Georgina's Raw Journey

Sounds like somebody got out of bed on the wrong side :-) It's tricky, I know, but I have dogs and we walk on paths where people cycle, and we haven't had any problems at all. I also cycle, and would probably have done exactly as you did. Perhaps he and the dog are still getting used to each other and he was nervous about what the dog would do? I remember years ago cycling in Richmond Park around the lake, and a beautiful, big labrador (off lead) charged straight in front of me - so I swerved, braked hard, and ended up tumbling off the bike and into the lake. When I got up, I was dripping blood from gravel cuts, and the dog's owners were anxiously examining their lab to make sure it was okay - it was fine, of course, because I hadn't touched it! Eventually they got around to looking at me ... and half-heartedly asked if I was okay. I think I was very restrained in my response ... !

The dog was indeed not happy but I think mostly because the owner hates cyclists and so the dog does too.

I know the highway code says not to ride on pavements but I'd rather be in the wrong by riding on a pavement than right and dead by riding on the road!

I get angry when cyclists don't ring their bell because my dog will lunge at you because she is nervous of bikes. One guy took a width swath around me, my dog still lunged and he yelled at me to control my dog. I told him to ring his bell and I would give him a very wide berth. I sit my dog down and let the cyclists pass because I can control her then. I don't often hear bikes coming up because of the car noise.

I didn't pass close and I passed on the owner side of the dog not next to the dog itself and I had almost stopped because he was taking up the full width where it was narrow so I was travelling slower than I would have been had I been pushing it!

He's just someone that likes yelling at cyclists. He probably does it when he's driving as well

Maybe you just scared the poo out of him and he reacted by yelling?

I hope your day gets better - it's such a bummer to start on a bad note!!

I didn't scare him at all. He just likes yelling at people. Maybe even prefers yelling at women!

Regardless, he certainly didn't need to yell at you. And I still hope your day improved!

Awww, so sorry to hear that! Your heart was definitely in the right place, with trying not to scare the dog. Ugh.

Around here, we have the opposite problem, with people on bikes being less than aware of their surroundings. Sometimes they'll ride 5 across on windy mountain roads and not move over when a car is coming. One time when I went to pass a biker who was riding in the middle of a lane and wouldn't move (so I went into the empty oncoming traffic lane to pass him), he swerved over near my car and hit my side view mirror. There are also continual incidents of bikers who ignore red lights and other road rules and cause bad accidents. A friend of mine who is the chief of police for a local town said that whenever they pull over a bicyclist for disobeying a road rule, they ALWAYS have to call for backup because the biker gets out of control with attitude. One of the slogans bikers have started is "share the road", and I really want to make my own sticker to put next to them that say "share the road rules".

Anyway, my point of saying all that is that you should be proud that you were aware of the situation and dealt with it in the best and most thoughtful way you could. That guy was being a jerk, and you're probably right that he was just looking for someone to yell at. Douchebag. :-)

cyclist run red lights here too ... as a motorist that annoys me. What I have noticed as a cyclist is that cars run red lights also. So as a pedestrian/cyclist you can't trust crossing the road when the crossing says cross!