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I often encounter dog owners whilst out on the bike, most of the time I will slow down and say thank you to those that actually bother to try and control their off the lead dog.
It rather pees me off when you hear a sarcastic comment whilst riding past some of them - the likes of "you could have slowed down" well actually I did slow down compared to how fast I was going!! or the best one iv'e heard is "There's a speed limit on here you know" to which I shouted back "what is it then?" (this was on a path for cyclists and pedestrians)
Is it just me being grumpy or do others get these sarcastic comments also?
Do you shout 'STRRRRRAAAAAAVVVVVAAAA!!!!!' In their faces as you smash that segment on a shared use path? 😀
I will slow down when you take your dog's mess home with you and use it for toothpaste.
Had one last year that had me seething, especially as i had and always do, slow down, made plenty of noise, ridden past with plenty of room. but despite all this the waspy old bi*** testily told me to get a damn bell...on a cyclepath. I felt like a child being scolded by an adult and almost went back, which wouldn't of ended well as i always lose my cool and result to swearing. Im rubbish at arguing my point 🙁
wouldn't of ended well as i always lose my cool and result to swearing. Im rubbish at arguing my point
lol, me too, more fuel for their hatred fire!
Do you shout 'STRRRRRAAAAAAVVVVVAAAA!!!!!' In their faces as you smash that segment on a shared use path?
no but thats a great idea 😈
Yes, get comments from walkers and/or dog owners - my best so far is when some says "do you know" type comment and i just go "yeah, silly isn't it" or something similar, smile and ride on leaving them lost for words. Bloke the other day, red socks, couple of fat Labrador's said "don't you know you can't ride here", so smiled said "yes" and carried on - thought he was going to explode with rage!
Ive made similar coments leading to the next guy behind me getting a ear full of seething mad walker 🙂
Move over shit-lips
Works quite well.
"Oh don't YOU start" usually
works quite well (but must be delivered in a slightly psychotic manner).
I quite enjoy saying 'yes, I know I can't ride here' as I tootle past. Any more back chat and I'll often stop and politely ask them how exactly they plan to prevent me. I'll often then ask for directions to somewhere which most people, being too damn English for there own good can't help but provide. It makes me laugh!.
This is going to backfire when I meet a complete nutcase who wraps my bike around my neck and throws me over the hedge!
Steelfreak - Member
"Oh don't YOU start" usually
works quite well (but must be delivered in a slightly psychotic manner).
Surely this would be better delivered in the voice and manner of Kenneth Williams.
I have gotten a few of the "they ought to ban mountain bikes from this trail", to which I reply "possibly, but might work even better if they would ban cranky hikers".
As above, I recently got the "you need a bell on the bike so we know you are coming", to which I replied, "Ma'am, going through this rocky trail, this thing is as loud as a threshing machine as it is, you probably couldn't hear the bell"--she wasn't amused in the slightest.
I got "is it true all cyclists are illiterate?" from a dog walker. I'm not sure where she thought the conversation was going to go after that. I reassured her that I could read the sign but had chosen to ignore it and she looked ready to pop. She was absolutely convinced all the mud in the field was the fault of bikes - nothing to do with hundreds of walkers or the stream running down the middle, all the fault of a handful of footpath poaching mtbers. 🙄
the waspy old bi*** testily told me to get a damn bell
I'm only 40, my hearing is perfect and I frequently jump out my skin when passed even by slow moving bikes - often happens when it's windy. I'm quite sure it's twice as bad for deaf septagenarians. Just buy a chuffin' £2 bell and give a gentle, polite ping. You'll still get the odd hard-bitten twunt but on the whole, it's a good plan.
"Why use a bell? I am not mute and can convey my intentions on whether I plan to pass you on the left or the right far more clearly with my own voice" 🙂
Gaw, people they're all like waah wah wah and I'M ALL LIKE YACKIDY SCHMAKIDY WHATEVER GIRLFRIEND and they're all like durrrrr and I'mm all like WYMWIM and they're all like talk to the hand and i'm all like OMG ROFL your dog looks like a shaved cat and they're all like wheels? reaaaaaallly and I'm all like you and your friend have got six legs and that's like three each......
^^^Chortle! Whole of STW (and every other forum, ever)summed up in one genius paragraph!
i will listen if their dog is on a lead, if their so called under control dog is running off the lead all over the cycle path, then they can just F--K OFF. i praised a dog walker yesterday, as i went pass, the couple quickly called their dog by their side while i cycled past, i stopped and congratulated them, and we had a chat about the other selfish and irresponsible dog owners,who never let their dogs off the lead on the many fields, but always insist on walking in the middle of the cycle path with their dogs running all over the place, maybe these selfish owners are afraid of getting their feet wet on the grass, and before all the dog owners out there start shooting their mouths off, yes i am a dog owner and lover, i would hate to hurt any dog in an accident, i dont blame the dogs its the crap owners, ive got more respect for my dog to let her run all over a cycle path, i have heard of one lady who had her dog hit by a cyclist, and then had to fork out nearly a £1000 in vets bills, she rang the police, they said basically it was her fault, for not having the dog under control on a cycle path, but getting this message through to the i dont give a shit brigaid is never going to happen , until their dog is involved in a similar accident, trouble is its always the dog that suffers for the actions of their owners. my rant over.
Just approch shouting random obsceneties and making it look as though you are causing yourself intense pain to go as fast as you're going, after all who'd dare chunter to a pumped up psycopathic self torturing cyclist ?
The theory of BIG springs to mind.....
Seeing as it's normally walkers of an older generation that complain do you think the complaining will die out soon?
the only dog walkers I meet are the ones walking down the wrong way of cycle only tracks and I don't talk to morons
once had to bunnyhop a jack russell on the last descent at Cwmcarn, and managed to avoid the oweners who were both walking up the trail. 😯
I gained a puppy once, passed a couple but I do ride with a Ipod and dont really pay attention to comments. Passed them and their little doggy rode on for a while looked round and the little fella was following me. I picked him up and cycled back to the owners. I now see them often while out on the same path and give them a wave or stop for a chat.
Dog walkers around here are mostly all fine in general, ping ping on the bell and a hello and usually youget an apologie. Some of them ride bikes along with their dogs too 😉
There are miserable people in all walks of like, check out a lot of road cyclists for instance 😆 
A few rounds from a kids plastic machine gun will shut them up and then maybe make them see the funny side.
I have been out on the fells around clitheroe on my mtb with my black lab running somewhere nearby and managed to piss a fell runner off because dog ran up and said hello. 😀
If some miserable git has a pre disposed prejudice to something they will find a reason to grump, as most of the above posters have
🙂 well said
i've got a bell and mostly on cycle paths where whole groups/families spread across the whole thing walking they mostly ignore it anyway. They can be good though in other situations.
Gaw, people they're all like waah wah wah and I'M ALL LIKE YACKIDY SCHMAKIDY WHATEVER GIRLFRIEND and they're all like durrrrr and I'mm all like WYMWIM and they're all like talk to the hand and i'm all like OMG ROFL your dog looks like a shaved cat and they're all like wheels? reaaaaaallly and I'm all like you and your friend have got six legs and that's like three each......
Post of the year.
I've decided to reply in the same manner as my three year old. His current thing is.
"Hey! Guess what?"
I say "what?"
He says "WAAAAAAAA" and blows a raspberry.
Gaw, people they're all like waah wah wah and I'M ALL LIKE YACKIDY SCHMAKIDY WHATEVER GIRLFRIEND and they're all like durrrrr and I'mm all like WYMWIM and they're all like talk to the hand and i'm all like OMG ROFL your dog looks like a shaved cat and they're all like wheels? reaaaaaallly and I'm all like you and your friend have got six legs and that's like three each......
That is so good I think I may even get it tattooed on me somewhere
the only cyclists I meet whilst walking my dogs are the ones cycling down a footpath and I don't talk to morons
I have been out on the fells around clitheroe on my mtb with my black lab running somewhere nearby and managed to piss a fell runner off because dog ran up and said hello.
When you say 'said hello', do you mean jumped up at his legs and started yapping incessantly at him? Because this happens fairly frequently to me and I'm really not into it. Some dog owners apologise but some seem to think it's perfectly fine.
I have been out on the fells around clitheroe on my mtb with my black lab running somewhere nearby and managed to piss a fell runner off because dog ran up and said hello.
Despite being a dog lover I hate it when dogs run up to me while I'm out running or riding, you never know what they're going to do - Bite? Bark? Play? Chase you?
that time of the week already? we only just got rid of the last one. 🙄
I have been out on the fells around clitheroe on my mtb with my black lab running somewhere nearby and managed to piss a fell runner off because dog ran up and said hello.
aracer to the thread please, aracer to the thread, thank you.
yawn.
Very rarely have a problem with dogs around the Chase. Considering how many people visit the vast majority are polite and considerate.
Often helps to look at things from the walker's point of view. Someone wearing a clown outfit and riding a bicycle that's been coated in superglue and ridden through Chain Reaction suddenly appears on the *footpath* where you've been walking your family pet every day
Just saying like
Most I've encountered are fine - although using a bit of tow path the other day there was a lady walking her dog on one of those extending leads and it blocked the whole path. I was in no hurry so just sat back and freewheeled along.
Eventually the path opened up and I could pass.
She muttered I should have a bell, so I couldn't help but freewheel a little more and point out that if she could hear that (Hope hub) a bell had no chance!!
Someone wearing a clown outfit and riding a bicycle that's been coated in superglue and ridden through Chain Reaction
😆
She muttered I should have a bell,
You'd be surprised at how many people mutter this even when you've been ringing it right behind them.
Not had anything sarcastic comments from dog owners round here. Most move over when I slow down to pass so I'm grateful for their consideration. There are always one or two who don't show any consideration for others but I encounter more people like that on the roads while I'm driving to work than on the bike. While driving to work theres a 20mph limit for about 100 meters before width restrictions in a short 30mph zone. So many cars tailgate me in my small car in the 20 zone. I just laugh when they are still tailgating me at 30mph and didnt see the width restrictions that I don't slow down for.
dog walker - "shouldn't you have a bell?"
Me - "yes, & I do (ring ring), shouldn't you turn your music down?" (they were ambling along with headphones in oblivious to my bell, shouts of "hello, excuse me...")
dog walker - "humph"
Me - ride off ding - a - linging merrily!
Some people are just born stoopid...
mogrim - MemberI have been out on the fells around clitheroe on my mtb with my black lab running somewhere nearby and managed to piss a fell runner off because dog ran up and said hello.
Despite being a dog lover I hate it when dogs run up to me while I'm out running or riding, you never know what they're going to do - Bite? Bark? Play? Chase you?
Or trip you up, or follow you or just get in the way while you are trying to run. But then the person who posted the original quote probably doesn't realise that nobody else is dog-psychic. 🙄
Riding along a shared use path (walkers one side, cyclist the other) last year I caught up with a runner and his loose dog. The runner was on the cycle side of the path, but I could see why he was there as it was fairly busy on the walkers' side. As I overtook him the dog took fright and decided to dive under my wheels. I suggested to the runner that he might want to get his dog under control seeing as he's running down the middle of a cycle path to which he replied that I'd been going too fast. Surprised, I pointed that he had his back to me so how did he know how fast I'd been going. He replied that he was partially sighted.
End of conversation - I just didn't understand any of it so rode on.
Perhaps I should use that excuse when challenged - "Oi, you can't ride here!", "Sorry I'm partially sighted." (Well I need glases so it's true. Sort of.)
[quote=Del ]aracer to the thread please, aracer to the thread, thank you.
No need it seems, as plenty of others have already made the sensible points about reasons why the fell runner might not want the dog to say hello.
Though <waves> at richc for next time he indexes me on doggy threads.
I can never understand why dog owners need to be thanked for stopping their animals jumping up/biting/licking/chasing me when I'm out running. I've had a couple of altercations with people who've said words to the effect of, "Thank you would have been nice" My response has been, "Why should I thank you for preventing your dog from attacking me". However, I am a grumpy bugger and a known dog-hater.
I can never understand why dog owners need to be thanked for stopping their animals jumping up/biting/licking/chasing me when I'm out running.
It's polite to say thanks. I do the same when other drivers give way when they are suppose to.
The correct response is always:
"ohh not you as well, I'm running out of places to hide the bodies"
I don't thank every person who walks passed me on a busy street without barging into me, I'm not sure common decency/not being a dick requires thanks. Having said that I have got into the habit of thanking courteous driving (eg. holding back from overtaking me for 2-3 secs while we pass a pinch point) but I look at that as positive reinforcement, like training dumb animals, give them lots of praise when they do something right 🙂It's polite to say thanks. I do the same when other drivers give way when they are suppose to.
can never understand why dog owners need to be thanked for stopping their animals jumping up/biting/licking/chasing me when I'm out running.
We're British. We constantly have to be either saying thanks or apologising for something.
Yesterday I got a "Oh, here's another one" ... Imagine that on the national cycle network!
Sometimes you can sit behind them all day dinging your bell, then they shit themselves when you politely make your presence known vocally.
If you go with a "coming through on the left/right" I find they instantly turn around making their left their right and vice versa, then jump directly in front of you!
I was riding down through Stanmer park on the way to work and a dog ran straight out in front of me, chasing a ball.
I hauled on the anchors and narrowly missed him.
The lady owner apologised, said "Sorry, he can only think about his balls."
To which I replied, as I set off again, "I know how he feels." I felt like Truman Capote.
just in the woods tonight and not a sign of a dog owner :o) until out of nowhere a little rat like yappy little crap hole of a jack russel came leaping out at me, thought it was going to bite my soddin ankles, I kept riding whilst telling the dog to f off! it didnt seem to understand and kept growling barking and jumping at my ankles as I peddled. I tried to flick the back wheel out to knock it on its arse but it dodged it and kept going for my anbkles for a few more seconds till I outran it or it gave up. I was tempted to go back and find its owner and give them a piece of my mind but |I thought better of it as I was having a good ride until then and just wanted to keep going.
needles to say that when I came across further dog owners I was petty and didnt make any effort to move out of way or slow down. kind of made me feel better. 😈
We always ping a bell when on a shared use trail or path. Never had any trouble. Problem tends to be the younger gentlemen who thinks its his own personal race track and that ringing or having a bell on there super dooper full sus 29er carbon lovelyness is uncool. Dogs are unpredictable just slow down a bit and expect the unexpected and you wont have any problems.
just in the woods tonight and not a sign of a dog owner :o) until out of nowhere a little rat like yappy little crap hole of a jack russel came leaping out at me, thought it was going to bite my soddin ankles, I kept riding whilst telling the dog to f off! it didnt seem to understand and kept growling barking and jumping at my ankles as I peddled. I tried to flick the back wheel out to knock it on its arse but it dodged it and kept going for my anbkles for a few more seconds till I outran it or it gave up. I was tempted to go back and find its owner and give them a piece of my mind but |I thought better of it as I was having a good ride until then and just wanted to keep going.needles to say that when I came across further dog owners I was petty and didnt make any effort to move out of way or slow down. kind of made me feel better.
He'll have you next time! Jack Russells don't forget the arseholes they've sniffed.
As many people seem to start a conversation today with negative intentions, don't get it.. if you can't accept everyone is different thankfully you will always be grumpy and out for confrontation.
I live life on a basis that if I can't have a positive interaction with someone particularly a stranger then ranting about their lack of bell, dog sniffing my bag I abandoned in a public place, someone tailgating, queue jumping etc unless you are going to physically beat your opinion into them all you will do is wind them up, ignore idiots, smile live your life..
But then without being miserable and out for confrontation many internet warriors would be at a loss..
He'll have you next time! Jack Russells don't forget the arseholes they've sniffed.
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But did the dog sniff your unattended bike?
I have a bell. At least it avoids the "haven't you got a bell"? question.
But, often people will hear the bell, stare right at you noticing you are there, but then have no idea what to do with this information and continuing ambling along 4 abreast.
Dogs jumping up to say hello? No thank you. They need a swift kick in the balls, along with the owner.
The dog walkers round here are generally pretty good, the most I've had is a terse "mind the dog" even though I was already doing so, but apart from that people always make an effort to keep their dog out of the way etc, and are (surprisingly) quite happy about doing so as well. Thinking about it I typically ride around 4-6pm ish, so I reckon people are more cheerful due to getting off work, things would probably be worse if I rode in the morning.
I'm a dog owner and always try and get out the way for cyclists and for dogs when I'm on my bike. You always get the odd militant person no matter what including cyclists who just don't give a shit and bowl on through regardless. It's about a bit of give a take on both sides really.
A few years ago, I was happily riding along a canal towpath when a stick flew through a gap in a hedge to my right, closely followed by a collie.
I came extremely close to a dip in the canal, so I told the owners that they ought to be more careful throwing sticks around.
"This is not a cycle path!" said the apparently female member of the duo, both of indeterminate age and gender with a voice ravaged by years of tobacco abuse and indignant remarks in response to provocative articles in the lower order tabloids, no doubt.
I shrugged, pointed to the sign fifteen feet away that confirmed that yes, it was indeed a cycle path and nodded to what I assumed to be the male partner "Is she always this dense?"
My point made, I happily trundled off to enjoy the towpath
the most I've had is a terse "mind the dog
I rarely have any problem on the shared-use path I use, but I got exactly that one this morning. A very snarky [b]"Don't look at me! Mind my dog!"[/b] ?!?
Bright sunny morning so I'd seen them both from a good way off and already slowed to jogging pace, kept the brakes covered, done the freewheel-ratcheting noise, and rung my bell before I passed her.
My "mistake" seemed to be momentarily making eye contact when I gave a cheery "Good morning" instead of staring fixedly ahead at her white Border Terrier which was chuffing miles away and on the opposite side of the path.
I shrugged, pointed to the sign fifteen feet away that confirmed that yes, it was indeed a cycle path
I've had someone rant at me for "cycling on the pavement" whilst they were actually stood directly on top of a painted bike symbol and within a few metres of a shared use sign. 🙄
I fail to see how slow down you **** we can both enjoy the contryside can be misconstrued as sarcasm
Just tell them to concentrate on picking up there dog shit.
As a cyclist, dog owner & pedestrian on the one hand cyclists are supposed to give way on bridleways, on the other dog's are supposed to be under control in public. I find trying to be polite and courteous works most of the time, unfortunately some people don't feel like showing the same courtesy. 😀