Dog owners

[SlugLobber]

In our village there is a couple who keep huskies. They harness them up to pull their bikes. As we have a long straight path going along the front of our houses they pick up a lot of speed. There is no way they have those dogs 'under control'. If a child ran across from the field to it's front door they would not be able to stop. If they need to brake they shout at the dogs, who don't always respond quickly. One time the chap came off, but the dogs did stop before he was pulled very far. I know huskies are used to pull sleds, but the driver has control through reins as well as voice, and probably not so many pedestrians either.

I'd leave them to it. Sounds like a fabulous way of exercising Natural Selection!

"Potentially horses could give you:

E. coli
Salmonella
protozoa Cryptosporidium parvum
Giardia duodenalis
Leptospirosis "

'Potentially' you will find all these organisms in your house. I imagine you could die of breathing if you put your mind to it. Regardless of 'safety' issues, though, dog mess is disgusting. I'm more bothered by that than the safety element! The mind truly boggles as to why some owners pick it up, then hang it in trees or shove it down hollow gate posts. I'd rather they left it on the ground!

[Two_Sheds]

I can understand people wanting to let their dogs loose when away from traffic, especially if there isn't any feasible alternative 'free' location (that alley/path)

If you're referring to my video Hilary, that narrow cycle path in the clip is barely 100 metres long, and it feeds into a massive open grassy field, perfect for dogs to run free on (I take mine there). Trouble is, people are too stupid, lazy or selfish to keep their dogs on leads until they get there, and a lot don't bother to go there, they just take the dog out to crap on the cycle lane.

I'm a polite, helpful, conscientious person who happens to ride a bike sometimes. I give way to people and I don't cycle on footpaths; I even pick up other peoples' litter and dog mess. I expect some polite consideration in return, and not to be knocked off my bike by out-of-control dogs

I don't understand the anti-cycling attitude in this country ~ is it because we aren't allowed to hate foreigners any more, so it's been made OK to be spiteful and nasty about people who ride bikes?

[Hilary B]

No reins on sled-pulling huskies, but a sled has brakes (an anchor-type thing that digs into the ice)!
I'm pretty sure that having huskies pull something that can't be readily stopped, in a public place, is not allowed.
TS, if I walk my dog off the lead on a path likely to be used by other people, he's properly at heel where I can get hold of him at a moment's notice (but mainly it just doesn't happen, we have woods and get there by car), from the video that path COULD have been on the 'not many off-road places' list, but even if it was, they should have had better control!

[taff]

I don't understand the anti-cycling attitude in this country ~ is it because we aren't allowed to hate foreigners any more, so it's been made OK to be spiteful and nasty about people who ride bikes?

When I'm walking, I own the road and everything else has to stop for me, when I'm cycling, I own the road and everything has to stop for me, when I'm driving, I own the road and everything has to stop for me....
I think the bike haters are just not at that particular moment on a bike, they're in a car, or walking their dog

[Hilary B]

You got it Taff. I don't think they hate cyclists, they just hate anyone who is 'in the way' regardless of who is in the wrong.
The other thing is that sometimes, being brought to see that one is in the wrong can set off bad temper, which gets taken out on the person one is ill-treating already...

[Two_Sheds]

they went round sticking little flags in poo to draw attention to the problem

That's what I wanted, but the Tidy Britain stickers are massive (dinner plate size)

Ooh, that's a bit big innit?!

That's what I thought ~ I guess they're for sticking onto litter bins? Which is a little pointless as the culprits are already ignoring the litter bins

I might put them on lamp posts, but will I be done for vandalism?

have often walked past a bagged poo left sitting on the ground!

Now I've done that sometimes, if I'm somewhere with no bin, like on the beach ~ left it in a prominent place that I will return to at the end of the walk

[Seahorse]

That's what I wanted, but the Tidy Britain stickers are massive (dinner plate size)

I guess they're for sticking onto litter bins? Which is a little pointless as the culprits are already ignoring the litter bins

I might put them on lamp posts, but will I be done for vandalism?

I got mine yesterday and they ARE very big! I'm not bothered about anyone complaining about me putting them up (I'll say I'm from the council!) but they're really rather unsightly at that size. Still thinking about which is the lesser evil on our pretty little street.