]

It's illegal here in NSW - dogs have to be properly restrained in the back of the car (either back seat or boot) and have to be properly restrained in the back tray of a ute.

I once saw someone driving up the Freeway at 110kph eating a bowl of cereal, complete with milk. The police were very interested in that piece of mobile phone footage!!

[FeralBeryl]

As long as it wasn't this dog
I can't see how it would be sensible, what if your dog saw one of his mates walking past and jumped up to try and bark hello, thus obscuring your view?

[GahBuggerit]

I thought it was?! I drive with the dog in the passenger seat who gives me directions in a doggy voice and I'm always paranoid when i see a police car because i thought cars needed to be kitted out to transport a dog? Have I been worrying all these years for nothing? I'm off to Google........

[user1492771818]

Rule 57

When in a vehicle make sure dogs or other animals are suitably restrained so they cannot distract you while you are driving or injure you, or themselves, if you stop quickly. A seat belt harness, pet carrier, dog cage or dog guard are ways of restraining animals in cars.

[CheeseCrackersAndWine]

That's basically what I was told, if something happened they'd be charged with whatever but until then, it's all good.

[haveacupoftea]

I am crying with laughter at the thought of someone driving around with a pug on their lap licking their face and looking out the window but then I am 8 months pregnant and mentally unstable

YANBU though. I have a pug and she knows not to jump onto my lap until the car is stopped. This does lead to the odd quarrel at red lights though.

[TotalPineapple]

When I was a kid my friend's grandparents had a little westie that used to travel loose in the car, it would be bouncing all over the inside climbing on everyone.

My dog travels in the passenger footwell at the moment (not ideal and when we've got two they're going in one of those hammocks on the rear seat all safe and secure).

I always vaguely thought there was something about them being an unsecured load, but that is probably bollocks.

It's ridiculous that you can't press a button on your phone but you can let a dog lick your face and climb in your lap! I expect if something happened they'd be done for driving without due care and attention or something.

[limitedperiodonly]

You don't need laws to cover every eventuality. If a police officer saw it they might charge them with an existing offence, like driving without due care. I guess they'd have a word, at least.

[CheeseCrackersAndWine]

Ok, glad I'm not the only one then! Was prepared to be told I was being unreasonable since it's totally legal & I generally find this person rude & self centred whic could have been clouding my judgement

[CheeseCrackersAndWine]

I get that if it's small & not moving it probably doesn't make much difference but it's surely the possibility of what it could do that is pretty dangerous?! Although in this instance given the driver is know to have their face licked by the animal while driving I'd say it was a distraction

[pleasecomesoonspring]

Not that I would drive with a dog in my lap mind.
I once had a puppy in a box in the back and when driving it somehow escaped the box, went under my chair and under the pedals. First I knew was when I hit the brakes and heard a loud squeal. So I quickly grabbed it and put it on my lap.
But apart from that I wouldn't drive with anyone or anything on my lap

[WaitrosePigeon]

Agree