Posted By Iain
Does anyone know if it is illegal to ride a bike with a dog on the lead running along side. This unsafe practice occasionally this place within our campus, travelling to and from the workplace.
Please can someone point me in the right direction on how best to put a stop to this.
Thanks in advance for any suggestions
Iain

Posted By Brett Day

I've got some pictures of a squirrel that run into the front wheel of a bike, the damage to the bike and the squirrel is quite extensive, would imagine that the same would happen to a pet, there isn't much in terms of law, but the highway code does have a section on cycling. There is also a cyclists version of Roadcraft available.

Posted By Descarte
Or throwing a cat

Posted By Heather Collins
No it's not illegal. If it is taking place "On the way to work" then you have no responsibility to the rider (or the dog) provided that the roads, etc in the campus are in good repair and so on.

You may be seen as having some liability towards third parties who also use the campus roads if there was an accident. However it's not easy to see how you can do anything about this without being completely draconian about it (signs saying "do not walk you dog while riding your bike" seem a bit OTT to me)

If it is taking place during working hours and the riders are "at work" then you can stop it by the usual methods of information, instruction & training in whatever way is most appropriate for your particular situation.

Posted By Paul Bellis
The only thing I can think of at the mo is the Road Traffic act - Careless and Inconsiderate Cycling which states
If a person rides a cycle on a road without due care and attention, or without reasonable consideration for other persons using the road, he is guilty of an offence.
"road" includes a bridleway.

So if an accident occured due to the dog etc -the rider could be prosecuted under the RTA 1988

Paul

Posted By sylvia
Is it dangerous then?

What about if using the "springer" dog walker device specifically designed for attaching to bikes, enabling both hands on bars (obviously better) and also minimising the "tug" effect which may be experienced? Would that be OK or not? What if the dog is off the lead, but well-trained enough to trot alongside the cyclist, on the verge. Is that a problem?

Riding without DC&A means rider can be prosecuted whether accident occurs or not - 'they' just have to catch you first.

Is riding with a dog on a lead alongside sufficient evidence of no due care & attention?

I do it; with a well-trained dog in a quiet countryside area what's the problem? Presumably the campus is a similar environment. Why worry? Let the owner / cyclist take responsibility. Do you worry about drivers being careless on the campus? Lighting cigarettes, eating, controlling the passengers / dog (!) etc.

Posted By Nina
This is so annoying! there is a woman that I have to pass every morning on my way to work, along a country lane it's so dangerous, she should be made to stop it, if the dog was to run infront of her she could easily end up under a car!!if it's not illegal it should be!

Posted By Paul Bellis
Road
A 'road' is defined as any highway and any other road to which the public has access etc
A Public Road is slightly different
A road which is repairable at public expense.

In this case the RTA applies to a road in general

So does the public in general use the campus -if so its a "road" - it has been held that a supermarket or similar where the public have acess to pass and re-pass over the land then its a road, if its totally private and the public generally excluded then its not. The qusetion would be does the police enforce other traffic regulations if there was a crash would they not be interested if they dont want to know -its likely not to be a road

Paul

Posted By Helen Horton
That's nothing - I saw a dog driving a car the other day. It was a Jack Russel and looked way more intelligent than its pipe smoking owner who was driving with the dog on his lap and his paws on the wheel (the dog's paws not the man's!)