Dog Walking and a cyclist

[alwaystryingtobeafriend]

So we had our pooch out for a long wal. Most of itis a nature walk/ walkway used by pedestrians / dog walkers and cyclists.

We like this particular walk as it means our dog can be off his lead for the most part. He has a verygood recall but he can get in the way.

However today we saw a cayclist and shouted on the dog. Dog stopped turned around to come to us and BOOM. Cyclist had slammed his brakes and toppled his handlebars and burst his face.

I don't think my dog done anything wrong and he was under control. The cyclist had no helmet and was wearing sandals. I personally think that the cyclist should have been going slower given that he should have seen the dog. I have very little sympathy for the man given he was ill prepared for his cycle. But I do hope he is ok.

My partner was excellent with the man. Took him to hospital for stitches. Got the man's bike home and contacted family for him. But he is a little worried that the man might make a claim against us.

Does anyone know if he can he do this? Would it go against the dogs insurance?

'Under control' does not just mean on lead or within grabbing distance. The dog responded to verbal commands. The cyclist was riding at a speed where they had the choice of falling or hitting something on a path shared by pedestrians. The dog stopped and turned, it didn't leg it at top speed into their path.

Some shoes are shit for cycling in just as they're shit for driving in.

Not really Back. I cycle on shared nature trail paths - I certainly don't go fast, but if a dog changes direction quickly, as they tend to do, then your automatic reaction is to brake. You only need to hit a tree root or a protruding large stone , and it's easy to fall off and do some real damage to yourself.

Unless you're cycling in flip flops, hiking type sandals are perfectly adequate both for driving and leisure cycling.

OP - why did you choose the moment the cyclist was upon your dog to call it back? What did you think it was going to do when you called it?

If you now that your dog "can get in the way"(and had already done so 20 times today) then it may be better to keep him closer to you on a path that can be legally used by cyclists.

Equally the cyclist should not have been riding so fast on a path used by pedestrians and animals. A helmet and decent shoes would have made no difference to his facial injuries though.

S.56 of the Highway Code says:

"Dogs. Do not let a dog out on the road on its own. Keep it on a short lead when walking on the pavement, road or path shared with cyclists or horse riders."

I would have my dog on a lead if it was an actual cycle path, but not if it was a path in a park that a cyclist just might happen to be using.

In all shared areas cyclists need to be going at a reasonable speed and able to stop imo, could easily be a small child up ahead instead of a dog, if you don't have clear sight, slow down.

But it must have been clear sight because the OP could see the cyclist and called the dog

Even if you're going slowly/at a reasonable speed, you can still do some damage to yourself if a dog runs in front of you and you brake - as I said upthread, you only need to hit a tree root for example, and you're off the bike

"OP - why did you choose the moment the cyclist was upon your dog to call it back? What did you think it was going to do when you called it?"

I think these are good questions.

Lots of people walk their dogs off-lead on shared pathways and I think lots of us could visualise the scenario.
Dog walks ahead, doing it's own thing, pretty much staying out of the way and path-finding perfectly well.
Owner calls it because a bike is coming, dog stops moving forward, turns round (moving a little to the right or left as it does), and stands still momentarily while awaiting the next command, facing it's owner and now with it's back to oncoming hazards.

It sounds (to me) as if OP did this many times during their walk, not taking into account that ... when called ... her dog often turned into the path of cyclists (so that he could look back to her for command) and then momentarily paused in their path, meaning the cyclists had to take avoidance action.

I would agree that a dog does not always have to be on a lead to be under control and I would also agree that a dog can be under control at distance, but (I think) it is safer in these circumstances to give an 'avoidance' command (for example, my dogs must sit on the left verge while a bike goes past).
If I couldn't make them do that (or recall them instantaneously without any pause) I would have them on a lead on a cycle path.

We have a mixed used path where I live and it always surprises me when I see dogs off lead.

My dog has excellent recall and will walk to heel when told but in the same way I wouldn't walk along the pavement with her off lead I don't walk where there is any sort of traffic. I don't want my dog to be injured.

Bike riders, like most dogs, can be unpredictable, especially if they're inexperienced, as might have been the case with this man given that he seems to have over reacted so badly when he saw your dog OP and slammed his brakes on so hard. And it does sound as if he was going too fast if he went over the handlebars.

Sounds as if he was quite badly hurt, so hope he doesn't try to sue you. As pp said it sound like his word against yours and that you're probably both at fault.

I definitely agree we could have done more and I really am grateful no harm came to my dog. I was more concerned for this man's well being and ensuring he was ok. My partner has done everything he could to help him.

Hopefully now we are more careful as dog owners.

Thank you all for your input.