One the subject of pets, dogs in particular, I nearly ran one down today.
Cutting through the park, All the pathways were snowy and iced over, but got the new tyres on-29er schwalbe ice spikers, so blasting along quite happily.
Passed a cute young woman completely not dressed for the weather, and as i looked forward again, a small black dog shot out of the bushes right in front of me. JESUSFKINGCHRIST
Well, thank goodness for Hope tech4 V4 brakes on 200mm rotors, because if it hadn't been for them i'd be spending the evening picking bits of small dog out my tread.
Brakes and tyres performed admirably.
I think the dog was a cocker spaniel. Small, black, floppy ears and the ability to go from nought to sixty in under 2 seconds. It shot off, completely unaware it had brushed death by 0.5 of a second, owner seemed unconcerned, and I rode on. Little I could do and no point shouting at such beauty.