Didn't want to co-opt another thread but something said there caught my interest.
"Owners with dogs on leash need to have control of their animals, else the leash is nothing other than a way to be "legal". Once upon a long time ago, before the advent of leash laws, the law in my neck of the woods was the dog must be under the control of the owner. Much better, IMO, then just stipulating on a leash! "
I have had many instances of dogs both on and off leash not being under control of the human when I'm walking with my dogs (black labs IMO are the worst offender because people think that since they are so people oriented they are always under control or are never aggressive - NOT).
What really threw me though was when I was at the pet shop looking for a short "urban" leash to attach to my double lead to make it a little longer, the shop attendent showed me a length of braided rawhide about 8 inches long that had a snap hook on one end but no loop or anything on the other. I said how is a person supposed to hang onto that? She said "oh it's just so owners can have something on the dog to satisfy the leash laws" !!
That's also the reason I allways have a leash with me that I cut in half. I can then just say that the leash broke and that that is the reason my dog is running loose. 
Dogs on leash but out of control can often be more trouble than a dog off leash. Dogs are sometimes more aggressive on leash, and with an owner who can't or won't prevent them from approaching other dogs, you have a set up for a bad situation. And don't get me started on flexis! Of course, they are not technically legal under many leash laws unless they are "locked off".
Leashes can give a new Basenji owner a false sense of security, as a lapse in attention with some dogs will lead quickly to a bitten through leash and a loose dog! 
Walking a dog, like driving a car, should be job one when you are engaged in it. Conversation or other distractions should not take your focus off of the animal (or the road!) and you should attend to potential problems before they get out of hand. This means being observant of your dog and of your surroundings. The difference between "professional" trainers and the rest of us, is that they see trouble coming and head it off, often so successfully that unless you are a keen observer you never see the averted problem.
Dogs need to be CONTROLLED on a leash, but they also need the leash in public places. Someone's dog attack your dog, some idiot HURT your dog and cause it to bite, your dog dies because YOU couldn't be bothered following the laws. I was so impressed in Europe with all the dogs out everywhere from restaurants to even museums and public transportation, all leashed and mostly well controlled. It is the people who disobey the laws that make problems for everyone else. Your dog may be perfect, but you have no more right to risk it than someone with an aggressive dog. It is always those who are above laws who cause the rest of us to have even more restrictions trying to reign in the others. In most places in the USA, dogs are allowed almost no where in stores or elsewhere. Sadly those who ignore common sense laws like leash laws will cause other places to follow us into our restrictions on pets in public.
I agree. It upsets me to see people walking with Flexis and their dog attacks some other dog because they're not paying attention, or don't know how to work the trigger mechanism properly. I've come to think that maybe people in cities just shouldn't use them because errors will inevitably occur…humans will be humans. I live in the country though, and there's no one around where I walk my dog. The long Flexi is the best choice for me because I like to let my dog explore some on her own when we're on walks, and she can run here and there while still not being able to take off. Not every situation is the same for everyone. If I were in the city or around people and congestion I'd probably use a 5 or 6 ft. fixed lead.
