[Greens]

Frou Frou, I don't want to do anything that will get her dogs put down and I don't think this is a bad lady even though her actions were appalling. This is what people would be like if every auto conflict resulted in face to face contact. With me on the bike and her on foot, we were both just trapped there. Had we been in cars, we both would have soon been miles apart and of course dogs would have been irrelevant.

Have you ever heard of Tonya Harding, Robin? My whole way of thinking changed after hearing about her scheming. Previous to that I would have thought that an olympic skater was above criminal activity. Jim Baker and Jimmy Swaggart were also revelations into the lying, scheming and immorality of respected people. It's not so much that I had respected them, but a lot of people did. Then there's all the true crime stories my gf watches. It makes you a little paranoid, but with cause.

[Greens]

Frou Frou, I suppose if I said, "Americans are fat!" you would take that as directed specifically at you. It's not. You know it isn't.

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In Massachusettes pedestrians always have the right of way. People on foot can walk right in front of cars and the cars are supposed to stop. If you hit a pedestrian with your car, the motorist is always wrong. I spent a few days out there ten years ago. Don't know their attitude towards bicycles.

[techwife]

I jsut have this to say and I'm not for or against Greens. ALL dogs that are not in their own home, should be either on a leash or in a fenced-in yard. Period. Anyone who says, "My dog is the sweetest thing and would never hurt anyone" is an ignorant dog owner. I have an Old English Sheepdog...one of the largest breeds known...and sweetest, by the way. I walk him pretty regularly and NEVER off his leash. He's an animal and not capable of reasoning and if he's out with me in teh dark and a man on a bike and I cross paths, he MAY try to defend me and attack the man on the bike. He's an animal. There are leash laws for a reason. Maybe your words were harsh for some, but I am petrified of strange, big dogs (except my own...which is why I walk with him so he can protect me from other big dogs and/or men on bikes in the dark), especially a pack of them and would have probably responded with fear the way you did. But maybe not with profanity the way you did.

Moral of the story...ALL dogs belong on leashes...period. And, Greens, you may need to learn to choose your words a little more wisely, I guess.

Now....lets stop being mad and get back to being slim, sexy Americans!!! Unless, of course, you're a grumpy bicyclist living in a windmill... Sorry...couldn't resist...

[Greens]

That's nice for people and dog haters, but for dogs it's a life sentence. Dogs move faster and are interested in other things. They also need to meet and greet other dogs in their own way. They've been living with humans for 100 thousand years or more with very few incidents of them killing humans. I believe it's mostly dogs who are trained to fight and kill and starving dogs who actually kill. To condemn all of them to the leash is cruel and unnecessary.

They do learn to get along with humans. I've worked in sales visiting farm houses and so on. Even the biggest dogs don't bite. They'll put up a terrifying threat display and they'll bark to notify their people and chase me away, but they don't bite if you're careful not to surprise them and careful to treat them with some respect. If you see a dog is on the verge of losing his mind, you'd be wise to show him you just want to leave.

There are some people who will tell a dog that they work for the post office and they a right to be there - a dog just isn't going to understand that. The dog's masters are probably the most important part of the equation. A lot of people go looking for the nastiest dog they can find because they're lunatics and incompetents and they want the dog to inflict harm on "intruders". Fortunately lawsuits discourage this type of person. Dogs like that are rare.

Dogs should have places to run in the woods. They won't be feeling territorial in a community area. They're great hiking companions. There are very few incidents of real fighting. I've never seen or heard of a dog on a hiking trail biting a human in my life.

[techwife]

Originally Posted by Greens

Dogs should have places to run in the woods.

We have that here...they're called coyotes and we shoot them on a regular basis.

I'm starting to root for the dogs that tried to bite you...or is it that dogs don't bite? Or is it only bicyclists? Only in the Netherlands? I'm confused.

I hope Suzanne closes this soon...I'm terribly sorry I got involved.

[Robin41]

pssst Greens...you have to try and pick a side. Otherwise all us fat, lazy Americans get confused.