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@Jimmy_Fingers
I cycle very slowly on the pavement when I'm taking the dog or dogs to the local park. As I cycled VERY slowly a woman came out of her house turned and saw me and literally jumped in fright (I was at least ten yards away and as I said going very slowly and had a dog on a lead).
'You shouldn't be cycling on the pavement'
'I've got a dog'
'You still shouldn't be cycling on the pavement'
'But I've got a dog, and I'm cycling VERY slowly' (as I have mentioned)
'Doesn't matter you shouldn't be on the pavement'
(At this point I am past her so only have one thing left to say before she fades into the distance. I wish I had said 'you must be fun at parties' or 'I bet you were popular at school' but instead said)
'Please stop lecturing me'
To put that into context it is a sleeply little side street, very few if any peds about and cycling with dogs can be sketchy because they are unpredictable, can shy away if something spooks them, or bolt after something like a squirrel or cat. I haven't yet come a cropper (riding fixed is brilliant for walking dogs, the level of control at slow speeds) but there have been moments, like when a ped lost control of a yappy terrier that then charged a spoked my dog (he a big soppy lurcher, utterly brilliant to ride with at the park: let him off the lead and then sprint full pace and he will catch then run alongside, sheer fucking joy) so...
Actually I'm not sure what the point was. I think it's ok to be on a pavement with a dog, too dangerous for us both to be on the road. And that woman needs to stop being a pedantic prick. I was cycling sans-dog on the road and she saw me, pointed and started laughing, which was weird