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Picture the scenario: a fairly narrow pavement alongside a busy road. This is very common where I live. When two pedestrians are coming in opposite directions one had to step out into the road.
Reasonably behaviour, in my view, is for the pedestrian walking with the direction of traffic to be afforded the pavement whilst the pedestrian walking against the direction of traffic is obliged to step out into the road having checked for a safe gap in the traffic. The alternative is for the pedestrian walking with the direction of traffic to awkwardly stop, turn around and wait for a gap that they hope is big enough to allow them to step out into the road. Needless to say, without eyes in the back of our heads, the latter scenario is much less safe in my view.
Sadly, I've never seen a dog-walker - and my suburb seems to have at least two walking around any given block at any time of day - relinquish the pavement in these scenarios. Time and time again I'm forced to step out into traffic all because of some stupid dog which seems to have more rights than me. Any thoughts?
Dogs are better than humans 😉
Better than entitled cyclists, especially with trail dogs.
I am not sure this has anything to do with dog ownership, rather it appears to just be selfish humans.
I prefer dogs to humans
Replace 'dog owners' with 'teenagers', 'cyclists', 'e-scooterists', 'mums with pushchairs' etc etc. Some people behave in the way you'd like, others don't, nothing will change.
Busy roads are common where I live, too.
If you crouch down you might make a fun obstacle for a dog to jump over.
Why not try casually throwing a nice juicy steak onto the tarmac?
Reasonably behaviour, in my view, is for the pedestrian walking with the direction of traffic to be afforded the pavement whilst the pedestrian walking against the direction of traffic is obliged to step out into the road having checked for a safe gap in the traffic.
You've just made your own rule up, then got angry at people who don't follow it.
I'd say the person for whom it is easier to move should do. The traffic will be a factor but so will having a dog. I certainly wouldn't expect someone pushing a pram to step into the road, no matter what way each of us were walking. Even then it's just a guide.
Only ones that actually bother me are people that make zero effort. I frequently find myself perched on the kerb or in the road while a group walk three abreast totally oblivious. If a dog walker calls their dog to heel, or even winds their 20m lead in then that'll do.
maybe you need a sign with your rules on.
they're more what you'd call guidelines
sorry, thinking about it, that was the pirate code.
OP - Life is too short for such negativity. Next time, maybe stop for a chat, make a fuss of the doggo's and carry on your day with a smile on your face.
4 days into the new year and we have our first dog owner hater thread.
Has the I_scoff_cake made up outrage thread come around again already?
Just think which is safer.... 1 person stepping into the road or 1 person and one dog stepping into the road.
Where does a person with a pram or a small child figure in your rules?
Pavements have traffic direction?
Nothing to do with the dog, owners as in people in generally can be a bit odd. I cycled through a four car argument in a small narrow lane in the Surrey Hills a few weeks ago. All of them arguing who should move, I weaved through the middle and left them to it... I dont think you will ever win in this situation. Mind you when I lived in Wellington NZ everyone followed the rules and walked on the left on the pavement just like on the road, anyone walking on the wrong side soon found out how wrong they were 🙂
Well I personally wouldn't walk my dog on a pavement that narrow, buts its not really reasonable to describe people that have broken a "rule" that only exists in you head as "entitled"
Just think which is safer…. 1 person stepping into the road or 1 person and one dog stepping into the road.
Where does a person with a pram or a small child figure in your rules?
Babies and small children are vulnerable people so I give way to them every time.
Dogs aren't humans. Nobody should have to trade their own safety for the safety of a pet.
Me & the Mrs were walking on a path next to a busy main road recently. A guy came towards us with 2 dogs on leads & he stepped off the path with the dogs to let us pass.
OP, you should move here.
What an utterly moronic opening post.
Dogs aren’t humans. Nobody should have to trade their own safety for the safety of a pet.
Wow 🤦🏻♂️
At least you got one thing right I suppose.
Dogs aren’t humans. Nobody should have to trade their own safety for the safety of a pet.
Wowsers! Where did this event take place.... Mogadishu? Kandahar? Or was it perhaps somewhere even more perilous?
Babies and small children are vulnerable people so I give way to them every time.
So you break your own rule?!
Did you start this thread as an ironic counterpoint to your DM thread about people being forced to veer into traffic by cyclists?
I had an altercation whilst walking my dog through town a few years back, group of people walking 4-abreast toward me taking up the entire pavement.
Rather than step off the curb, I barged through them whilst having the dog slightly behind me to avoid the dog being tripped.
My god, they were so angry, it was hillarious!
It truly never ceases to amaze me what people will post on here about . This has to be a wind up otherwise how does the OP make it through daily life without having to take these decisions to a mtb forum.
It truly never ceases to amaze me what people will post on here about . This has to be a wind up otherwise how does the OP make it through daily life without having to take these decisions to a mtb forum.
I can relate. Half the threads I start on here, I read back before hitting Post and decide it's boring bollocks and just don't bother. Others should take this approach.
Yet here I am, still reading at 30 comments in. 🤷♂️
I am not sure this has anything to do with dog ownership, rather it appears to just be selfish humans.
+1.
If you think the dog is the problem then you're looking at the wrong end of the lead..
I sympathise with the OP. My approach is to just stand still. They then have to walk around me however they so choose.It's nearly as bad a pram rage. But not as bad as the double whammy of entitled parent with pram and dog and usually balancing a latte in the mix too.
Dogs aren’t humans. Nobody should have to trade their own safety for the safety of a pet.
My dog is more tolerant than you, so I claim his right to be 'human' over yours.
I can sympathise with the op fully.
I have decided in my head that on Tuesdays, except when this falls on Christmas day, or when I've eaten 3 or more hash browns for breakfast, that motorcycles without sidecars with engines under 400cc must pull over when they see me and hand me a green painted lobster in a weaved waste paper bin.
None of them EVER follow this rule! 😡
Dicks
Did you start this thread as an ironic counterpoint to your DM thread about people being forced to veer into traffic by cyclists?
Maybe we should mash up the titles to keep things fresh.
Blood Owners Entitled Again.
Daily Dog Mail Pressure (warning!)
Almost word for word the same argument Mrs P is embroiled in with a Man Of The Parish. Just replace the words ‘dog-owners’ with the word ‘cyclists’ and there is no difference.
‘Have never met or seen a cyclist who wasn’t selfish and entitled bla bla bla’
Everyone's saying this is a made up rule but really it isn't - if you're walking in the carriageway the highway code stipulates that you walk on the right, against traffic, for safety. So if only one person can fit on the pavement then the one walking against traffic should go into the road. And they're right when they say dogs are not humans, no human should be placed beneath a dog in priority for anything.
The problem here is neither the pedestrian or the led with dog. The problem is cars. Get angry with that. We need better infrastructure for people and that includes people with dogs.
You could just stop, forcing them into the road?
green painted lobster
There's the problem, any fule kno' it's yellow painted on a Tuesday. Green for Thursdays.
A dog doesn't have any concept of traffic. The vast majority of Humans do.
To take a dog towards a busy road, even on a lead is not advisable. They can spook and pull you into the road along with themselves potentially.
Is it really the end of the world that someone might just clock the traffic and let them pass?
Yes, clearly it is... 🙄
If i was walking towards someone and their dog in this situation i would definitely hop into the road for them like you said it's important to do what is safest and quickest to get any living beings out of harms way as quickly as possible. Dogs not being human can get confused being suddenly pulled into the road when they are generally taught not to do this by their owners for safety reasons.
God get a grip, what's the big deal!? Two wrongs dont make a right you know, I will open a door and hold it open for people behind me irregardless of gender or age, if someone sneezes nearby I will say bless you, if someone with a pram is on the pavement I will step off, if it was an elderly person with a walking stick I would step off, if it was easy enough to step off the pavement for me then I would no matter who they were, has the world really crumpled and become so selfish that we can't just do something nice for other people without labelling them as selfish and ignorant?!
I mean come onnnnnnn! I went out at lunch with a dog and was walking back downhill with a mum and two young children walking up towards us so I stepped off the narrow path and had to wait a fair pause for her to convince her smallest to walk up the path and the mum completely blanked me and didn't say thanks or say hello but do you see me waxing lyrical about entitled parents or children? Nope because there's more to life.
I wonder where dogs fall within the new highway code whereby pedestrians are the most vulnerable members. Maybe the cars need to completely stop if either dog or pedestrian need to step off?!
I'm very proud of the STW massive not rising to the 'we hate dogs' discussion that normally spans a million pages and @Kayak23 wins the replies so far, earned himself a read out loud to the OH!
.
A dog doesn’t have any concept of traffic. The vast majority of Humans do.
To take a dog towards a busy road, even on a lead is not advisable.
You're going to be astonished when you hear about Guide Dogs.
... anyway, it comes as no surprise to me that the OP always wants to pass on the right.
What if a child was walking a dog? Do you step out then?! Pregnant woman, pushing a pushchair, walking a dog? Can we get a published list of how many people you feel you are more important than please op?
I often step out into the road when walking the dogs to allow people to pass. Some people step out into the road for me. It’s just being polite surely? In some scenarios it’s easier for me to step out and some other scenarios easier for someone else to step out.
The only thing kind of entitled here is your belief that you are more important than another person
You’re going to be astonished when you hear about Guide Dogs.
Are you familiar with the level of sheer, brazen, bare faced can't-be-arsed-ness that most dog owners exhibit toward training?
You’re going to be astonished when you hear about Guide Dogs
Edit- can't be arsed... 🙄
As Golfchick says, just be courteous to all. If it's not returned, at least you were the better person.
Easy.
My view as an entitled dog owner is that we spend most of the time encouraging the stupid animal to stay on the pavement unless crossing the road. To randomly jump into the road would help to defeat the training to stay on the pavement.
I will wait for pedestrians coming in the opposite direction where possible to stop them needing to jump into the road
The only entitlement here is your own, making up rules and expecting other people to not only know them but adhere to them.
This is the best dog hating thread I’ve read in ages, well done OP and Happy New Year!
weaved waste paper bin
Nobody takes any notice because the rule should be worded woven not weaved
Has TJ suggested you kick it and run away?
I need that one to complete my dog thread bingo card.
As a dog owner the only thing I have to add.to this is Shatner's Bassoon
I think OP should produce their own Highway code and mail it around his neighbourhood so that everyone knows who is and isnt entitled to use the pavement.
I got hit by a car once cos my dog decided to have a fight with another dog and I stepped into the road to avoid them. I was about 12, I still remember the woman's face as I went up to her car window and said "I'm ok!" My mum was walking the dog at the time. Er, that's it.
if someone sneezes nearby I will say bless you
What's that got to do with anything, other than showing that being habitually polite is sometimes very weird. (I'm always a little puzzled if someone blesses me for sneezing - WTF made you pope?)
If you think dog walkers are entitled you should see what a bellend my dog is when he drives
That's awesome. We need a Like button.
To be fair to the OP, it is worth making an effort so people walking in the opposite direction don't have to step off the pavement with their backs to the traffic. Don't most of us do this? It's also consistent with the highway code:
https://www.highwaycodeuk.co.uk/rules-for-pedestrians.html
... rule one being avoid being near the kerb with your back to the traffic. Which is just sensible and far from arbitrary. I can't think of any particularly egregious examples of dog walker infractions though. Sorry everyone.
As a dog owner I suspect OP would find some way I am entitled. I’m also a cyclist so double whammy there.
This scenario… well the non entitled dog owner would ensure their dog is at heel and simply stop, allowing the pedestrian to pass.
As a dog owner I am responsible for the safety of my dog as he is not alway bright enough to look out for himself. No responsible dog owner is going to choose to step onto a busy road with the creature they have put so much effort into training to stay on the pavement (unless crossing the road).
By wishing down owners into the road you are putting that person into more danger than you yourself would be if you just stepped into the road. Seems pretty selfish tbh.
you should see what a bellend my dog is when he drives
Clearly there's a global conspiracy involving certain breeds/colours of dog. I saw this one in New Zealand several years ago:
Edit: clearly needs to be shown how to reverse park 😀
Neither of those dogs have seatbelts on?
Furry little pricks..
… rule one being avoid being near the kerb with your back to the traffic. Which is just sensible and far from arbitrary.
It’s what I always do, unless I’m in the company of a member of the fairer sex, in which case I always walk on the outside, as is only right and proper. If meeting someone coming in the opposite direction, facing the traffic then I’ll step back and walk in single file, if on my own, then if the path is particularly narrow, like one that goes down one side of a fairly steep hill when I walk into town, then I’ll stop and stand as close to the wall as possible, allowing the others to pass. Which will still require one person to step into the road anyway.
’Tis only common sense and being polite.
You know those days were you feel down and the world seems a negative place? Then you read a thread like this and realise - yep, it is actually crap.
I’m always a little puzzled if someone blesses me for sneezing
it comes from the time of one plague or another when if you sneezed it was an indication that you were going to die, so folk would wish your soul well on its onward journey.
If I happened upon a human and a dog unknown to me both being in peril. I’d help the dog first !!
About sums up todays society as humans are generally awful people(me included) 🙁
Mine doesn’t drive, just barks orders from the passenger seat!
(don’t panic, she was just clipped in on the collar for the photo and is usually clipped in the back with a harness)
t comes from the time of one plague or another when if you sneezed it was an indication that you were going to die, so folk would wish your soul well on its onward journey.
Or evil leaver the body. Reality is there is no genuine origin.
I've had 'evil' leave my body a few times before but rarely do the people near me issue blessings. Oaths and curses, mainly.
You know those days were you feel down and the world seems a negative place? Then you read a thread like this and realise – yep, it is actually crap.
😀
No, threads like this cheer me up, they make me sit back and think I'm a bit less of a bellend than I thought I was. Only a bit mind.
some changes to the highway code on the way
As welcome changes to the higway code are, they are not going to stop Mrs bouquet in her ten year old Audi having something to say about it.
LOL, the local Police FB was along those lines.
My favourite was from someone claiming to be an articulated lorry driver who said “what, so if a pedestrian walks into the road I’m supposed to slam my brakes on now am I?”
One of those times I’m no 100% sure if it was satire or not