yesterday I went for a morning hike with an old friend and her new puppy
the dogs were off leash and in all their glory
at one point in the hike my dog playfully moved towards a jogger
before I could issue a sincere apology
the runner told me to put my dog on a leash
understandable request
well... he is right...but he is wrong
as well... it may be the law... but...
this runner was knowingly running on a non-sanctioned trail
so... this runner was breaking rules just as I was breaking rules
now... I would have liked to have apologized and handled myself better
but... the morning coffee was all I had fueling my morning
there was still some grumpiness in my system
so... rather than apologize I asked him...
"what kinda car do you drive?"
I asked this 10 times with no answer...
then I told him he was running on a non-sanctioned trail
my point...
we all bend\break the rules at times
he was currently breaking the rules and trying to get me to follow the rules
why did I ask if he owned a car?
because car drivers have modified the law to suit their personal needs
at the expense of those around them
similar... but different...
ANYONE SPEEDING IN A CAR IS A GREATER HAZARD TO THE WORLD AROUND THEM THAN THE DOG OFF LEASH
so... if this person is going around telling others what to do...
maybe first they need to make sure that the are in line
in this moment... this runner was OUT OF LINE
these non-sanctioned trails have recently been marked as "Closed" by the NPS
this runner had passed several of these signs
just as I had
so yes...
I was wrong in my behavior
not the behavior of walking my dog off leash
but in my response to the runner
I should have listened... nodded... and gone on my way...
his words and my response
those actions just aggravated the other
neither of us changed our behaviors
I have looked in the mirror... I know my actions are outside the rules
but this person and their actions
well... yes... my dog did move towards him and may have spooked him
but... had he been on the legal trails
we would have never encountered each other
but really...
my feeling is
PEOPLE DO WHATEVER THEY WANT
yet... they go around trying to tell others to step into line
I own a car... I drive a car...
I understand that we have a society that exists with a "Gray Area"
an accepted set of parameters for "bending" the law
the Speed Limit is such...
the sign says LIMIT
but the behavior does something different
now... I would have no issue with the car behavior
IF THE CAR DRIVERS MODIFIED THEIR ACTIONS WHEN ENCOUNTERING PEDESTRIANS AND CYCLISTS
but they do not...
the Speed Limit is how a car should interact with another car
so... when passing a a pedestrian or cyclist their speed should be adjusted
so... yes... I was in the wrong
and
honestly... I could have handled this better
but really... my dog was no danger to him
while I can guarantee you... that his driving behavior puts cyclists and pedestrians at risk each and every day
enough on this
as they say in FROZEN
"Let It Go!"
