Originally Posted by
valygrl
Congrats on your century, (edit, sorry I mean, 200K) and I'm sorry that incident happened. That is horrible, for all concerned.
However... if a dog chases, it should be contained. For it's own good and that of the drivers and cyclists and animals in the area. What was the driver supposed to do? Apologize? For what? Driving on a public road? Approach the dog? You yourself indicate this can be dangerous. Are you implying he was speeding? On the evidence that the dog died from being hit by a car? It doesn't take that much.
It was the owner's fault, for letting the dog run in traffic. Sad for all, especially the dog, but don't blame the driver. Hopefully the owner will have learned her lesson, and will keep her next dog contained.
This is a very sad story, and hopefully people who learn of this tragedy will do what they can to keep their pets restrained.
One thing you can absolutely count on is that many drivers are incapable of avoiding stationary objects in the road -- even in broad daylight. Whether that be debris, an animal, or a kid, you can be certain that the driver will blame circumstances for the accident rather than thinking they should have been paying attention. Being victims of their circumstances, a number of them will naturally feel not only blameless, but they also won't feel remorse for any harm they cause others. As good luck would have it, few humans can be found on roads where cars move fast, and those that are there know to be on the lookout.