Had a bit of a confrontation with a dog owner today, still angry about it!

Was riding the W2 trail today at Afan. Got to the bit where you can decide whether to do the old Darkside descent or the new one when I saw a man and his dog running around at the entrance to the new descent. as I went past them he said “Don’t worry, he’ll only follow you for few seconds then he’ll come back.” The dog did indeed follow me for a bit, but then it followed me a bit further. The owner made two tries at calling it back but to no avail. The dog was darting in and out of the undergrowth and trees so I rode slowly for a minute or so where it suddenly appeared on my right and went between my wheels and off to the right! I stopped and waited for a little bit but it didn’t reappear so I carried on for a few seconds only for it to reappear on the trial running towards me. I tried to shoo it away but it just darted off again. I waited another 30 seconds or so until I couldn’t hear it crashing trough stuff then carried on. As soon as I was up to speed it reappeared again on my left and tried to go between my wheels again. Sadly this time it failed and I rode over it’s rear legs, throwing me off the bike and the dog gave out a yelp but the carried on running around. I got back up and made my way back to the start of that section, still with the dog running around all over the place. I was nearly a mile into the trail at this point but it wiggles around a bit at the start so it wasn’t far to cut through the trees.
Got back to where the owner was, who was totally oblivious to what had happened.

I was still very angry at this point so we ended up having a bit of a stand-off (no swearing surprisingly!) while I put my point across that he should be in control of his dog, especially around other users. He was totally unapologetic and wouldn’t back down, even when I said I had been knocked off, until I said I had actually run over his dog! He then very quickly calmed down and changed his tune completely. He was suddenly apologising for his dog knocking me off and put it on the lead straight away. He then explained that it was a 12-month old springer puppy, as if that made any difference. I was still angry so left after I suggested he get it checked out by a vet. Took me all the way to the Glyncorrwg centre to calm down where I went and told the guys in Skyline Cycles what had happened in case it had happened to other people (the centre reception was shut, as usual). They suggested I message the ranger which I have done but he’s on holiday for a week so that won’t be read for a while.

I’m not saying dogs shouldn’t be in a multi-user forest, just that the owners really need to keep them under control. Whether that is by command or on the lead is dependant on the dog but they need to take other users into consideration. If our paths had crossed on the fireroad then it would have been a different scenario, me stopping while they passed would be the correct action but to knowingly let it run after a bike on a bike only trail is irresponsible. I even like trail dogs, they’re great to watch when they’re properly trained.

Off to calm down now, been a few hours now and I’m still angry. More for the welfare of the dog than me but hopefully I won’t see the owner again.

Oh and before anyone says I’m anti dog I’m not. I like a good dog, wouldn’t own one but they are great animals when properly looked after. Running around parks and playing with kids they are great to watch. It’s certain types of owners I don’t like.

Reaches for the biscuits…

A squirrel dashed out and hit my spokes the other day.

Bastard.

12-month old springer puppy

There’s your problem.

I have a springer and a lab/springer/whatever cross. The cross breed will instantly come back with a single command even with sheep in view. The springer treats it more as a request, to be ignored at will if there’s something more interesting to chase.

Sorry, not much help.

TL;DR

Did a 6 mile run on the moors on Saturday. Chased by 2 loose dogs. Ignorant, unapologetic owners.

Went for a ride with my lad on Sunday, in sheep country. “Lambing season” signs everywhere, still people with loose dogs chasing the sheep.

Back at car park, having sandwiches in the car, two Dobermans got in our car and tried to eat the picnic. Owner completely unapologetic.

Fed up of dodging shit and seeing plastic bags full of shit hung up on bushes and trees.

Dog owners. It’s the 99% that give the others a bad name.

I love dogs, it’s just dog owners that are twits and don’t get me started on parents pushing push chairs on cycle tracks…..

Reaches for the biscuits…

Hope you’ve brought enough for everyone…

All solved if owners kept their dogs on leads. A woman released her attack Westie after I passed them at a gate last week. Stupid thing then chased me trying to bite my foot.

Given up trying to reason with some dog owners so just rode on

Woof woof sniff grrr slobber pant drool!

I got bitten by a lurcher this time last year. About 8am in the morning riding up a fireroad in triscombe. It came from behind from another track and sunk its teeth in my leg.

The owner never apologised. He said the dog had never done it before. That’s fine then obviously. I spent 4 hours in A&E getting stitches and then another hour at the police station reporting it.

Rant over 🙂

Is this a bit like when they “Cyclist Grrr” in the local paper comments?

Always the go to response .. it’s never done it before… or he wont harm a fly etc

Daughter (aged 9) was walking across the park by herself, dog (Labrador off the leash) runs and jumps on her she fell over and hurt herself. Dog owner it seems was very apologetic but reverted to I don’t why she/he did that normally she/he is very well behaved!

Taking down some signs off the trails in SH’s in the rain had my jacket and hood on. Dog comes running up barking , dog owner yelling and running behind it telling it stop. Dog owner says oh she doesn’t like people with hoods over their heads. FFs it’s bloody raining!!!

I keep being chased by a psychotic grouse. Exactly the same spot on my local loop, every single time. I’ve even started waving my arms around to ward it off before I’ve even seen the bloody thing, which must look a bit odd from a distance.

I blame the gamekeeper. 🙂

Dog owner says oh she doesn’t like people with hoods over their heads. FFs it’s bloody raining!!!

My springer doesn’t like people who wear hats. But people who don’t wear hats she dislikes even more, because they almost certainly do have a hat, but they’re hiding it. Fortunately, she doesn’t fall for that kind of subterfuge.

I was walking my dog yesterday. She’s off lead, my boy (6) and I see a rottweiler on an extending lead up ahead, my dog sees it too and goes round via the long route. Dog on lead runs up to us, how **** stupid do you have to be to let a dog that size run up to a 6 year old. Luckily my boy is used to dogs and stays unfazed. My lurcher however gets concerned for our safety and comes back to see whats what. Rottie lunges for her she scarpers and leaves me and the boy wrapped up twice in the extendable lead. **** of an owner the lets it off the lead and it chases off after my dog!

Moral of the story is that some people are just complete **** idiots..

I keep being chased by a psychotic grouse. Exactly the same spot on my local loop, every single time. I’ve even started waving my arms around to ward it off before I’ve even seen the bloody thing, which must look a bit odd from a distance.

Please film this and post it on here.

Regarding dogs, it seems most people can’t be arsed spending time training them. Owners give dogs a bad name most of the time

My black lab hates…

Black people (oh, the irony)

People in red jackets

People with rucksacks

Disabled people and/or dogs

Hugely embarrassing – she’s not aggressive at all because all she ever wants is a belly rub. But she’ll stand and bark at any of the above which – from the unfortunate victim’s perspective – can only be rather intimidating.

I’m quick to spot any of the above and get her on the lead before she can react. I’ve also learnt to claim that she ‘hates people wearing hats’ because I can’t tell a black person that she doesn’t like them…

The Christmas lights ceremony in Castleton was a particularly bad moment in her life. Blacked-up (not PC sorry, but the truth) morris dancers fair scared the absolute shit out of her.

I’ve also learnt to claim that she ‘hates people wearing hats’ because I can’t tell a black person that she doesn’t like them…

What if they’re not wearing a hat. What do you say?

Had my second incident with dogs who “don’t like wheels” at the weekend. The National Cycle Network obviously the best place to let it off the lead then! 🙄

And that was after getting pecked by an angry swans. I was lucky though, could have broken my arm 😉

Love dogs but I’d have no problem with booting a troublesome one. Soon gets rid of them and teaches them a valuable life lesson.

We have a psychotic grouse near Holmfirth. Quality confrontations guaranteed in the same spot. Hopefully it’ll last beyond the Inglorious 12th and cause a few fat-ruddy-faced-tweedy-brexit mongers to take each other out.

Ref dog owners, wot HebdenCyclist said (or at least it sometimes feels like that).

When they chase me I un-apologetically make them run as far as they can from their owners before they gave up, intention being to spoil the owner’s day as much as possible.

What if they’re not wearing a hat. What do you say?

In an incredible stroke of good fortune, that situation has never presented itself.

Should it ever arise, I’ll blame it on their cords/dreadlocks/crocs/sandals/body odour.

There’s a grumpy grouse on my loop as well (up on Shackleton Moor) makes me laugh ever time, daft thing

It’s a relief I’m not alone in my grouse experiences. 🙂

This is my mates obituary photo – same grouse, same spot. Attaaaaacckkkk!

The dogs are in charge now! We should be consulting the Kennel Club as to what human behaviour is acceptable in public places. It’s about time unaccompanied humans were banned from public places.

Roads are for cars. Parks and public land are for dog owners to take their pets for a shit, recognising the primacy of their rights and value to a balanced ecosystem.

Is this a bit like when they “Cyclist Grrr” in the local paper comments?

Nope. They always use the plural in those cases, as if any encountered tossery is common across the imaginary ‘group’ of cyclists who are somehow all (or by a vast majority) tossers but strangely in the way that no-one ever says ‘motorists, grrr’.

See also ‘dog owners, grrr’ 😉

Bojo no way.

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