OT: in the very dark early AM today, a ninja poodle stood alone on the Sausalito/Mill Valley path
57 views
Skip to first unread message
Matthew Hiller
Sep 29, 2016, 5:04:51 PM9/29/16
to SF2G
Encountered on my morning ride today: at about 6:05 AM (so very dark) I took the first right from the MUP traffic circle to go towards Tiburon. The little spur that goes that way was very, very dark -- it's far enough from Miller Ave or any other surface road that there's no streetlight bleedthrough. The sky was socked in with clouds, and even if it weren't, the moon is at a very thin waning crescent right now.
Just as I approach the small creek bridge, my more-directional main headlight (on high beam) picks up the outline of an animal of some sort. Oh, it's... a poodle. With coal-black curlicued fur. Standing nearly stock-still on the far side of the bridge like some assistant to the boatman on the River Styx. Has a collar with a bell, and looks well cared for, but there's no owner in sight either.
At the far landing of the bridge I dismount and walk past the dog, ringing my electronic bell doohickey a few times for good measure. Once I pass the dog, I hear his bell start to ring and catch that he seems to want to trot alongside for me. I still don't know this dog, so I start to shout "No! No! Go away, dog!" and contemplate dismounting and putting the bike between me and the canine ninja. Then my main headlight finally picks out the form of the dog's owner, about 25 yards further down the path, who now finally starts shouting at the dog to stay.
Neither dog nor owner had a flashlight, collar-light, reflective clothing, or anything that would make them stand out in the darkest night. Oy. (And yes, the obvious rejoinder here is that the dog obviously needed a flashlight, and the owner a collar-light.)
If this were NY, and if I knew firmly (rather than, at the time, strongly suspecting) that the path rules require leashes at all times -- let alone in the pitch-black -- you can believe that guy woulda got an earful from me.
Just as I approach the small creek bridge, my more-directional main headlight (on high beam) picks up the outline of an animal of some sort. Oh, it's... a poodle. With coal-black curlicued fur. Standing nearly stock-still on the far side of the bridge like some assistant to the boatman on the River Styx. Has a collar with a bell, and looks well cared for, but there's no owner in sight either.
At the far landing of the bridge I dismount and walk past the dog, ringing my electronic bell doohickey a few times for good measure. Once I pass the dog, I hear his bell start to ring and catch that he seems to want to trot alongside for me. I still don't know this dog, so I start to shout "No! No! Go away, dog!" and contemplate dismounting and putting the bike between me and the canine ninja. Then my main headlight finally picks out the form of the dog's owner, about 25 yards further down the path, who now finally starts shouting at the dog to stay.
Neither dog nor owner had a flashlight, collar-light, reflective clothing, or anything that would make them stand out in the darkest night. Oy. (And yes, the obvious rejoinder here is that the dog obviously needed a flashlight, and the owner a collar-light.)
If this were NY, and if I knew firmly (rather than, at the time, strongly suspecting) that the path rules require leashes at all times -- let alone in the pitch-black -- you can believe that guy woulda got an earful from me.
Reply all
Reply to author
Forward
0 new messages