TICKET BLITZ: Harsh off-leash enforcement in Prospect Park

eggcream · January 2010

rockhound wrote: [quote=eggcream]Their website says they encourage dog owners to follow the rules BUT how about a 5 minute grace period. Maybe in the dead of winter a 5 minute grace period is not a bad thing.

About ten years ago, when the whole off leash thing was heating up, I encountered an offleash dog at 10 am. A Parks Department employee in a PEP truck told me they get an hour's grace period, and that I shouldn't mind because loose dogs tearing through the woods are "part of nature". This is not made up.

If the off leash dogs were in a fenced area, with zero tolerance beyond the clearly defined visual limits, then this wouldn't be an issue. Without physical and visual limits, there has to be some other way to set the boundaries, because some people always want to be the exceptions for whom the rules do not apply. Unfortunately, this means the "good park users" will be affected as well.

Ah, Schumer and his cell phone come to mind re; rules do not apply to some people. A 1 hour grace period is ridiculous and I agree about the fenced in area. But I still think a 5 minute grace period should be allowed for dogs, cars, parking meters etc.

eggcream · January 2010

winstonsmith wrote: [quote=kaiserkai][quote=winstonsmith]Not "attacked", the dog just wanted to play. I did not even see it coming and it knocked me off my feet.

Id like to see the dog that keels over a grown man while jogging in the Park.
He must be huge, or you must be really small.

And he must have been REALLY happy to see you to track you down on the running path.

So we are talking a 80+lbs dog, singling you out by chance, the biggest anti dog advocate of Brooklyn, and not only wanting to play with you but being SOOOOOO excited to simply run you over.

I have heard some good stories in my time, but this one is defenitely top 10.

It was a very small dog and it just jumped on my leg. If you are running in a strait line even a little dog can through you off balance. I did not "keel over" much to the disappointment of the dog's owners who really thought it was funny (and you too I guess).

I am not anti-dog. I am anti selfish dog owner.

I'm sorry but if you're running in a straight line how does a small dog jump, and presumably make contact, onto your leg, throw you off balance thereby knocking you off your feet? Was he still hanging on when you landed?

Aren't there any smiley faces with tears running down their face?

pitu · January 2010

pmonk wrote: I am usually off the long meadow before 9:00 but a couple of weekends ago I stayed late and exactly 9:00 a Park employee in a Park van announced over a speaker off leash hours are over.

Do they do that every weekend?

I've only seen that occasionally.

winstonsmith · January 2010

eggcream wrote: [quote=winstonsmith][quote=kaiserkai][quote=winstonsmith]Not "attacked", the dog just wanted to play. I did not even see it coming and it knocked me off my feet.

Id like to see the dog that keels over a grown man while jogging in the Park.
He must be huge, or you must be really small.

And he must have been REALLY happy to see you to track you down on the running path.

So we are talking a 80+lbs dog, singling you out by chance, the biggest anti dog advocate of Brooklyn, and not only wanting to play with you but being SOOOOOO excited to simply run you over.

I have heard some good stories in my time, but this one is defenitely top 10.

It was a very small dog and it just jumped on my leg. If you are running in a strait line even a little dog can through you off balance. I did not "keel over" much to the disappointment of the dog's owners who really thought it was funny (and you too I guess).

I am not anti-dog. I am anti selfish dog owner.

I'm sorry but if you're running in a straight line how does a small dog jump, and presumably make contact, onto your leg, throw you off balance thereby knocking you off your feet? Was he still hanging on when you landed?

Aren't there any smiley faces with tears running down their face?

or maybe I just ran right into it. In any case I did not see it and suddenly it was under my feet. Have fun calling me a lier. Whatever.

But don't start accusing me of kicking a dog.

rockhound · January 2010

Small dogs are more dangerous than pit bulls. Walking past B&H on 34th Street last year, I was assaulted by a white maltese that suddenly lunged on its retractible leash and sank its needle sharp teeth into my jeans cuff. Literally, an ankle biter..its nasty teeth scraped my skin and it hurt for days afterward.

The female owner heard the growl and saw the lunge but JUST KEPT WALKING. Not a word of apology or acknowledgement. It was too late to kick the rat dog into orbit, but I certainly let the whole block know what a stupid and irresponsible owner this chick was.

You can certainly trip over a small dog darting out of nowhere and underfoot, especially if you are directing your attention elsewhere. I almost kicked a teacup Yorkie on a leash in front of Macy's the other day, because while I knew it was in the vicinity, I did not see it underfoot, and the owner was not paying attention to it. My foot did touch it and it was partly lifted off the sidewalk! Where are the rat dog purses when you need them?

pmonk · January 2010

Do you think, maybe, it may be you?

rockhound · January 2010

Because everyone who gets bitten by a dog deserves it?

kosherdave · February 2010

I don't have a dog, but man it's dumb they're ticketing people so close to the 9:00 cut off. And in the winter no less!
I go running in the park A LOT and rarely see others there when it's cold. I feel safter knowing there are at least some dogs running around. I say let them run 24/7 all winter long! Keeps things safe and it's not harming anyone.

garfunky · February 2010

The off leash dogs owner deserves the ticket at 9:01 exactly as much as someone who runs up to their car at "10:31" only to see theyre getting a ticket for not moving in time for alt side.

same thing

pitu · February 2010

Garfunky wrote: The off leash dogs owner deserves the ticket at 9:01 exactly as much as someone who runs up to their car at "10:31" only to see theyre getting a ticket for not moving in time for alt side.

same thing

I'd like to stay out of the parking argument, or any This is Like that equivalency that spirals off into a tangent on other heated topics . . . but . . .
the difference I see is that the alt side parking is for street cleaning - you wouldn't want to block the sweeper machine, now would you?

garfunky · February 2010

wrong,

its not nice that anyone gets a ticket 1 minute after whatever.
it sucks, but
i dont see why the offleash dog rates special "courtesy" consideration.

winstonsmith · February 2010

Yea, How much more courtesy time do we have to wait to use the Long Meadow if we don't want to have dogs jumping all over us when we want to enjoy the park?

missydoodle · February 2010

I agree that tickets at 9:01 is extreme. However, as far as off-leash dogs during regular park hours go -leash laws are in place for everyone's safety. I don't know why some dog owners think the rules don't apply to them. We take our dog to the park on a leash and almost every single time, we are rushed by an off-leash dog. Just yesterday, during the blizzard, we were in the park and a dog ran full-speed across the field right into our leashed dogs face. Our dog pinned that dog, and my husband had to dive between them until the owners bothered to stroll over. They were laughing and barely payed attention. That could have been a dog fight or my husband could have been bitten by their dog. That's very irresponsible! Both dogs were about 50 pounds. As we left, the other dog was still off-leash, racing across the field towards the sled-riding kids. The owners were not even trying to keep up with their dog. Off-leash hours are fun, but otherwise please keep your dog on a leash. Dogs can be hit by cars, bitten or bite others. We see so many posts about lost dogs. If you love your dog, please be responsible for him or her.

butanikku · February 2010

Subject: legally mauled in pp

two off-leash cops just gave me a summons for walking in prospect park "after hours". total set up, had just walked in off ppsw and got mauled. so needless, so destructive. really puts a sour tasted in my mouth about the park i grew up in. spit.

ringrunner · February 2010

butankku, Are you saying you got a summons for "being" in the park "after hours"? What did they charge you with?

young -n- modern · February 2010

i don't believe this at all. link to scan of supposed 9:01 ticket? prolly more like 9:15.

TICKET BLITZ: Harsh off-leash enforcement in Prospect Park

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