Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Thoughts on who is in the wrong here?

73 replies

backinthebox · 04/12/2020 09:30

Perfectly straight but narrow country lane. Thick forest either side and the road is flanked by gorse bushes but there are a few small footpaths made by local walkers. 9am on a winter's morning, sky overcast so not bright sunshine but nothing to impede visibility along the length of the road.

A dog being walked off the lead but with owner very close by steps from in the bushes onto the road. At the same time a car is driving along the road not slowly but within the speed limit, with headlights on, and slows while the dog owner catches their dog by the collar.

The dog owner thinks the car should be driving slower as the car driver cannot tell what might jump out of the bushes at them.

The car driver thinks the dog owner should have their dog on a lead near a road.

Who is in the right?

OP posts:
SparklyGlitter95 · 04/12/2020 10:24

The driver is in the right

nosswith · 04/12/2020 10:25

Dog should be on a lead out of love and consideration for the dog. Dogs don't know the Green Cross Code.

Regardless of the car driver.

OrigamiOwl · 04/12/2020 10:26

Dog owner is in the wrong.

GreyishDays · 04/12/2020 10:29

@DynamoKev

Ah you’re right

www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1988/52/section/27

If you actually read that link it is clear that whether it's required for your dog to be on a lead or not depends upon the whether the Local Authority has designated the road as one where that rule applies.

It's not a blanket law applying to all roads.

I did “actually read it” thank you.

Do you mean that part where it says the local authority has to have deemed it an actual road? 27.2?

Are there many roads that the council will have deemed to be ‘not roads’? I was presuming not.

Chloemol · 04/12/2020 10:32

Dog owner is in the wrong.

Autumnismyseason · 04/12/2020 10:41

Car is right, doggo is wrong

Heartofglass12345 · 04/12/2020 10:56

I don't get why you wouldn't want to put your dog on a lead near a road Confused

SarahAndQuack · 04/12/2020 10:59

I think the car driver should be going slower, not because of the dog but because the dog owner is right that anything could jump out of the woodland. Round here we have deer and I have never hit one because I am well aware they're there, but I have seen the godawful mess it makes of your car if you do (besides the dead Bambi guilt).

TurquoiseDragon · 04/12/2020 11:07

Dog owner is in the wrong.

Hawkins001 · 04/12/2020 11:08

After having experience of going down country roads and seeing how narrow, and the twists and blind spots ect, I'd say the walker, would of been better to have the dog secured rather than risking the dog running out in front of a car or truck, then on the flip side the driver would be better going around 20/30 mph down them rather than the national speed limit, mainly due to any hazards that may be on the country roads, a few extra minutes is better than oh pickle's the cars in field ect

TheDowagerDuchess · 04/12/2020 11:10

Dog owner is wrong

ProfessorSlocombe · 04/12/2020 11:14

People can - and have - been prosecuted for careless/reckless/dangerous driving, even when they are well below the posted speed limit.

It's a limit not a target and drivers are required to take into account all conditions before proceeding.

That said, in this case the driver clearly was able to control the car - and stop for the unexpected dog. So pretty much textbook driving from the information supplied.

Personally I think the dog should have been on a lead. But I'm well aware dog owners don't really care what I - or many people - think.

Livelovebehappy · 04/12/2020 11:14

Dog should definitely be on a lead. Dog walker probably one of those countryside dwellers who resents anyone encroaching on their patch.

CakeRequired · 04/12/2020 11:17

Dog should be on lead. Any dog owner who thinks different shouldnt have a dog.

Original poster
backinthebox · 04/12/2020 11:18

I'm the car driver. Glad to know I was not going mad! I was doing about 25mph so not blatting along, and had my window open a little bit so heard the dog owner yelling and swearing at me as I passed so I stopped to ask him why he was swearing at me. I was going slow enough that when I stopped I was only a few yards from him. He told me I should drive at a speed that could anticipate anything at all coming out of the woods at me. The road in question was the tiny country lane to my own house, which me and my kids walk, cycle and ride horses along, and is rather pot-holey, so I am inclined to drive carefully along it anyway.

I asked a neighbour if they knew who this man was, and he said 'no, but I'd like to because from the description you give he's the one who lets his dog crap on my lawn.'

OP posts:
Rollingpiglet · 04/12/2020 11:19

The dog owner is wrong. The dog should not be off the lead if it could get onto the road before the owner, and be at risk of getting hit. There is not enough information to say if the car was being driven appropriately for the conditions. Speed limits on country roads do not give any indication of what speed you should drive on them. I live on a narrow country road with a 60 limit. There is nowhere on my road that it is safe to drive over 40mph.

Hurtandupset2 · 04/12/2020 11:20

Dog owner is wrong and I say that as one myself. Dogs should always be on a lead when near a road as animals can be unpredictable, no matter how well trained.

NoProblem123 · 04/12/2020 11:21

Both are correct.

Dog on lead and car driving slow enough to stop.

It’s not rocket science Confused

Anordinarymum · 04/12/2020 11:22

Regardless of who is right and who is wrong, there is no need for people to be so rude especially when they are clearly in the wrong anyway ha!

warmandtoasty2day · 04/12/2020 11:23

If i was my dog it would def be on a lead regardless.

ProfessorSlocombe · 04/12/2020 11:29

There is not enough information to say if the car was being driven appropriately for the conditions.

I think the fact the driver was able to stop when the dog appeared is a good indicator that they were pretty much "in the zone", so to speak.

Rollingpiglet · 04/12/2020 11:32

I cross posted with the OP, 25 mph is clearly slow enough for just about any situation.

bumblingbovine49 · 04/12/2020 11:41

The car was driving at an appropriate speed since they were able to stop/ slow down in time not tonhit the dog . They would not have had to do this if the dog owner was taking the appropriate precautions as well .So in this case the dog owner was more to blame than the driver.

Chanandlerbong01 · 04/12/2020 11:42

“Country road - you should always be driving slow enough to stop quickly”

They were hence the dog didn’t get hurt.

Changethetoner · 04/12/2020 11:43

The road to my home is 11miles of single-track country road, and depending what time of day, or what day it is, you can drive the entire way and maybe meet one other vehicle. So imo it is not unreasonable for any pedestrians (or dogwalkers) to be fairly safe to assume they can have the dog off the lead.

Vehicles and dogwalkers seem to co-exist quite happily here, and dogs are quickly secured and taken to the side, and vehicles lower the speed as they pass. Everyone happy.