Well, I didn't think they'd do it, but they did! It's in the Op-Ed section of today's Arizona Daily Star! You can read it here! It's about halfway down, right after "Ethanol is not good sense."

If you have no idea what I'm talking about, it's a letter to the editor I submitted a week or two ago about leashing your dogs on the MUP.

I will not entertain any crap about commuting to work on the MUP. I think iPodded peds and unleashed dogs are still safer than traffic on a winding road with lots of construction.

You know what's pretty unfortunate in Toronto? Some MUPs are actually among the few officially designated leash-free areas! They are not very heavily-travelled MUPs, and are not even paved for that matter, but nevertheless...

Thankfully, most MUP in Calgary are on-leash areas, but every once in a while I come around a corner and there's a little furry whatsit running toward my front wheel. Typically, the owner is 30m back, oblivious to the danger their vermin could cause.

One thing -leashes are no guarantee of dog safety - unless you don't mind running over the leash!

Chephy - are you referring to the moss park ravine? That and the belt line are probably the worst for doggie action.

That's nice to hear, Eddie. I knew that snappy letter would catch their eye.

I had in mind the Don Valley Brickworks and the Cedarvale Ravine. I occasionally used the former for my summer commute since it was so conveniently on the way, and I live near the former and take an occasional walkie/bikey there. There are probably others, including the ones you mentioned. In general, I find there are ridiculously few leash-free areas in this huge city, and most of them are located in pretty ridiculous places (and no, I don't even have a dog). But this is a bit off-topic, yeah...

Thank you, Donna! You're the one who pushed me the most to hunker down and edit my letter so it would fit the criteria.

I almost hit a dog on a MUP here in SoCal last summer. Stupid owners were just walking along, clueless and the dog walked right across the path in front of me as I was coming up on them. Fortunately, I saw that the dog wasn't leashed and slowed down. If I hadn't, I would have probably killed or seriously injured the dog and gone over the handlebars. As it was I was able to stop in time. The owners apologized but that doesn't mean much IMO.

I also encountered a guy once walking a huge and extremely aggressive dog on that same MUP once. Thank god he had that stupid mutt leashed. I don't get why people keep dangerous pets...I really don't.

Personally, I think MUPs, parking lots and residential areas are probably the most dangerous places you could ride a bike. I always have my guard up when riding on the MUP and through residential areas. I NEVER ride through parking lots.

i was riding on a very popular dirt road that is also used as a mup, it was full of large mud puddles and is bordered by stickerbushes so your only options are to ride or walk through it. it is heavily travelled so the mud is pretty deep from the walkers and service vehicles. i was in my granny gear making my way through a deep muddy section, barely staying upright but proud that i was able to do so, and up comes a family of 6 with 2 dogs, both unleashed. one of the dogs, a large collie mix trotted right up to about 2 feet from my front wheel and sat down and looked at me with a big happy face like he expected a treat for sitting. i was going really really slow so i tried things like "excuse me doggie" or "move it mutt!" to no avail. he just sat there with a dumb look on his face. i was able to trackstand in the mud for about 2 seconds and fell over into mud just above the ankle. as soon as my foot hit the bottom of the pit the owner says "hey get over here" to the dog and he takes off. i almost lost my shoe pulling my foot out of the mud

Good on your paper for publishing something relevant, and good on you for sticking to it (albeit with some motivation!) and making your letter fit the publishing criteria. Hopefully it will work out!

Control your dog already.
Put your dog on a leash.
You should see the look on their faces.

I think the leashes are worse than the dogs.

I also think unleashed children are worse than dogs or dog leashes. I swear I'm a toddler magnet or something.

You're welcome. Sometimes we're better writers than we believe and a little encouragement does the trick. Glad to have been the encourager!

On the MUP I use the dogs are better behaved than most kids and some pedestrians. Now, long leashes stretched across the entire path is another matter.

I was on an MUP recently passing a family: mom, dad, a seven-or-so-year-old daughter and a toddler on a trike. Rang my bell in advance, slowed down, made eye contact. They saw me with a lot of time to spare, moved to the side and the parents motioned me to pass. And just as I was nearing them, the guy on the trike suddenly turned his handlebars 90 degrees and starts pedalling, moving right into my path! The parents scream "Get back!", I squeeze the brake levers... Fortunately, I always expect something like this from every dog, kid or even adult on the MUP, so I stop with plenty of distance. The parents just look grateful and praise my brakes.

All in all, however, I've had little trouble with kids and even less with dogs. Partly it's because I like dogs and I don't mind being slowed down by them. In fact, I'll slow down even if they're way out of my way, just to look at them and smile. And, seriously, the MUP is no stinkin' highway. I'd hate to be like one of those lycra-clad warriors who nearly run over little children as they time-trial through a crowded path - and then have the nerve to swear at them...

I was out riding with the TBN on a rec. ride today and a dog almost got the bad side of a 700c wheel, and almost my 26" too - I was part of the lead pack, so told the lady who was walking 'near' this animal that there were a bunch more cyclists coming along. I should note we weren't hauling a$$ or anything, quite the opposite easy going ride.

I have no problem sharing these great path systems, but make it safe for everyone - there are places in that path where a quick swerve might see you diving into the Don river, and screw that in weather like we're having now!

Path? Path? Around here, not a damn dog owner keeps their leash reeled in without at least 20 feet out. Just watch them walking down one of the residential streets - dog on one side, master on the other, leash forming a perfect barrier for any traffic, period.

Further, not one of the b*trds in this town use the emergency lock (on retractable leashes) to stop their mutt if they go off at a cyclist.

-Kurt

There's a switched-back ramp and footbridge combo to get on and off the Hudson Greenway (MUP) at 181st St. The signage indicates that cyclists should dismount to walk the bike through this section. Nobody, and I mean nobody ever does this. It's a lawyer sign, if you know what I mean. Anyhow one time a woman with an unleashed dog yelled at me "you're not supposed to ride here" and I yelled back "leash law, we're even!".

The entire city is a defacto leash-free area.

A few years back I had a woman threaten to call the cops on me for "menacing" her dog. By that, she meant I was holding my bike between myself and her snarling, unleashed dog that came charging at me through the park.

They really do think they can do whatever they like, whenever they like.