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The doghouse

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Original poster

Dog kicked at by cyclist

192 replies

SirChenjins · 23/06/2023 20:32

I was out for our dog walking group’s regular Saturday morning walk (there’s 4 of us) on a local woodland trail that’s used mainly by walkers and dog walkers, but cyclists and horse riders also use it. The vast majority of the time it works fine, people are tolerant of each other. Our dogs are usually off lead (as many are) and we put them on eg during narrow parts of the path, or if we see an on lead dog, or cyclists are coming, etc etc.

I have been working really hard on ChenPup’s recall and he’s been brilliant. As we were walking a cyclist came tearing round a bend and made no effort to slow down so we recalled the dogs and went to get off the path. However, the speed of the cyclist spooked ChenPup and he started running beside the cyclist for some metres - I was unable to clip his lead on in time. I tried to run after him and recall but as I did that, the cyclist stopped pedalling, and as he was freewheeling pulled his leg in, aimed a big kick at my dog, shouted to me to get my dog on a lead, then carried on cycling. I managed to grab him him and fortunately the cyclist missed him, but I’ve been so nervous of having him off lead since in case it happens again. I’ve tried short bursts off lead and he’s come straight back every time, but I don’t know what to do now - keep my fingers crossed I don’t meet the same cyclist and have him off lead? Keep him on lead/long line forever more? ChenPup is 10.5kg and about 1.5 foot tall so not an imposing dog, but I completely understand it was not on for him to run beside the cyclist.

OP posts:
CaptainMyCaptain · 23/06/2023 22:05

SirChenjins · 23/06/2023 21:49

Slow down on shared footpaths
Slow down on shared footpaths
Slow down on shared footpaths

How hard can it be to understand the importance of this?

This. A cyclist whizzing round a corner could hit a dog even if it is off the lead. In fact the dog has more chance of escaping if it is off the lead. Cyclists should ring a bell to give warning of their approach so pedestrians with or without dogs can be prepared.

Also all the people saying 'dogs should be on leads' there is no law about this so I shall continue to exercise my well trained dog off lead where appropriate.

Prescottdanni123 · 23/06/2023 22:06

@Boomboxinmyattic

Cyclists are definitely a much bigger problem than dogs where I live and I live in the Lake District (aka dog country)

booksandcats22 · 23/06/2023 22:06

@Boomboxinmyattic why are you comparing them?

coffeecupsandwaxmelts · 23/06/2023 22:07

Prescottdanni123 · 23/06/2023 22:05

@coffeecupsandwaxmelts

Dogs can spook, like all animals can. Even dogs that have excellent recall the rest of the time. It is not OK for a cyclist to knowingly do something to spook the dog and then accuse the owner of not having control. She did have control before his inconsiderate actions.

Imagine if he spooked a horse and caused that to bolt? The rider could have been injured of killed. The cyclist could have been kicked and injured/killed. Bystanders could have been hurt/killed. Is that the rider's fault for not having control of her horse? Her horse might be the most placid animal on Earth 99.99% of the time. It is the cyclist who is mostly to blame here.

At the end of the day, the law says that you must have your dog under control.

This dog wasn't under control.

Whether that's because the cyclist should have slowed down is irrelevant really - if the dog had caused an accident, OP would be looking at a court case.

The law is the law. I don't trust my dog anywhere around cyclists or horses so he's on the lead and I have public liability insurance just in case.

Yellowsubmarineunderthesea · 23/06/2023 22:10

Amazing the amount of posters who obviously were with the OP at the time and clearly saw what happened to be so sure that the cyclist was being an asshole and totally too fast and unreasonable and that the OP was obviously able to recall dog - given time. Apparently all cyclists go way too fast - until they are holding you up as traffic and then they are way too slow 🤭

Prescottdanni123 · 23/06/2023 22:11

Boomboxinmyattic · 23/06/2023 22:05

Dogs before humans.

Show quote history

@Boomboxinmyattic

Are you actually saying that cyclists should be allowed to cycle dangerously, putting not just dogs in danger, either on or off the lead, as well as walkers and children. And if anyone has an issue with this, they are putting dogs before humans?

Both times my dog was almost hit by a cyclist, she was on the lead. Both of these times, it was on a pavement cyclists houldn't even be on.

Yes cyclists have the right to ride their bikes but they do not have a right to do so in a way that puts people and animals in danger. And I am not putting dogs before humans for pointing this out.

CaptainMyCaptain · 23/06/2023 22:11

If I see a cyclist or a horse coming I will either put my dog on the lead or make it sit at my feet until cyclist/horse has gone. If the cyclist appears without warning I can't do that. They don't have priority.

Prescottdanni123 · 23/06/2023 22:13

@coffeecupsandwaxmelts

And if a cyclist causes an accident, they are normally not looking at a court case. They normally get away scott free. Let's just hope that the next time the cyclist decides to ride too fast on shared paths, he doesn't hit a walker or a child.

DataNotLore · 23/06/2023 22:14

CaptainMyCaptain · 23/06/2023 22:11

If I see a cyclist or a horse coming I will either put my dog on the lead or make it sit at my feet until cyclist/horse has gone. If the cyclist appears without warning I can't do that. They don't have priority.

We do over dogs.

Original poster
SirChenjins · 23/06/2023 22:16

Not over pedestrians or horses you don’t - and he didn’t know if he was speeding into either of those. By his sheer ‘luck’ it was a dog.

OP posts:
dizzydizzydizzy · 23/06/2023 22:16

rwalker · 23/06/2023 20:44

Your fault entirely I would and have done exactly the same
if you don’t have your dog under control then don’t complain about the consequences
not to mention the possibility of your uncontrolled dog bringing the cyclist off there bike and causing injury

This

GBoucher · 23/06/2023 22:16

I'm a dog lover and owner and don't cycle nor have any particular reason to defend cyclists, but I have to say the OP is at fault for not being in control of her dog. It's also unreasonable to say the cyclist should have slowed down when chased by the dog. Slowing down in that situation would have allowed the dog to bite the cyclist or properly get in the way of the wheels and cause a crash. The cyclist had no choice but to go as fast as possible to get away from the dog. That was the safest thing to do for all concerned.

Prescottdanni123 · 23/06/2023 22:18

@DataNotLore

Cyclists don't have the right to unnecessarily put dogs in danger. And if they are cycling fast enough to put dogs at risk, they are cycling fast enough to put people at risk. Everybody should be considerate on shared paths. OP was being considerate trying to put her dog on a lead. The cyclist was inconsiderate in not slowing down.

Original poster
SirChenjins · 23/06/2023 22:18

He was already going fast when he came round the bend - he didn’t speed up as he went past us.

OP posts:
Prescottdanni123 · 23/06/2023 22:19

@GBoucher

He should have slowed down on a bend when he doesn't know what is on the other side. He could have hit a walker or a child. He should have slowed down when he saw dog walkers in front of him trying to get dogs on leads. That way, he probably would never have been in a situation where a dog was chasing him

DataNotLore · 23/06/2023 22:19

SirChenjins · 23/06/2023 22:16

Not over pedestrians or horses you don’t - and he didn’t know if he was speeding into either of those. By his sheer ‘luck’ it was a dog.

Cyclists are definitely more important than horses.

You know, because we're human beings.

Keep the dog on a lead. It's an animal. It will never have priority over a human being. Not even a really stupid human being.

crew2022 · 23/06/2023 22:19

Sounds like bad luck and all these sanctimonious people saying their dogs have perfect recall or wouldn't be off the lead, take it with a pinch of salt. I never meet dogs with perfect recall.
I think the cyclist should have been more considerate and slowed down: he could have mowed down a child or an older adult and some way more damage than your 10kg dog.
It's actually criminal damage to harm someone's dog.

lakesummer · 23/06/2023 22:19

A cyclist behaving like that could get seriously injured by a horse or injure child.
The dog should also have been on lead.

Neither party was behaving as they should have done.

booksandcats22 · 23/06/2023 22:20

The literal ridiculousness that comes out comparing all dogs and all cyclists and it's like people are blinded by some desire to tell everyone they think they're superior to someone's dog and get some pleasure about saying they'd also like to inflict harm on a dog

rwalker · 23/06/2023 22:20

booksandcats22 · 23/06/2023 21:33

I think some posters get some kind of perverse thrill out of being completely unsympathetic.

Show quote history

Not at all
but if your dogs out of control what’s to sympathise with

as for cyclists if he was going that fast how come OP had time to try and recall dog and try and get lead on surely cyclists so if been so fast he’d be past and gone

lakesummer · 23/06/2023 22:21

Cyclists are definitely more important than horses.

To be fair they aren't usually free range riderless horses that you find on shared paths.

DataNotLore · 23/06/2023 22:21

Prescottdanni123 · 23/06/2023 22:18

@DataNotLore

Cyclists don't have the right to unnecessarily put dogs in danger. And if they are cycling fast enough to put dogs at risk, they are cycling fast enough to put people at risk. Everybody should be considerate on shared paths. OP was being considerate trying to put her dog on a lead. The cyclist was inconsiderate in not slowing down.

They didn't put the dog in danger, the owner did by releasing an uncontrolled and potentially dangerous animal in a public space.

Prescottdanni123 · 23/06/2023 22:22

@DataNotLore

So because you are more important than dogs and horses, that gives you the right to cycle like a nutter and risk hitting a dog, which could kill it, or cycle like a nutter and risk spooking a horse, which could cause it's rider to die after being thrown from the saddle? Or the horse could injure it's leg in the panic and have to be put down. Because you think that being more important than them means that you don't have to show them any consideration whatsoever? What about some consideration for their HUMAN owners who would be absolutely devastated if they got injured or killed?

DataNotLore · 23/06/2023 22:23

lakesummer · 23/06/2023 22:19

A cyclist behaving like that could get seriously injured by a horse or injure child.
The dog should also have been on lead.

Neither party was behaving as they should have done.

How many children are killed and injured by dogs vs by cyclists?

Original poster
SirChenjins · 23/06/2023 22:24

rwalker · 23/06/2023 22:20

Not at all
but if your dogs out of control what’s to sympathise with

as for cyclists if he was going that fast how come OP had time to try and recall dog and try and get lead on surely cyclists so if been so fast he’d be past and gone

Show quote history

Because his recall (usually) is good - he was close to me, he wasn’t far away, he’s not allowed to be. Perfectly possible to get him on the lead of the cyclist has been going at an appropriate speed for the shared path and hadn’t cycled past us so closely. We’re talking woodland trail here, not a wide cycle path.

OP posts: