puffin wrote:Dogs are an important part of our heritage and our national psyche, I am happy to share the roads with them safe in the knowledge of the joy they bring. If it means I have to slow up, that is a very small price to pay.
+1
My dogs are often walked on a shared use path. Many cyclists are a real problem there as they approach silently from behind at speed and passing the pedestrian (with or without dog) far too close for comfort. It seems to be some sort of sport. A reasonable call of 'Slow down' results in a bad tempered look or abuse from the cyclists. The police are aware but can't do anything.
Most dogs are off the lead but then why shouldn't they be? It is, after all, a well known dog walking area. Some dogs are on the retractable type of lead which are almost impossible for the oncoming cyclists to see and avoid. A collision is inevitable and some dogwalkers are now afraid to go there.
Given that cyclists comprise maybe 1% of the path users its incumbent of those cyclists (some who are 'real' cyclists) to respect the majority.
Many people here bang on about motorists driving dangerously and rightly so but can't we extend the same thinking to dogwalkers and pedestrians? If not then all we do is to irritate those people who when they drive may think they can do the same to cyclists. A bit of civility and consideration goes a long way to counter the widely held belief that cyclists are a selfish, arrogant bunch.
So next time you're held up by a dogwalker who may not have seen you approaching just extend them the same amount of curtesy that we want from motorists.