Out today on my course which has numerous cycle routes / paths.
Met two dog walkers with three dogs each two occasions, 1st, his puppy's are more controlled at going for me and he has made an effort to kerb them, slowed right down to a walking pace and no events to mention.
2nd, one small dog on the loose but I slowed to an almost stop and the owner apologised......bit of another non event.
On a wide shared path (might not be an actual path staus sign but its for cycles as its marked such and many walkers / dogs as there is also water.
Come up behind a person (30 yrds away) so I rang my bell to get their attention, the person turned and headed for the other side of wide path (wide enough for a bus) waited and watched me, I go far on opposite side (already stopped pedalling and less than 10 mph say) plenty of room, as I pass the person mumbles a few words load enough for me to hear down the path so I stop, as I am confused as to what is wrong.
The person caught me up and said you are going too fast?
I said I dinged my bell, he mumbles yes, I said I could see you easy its not like you are a small dog...............he says I bet you hate dogs...........I said I owned dogs for 25 years..............he said you should hear what dog walkers think of cyclist on this path.................he also said its a country park for walking (shared path, nobody would be there if not for a CTC leader's wife who campaigned for 1.5 mil bridge) I said its a shared path for all................he said you cyclist don't even pay car tax and insurance........I said car tax is now emission based so you might pay none with car..............he still protested about cyclist and said again its a path for walking...................I said I will contact local press for a discussion with him and me on the actual paths correct status (cycle signs exist to enter path)........................he then said you cyclist should be on the road and knocked off by a car................
I said thanks Sir and cycled off..............he continued to mumble something as I said thankyou very much sir......................
Guess what class of person this is...................eg - child, pensioner etc
Five guesses then I will tell................might surprise you.
either by bell or voice,excusing myself to get past,slowing down to just faster than walking pace,giving as wide a berth as the path would allow,they've still not been happy.