Lol. Yes, for some the "leash" part really trips them up! A friend of mine said she hates that term but uses them herself.
I rarely need to use mine now since this group has been the same for 2 years and the youngest are now both almost 3. They all know the rules and expectations and are fantastic to walk with. But when starting new or young kids, I'm not taking the chance of letting them walk freely until I know their personality and they know the rules. It's just common sense to me but I know others do things differently.
I just don't really get why some are so against them but yet strollers/wagons/carts don't have the same negative stigma attached. It's something that I find interesting