I was out riding one day last week when I saw a person in front of me riding a bicycle. I hardly ever see anyone riding a bike anywhere close to my home. I overtook him going up a hilll as he was going much slower than I was. At the top of the hill I stop and waited on him to say hello and to chit chat. Boy was that a big mistake.
At first the conversation started out rather nice but the conversation turn about dogs chasing cyclist. He said he was always being chase by dogs that nipped at his feet. I suggested that he carry some pepper spray as that has worked very well for me. None of the dogs that I use it on has ever chase me again but I don't use the peper spray except as a last resort. Well he answer that by saying he has used peper spray but that it didn't do any good. The dogs just stop wipe there eyes with feet and take off chase him again with the intentions of biting him.
I then told him about the Lease Law in our county. Dogs must either be on a least or inside of a fence in area. Well he said he has tried calling animal control and they supposely has said that there was nothing they can do dogs chasing him and it was waste of time to call animal control. I told him that I have had several dogs to chase me and I reported them to animal control and now the owners keep there dogs either in there house or in a fence area and are no longer a problem.
That started to making our conversation more confrontational. He said there was no such thing as a lease law in our county. I tried to tell him there was and that all he needed to do was look it up on the internet and see. That didn't make and difference to him as he was still adament that there was no lease law for dogs. I ask him politely to drop the subject as it did not make any difference to me whether he believe me or not. I was only trying to be helpful and didn't need or want to argue about it.
Well that was enough and I told him I only stopped to say hello to fellow bicycler rider and not to argue. I was getting mad at myself for even stopping and trying to be nice.
It was time to say "Have a nice day" and for me get on with my morning ride and I left quickly. He shouted out while I was leaving that there was still no lease law. I think he would have argue that all day long and if I had given him the chance.
Some days it don't pay to stop and talk with strangers who may be cooky.
