Wednesday, July 02, 2008

Walking Your Dog Via Bike

I was hoping to back this post up with evidence from a quick Google search, but unfortunately I could find very little. In fact, I found evidence of manufacturers who make attachments for bikes to "walk" your dog. I struggle with this from a safety standpoint.

I don't care how well behaved your dog is. If your dog gets spooked, sees an animal that it decides to chase, gets in anyway distracted, it could take you out if you are on a bike. Still, I see all to often here in Vermillion, people who "walk" (for lack of a better term) their dog by bike.

Why does it bother me? Maybe it shouldn't. Maybe nothing will happen. Then again, maybe Darwinism will take over. I know of at least three people who have broken collarbones while "walking" their dog while on bikes and been taken out. It is just one of those "duh" moments in my opinion.

Outside of the inherent laziness of walking your dog this way, am I the only person who sees this happen? Am I the only one who sees this as stupid/dangerous? Has anybody seen these bike attachments for walking your dog in action?

8 comments:

Unknown said...

I completely agree with you! If you have a death wish then go ahead and walk your dog on your bike..
What about ppl that take their child and their dog for a walk.. with the dog leash tied to the stroller?? what kind of idiot genetics where passed to that parent.. and will that poor child inherit that gene? tsk tsk

Bruce's Bike Blog said...

Yeah, I see people doing that. I can only guess that the dog likes to go fast and trot and stuff.

I knew these people--the guy jogged and his wife rode her bike beside him--so they could talk I suppose.

That was back when I was a runner--and now that I think about it, man, she was annoying as hell! :)

Cheers! Bruce

Road Legs said...

How about roller blades without a helmet while walking a dog. Is that is not an accident waiting to happen?

bikingbrady said...

Road Legs, this too is an excellent point as well as Ceason's with the dog attached to the stroller. I get a little tunnel vision when it comes to bicycling!

Herself, the GeekGirl said...

well, from the dog's standpoint, it's at least healthier for the dog than those people who "ride" their dogs. DO you have those up there? There are people in Albuquerque who load their dog into those tow-behind baby carriers and pull them around the path.

Biking Duluth said...

This- I feel, falls into another category... And I am perfectly ok with.

http://www.northlandsnewscenter.com/younews/15637632.html?vid=a

Plus it's my next door neighbor.

Anonymous said...

"You Can't Fix Stupid"

That would include every one of us, at one point or another in our lives.

DIRK said...

I have seen this here in Sioux Falls. I like to scare the dog and see what happens next!
Not really, I just get as far away from these people and their dogs as possible. I don't need to get tangled up in that wreck.