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The Highway Code (@HighwayCodeGB)
14/05/2012 10:02
Keep dogs on a short lead when walking on the pavement, road or path shared with cyclists or horse riders #HighwayCode rule 56
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CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Debate!
It's in the Highway Code
(21 posts)-
Posted 13 years ago #
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Not that I disagree with this, my dog only gets off of her lead at the field. Short lead there and back.
I do find it slightly amusing though that some cyclists find the prospect of a dog being off it's lead more dangerous to them than downing 5 pints and getting on their bike.
Posted 13 years ago # -
Are they necessarily the same cyclists?
Posted 13 years ago # -
...and rule #62
Take care when passing pedestrians, especially children, older or disabled people, and allow them plenty of room. Always be prepared to slow down and stop if necessary.
Posted 13 years ago # -
So -- given both these highway code rules, lets hypothesise that you are going about 8mph on Sustrans Route 1, and a dog comes bounding out of the bushes right in front of you, and your emergency stop puts you off the bike and you've somehow broken your back, probably never to work again.
The dog owner, while remorseful, is unemployed and penniless.
How would this likely play out in court?
Posted 13 years ago # -
Well, it is the dog that caused the problem. There is no suggestion that the cyclist would have been unable to stop appropriately while passing the ped.
Posted 13 years ago # -
Well, it is the dog that caused the problem
Surely the owner caused the problem.
The dog appears blameless to me.
Posted 13 years ago # -
"I do find it slightly amusing though that some cyclists find the prospect of a dog being off it's lead more dangerous to them than downing 5 pints and getting on their bike."
@Baldcyclist, are these some specific cyclists you know or have told you this, or something you have observed? And which is more dangerous?
For me, dogs on shared use paths are a real problem. A large number are either on extendable 5m long leads or none at all (and will happily take up the whole of a path however wide). Very few owners have control of their dog(s), most don't even try. They are unpredictible and however slowly and 'widely' you try to pass them, often move into your path at which time their owner will become irritated!
I could go on at length, but I guess you can see where I stand on this topic. Ban them from all cycle paths, and only allow them on footways muzzled and on a short (up to 1m) lead and then I would be a lot happier.Posted 13 years ago # -
A dog is a random thing and so is a child. If you slow down for a dog and pass with care the owners are often grateful and indeed apologise for the dog being in the way. However, if you hit one I imagine could turn naSty. With kids you gotta slow down and even if they run out in front of you you will still be the villain if you clip them. All and all best to slow down and take it easy.
Posted 13 years ago # -
I do some of my best cycling after 5 pints.... ;-p
Posted 13 years ago # -
Just this evening, I was turning onto MMW opposite the Sainbury's. Smartly dressed young woman was on ped side, with small dog on extending lead, all the way across the bike side. Chap heading downhill on a brompton...Did she pull the dog back? no, she just followed it across, moving a bit faster when i shouted 'there's a bike coming'. Guy whizzed past, not much room to spare. Coulda been nasty.
Posted 13 years ago # -
Actually my point was that both are dangerous, but a lot of cyclists do feel dogs on shared use paths are bad, and a lot (not necessarily the same people) think that consuming alcohol and cycling is fine.
But if you were to ask me which poses the greater danger, well something over 20% of cycling accidents are attributed to alcohol use, not sure I've seen any reported cases of rabid dogs killing or mameing cyclists, perhaps I am wrong and the data is out there? So at least statistically drunk cyclists appear to be a bigger problem - that is of course not to say unleashed dogs are not a nuisance, but that is all they are.
If dogs were to be banned from shared use paths, where should they go? The road, and would they have to pay tax? ;)
Posted 13 years ago # -
Gembo. You must have a way with dog owners. In my experience, I always slow down to c.8mph at most, mainly because as you say dogs are unpredictible. The owner will then do little, if you're lucky they'll spend 30+ sec calling their dog, which takes no notice. Then when bored the dog wanders over to them to be told "clever boy"!.
Baldcyclist. I thought that was probably what you meant. Not too sure about the stats though, if a person is attacked by a dog whilst cycling does that get recorded as a cycling accident? I
worked in A&E for a short while and there were a lot of people, mainly children, admitted following dog attacks. However, it's the inconvience that mainly irritates me.On Saturday I was out looking unsuccessfully for otters in Figgy Park. Sitting quietly on a bench minding my own business. A dog walked up and urinated 1 foot from me. When I tutted the owner told me to "cheer up, ...it's a park"!
Posted 13 years ago # -
Posted 13 years ago #
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What annoys me about dog walkers is mainly that it's not really the dog's fault if it gets mangled. Unless by wild poetic justice your crashing bike hit the dog walker or their dog went wild and attacked its owner (I'll stop fantising), they're bringing all the danger to the situation but bear none of the risk.
That's probably the big difference between people who walk / cycle drunk, which is a big cause of self-inflicted injuries to both groups, for me anyway.
Posted 13 years ago # -
"Guy whizzed past, not much room to spare."
Not making excuses for the dog walker who was also in the wrong, but 'whizzing past' in what appears to have been a small space is not the way to ride around dogs, whether they're in the way or not.
As has been said upthread, it is never the dog's fault, and always the owner (my bugbear is passing a dog walker whose dog is another 20 yards further on ambling about all over the path and the owner doing absolutely naff all to control the dog - but then I grew up with a biddable Border Collie who was perfect off the lead everywhere and with one word would stop and lie down so anyone coming past would know it was under control).
However, as with motorists there is another thing to realise. The majority of dog walkers are absolutely fine. We're only seeing the minority and extrapolating up.
Slow down, expect the unexpected, life is a lot less stressful for everyone.
Posted 13 years ago # -
"with one word would stop and lie down so anyone coming past would know it was under control"
The 'better' dog owners are the ones who hold on to their dog by its collar - which shouldn't be necessary!
Posted 13 years ago # -
Yes, I like it when owners hold the dog by the collar. I do feel a small amount of guilt for 'making' them do it, but I always thank them of course.
What I don't like is when you are about to pass a dog that is happily sniffing away at the side of the path when the owner calls to it and it comes bounding out into the path.
Maybe the next time I see an owner controlling their dog I will say (to the owner), "who's a clever boy?".
Posted 13 years ago # -
Reckon I've said this before on the forum somewhere...
Cyclists always feel that they are at the lowest end of the pecking order, they're not dog walkers are!
Now we have a minority group to vent our fury at for having the audacity to make us slow down for all of maybe 2 or 3 seconds. ;)
Oh, I'm a dog walker, hmm, need to find someone lower than me to vent my fury....Bloody uncontrolled children, ahh karma restored.
Posted 13 years ago # -
If only it was just 2 or 3 seconds of slowing down!
@Baldcyclist. Are you going on the ride around Edinburgh on the 19th? It would be interesting to ride with you and see if I'm just an intolerant whinge bag, or if their was some common ground.Now "Bloody uncontrolled children" - that's worthy of its own thread ;)
Posted 13 years ago # -
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The Highway Code @HighwayCodeGBThe Official #HighwayCode is now available as an app for iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad. Get it here
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It's £3.99
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Mark Skrzypczyk @bassjunkieuk@HighwayCodeGB excellent news considering the amount of drivers I see using iPhones whilst driving :-)
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DocDelete @DocDelete
@HighwayCodeGB Great. Now, to be truly inclusive develop apps for other non-Apple platforms...
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John @DSAgovuk @John_DSA@DocDelete The Highway Code is covered by an Open Government Licence, so anyone is free to develop an Android version.
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Posted 13 years ago #
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