An Open Letter From Fido: Why Can’t We All Just Get Along?

Photo by Maria Helena-Carey

I was enjoying a nice run in the rain last Thursday, when I came upon a woman who was walking her dog. It’s the kind of thing we see all the time on the Hill. The dog was in the tree box and she was standing, waiting, only this person was wearing a hooded rain coat, so she didn’t hear me coming. (I know this because I can never hear a damn thing when I have a hood on.) I startled her as I ran past, and her dog startled me when he reacted to his owner. Then, I assume, we both headed home on the public streets of Capitol Hill, happy to have enjoyed some time outside after a very long winter.

Or did we?

A few days later, The Hill is Home received the following letter from Fido:

By Dodger the Dog

Hi, my name is Dodger. I am a terrier here on Capitol Hill. My topic today is how we can co-exist.

Let me tell you about my human peeve: Joggers who sneak up behind me. It turns me from a nice smiling pup into a snarling ball of canine adrenaline. You don’t want to see that happen.

Look, I like people as much as the next dog. But in my heart I believe I was put on this planet for one purpose: To watch out for the lady I live with. When you run up behind me without warning, you scare me. And you also make me look like I was asleep on the job, which is bad for my image with the lady.

All I am asking is this: When you are about 15 feet away, a soft “On your left” would go a long way. Don’t try to sneak around me, unless you want me to lunge at you.

Now, I don’t know if this was meant for me, or any of the other number of people out running last Thursday, but what I do know is that cars and bikes will always have to share the road. Walkers, cyclists and motorists will, at some point, have to yield to the other. People and pets will have to coexist too. We can’t stop a runner from startling a dog any more than we can stop a barking dog from startling someone, but we can all do our best to minimize our impact on others.

(Quick personal note: After I just ran as far and as fast as I could, “a soft on your left” is easier typed than spoken.)

So, before I tie the laces on my running shoes and hop on my bike to head home, let me remind everyone about a few of the rules of the road/sidewalk so that we can avoid some of the high-stress situations we experience when we are out and about.

• Pedestrians have the right of way, always! That means slow down and stop your car or your bike when you see a pedestrian in a cross walk.
• Sidewalks are for people, but they welcome bikes outside of the Central Business District. Walkers, runners and cyclists, let’s watch out for each other and yield to the other as appropriate. Let’s be both kind and courteous.
• Runners, please resist the urge to run in the bike lane. It’s got that helmet wearing cyclist painted on it for a reason. And please, please, do NOT push your running stroller in a bike lane! It makes me (and plenty of other motorists, cyclists and runners) nervous. Despite what you may think, your child will pick a bumpy turn on the sidewalk over a trip to the ER.
• Pet owners, please remember to keep your pet on a leash. I’m sure Fido loves to chase the squirrels at Lincoln Park, but a dog without a leash, even the nicest dog, can hurt someone or be hurt by someone or something.

Have you had an awkward encounter while walking, running or cycling on Capitol Hill? Do you have a personal “rule” that you like to follow and think others should follow as well? Let us know in the comments…