November 10, 2025, 5:17 am | Read time: 3 minutes
PETBOOK author Manuela Lieflaender is annoyed: by the inconsiderate e-bike riders–and also by herself. She’s convinced that other road users think she’s paranoid. But is she really the only one who sees the silently speeding e-bikes as a real threat to her dog (and herself)?
In “Moonwalk,” I Watch Out for E-Bikers
When I’m outside with my Australian Shepherd Elvis, it feels like I’m on a special mission. I constantly have to scan the surroundings, like a bodyguard on edge. Front, back, left, right. I’m the personified 360-degree camera.
It gets particularly bad when I let Elvis off the leash. Then I turn into a human spinning top. In 50 meters, I feel like I turn around 150 times. Or I try to scan the horizon as if I’m looking for land at sea. My personal favorite: walking backward! Yes, you read that right. When Elvis dawdles a good distance behind me, I maneuver backward down the path like a Moonwalk.
Anyone watching me probably thinks: “She’s got a screw loose! Paranoia, at least!” But I just don’t want my young dog to be knocked over by an e-bike or e-scooter. These things are the ninja warriors of everyday traffic. They shoot silently, without any warning, out of nowhere, and at a speed that makes me dizzy.
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Am I the Only One with a Safety Plan?
What I don’t understand: I feel like I’m the only dog owner with a meticulous safety plan! Everyone else I see lets their dogs roam calmly with the obligatory retractable or long leash, crisscrossing the path. They don’t give it a second thought–just like the e-bike riders. It’s a curious stalemate: two inconsiderate parties neutralizing each other. I regularly read about physical altercations or accidents, but no one changes their behavior.
Well, except for me. I caught myself today having heated discussions in my head with inconsiderate cyclists who weren’t even there. “Why don’t you ring your bell? Is that too much to ask?”–Yes, I talk to invisible road users.
The Inner Conflict Between Consideration and Revenge
The height of acoustic audacity: “DON’T BE SCARED!” an e-bike rider recently shouted in my ear. I had actually turned around one time too few and–bam–I almost had a new windblown hairstyle, she sped by so close.
I’ve actually already found the solution to my problem. Actually. Because it puts me in an inner conflict: I want to train myself to walk in the middle of the sidewalk. My goal: The cyclist should ring the bell and slow down.
But when I walk in the middle, my good upbringing immediately screams: “Stop! You’re blocking the way for others! Don’t be so selfish!” And then the mental ping-pong starts, and I get annoyed with myself. Why do I always think I have to be considerate while it feels like everyone else only thinks of themselves? Well, probably because I have a dog. And the love for these furry friends makes us the most attentive and craziest road users of all. Always ready for the next ninja attack from the silence!
Can’t get enough of Elvis and his owner? Visit dog journalist Manuela Lieflaender on Instagram.
About the Author
Manuela Lieflaender is a certified dog psychologist and equestrian. Her portfolio includes advice texts as well as reports on pet-friendly travel destinations and in-depth experience stories.