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Illegal To Ride A Bike And Have Dog Run Beside On Lead


donski
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Once/twice a week (in cooler weather only) I jump on my push bike and take my bully for a run/walk around our local roads (country roads) or into town. He loves it, gets all wiggly and waggly when the bike is rolled out and we only ever go at his pace.

One day I'm on the far left hand side of the lane when a ute roars by within inches of my shoulder honking his horn and giving me the finger. Well, I gave it back,as you do, and he turned around and came up yelling at me that what I was doing was illegal and to get me and my dog and my bike off the road. I tell him he's crazy, that its not illegal and after 5 mins of energetic debate he takes off. I ride home fuming, thinking what an idiot. I ask my cop friends what the actual legal status is and lo and behold it is actually illegal. Ooops.

Not that I'll probably stop doing it mind you. The roads I ride on are virtually deserted, and the bully loves it, so there! Did you all know that it's illegal though?

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It is also illegal to back out of your driveway.

It is also illegal to change a light bulb if you are not a qualified electrician.

There are probably 100's more.

Must say I always think it looks like an accident about to happen when I see a combination of dog, lead and bycycle. ;)

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I ride my bike almost every day with a Doberman alongside :D

I've ridden past cops and council rangers and I've never had any of them stop and tell me I can't do it, although to be honest it might not be illegal up here I don't know :confused:

I've also notice that nobody wears bike helmets up here and the cops don't do anything about that either.

Regardless, I'd do it anyway as it's the only way to give Acheron enough physical exercise to keep him happy.

Edit because I can't spell :D

Edited by dobesrock
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The rule that says can't lead an animal while operating or a passenger in a vehicle (including bicycles) is in the Australian Road Rules, which the Federal Government required every state and territory to implement back in 2000? or 2001 - in order to get Federal Road Funding. There's lots of other scary rules in it - you sometimes see taxi drivers or P platers doing some of the things that the Australian Road Rules say you can (like turning right from the left lane at traffic lights) that no more experienced driver would EVER do.

I'm pretty sure the ute driver was breaking a bunch of rules, and not just road rules doing what he was doing too.

I've not yet heard of anyone being booked for the dog and bicycle thing. And it also includes "road related areas" ie footpaths and shared use public paths like bike tracks as well. So the only place you can now go with your dog and your bike - is private property and maybe very large dog off lead areas where you don't actually attach the dog to yourself on the bike or the bike directly.

It's also illegal to hold a horse on lead from your bike or car and yes some very silly race horse trainers do this. The best race horse trainers pay some poor human to jogging with their young horses. I knew someone who used to do this job.

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The rule that says can't lead an animal while operating or a passenger in a vehicle (including bicycles) is in the Australian Road Rules, which the Federal Government required every state and territory to implement back in 2000? or 2001 - in order to get Federal Road Funding. There's lots of other scary rules in it - you sometimes see taxi drivers or P platers doing some of the things that the Australian Road Rules say you can (like turning right from the left lane at traffic lights) that no more experienced driver would EVER do.

I'm pretty sure the ute driver was breaking a bunch of rules, and not just road rules doing what he was doing too.

I've not yet heard of anyone being booked for the dog and bicycle thing. And it also includes "road related areas" ie footpaths and shared use public paths like bike tracks as well. So the only place you can now go with your dog and your bike - is private property and maybe very large dog off lead areas where you don't actually attach the dog to yourself on the bike or the bike directly.

It's also illegal to hold a horse on lead from your bike or car and yes some very silly race horse trainers do this. The best race horse trainers pay some poor human to jogging with their young horses. I knew someone who used to do this job.

Yep, seen a woman do this on a large agistment property. She was driving her car and leading the horse alongside.

I have a very old "Horse Owners Manual" pocket size book that shows an illustration of this and strongly suggests this not be done as it is danergous. :)

I'm sure there are a lot of laws that have a blind eye turned to them. Watch out though, they could become revenue raisers.

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People could use the same excuse when they walk their dog offlead in onlead only ovals etc (yeah I know it's illegal but my dog loves it), or bring their dog to the dog park without having any control (yeah that's against council regulations but my dog requires the exercise).

I don't understand selective adherence to law.

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Police often have to ignore some law breakers as they're on patrol to catch some other law. I remember one Policeman lamenting that he was unable to fine the dozens of teens on bikes without helmets because he was out to catch speeding motorists.

On topic, it's been a law in our shire since about 1993 but I didn't know it had become a federal law.

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I'm really curious now.

When does something with wheels become a vehicle? Would Roller blades, skates and skateboards be included? (they're the one's that seem popular around here with dogs and leads).

The other thing with the law is that although says you're not allowed to lead an animal, horse drawn vehicles seem to be Ok (or do they have a special permit). If horse drawn vehicles are Ok, would a dog drawn sled be different? (not for my Whippets of course)

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