[Sundae]

I tend to sit on the same bench in the park because it's far enough from the playground not to hear weary whines and grizzles (shouts and screams in fun are fine) but still in the area where dogs SHOULD BE on leads. This is a large park. Dogs are allowed to be off lead for most of it. But the area in which they are required to be on a lead (formal gardens, children's playground, weir) is continuous and well signposted from beginning to end.

Sadly 30% of dog owners who use this park can't or won't read, or don't think their dog is a dog. Or something.
The best I can say for them is that I have never once seen dog poo in a park, on a pavement or on a grass verge in Otley, so it beats Aylesbury, Leicester and London hands down.

The dogs not on leads things isn't so much me being a pedant or having an issue with dogs, it's because I often go to the park with food in my bag. I'm sat on a bench. My bag is next to me on the bench. Pretty much every time I've been there a free-running dog (in defiance of the signs) has shown interest in my bag. And on more than one occasion tried to get at the food in my bag. The owners have been up to 100 yards away.

Okay they've been little dogs, and their antics were mildly amusing. But not really.
I now have to do my trip in reverse, park first, shop later even though it doesn't work for me timewise. Just because of some idiots.

And yeah, this happened today, which is why I am moaning.
Some sort of terrier (Westie?) slobbered all over me because I had ham for my lunch in my own bag.
His owner didn't actually accuse me of being unfair, but she seemed to think the circumstances were extenuating. I was far more polite than I should have been; should have kicked her in the cunt.