Pets, Not Cars, Are Biggest Threat To Cyclists

By The Continuous News Desk

Published: June 12, 2008

BY RICHARD HEPPERT

My wife had a bicycle wreck in April. It was no accident.

The first thing she remembers of the incident was being fed into a CT scanner at the emergency room after a red-light express ride to Holston Valley Hospital. It was no accident because it was preventable. It was the direct cause of an irresponsible pet owner not insuring one of her pets was under control.

By the way, my wife is no novice rider; she cycles 3,000 to 5,000 miles a year, but it looks like she will be missing a few rides in the coming months because while traveling at 20 mph, she was also trying to avoid an attacking beagle.

IN 25 YEARS of bicycle riding, I’m convinced that by far the most common danger to bicyclists on our roadways is from animal encounters, not other vehicles – domesticated animals, usually uncontrolled pets.

Many people in our region feel that because they live in the county they are free to let their pets roam uncontrolled because they have no local “leash laws.” For a couple of reasons, this is clearly not the case.  First, the Tennessee Code stipulates that dogs cannot be on other persons’ property or on public roadways or highways.

As an owner of any pet, you have a moral, if not legal, responsibility to ensure not only the well-being of your pets, but that your pets’ actions do not infringe on the well-being of others or their property. As cyclists, we also get a close-up view of a huge number of your former loose pets, now reduced to just a furry frisby on the road.

Walkers, runners, cyclists and motor vehicle operators have been seriously injured and killed because of uncontrolled pets. You can’t do anything to undo the damage once it has happened. “I’m sorry” just doesn’t cut it when someone is being loaded into an ambulance. Quite often, the injured person never fully recovers, and nothing can restore the lost time and wages, or undo the pain experienced because of an uncontrolled pet.

IT DOESN’T particularly matter if a loose pet is aggressive or not. I know of two specific cases of ambulance trips caused by cats. Friendly dogs have caused many a wreck. A local fire chief was once sent to the ER due to a dog crossing the road in a blind curve, and because he was unable to perform his job for a while, maybe we were all just a little less safe.

I am not going to go use roads elsewhere so owners can continue to let their pets run wild and attack users of “their” road.  The moment their dog’s foot hits the pavement they are in violation of the law and Fluffy has become a direct threat to my safety.

I really love well-behaved, controlled pets. But pet owners do not have the right to let their free-roaming pet go on others’ property, defecate, hunt, threaten the property owner or otherwise damage other persons’ property or private sanctuary they might have created in their own yard, much less endanger the legal users of our roadways. If you don’t control them, don’t be surprised if people take steps to defend against free-roaming Fluffy just the same as with any stray. And often one can’t tell any difference.

You may not believe your little fuzzball is capable of attacking someone or could do any serious damage, but I would beg to differ. If Fuzzball stays on your property, I have no issue with him. I’ll probably just talk with him nicely as he runs along as I pass by. But having witnessed too many of my friends taken to the hospital, I know first hand the damage your uncontrolled fluffy can do. Your assurance that “he won’t hurt you” is meaningless to someone who has witnessed numerous attacks, bites and wrecks following such statements. 

WHEN ATTACKED, I have a variety of escalating tactics I may use to prevent serious injury to others or myself. If Fuzzball becomes injured while I protect myself, his owner only has himself to blame. My safety trumps that of the pet of an irresponsible owner.

Yes, there are risks in cycling, as with any sport, but I am not going to give cycling and the inherent benefits up because of occasional dangers. 

It may or not be the animal’s fault that they are aggressive, but it is the owner’s responsibility and liability if they endanger others. It boils down to personal responsibility.

I do notice and appreciate those pet owners who have either trained or restrained their wards. But it only takes a few irresponsible ones to ruin a day or even take a life.

LUCKILY MY wife’s collarbone, as well as her abrasions and bruises will heal. Hopefully the headaches and occasional dizziness due to the concussion will also go away.  At least her helmet probably kept this wreck, due to negligence, from being a fatality.

Total cost due to one loose pet now exceeds $10,000.

Richard Heppert, of the Kingsport Bicycle Association, may be reached at