I agree with extending leads for dogs, in parks and open spaces, they are a great idea, dog can run off and still be relatively safe, can still be jumped on by another dog or whacked with a walking stick by a dog hater, or even stolen if out of site in bushes but generally a really good thing.
However, yesterday the same thing happened twice. Driving along residential road, suddenly a dog pelts out from a driveway, straight into the road, and across in front of the car.
Have had this happen before with a loose dog (no lead) running out of woodland in front of the car, and was shaken up by it, and thought it was another loose dog trying to commit suicide the first time it happened.
First a Jack Russell charging across the road as if his life depended on it, or not. Then the owner/guardian strolled out from the driveway on to the pavement with the end of the lead which was not visible when dog ran out. Luckily we didn't hit the dog but the owner just wandered a long the pavement, and dog was who knows where, still on the other end of the lead.
Not long after a Labrador came belting out of another drive, straight into the road, this time the lead was red and we saw it but bloody hell, it was dangerous. Again dog walker was completely oblivious, and had things plugged into her ears. Dog was rooting about on the opposite side of the road to the person with the lead.
I wonder how long it will be before these dogs are killed or cause an accident. What is the point of a lead if you let the dog run out in front of cars?