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BaltoCo Bike/ped plan moving forward

Baltimore County has identified a preliminary or pilot bicycle network within their Eastern Baltimore County Pedestrian and Bicycle Access Plan. That network is available for review here: http://resources.co.ba.md.us/Documents/Planning/Pilot%20Projects.pdf

The Perry Hall Blvd sidepath is currently seeking funding through bond bills HB 1117 & SB 671 with an equal match from the County. So stay tuned for how you can support this project.

In the mean time comments are welcome about this pilot network (read more.)

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Pet control is the big lesson in poodle saga

<img width="134" height="120" align="left" src="http://www.baltimorespokes.org/images/articles/20060206183351303_1.gif" alt="">by Gregory Kane - Baltimore Sun

The first lesson is for Tippett: Jacquelyn is a poodle, madam, not your &quot;little girl,&quot; as you referred to her in the news story. Dogs, while they have a reputation as bright animals, do have some limitations on their intelligence.

If I had been in the jogger's spot, I might not have kicked Jacquelyn. But I would have tried to explain the situation to the pooch in clear English.

&quot;I'm a 200-pound man. You're a 4-pound poodle. I have a large foot that can kick you several feet. Do the math, dog. Do the math.&quot; The math for humans versus poodles confrontations comes to, I suspect, something like Humans 3,247, Poodles 0.

But dogs can't do math. That's the point. That's why we have leash laws.

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Jogger won't be charged for kicking poodle

By Julie Scharper and Andrea F. Siegel Sun reporters

Tippett and her roommate, Margo Owen, informed the Anne Arundel County state's attorney's office yesterday that they did not want to pursue felony charges against the jogger.
...
Kristin Riggin, a spokeswoman for the state's attorney's office, said the poodle's plight has received more attention than cases of murdered or abused children.

"Are people sending checks to children who are abused?" Riggin said. "Are people sending money to foster care?"
With no Felony charges PETA no longer has it's action alert up and things have returned to reasonable expectations for the government to do the responsible thing.

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Random passers-by soon to be liable for other peoples unrestrained dogs

WARNING satiric paraphrase of Baltimore Sun's recent article:

The state's prosecutor's office expressed frustration over the states current animal cruelty laws as they do not cover random passers-by in public streets that encounter an unrestrained dogs in attack mode. The Anne Arundel County prosecutor's office said clearly this is not right just because the dog's owner could not control the dog does not mean that a random passer-by can't. Dogs love to chase and bite and for some stranger who does not know how to handle the dog to forcefully prevent the dog from following its natural instincts... well that is just inhumane.

So please everyone be kind to animals and let a unrestrained dog bite you if they want to, after all this is the most humane thing you can do.

Don't belive me?
[If you are a jogger] this is what the Partnership for Animal Welfare recommends:
How to keep kids - and adults - from getting bitten by dogs:
* Do not run past dogs. Dogs like to chase moving objects, and tend to try to catch moving things with their teeth.
If you see a loose dog:
* Dogs like to chase, so don't try to run away from the dog.
* If a dog lunges or tries to bite, give him your bag, bike, coat or anything else to chew on.

If I read this right it says give up jogging and let the dog bite something [even if it is you.]
[end of satire]
If your way of handling unrestrained dogs is not recommended by the Partnership for Animal Welfare, it is most likely excessive and cruel and you will [might??] be subject to violation of the new law.

Please do not forget our poll on the right column of our home page:
Update

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Poodle vs. jogger gets plenty of hackles up

By Annie Linskey sun reporter
Debate ensues after runner kicks and injures small dog that chased and nipped at him

    Anne Arundel County police spokesman Shawn A. Urbas said the jogger could face a misdemeanor charge of animal cruelty or a felony charge of aggravated animal cruelty. However, Anne Arundel County laws require animals to be "leashed and under the control of a responsible person."

    Kristin Riggin, a spokeswoman for State's Attorney Frank R. Weathersbee, said a final decision has not been made regarding charges and declined to comment further on the case.
    ...
    "We will ask for a vigorous prosecution like the world depended on it," said Martin Mersereau, the manager for the domestic animal abuse department at PETA.
THC: I feel very strongly that it is not right to have an animal "attack" someone in a public space and legally require them to react positively. How many people that have been startled by an attacking dog can truly say they can always reacted well?

So should people be required to keep their animal under control or should joggers and cyclists be required not to harm an attacking animal? Read more to weigh in.

I should note that I do feel very sorry for the dog and sincerely wish more people knew how to handle animals well but if someone is fearful of an animal what should be expected when that animal attacks that person?
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Who is the victim?

<img width="134" height="120" align="left" src="http://www.baltimorespokes.org/images/articles/20060201073654244_1.gif" alt="">Briefly an article about a 4.5 lb poodle runs after a jogger nipping at his heals. The jogger first shoved the dog with his foot then stopped to kick the dog and then did it again. The last kick put the poodle in temporary paralysis.

Links to:
The Baltimore Sun story, Anne Arundel County Animal Control laws and a couple of links to how to handle dogs on a bike.

Update:
<a href="http://www.baltimorespokes.org/article.php?story=20060204190948168">http://www.baltimorespokes.org/article.php?story=20060204190948168</a>;

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101 (ab)uses of a car

From a discussion group: On these winter rides I continue to be disgusted by the number of Mommy's that are sitting in their Suburban's, Expedition's, LX- 470's, Rover's, and Volvo's with their engines running, talking on the phone or reading a book, spewing emissions into the environment at the head of their few block deep neighborhoods waiting for little Biff and Muffy to get off the school bus. What is wrong with these people is a clear example of what is wrong with much of America.

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